Violet-Anne Wynne
Ceist:117. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Finance how the people of Clare will benefit from his Department’s allocations in Budget 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45773/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2024
Ceisteanna (117)
Freagraí scríofa
Budget 2024 provided for a total net Budget package of around €14 billion, consisting of a €6.4 billion core budgetary package of which c. €5.3 billion is allocated to public spending and c. €1.1 billion for taxation measures.
Complementing this is a set of once-off measures to assist households and businesses with the cost of living, amounting to €2.7 billion, (net of windfall revenues from the energy sector), which take effect from the final quarter of this year.
A full list of the taxation and expenditure measures introduced in Budget 2024 are set out in the Tax Policy Changes and Expenditure Report publications.
As the Deputy will appreciate, I am not in a position to provide detail on the benefits for any particular county in isolation. However, I would note that distributional analysis, shows that, overall, the impact of the measures in Budget 2024 is progressive. All income deciles and household types will benefit from the measures, however the lowest income deciles show the strongest gains.
In net terms, as a result of Budget 2024 households experience an average gain in weekly disposable income of 2.4 per cent from the tax and welfare measures, and an average gain of 1.9 per cent from one-off measures in the once-off Cost of Living package.
Departmental Legal Cases
Ceisteanna (118)
Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:118. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the number of legal cases taken against his Department in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023; and the costs associated with same in each of those years. [45402/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I wish to advise the Deputy that a deferred reply will be issued to him in respect of this Parliamentary Question, in line with Standing Order 51(1)(b).
An Garda Síochána
Ceisteanna (119)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:119. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the capital works that were carried out in Garda Training College, Templemore in 2022 and to-date in 2023; and the capital works projects at Garda Training College that are likely to commence in 2024. [45432/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Office of Public Works can confirm that the table below includes all Capital Works carried out at Templemore Garda College in 2022 and 2023 to date, and intended to commence in 2024.
|
Building |
Works |
Status |
|
Áras Chú Chulainn |
Ablution Pods Upgrade |
Complete March 2023 |
|
Áras Dheirdre & Áras Mheibhe |
Upgrade of glazed atria and link corridors |
Intended to commence in 2024 |
|
Education Block and Main Entrance |
Atria Glazing Upgrade |
Intended to commence in 2024 |
Equality Issues
Ceisteanna (120)
Neasa Hourigan
Ceist:120. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to outline the work completed on gender equality budgeting by his Department post-Budget 2023 and prior to Budget 2024; the data sets used in that process; the outcomes of those processes, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45464/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The REV contains information on the equality outputs and outcomes that each Department sets out to achieve in the year ahead, so the current REV that was published in December 2022 sets out targets for 2023. Each Department is ultimately responsible for the selection and reporting of equality data, with the support and guidance of the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. Complete data from all Department’s on the selection of equality budgeting metrics are available in the REV at www.gov.ie/en/collection/e20037-revised-estimates. This includes, for example, information on the gender gap in labour market participation rates, female representation on State Boards, percentage of bilateral ODA that is marked as Gender Equality Significant, percentage of women on leadership teams of ISEQ20 listed companies, and the number of bodies funded to support gender equality.
The Public Service Performance Report (PSPR) provides information on how each Department fared in the achievement of their REV targets for the preceding year. The PSPR for 2022, published in June this year, includes 31 sets of Equality Budgeting metrics, with all Government Departments having submitted at least one set of metrics in this latest report. All Departments have reviewed and refined these metrics this year, to strengthen the reporting of this information and to provide greater insight into the progress that is being made within each sector. This report is available at www.gov.ie/en/collection/61d3f-public-service-performance-reports, and includes information on gender budgeting targets such as the percentage of female personnel in the Permanent Defence Force by grade, the number of approvals from the Competitive Start Fund for Female Entrepreneurs, and the rise in the number of female apprentices from 2020 to 2022.
Work is ongoing across all Departments to improve monitoring and oversight of public expenditure to address inequalities across society. During quarter 2 of 2023, the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform led a cross-government budget tagging exercise to code expenditure subheads that are designed to alleviate inequalities. This work is still in progress, with the aim of integrating equality budgeting tagging for all voted expenditure in 2024.
