Tuesday, 28 Feb 2023

Written Answers Nos. 317-331

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (317)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

317. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide a schedule of social media influencers and online personalities, television and or radio personalities engaged by his Department and bodies under his aegis in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; if he will include the fees expended, name of personality and campaign they were engaged on; and if he will also provide the key performance indicators in respect of their engagement. [9899/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Department of Foreign Affairs has not retained any social media influencers and online personalities, television and or radio personalities for any media campaigns during the years 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023.

Disaster Response

Ceisteanna (318)

Ruairí Ó Murchú

Ceist:

318. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the nature and extent of the medical aid going from Ireland to the earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria; if he will outline the efforts being made to ensure that insulin and blood glucose devices are included with the medical aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9954/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs

The Government responded very quickly to support people affected by the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. We announced, and have allocated, €10 million in direct humanitarian funding for trusted partners delivering life-saving assistance on the ground in both countries. This support includes ensuring the provision of urgent medical care.

In Türkiye, we are supporting emergency health needs through our funding to the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) who are providing mental and physical health services, shelter, food and water. With our funding, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA have scaled up the protection of the health and rights of women and girls and repositioned their existing health units to treat emergency needs of the most vulnerable.

Ireland’s support to the Syria Cross Border humanitarian Fund, managed by the UN, has allowed medical supplies and equipment to be transported quickly to people in the worst affected parts of Syria. In both countries, we are funding Irish NGOs who are providing psychological and trauma support, amongst other needs, to thousands of people in need.

Over 130 tonnes of emergency supplies have been provided under Ireland’s Rapid Response Initiative. This includes tents, thermal blankets, solar lamps, hygiene kits, kitchen sets and water jerry cans, distributed by Concern and Goal in Türkiye and by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Northwest Syria. The total provided to date is worth almost €1 million, with an additional consignment planned.

Ireland also contributes to global funds and is providing core funding to key agencies including UNICEF which are allocating funding to the earthquake response. We are also supporting the World Health Organisation (WHO) which has sent health supplies to reach over 400,000 people in the areas affected by the earthquakes.

Passport Services

Ceisteanna (319)

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

319. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when the family of person (details supplied) can expect their passport to be issued. [10076/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application is within the current turnaround time and has not yet reached its issue by date. The issue by date for the application is 8 March 2023.

The Passport Service has contacted the applicant directly to advise of the option of booking an Urgent Appointment for passport renewal at the Passport Service public office in Mount Street.

Public Procurement Contracts

Ceisteanna (320)

Neasa Hourigan

Ceist:

320. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the awards made both with and without a tender process to management consultancy firms (details supplied) by his Department and aegis bodies for each of the years 2018 to 2022 inclusive, in tabular form and classed by firm; the purpose and a brief description of the awards; the value of the awards and the total amounts paid; the timeline or timeframe of the contracts; and the desired or completed output. [10113/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

The Department of Foreign Affairs has contracted a number of the listed management consultancy firms in the period 2018-2022, primarily for the provision of audit services to Embassies managing significant development cooperation programmes, as well as to a small number of units at Headquarters. In overseas locations, the contracts are awarded locally to independent affiliates in each respective location. Details are as follows:

EY – Contracts awarded in Ireland

Purpose of Contract	Method of Award	Value of Contract (excluding VAT and expenses)	Total Amount Paid	Timeframe of Contract	Output
External statistician/ data analysis services for the Development Cooperation and Africa Division	Open tender (National)	€91,494	€115,353	April to August 2019	As contracted
Consultancy services for the analysis of 2019 climate change and gender equality expenditure for the Development Cooperation and Africa Division	Open tender (EU)	€47,090	€57,398	June to December 2020	As contracted

EY – Contracts awarded in Overseas Locations

Purpose of Contract	Method of Award	Value of Contract (excluding VAT and expenses)	Total Amount Paid	Timeframe of Contract	Output
Audit services for Embassy of Ireland to Uganda	Invitation to tender	€55,350	€65,571	August 2020 to August 2022	As contracted
Audit services for the Embassy of Ireland to Malawi	Open tender (National)	€4,265	€4,968	July to August 2019	As contracted

KPMG– Contracts awarded in Overseas Locations

Purpose of Contract	Method of Award	Value of Contract (excluding VAT and expenses)	Total Amount Paid	Timeframe of Contract	Output
Audit services for the Embassy of Ireland to Mozambique	Contract extension	€37,040	€83,099.74	2019 to 2021 (Due to Covid-19 pandemic, a prior contract that was due to expire with the audits for 2018 was extended)	Mission only audits during 2020-2022, due to Covid-19
Audit of a grant partner project for Embassy of Ireland to Uganda	Invitation to tender	€15,000	€19,700	September to December 2022	As contracted