My Department, along with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, co-chairs the Inter-Departmental Network on Equality Budgeting, on which all Departments are represented. This group has a central role to play in ensuring Equality Budgeting is fully implemented across all Government Departments. The most recent meeting took place in June 2023. My Department also chairs the Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory Group set up to guide the overall approach to equality budgeting, which met in March 2023.
There is also continuous engagement with other countries to keep abreast of international developments on Equality Budgeting, and in June 2023 DPENDR successfully hosted the annual meeting of the OECD Senior Officials Network on Gender Budgeting. The Department also continued to progress the Irish workstream of the EU Technical Support Initiative 2022 flagship programme on gender mainstreaming and budgeting, which afforded officials training in international practice in regards gender budgeting.
As outlined above, Equality Budgeting is now firmly a part of the annual budgetary cycle with the key milestones being the publication of the annual REV and PSPR. We continue to refine and develop our equality budgeting structures in line with international best practice, and work to embed it across all Departments. The development of Equality Budgeting has been informed by engagement and consultation with all Departments across Government, and my Department will continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders and international bodies to progress this important initiative.
Animal Culls
Ceisteanna (121)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:121. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if the proposed cull of rabbits (details supplied) will take place; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45504/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Office of Public Works is continually looking at options to successfully manage the landscapes and properties in a way that is beneficial to wildlife and biodiversity, particularly at locations such as Derrynane, which contains wildlife habitats protected at a European level that require protection.
I can advise, my officials issued a tender for services for a proposed rabbit cull at Derrynane, on the advice of ecologists, who are finalising a report on the sand dunes at Derrynane. There is no timeline for delivery of the services in the tender documents as culls of this nature are determined by weather conditions.
It is envisaged that the controls may be undertaken sometime between 1st November 2023 and the end of January 2024.
Ukraine War
Ceisteanna (122)
Niamh Smyth
Ceist:122. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform whether he can provide details of a company (details supplied) in Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45609/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
BACKGROUND
Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia’s armed forces in February 2022, Ireland has welcomed almost 100,000 Ukrainian people who have fled the war in their country. The EU’s Temporary Protection Directive provides the legal framework for assisting Ukrainians entering the EU who are officially called Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs). The Government’s overall humanitarian response is coordinated with our EU partners and other countries. Because of the sudden and unprecedented numbers of new arrivals in the State, over such a short period of time, the Government, of necessity, has had to use a range of accommodation sources to facilitate displaced Ukrainians. These include hotels, guesthouses, former religious buildings, sports halls, youth hostels, scout dens, arenas, holiday villages and tented camps as well as space in privately owned homes pledged through the Irish Red Cross.
On 11th April 2022, the Government agreed that the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) would lead on addressing the medium and long-term need to develop capacity for Ukrainian arrivals including the possible provision of rapid build accommodation. A Task-force was set up, led by the DHLGH, to oversee a 3-streamed approach to rapid build, refurbishments and new builds.
Arising from a Memorandum from the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, considered on 26th April 2022, the Government decided on a range of measures to boost the supply of accommodation for refugees arriving from Ukraine. These measures included a rapid build, volumetric, modular units option - the evaluation of which was to be led by the Office of Public Works (OPW).
The OPW in conjunction with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) representing specialist rapid build manufacturers and main contractors, developed an exemplar design and specification to ensure Building Regulation compliance. The design is based exclusively on rigid frame volumetric structures which represents the best method, having regard to the need for quality, speed, and simplicity of design and production, to achieve the scale of programme required. These meetings took place in the earlier phase of the design process in April and May 2022.
The rapid build prototype that has been designed is a highly energy efficient A Energy Standard durable single storey unit (with a structural life of 60 years). The 60 year lifespan was chosen to be consistent with housing standards and to maximise the long-term value to the exchequer, of the significant upfront investment involved, by providing units that can meet future accommodation needs, once the humanitarian crisis, induced by the War in Ukraine, has passed.
On 28th June, 2022, the Government authorised the roll-out of a rapid build homes programme to provide accommodation for 2,000 Ukrainians, predominantly women and children, in 500 family units at several sites across Ireland. Since then, my Office has been working collaboratively with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth as the Lead Department, and a range of other bodies such as the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage, local authorities, Irish Water, ESB networks and Open Eir to deliver the rapid build housing programme. In late 2022, the number of family units was subsequently increased to 700.
Procurement Process
Following a procurement process, John Sisk & Son (Holdings) Ltd was appointed as the main contractor to manage the site enabling works and to arrange for the procurement, transportation and installation of the rapid build homes for this project. The procurement process was undertaken in July and August 2022 and approval to award the contract given on 25 August 2022.
Subsequently, John Sisk & Son (Holdings) Ltd engaged in a separate competitive tender process with the rapid build homes manufacturers and assessed them to determine their capacity and capability to produce the homes to the required standard. Following this tender and assessment, John Sisk & Son (Holdings) Ltd established a framework of five suppliers around the country to manufacture the homes. Accordingly, the contract with each manufacturer is between that manufacturer and John Sisk & Son and not the Office of Public Works and therefore commercially sensitive information to the companies involved.
State Bodies
Ceisteanna (123)
Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:123. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to provide an update on the code of practice for the governance of State bodies to reflect the requirement to report under the public sector mandate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45622/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As part of the Climate Action Plan 2023, my Department is committed to the requirement for public bodies to report on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate. The requirement (for those public sector bodies to which the Mandate applies) to report on the Climate Action Mandate, is already placed within the governance section of my Department’s website, on the pages where the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and its annexes are published.
On the link below to the governance section of my Departments website, the Deputy will find the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and associated documents/annexes/reporting requirements including the requirement to report on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate.
www.gov.ie/en/publication/7adff-governance/#requirement-to-report-on-the-public-sector-climate-action-mandate
In addition, any future revisions to the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies will also reflect the requirement (as currently published on the governance pages of my Department's website) for those public sector bodies to which the Mandate applies.
Budget 2024
Ceisteanna (124)
Violet-Anne Wynne
Ceist:124. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform how the people of Clare will benefit from his Department’s allocations in Budget 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45779/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Due to the nature of its role, my Department does not directly deliver services to the general public or businesses. The main purpose of projects and associated investment undertaken by my Department is to deliver greater effectiveness and efficiency across the whole Civil and Public Service, from which people in all counties ultimately benefit.
Departmental Legal Cases
Ceisteanna (125)
Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:125. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of legal cases taken against his Department in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023; and the costs associated with same in each of those years. [45394/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The information requested is currently being collated by my Department and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as it is finalised.
State Bodies
Ceisteanna (126)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:126. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the budget allocation for the Companies Enforcement Agency in 2023; and the budget allocation for same in 2024. [45429/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Corporate Enforcement Authority's (CEA) budget for 2023 is €9,706 million, a budget uplift of 25% over its 2022 allocation.
Budget 2024 includes a commitment to provide an additional €1.2 million to the CEA, a 12% increase over 2023 bringing its budget to €10,906 million, and signals Government's continued commitment to ensuring the CEA has the requisite resources required to deliver on its statutory objectives.
Question No. 127 withdrawn.
Work Permits
Ceisteanna (128)
Jim O'Callaghan
Ceist:128. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment whether he intends to extend the quota of meat processor operative permits in order to meet current demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45507/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The meat processing industry have been provided with access to the General Employment Permit over the last number of years, most recently with an additional quota of 425 permits made available in June last year. All quotas for meat processing operatives have now been filled.
These and other agriculture/agrifood quotas were opened with a proviso that a strategic review on labour attraction and retention in the sector be carried out in order to put in place more sustainable solutions for meeting the labour needs of the sector into the future. The review will influence the decision on the eligibility of the role for employment permits in the future.
The Economic Migration Policy Unit of my Department is actively engaging with other government departments including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to consider submissions received to the latest public consultation to review the lists with a report on the outcome expected in November.
Business Supports
Ceisteanna (129)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:129. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total moneys issued under the temporary business energy support scheme; what has become of the underspend from this scheme; and if all moneys allocated for business under the scheme will be used to support business or if that money has gone back to the Exchequer. [45597/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As you are aware, the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) was a government grant designed to help businesses with increasing energy costs. The Scheme was designed by the Department of Finance and was administered by the Revenue Commissioners. However, funding for the Scheme was allocated to the Vote of my Department.
As of 5th October (the latest stats available from the Revenue Commissioners), 31,309 businesses had registered for the scheme, with a total of €136.43 million paid out.
The Business Users Support Scheme for Kerosene was launched on the 6th September and will remain open for applications until the 31st October. The scheme provides a once off grant to reimburse businesses that use kerosene for heating purposes for half of the increased costs that they experienced during the period from 1st March to 31st December 2022, when prices increased significantly. The cost of the scheme will be dependent on the level of demand from businesses. Funding for the scheme is being provided from unspent TBESS funds.
Also on 4th July 2023, Government approved amendments to the existing Non-Domestic Microgeneration Scheme, operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to extend supports to a wider range of businesses and non-domestic applicants. The Government decision amended the Scheme on a pilot basis up until the end of 2023. Government further agreed that the pilot amendments to the Scheme be funded by way of a transfer of c. €15m of Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme monies from the DETE Vote in 2023 to the DECC Vote. The new range of installation sizes will cover a significant variety of businesses, from small local shops up to large manufacturing facilities. It will also be available for public buildings, sports clubs and community organisations.
In accordance with Public Financial Procedures all public monies unspent are returned to the exchequer at the end of the year. It is not possible to say at this time how much money will be unspent and returned to the exchequer at the end of this year.
It is also worth noting that, the Government, announced in last week’s budget the Increased Cost of Business Scheme (ICOB) which will benefit up to 130,000 Small and Medium sized enterprise in 2024.
The aim of the Scheme is to provide financial support to those firms which have been most impacted by additional business costs, by providing a tiered grant equivalent to up to half business rates for this year. €250 million is being allocated to businesses under this Scheme.
Business Supports
Ceisteanna (130, 140)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:130. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the composite details of the €250 million increased cost of the business scheme; how will it be allocated; who will benefit; the specific criteria of the scheme; and if he does not have these details, when businesses can expect to be provided with them. [45598/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Patricia Ryan
Ceist:140. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the details and eligibility criteria of the new small businesses energy support scheme as announced in Budget 2024. [45711/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 140 together.
The Increased Cost of Business Grant (ICOB) was announced as part of Budget 2024 and will be targeted at Small and Medium sized businesses which operate from a rateable premises. Funding of €250 million will be provided to meet the cost of the grant which will be paid out to businesses through local authorities in the first quarter of next year. It is intended to be paid at a rate of up to half the enterprise’s commercial rates bill, subject to a prescribed limit. The ICOB grant is aimed at providing support to firms but is not intended to directly compensate for all increases in wages, or other costs, for every business.
It is important that I clarify that the scheme is a once-off grant provision and is not specifically an energy support scheme nor is it intended to specifically offset any other costs of doing business. Neither does it constitute a form of commercial rates waiver such as those available from 2020 to 2022. Rate-payers remain liable for their commercial rates in 2023 but those meeting the eligibility criteria will receive an ICOB grant in early-2024. It is also not intended to benefit multinational or larger firms.
The technical details underpinning the scheme and the mechanism for delivering the payment are currently being developed. My Department will work together with the Department of Housing, Local Government and heritage as well as the Local Authorities to finalise the details of the grant in the coming weeks.
Budget 2024
Ceisteanna (131)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:131. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for a breakdown of the €27 million allocated to IDA Ireland in Budget 2024 to accelerate its Regional Property and Enterprise Grants Programmes. [45599/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As part of my Department's Estimates negotiations, I secured an increase of €27m on 2023 "REV" levels of €177.3m in capital spending for the IDA in respect of grants to industry and the agency’s property programme bringing the total Exchequer allocation to for 2024 €204.3m. My Department will now work with the IDA on the allocation of the €27m across these budget lines.
While Ireland’s long-standing track record as a resilient, stable and innovative location in which to do business provides a strong foundation which to build in the period ahead, it is clear that the investment decisions made by the FDI base in Ireland will be influenced by IDA’s targeted support, and critically, by the value proposition of different jurisdictions. In such an uncertain environment, it is critical that IDA continue to partner with clients on their growth agendas and support company transformation through supports for R&D, training and investment in sustainable business practices.
IDA’s client grant budget is a priority for the agency for the attraction of new investors to Ireland in an increasingly competitive environment, and particularly to regional locations. The grant programme will maintain existing levels of investment, with a focus on innovation, sustainability, and digitalisation in line with the Government’s White Paper on Enterprise and will include RD&I, Training, Capital and Employment grants.
In tandem, in a challenging, competitive, and uncertain global environment, IDA’s Regional Property Programme ensures the supply of land, buildings and infrastructure in regional locations as required by current and prospective clients of both IDA, Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs. In this regard, a robust property and infrastructure ecosystem can be the key differentiator in winning FDI projects, as evidenced by the record regional results achieved under IDA’s Winning 2015-2019 strategy & its current Strategy - Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021 - 2024.
The Regional Property Programme is design to be a significant driver of investment in quality building solutions in regional locations. In the current Strategy, the IDA is progressing delivery of 19 Advanced Building Solutions (ABS) to regional locations. IDA also partners with the private sector and Local Authorities to deliver buildings in key locations where appropriate. IDA is also investing in significant infrastructure projects across the portfolio of Business and Technology Parks to upgrade and is maintaining these key assets in line with the evolving requirements of IDA and EI clients. To this end, the IDA has maintained a focus on land banks and utility intensive strategic sites to future proof the ability of their property portfolio to support the project pipeline.
Success to date, in line with IDA’s Build programme, has seen the investment or expected investment of companies across the current property footprint. To build on this positive momentum and ensure IDA has the ability to compete for investments of scale across all activities and sectors, it is imperative that the Agency can be agile in developing and maintaining a property portfolio to support future investments across all regions as they arise. In this context, continued investment in infrastructure upgrades, provision and future proofing, in addition to further land acquisitions and the building of new buildings is critical to delivering on IDA’s and EI’s balanced regional development agenda with the proposed expenditure being commensurate with this ambitious strategy.
Enterprise Support Services
Ceisteanna (132)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:132. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for a breakdown of the €9 million allocated to Local Enterprise Offices to increase Measure 1 and Measure 2 grants, Trading on-line vouchers, Lean, Green and Digitalisation Programmes. [45600/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
An additional €9m has been allocated in Budget 2024 to the Local Enterprise Offices to enable them to continue their work assisting business start-ups in local towns and communities across the country. This reflects the ambition this government has for the LEOs and for supporting small businesses throughout the country.
Each year, in line with the standard budgetary process, my Department engages with the Enterprise Ireland Centre of Excellence, who in turn consult the Local Enterprise Office network regarding the formulation of a forecast for the year ahead. This process will determine the level of funding required by each programme and ensure the LEOs are adequately resourced to provide their services. The allocation to individual LEO programmes is yet to be finalised and will be subject to the approval of the Enterprise Ireland board.
In line with the White Paper on Enterprise, digital transformation and decarbonisation and net zero commitments remain at the forefront of our approach, and we want to help small businesses in these twin transitions. Therefore, the resources that have been allocated in Budget 2024 are focused on schemes that will help small businesses, through their Local Enterprise Office, to digitalise and to decarbonise.
I am pleased to confirm that funding has been allocated for the Energy Efficiency Grant, which is designed to provide businesses with capital investment to reduce carbon emissions based on energy efficiency projects. The rationale of the scheme is to support companies in reducing their carbon emissions and overall energy costs by accelerating the adoption of low carbon technologies or processes.
Budget 2024 also allocated funding to allow the LEOs to continue to extend their financial supports to businesses who have grown to over 10 employees and have ambition to begin exporting.
The LEOs have also launched a new national campaign, All in a Day’s Work. This campaign emphasis the benefits of making a business more efficient, productive, and sustainable. It focuses on how the Lean, Green and Digital products offered by the LEOs can help businesses to save time, money and energy. These supports will receive additional funding from the €9m additional allocation.