PwC – Contracts awarded in Overseas Locations

Purpose of Contract	Method of Award	Value of Contract (excluding VAT and expenses)	Total Amount Paid	Timeframe of Contract	Output
Audit services for Embassy of Ireland to Zambia	Open tender (National)	€38,784	€12,928 to date	June 2022 to June 2025	As contracted
Audit services for Embassy of Ireland to South Africa	Invitation to tender	€22,600	€27,493	April to October 2021	As contracted
Audit services for Embassy of Ireland to Malawi	Open tender (National)	€18,600	€21,680	February 2019 to February 2021	As contracted

Deloitte – Contracts awarded in Overseas Locations

Purpose of Contract	Method of Award	Value of contract (excluding VAT and expenses)	Total Amount Paid	Timeframe of Contract	Output
Audit services for Embassy of Ireland to Tanzania	Invitation to tender	€43,060	€51,725	2018 to 2020	As contracted
Audit services for Embassy of Ireland to Tanzania	Contract extension	€15,000	€17,818	2020 to 2021 (one year extension granted due to Covid-19 pandemic)	As contracted

Public Procurement Contracts

Ceisteanna (321)

Neasa Hourigan

Ceist:

321. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the awards made both with and without a tender process to an organisation (details supplied) by his Department and aegis bodies for each of the years 2018 to 2022 inclusive, in tabular form; the purpose and a brief description of the awards; the value of the awards and the total amounts paid; the timeline or timeframe of the contracts; and the desired or completed output. [10131/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

Under the terms of contracts with third party suppliers, the Department of Foreign Affairs avails of support services from Microsoft for Microsoft products deployed globally by the Department, including software and hardware licensing.

Annual payments for these services are directly invoiced by Microsoft. Details of payments in the period 2018-2022 are provided below:

Year	Purpose	Description	Total Cost (incl. VAT)
2022	Technical Support for all Microsoft Products deployed globally by the Department, including Software and Hardware Licensing	Microsoft Enterprise Unified Technical Support	€48,838
2021	Technical Support for all Microsoft Products deployed globally by the Department, including Software and Hardware Licensing	Microsoft Enterprise Unified Technical Support	€36,656
2020	Technical Support for all Microsoft Products deployed globally by the Department, including Software and Hardware Licensing	Microsoft Enterprise Unified Technical Support	€33,976
2019	Technical Support for all Microsoft Products deployed globally by the Department, including Software and Hardware Licensing	Microsoft Enterprise Unified Technical Support	€32,393
2018	Technical Support for all Microsoft Products deployed globally by the Department, including Software and Hardware Licensing	Microsoft Enterprise Unified Technical Support	€31,512

Defence Forces

Ceisteanna (322)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

322. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the refurbishment works that were carried out at both Cathal Brugha and McKee Barracks in 2021, 2022, and to date in 2023; the nature of these works; and if each capital works project is completed or still ongoing. [9589/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence

The information sought by the Deputy is as follows:

Capital Projects	Year Completed
McKee Barracks - Refurbishment of Block H	2022
McKee Barracks - External Upgrade of Guardroom HQ Building	2022
McKee Barracks - Refurbishment of Barrack Foreman Stores	2022

The Deputy may also wish to note the following projects which are scheduled for commencement in 2023 :

Capital Projects	Year
McKee Barracks – Refurbishment of East Wall Terrace Building	2023
McKee Barracks – Provision of Printing Press	2023
McKee Barracks – Refurbishment of Former Chief of Staff’s House into Medical Aid Post	2023
McKee Barracks – Refurbishment of Block F	2023
McKee Barracks – Refurbishment of Centralised Locker Facility	2023

No major capital refurbishment works were carried out in Cathal Brugha in the period stated referenced by the Deputy.

The Deputy may also wish to note that my Department has allocated €10m this year to the Defence Forces for the maintenance, repair and upkeep of its building stock. This devolved budget is a regular feature of the Delegated functions assigned to the Defence Forces by my Department. The individual prioritisation of specific projects to be carried out is solely a matter for the Defence Forces in keeping with the delegated nature of this budget.

Ukraine War

Ceisteanna (323)

Michael Creed

Ceist:

323. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will elaborate and provide details regarding European Commission proposals for pre-finance purchase of weapons and ammunition for Ukraine; if Ireland’s approval for this EU initiative has been approved by Cabinet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9690/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Defence (Deputy Micheál Martin)

While discussions are ongoing at EU level about the possibility of directly procuring additional military support on behalf of Ukraine, no formal proposal has been presented to EU Member States by the European External Action Service (EEAS).

However, a non-paper, prepared jointly by the EEAS, the European Commission and the European Defence Agency on speeding-up delivery and production of ammunition for Ukraine, has been circulated and is expected to be discussed at next week's informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers, during which I and my colleagues will have the opportunity to further discuss the EU's support to Ukraine.

Moreover, at the Foreign Affairs Council on 20 February, which I attended in my capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs, High Representative Borrell and a number of Member States drew attention to the significant Ukrainian needs on the ground, particularly in terms of ammunition supplies.

Ireland will engage fully in the discussions that follow any formal proposal as they progress, mindful of the commitments in the Programme for Government and the position that we have consistently taken in relation to the European Peace Facility, with a view to ensuring that any Irish contribution is directed exclusively towards non-lethal military support.

Ministerial Staff

Ceisteanna (324)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

324. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide details of all special advisers employed in his Department; their roles; and their annual salaries. [9711/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence

Since my appointment as Minister for Defence Ms. Grainne Weld has been appointed as Special Adviser to me, as both Minister for Defence and Minister for Foreign Affairs. She is employed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and her salary and expenses are administered by that Department.

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (325)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

325. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide a schedule of social media influencers and online personalities, television and-or radio personalities engaged by his Department and bodies under his aegis in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; if he will include the fees expended, name of personality and campaign they were engaged on; and if he will also provide the key performance indicators in respect of their engagement [9894/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence

I wish to advise the Deputy, that while my Department did not engage any social media influencers, online personalities, television and or radio personalities in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, there was one instance for the Defence Forces as follows:

September 2022

The Gardner Brothers - Social Media Recruitment Project

Gardiner Bros are brand ambassadors for Guinness, Coke & on TikTok they have 2 million followers.

Fee - €10,000 for three videos (Army, Navy, Air Corps - €3,333 per video)

KPIs for engagement:

>100k views across TikTok & Instagram

>5k new followers on TikTok& Instagram

67% of viewers were 18-24yrs (recruitment demographic)

Featured on

Ray Foley Show (Today FM)

The LadBible (>1 million followers)

Her.ie (150k followers)

Defence Forces

Ceisteanna (326)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

326. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the reason for the delay in publishing the Ruth Fitzgerald report into unlawful and-or inappropriate sexual behaviour in the Irish Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9956/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence

In May 2022, the then Minister for Defence appointed a Senior Counsel to establish whether the actions taken on behalf of the Minister by Civil Servants in the Department of Defence and the military authorities on foot of correspondence received by the Minister from a former member of the Defence Forces were correct having regard to the regulatory frameworks, policies and internal grievance systems in place.

For the purposes of clarity, the Terms of Reference for Counsel do not seek a report into unlawful and or inappropriate sexual behaviour in the Defence Forces.

Counsel's report has been received and has been subject to the advice of the Office of the Attorney General. It is my intention that the report will be published. Prior to doing so, my officials are to engage with the former member who submitted the correspondence.

Given that the correspondence received is linked by way of timing and content with matters considered by the Independent Review Group, my officials are working on these two strands of work simultaneously. I hope that officials from the Department will be in a position to meet with the former member of the Defence Forces soon and present him with a copy of the report.

Public Procurement Contracts

Ceisteanna (327)

Neasa Hourigan

Ceist:

327. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the awards made both with and without a tender process to management consultancy firms (details supplied) by his Department and aegis bodies for each of the years 2018 to 2022 inclusive, in tabular form and classed by firm; the purpose and a brief description of the awards; the value of the awards and the total amounts paid; the timeline or timeframe of the contracts; and the desired or completed output. [10108/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence

The awards made both with and without tender process to the management consultancy firms (details supplied) by my Department for each of the years 2018 to 2022 inclusive are as follows:

Firm	Purpose	Total Amount Paid	Timeframe of Contract	Desired/Completed Output
KPMG	ERP System Architecture Services	€56,250 excluding VAT	16/3/2021 to 1/06/2021	ERP Stabilisation: Target State Architecture & Delivery Report
Deloitte Ireland LLP	ICT Consultancy Services	€136,983 excluding VAT	29/07/2021 to 28/07/2024	ICT Consultancy Services
EY	Consultancy Services to produce a detailed implementation plan for the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces	€49,400 excluding VAT	3/10/22 to 9/12/22	Production of a detailed implementation plan – EY produced a draft detailed implementation plan by the 9th December as per contract. Work on finalising this detailed implementation plan is currently ongoing
PwC	Preparation of a Preliminary Business Case to assist the MATS Review Group in its deliberations.	€65,000 excluding VAT	12 weeks (25/3/22 – 17/6/22)	Preliminary Business Case

Public Procurement Contracts

Ceisteanna (328)

Neasa Hourigan

Ceist:

328. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the awards made both with and without a tender process to an organisation (details supplied) by his Department and aegis bodies for each of the years 2018 to 2022 inclusive, in tabular form; the purpose and a brief description of the awards; the value of the awards and the total amounts paid; the timeline or timeframe of the contracts; and the desired or completed output. [10126/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence

My Department has no record of any awards made to the organisation referred to by the Deputy for the years 2018 -2022 inclusive.

My Department uses Microsoft products, such products are purchased from authorised Microsoft resellers through central Office of Government Procurement frameworks and not purchased directly from Microsoft. Standard government procurement guidelines are followed.

Naval Service

Ceisteanna (329)

Darren O'Rourke

Ceist:

329. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of vacant engine room artificer technician posts currently in the Naval Service; and when these vacancies will be filled, in tabular form. [10174/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence

The following table provides the number of engine room artificer vacancies as of 24th February 2023.

Establishment	85
Strength	67*
Vacancies	18

*includes 16 personnel undergoing training to become Engine Room Artificers.

Vacancies are filled in line with promotional arrangements, as appropriate, and by recruitment. A direct entry recruitment competition for engine room artificers is ongoing.

Defence Forces

Ceisteanna (330)

Darren O'Rourke

Ceist:

330. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the amount that the Defence Forces spent on purchasing specialist fire appliances for Defence Forces fire services in the years of 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [10175/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence

The detailed information sought by the Deputy is not readily available within the time frame sought. At the request of my Department the military authorities are conducting the search, retrieval and collation of same. I will arrange to have this information forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.

I refer to the above-referenced Parliamentary Question for which it was not possible to provide a reply within the available timeframe. My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service, is maintained to the greatest extent possible so as to enable the Defence Forces to carry out their roles as assigned by Government.

The Equipment Development Plan (EDP) published in June 2020, completed through extensive joint civil-military work, provides a comprehensive list of planned equipment projects by means of a five-year rolling plan. The EDP builds on the intentions set out in the White Paper in relation to equipment acquisition, modernisation and upgrade and has been developed to ensure that the Defence Forces have the major equipment platforms, ancillary equipment and force protection equipment to carry out their important roles both at home and overseas.

The current Defence Forces fleet of firefighting vehicles numbers eight (8) . The make-up of the current operational fleet of firefighting vehicles across the three services (Army, Navy, and Air Corps) is as follows:

Service Branch	Location	Operational Fire Appliances	In Stock
Army	The Fire Training Centre Engineer Group Defence Forces Training Centre	1	Class B Fire Tender
UNIFIL (Overseas)	Irish Polish Contingent UNP 2-45 Lebanon	2	Class B Fire Tenders
Air Corps	506 SQN Casement Aerodrome Baldonnel	5	6x6 Fire Tenders (4) 4x4 Scania CAT 3

Details of the amounts spent on contracts awarded from 2021 to date for the renewal of specialist fire service vehicles for the Defence Forces are set out in tabular form below:

Tabular Statement: Specialist Fire Appliances Total Spend exl. VAT for the Defence Forces 2021 to 2023

Year	Army	UNIFIL	Air Corps
2021	Nil	€229,000	€1,990,812
2022	Nil	Nil	Nil
2023	Nil	Nil	Nil

A breakdown of the 2021 spend includes €229,000 (ex VAT) which represents the final payment of the Class B Scania Fire Tender deployed to UNIFIL, the total cost of which was €347,670 (ex VAT). In addition, €1,911,117 (ex VAT) was spent on 1) two (2) new Rosenbauer Panther 6x6 Airport Fire Tenders, ordered from Rosenbauer UK Ltd in 2020, and delivered in 2021 to replace existing aging Airport 6x6 Fire Tenders and 2) the final payment of €79,695 (ex VAT) on one (1) new 4x4 RIFT Scania, ordered from High Precision Motor Products in 2019, and delivered in 2021.

The expected service life of these types of appliances is 15-20 years. I am satisfied that, with these new acquisitions and the planning for future procurements, the Defence Forces continue to have the necessary modern and effective range of equipment available to them in order to fulfil all roles assigned to them by Government.

Grant Payments

Ceisteanna (331)

Michael Creed

Ceist:

331. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education if she will extend eligibility for the Gaeltacht grant to students studying to qualify as primary teachers at a college (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10014/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

There are four state-funded higher education institutions (HEIs) providing primary initial teacher education (ITE) and one independent private provider of primary ITE.

The current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education.

Budget 2020 provided for the re-instatement of the grant to cover the full cost of the Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for undergraduate and post-graduate students in State-funded primary ITE programmes, with effect from the 2020/2021 academic year. The grant was previously funded by my Department up to the 2012/2013 academic year, when it was ceased due to financial constraints. The rate of student grant for 2023 has been set at an average of €815. This will cover the cost of the undertaking the fortnightly course in 2023. This grant will be made available for undergraduate and post-graduate students in State-funded primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes.