Parliamentary Questions

Education and Skills Questions

Posted November 18th, 2012

School building programme – 30th June 2015

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the next five year plan on new school building projects will be announced.

Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

I wish to advise the Deputy that I expect to be in a position to announce a successor construction programme later this year. As part of the preparatory process for the programme, a major detailed demographic analysis is currently underway in my Department to identify the particular areas across the country where additional new schools and extensions will be required to meet additional demographic demand.

English-language support teachers – 23rd June 2015

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons a school (details supplied) in Dublin 6 was refused an English as an additional language teacher; if she will be re-examining the application; and if the awarding process could be made more transparent.

Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

The staffing appeal process at primary level includes the provision whereby schools with a high concentration of pupils requiring English as an additional language (EAL) can apply for further additional temporary language support posts. The appeal criteria are set out in Circular 0005/2015.

The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal under the EAL criterion to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The appeal was refused on the basis that the grounds of the appeal did not warrant the allocation of an EAL post under Circular 0005/2015. The school has been notified accordingly.

The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.

University fees – 7th May 2015

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 560 of 24 February 2015, her plans to progress the change mooted by her predecessor, so that Irish ex patriate citizens and their children who are also citizens are not penalised in terms of restrictions to access free fee university education here in view of the fact that they had left the country for work reasons during the recession, as having to be back here for three out of five years of secondary education, as is currently the case, is too restrictive and unfair in view of the developments in the economy since 2007.

Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

As outlined previously to the Deputy where undergraduate students do not qualify for free fees funding under the Free Fees Initiative they must pay the appropriate fee – either EU or Non-EU, as determined by each higher education institution. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and the level of fee payable by students who do not meet the requirements of the free fees scheme, including the residency requirement, is a matter for the relevant institution.

Due to concerns raised in relation to the fact that in some cases the higher non-EU fee was being charged to students who had EU/EEA/Swiss nationality but did not meet the residency clause for free fees, the previous Minister requested that higher education institutions charge the more moderate EU fee to such students who have completed at least five academic years of study (primary or post-primary level) in Ireland/EU/EEA/Switzerland.

There are no plans to amend the residency requirement of the Free Fees Initiative at present.

Special needs assistance – 12^th March 2015

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide additional resources and hours to children attending school in September who have been assessed and diagnosed with mild Down’s syndrome.

Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

I wish to advise the Deputy that under the existing allocation system, all pupils with Down syndrome, including pupils with mild general learning difficulties, are entitled to receive additional teaching support.

Support is provided from a school’s General Allocation Model (GAM) hours, or from an allocation of additional resource teacher hours allocated to schools by the NCSE.

In the current school year my Department has allocated approximately 4950 learning support/resource teachers through general allocation, while the NCSE has allocated over 6200 resource teachers.

I am aware, however, that some parents, and Down syndrome representative organisations, have concerns that the existing system does not give them certainty as to the support that their children will receive under the GAM, as these hours are distributed locally by schools.

I recently met with Down Syndrome Ireland, and some parents of children with Down syndrome to discuss their concerns in this regard.

I will consider and review the issues which have been raised and will keep the House informed of my developing views on this matter.

Free fees for returning ex pats – 26th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a stipulation that returning ex-patriots must be resident here, for three of the past five years and in secondary education, to avail of free fees in third level college.

Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

The Exchequer provides free fees funding in respect of eligible students who are pursuing full-time undergraduate courses of study under my Department’s Free Fees Initiative. The main conditions of the scheme are that students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss nationality in their own right, and have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course.

Where full-time undergraduate students do not qualify for free fees funding they must pay the appropriate fee as determined by their third level institution. Third level institutions are autonomous bodies and it is therefore a matter for the institution to determine the rate of fee payable by students (EU or non-EU).

However, in the case of students who do not meet the residency clause, higher education institutions have been requested to charge the more moderate EU fee to EU/EEA/Swiss nationals who have completed at least five academic years of study (Primary or Post-Primary level) in the EU/EEA or Switzerland.

Home schooling scheme – 20th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has had an opportunity to review correspondence (details supplied) regarding section 6 of her Department’s circular No. 48/2014.

Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

Home Tuition scheme provides compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides for children with special educational needs awaiting a suitable educational placement and for early intervention for children with autism.

In line with the terms of the scheme, parents/guardians must recruit a teacher who is qualified to teach in the sector concerned and who is registered accordingly with the Teaching Council of Ireland, similar to the requirement for teachers in schools. Where all efforts have failed to secure the services of a teacher qualified to teach in the sector concerned, the Department may consider the engagement of a person who is registered with or whose application for registration has been accepted by the Teaching Council and has a primary degree (minimum Level 7 on the National Framework of Qualifications) in the relevant area, e.g. Psychology.

As tuition takes place outside the usual school structure it is important that home tutors are qualified to provide an educational programme. Therefore I do not intend to remove the requirement, as proposed in the details provided by the Deputy that parents must initially attempt to source a teacher qualified in the sector before requesting approval for tutors with alternative qualifications.

Services for children with disabilities – 6th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the policy of her Department to new school buildings; and the provision of access for disabled children, particularly where the new building has more than one floor.

Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department’s Technical Guidance Documents – TGD-020 section 8, sets out the general principles of Universal Design in schools, which all design and construction professionals engaged on school building projects are obliged to follow.

In addition all new school building projects are subject to compliance with the Building Regulations 1997 – 2014. Part M of the Regulations deals with the subject of accessibility and the related Technical Guidance Document M – ‘Access and Use’ sets out the guidance requirements which design and construction professionals must apply in the design of all new buildings including schools. Allied to this, an application for a Disability Access Certificate is normally required for all new school building projects.

All Design Teams engaged in the design of new schools, whether they are single or multi-storey buildings, must submit plans, documents and calculations to the relevant Local Authority, which will, in turn, issue a Disability Access Certificate once compliance has been demonstrated.

Early Intervention – 5th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is the policy of her Department to remove resources from schools which have successful early intervention programmes as a result of new weighting systems being proposed as for the allocation of resources.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) published its Report on a Proposed New Model for Allocating Teachers for Students with Special Educational Needs on 18th June 2014.

The report recommends that a new allocation model should be developed, based on a schools educational profile, while providing a baseline allocation to every mainstream school to support inclusion.

My Department is currently collecting information which will be required to develop the proposed new model. Pending consideration of this data no decision has been made as to the weightings which will be applied to the various elements of the proposed model.

Following consideration of this data, my Department will also consider whether, and from what date a new model might be implemented.

My Department also held a number of consultation meetings on 1st and 3rd October last with stakeholders, education partners, and parent representative groups. Consultation has been a key feature of the development of this policy advice to date and I can confirm that consultation will continue to take place at each stage of the development of proposals for any new model.

Languages in schools – 4th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills under the new profiling currently being undertaken for the provision of additional resources, if greater weighting is to be given to schools with pupils who are EAL, English as an additional language, over schools whose pupils are GAL, Gaeilge as an additional language; her views on the fairness on this when similar difficulties present in both circumstances.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

The NCSE, consulted widely with education partners, representatives of the disability sector, stakeholders and parent representative groups, during the course of the development of this policy advice. The report recommends that a new allocation model should be developed, based on a schools educational profile, while providing a baseline allocation to every mainstream school to support inclusion. The report recommends that in developing educational profile of a school that account would be taken of:

The number of students with complex special educational needs in a school. Percentages of students performing below a certain threshold on standardised test results. Social context of school which includes gender, primary school location and educational disadvantage.

My Department is currently collecting information which will be required to develop the proposed new model. At this stage no decisions have been taken on the respective weightings to be allocated to individual criteria. Following consideration of this data, my Department will also consider whether, and from what date a new model might be implemented.

I also wish to advise the Deputy that following publication of the working group report, my Department invited education partners, stakeholders, and parent representative groups to make written submissions in relation to the NCSE report. 27 written submissions have been received to date, from interested parties. My Department also held a number of consultation meetings on 1st and 3rd October last with stakeholders, education partners, and parent representative groups.

Consultation has been a key feature of the development of this policy advice to date and I can confirm that consultation will continue to take place at each stage of the development of proposals for any new model.

Support for children with special needs – 4th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in relation to the new provision for allocating support for children with special needs, if it is expected that each school gather private information as to the social welfare supports being received by families of children in their schools, for forwarding to the National Council for Special Education in the form of a questionnaire; and if this is the case, his views that this is appropriate.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is currently considering potentialrevisions to the system of allocating Resource Teaching and LearningSupport to schools. This is on foot of recommendations set out in the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Policy Advice on “Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools (May 2013) and the recommendations of the NCSE Working Group Report “A Proposed New Model for Allocating Teaching Resources for Students with Special Educational Needs”.

Following the publication of these reports, my Department advised that it would commence the process of gathering information which would be required to develop the proposed new model, to allow its impact to be assessed, and to assess if, and from when, the model could be implemented. Part of this process involves the collection of information in relation to the social context of schools.

The working group report recommended that a school’s social context should be used because it can contribute strongly to the level of learning needs that students have. The report considered that, on the basis of available research evidence, the use of a school’s social context is valid in developing an educational profile, as socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with the incidence of certain types of special educational needs, including low
achievement in academic learning and emotional or behavioural disorders.

The report also noted that a school within a disadvantaged social context may have a higher share of students presenting with emotional or behavioral disorders. While some of these needs are likely to be reflected in low test scores, others may not, as students with relatively high levels of educational achievement can have emotional and behavioural disorders.

Accordingly, it was recommended that consideration of a schools social context should form part of any proposed new resource allocation model.

Pending the availability of a more objective source of information, the working group stated that it was confident that survey reporting by school principals could produce robust up to date data on school context in a similar manner to DEIS and earlier initiatives.

The Department therefore, in conjunction with the NCSE, asked the Educational Research Centre (ERC) to conduct a survey of schools to assist the development of an educational profile.

Though recognising that all schools would not be able to have specific detail regarding all of the questions asked in relation to their pupil populations, schools were asked to provide their best possible estimates in relation to the questions being asked in the survey, in order to ensure that as accurate as possible a social context allocation component of any revised allocation model could be developed for each school.

At all stages of the development of the advice and in particular in the work of the working group there was comprehensive consultation with education partners and stakeholders and through this consultation there was awareness and broad support for the proposed approach including the deployment of a survey.

The data which schools were requested to return as part of the survey was non-personal, anonymised data. Schools were not asked to return data in relation to the social circumstances of individual pupils.

Schools were also advised that the ERC had put in place a dedicated phone help line in order to provide assistance and support to schools in completing the questionnaire. I understand that many schools used this help line to gain assistance in completing the questionnaire.

Whereas I understand that the return of this survey has caused extra work and some difficulties for some schools, I am confident that having up to date social context data will be highly beneficial to the Department and the NCSE in developing proposals for a new profiled allocation model for schools.

Cost of fee paying schools entering the free scheme – 12th November 2014

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of those schools, primary or secondary, that have entered the free scheme since 2011; the total State funding provided to these schools each year since their entry into the free scheme; and the total State funding provided for each of the three years prior to them entering the free scheme.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

Five fee charging post-primary schools have joined the Free Education Scheme since 2010/11.

The net indicative cost to the Department of teacher salaries in the five fee charging schools which transferred to the Free Education Scheme in this period is of the order of €0.7m.

This takes account of an increase of 28 posts warranted by the application of the pupil teacher ratio applicable to the free scheme offset by the allocation of 12 additional posts arising as a consequence of an increase in the pupil enrolment of these schools since entering the Free Scheme. It is expected that any further increase in enrolments in the following years will further offset the issue of the extra Department funded teaching posts.

Capitation and Capital Grants provided to the fee charging schools which transferred to the Free Education Scheme were as follows:

2011 €218,987
2012 €1,647,352
2013 €3,409,908
2014 €1,191,885

The capital grants were utilised by the schools to meet liabilities incurred for building and associated works undertaken which would have been eligible for consideration for such funding, that would otherwise be met from fee income, had the school not entered the Free Education Scheme.

In the years before entry to the Free Education Scheme the salaries of teachers employed within the annual staffing allocation for fee charging schools were paid by the State. Capitation grants were not paid to these schools in the period prior to entering the Free Education Scheme.

When examining the issue of additional costs to the Department arising from the entrance of schools to the Free Education Scheme, it must also be recognised the savings which the Department has realised through the changes to the staffing schedule of fee charging schools over recent years. Since 2009, those savings amount to approximately €27m, greatly exceeding the additional costs which have been incurred from the entry of the five fee charging schools into the Free Education Scheme

Educating our youth to manage their money – 30th October 2014

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to extend the curriculum in secondary schools to financial education and financial risk management (details supplied).; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Details:

In order to equip young people to take advantage of the greater freedoms they will have to manage their own pension funds in the future arising from the changes to pension fund legislation and trends in the pension industry that have taken place over the past 15 years, and the need arising therefrom for citizens to have a better understanding of financial planning and an appreciation of the importance and of the techniques of financial risk management.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

The management of personal finance is an important life skill which must be practiced by everyone, young and old. To enable students to understand financial management skills as they apply to households and businesses both the current Junior Certificate Business Studies and Leaving Certificate business syllabuses include learning outcomes that focus on budgeting and financial management. While these subjects are optional on the curriculum the level of take up of the subjects is high. Also of relevance are the Transition Year business programmes developed by schools. Given the recent ongoing review of syllabuses, in particular the Business Studies syllabus, work is ongoing on strengthening existing curricular approaches to financial literacy development.

A number of organisations are working towards supporting the development of financial literacy and nearly all of the resources they develop are free to schools and are widely used. Quite often links exist between individual schools and organisations in the community including for example, banks, credit unions and the Money Advice and Budgetary Service (MABS), and these links provide the basis for the use of relevant resources.

Primary school funding awards – 6th October 2014

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a list of funding awards currently available from her Department for primary schools.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

My Department provides capitation funding to all recognised primary schools.

The amount of grant paid to an individual primary school for capitation and ancillary services is determined by the school’s enrolment, subject to a minimum grant for both capitation and ancillary services in respect of schools with enrolments up to 60, and a maximum ancillary services grant in the case of schools with enrolments of 500 or more.

In 2014 the capitation grant is €173 per pupil, and the Ancillary Services Grant is €147 per pupil.

The Deputy may wish to note that Circular 40/2009 clarifies issues relating to the allocation of funding for primary schools. The circular states that capitation funding provided for general running costs and funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities.

Primary school curriculum for religion, belief and ethics – 15th July 2014

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the work undertaken to date by the programme officer charged with developing the new curriculum on education about religion and beliefs and ethics for primary schools following the Report of the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector; when a curriculum will be published; if he plans to provide appropriate in-service and resources to facilitate the implementation of this new curriculum when published; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan)

Following the publication of the Report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector in 2012, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has commenced developing a curriculum for ERB and Ethics for all primary schools.

Development work by the NCCA is ongoing and contact has been initiated with the patron bodies responsible for religious and ethical education in primary schools. A consultation process on the development of an ERB and Ethics programme will be launched in the fourth quarter of 2014 and will continue into the first quarter of 2015.

It is planned that a draft curriculum for ERB and Ethics from Junior Infant to Second Class will be completed by the end of 2015. The development of an ERB and Ethics curriculum from Third to Sixth Class will continue with completion due by the end of 2016.

As the new curriculum is developed, the requirements for implementation supports, including continuing professional development of teachers, will be considered and reviewed.

Upskilling: Java programming – 4th June, 2014.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding upskilling and retraining in the area of Java programming (details supplied).

Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

I am informed by SOLAS that the Department of Social Protection refers eligible unemployed candidates to its Java Programming courses on the understanding that the applicant has the capacity to undertake and complete the course.

Research indicates there is little evidence to suggest that longer duration programmes are more effective than shorter duration programmes providing applicants have the capacity to undertake the course and meet the specific course pre-requirements and the learner profile.

Certification is documentary evidence that the candidate was able to meet the objectives of the course and is common practise worldwide.

Universities are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and the management of their academic affairs, including the selection and delivery of courses are matters for individual universities. Universities receive a block grant from the Higher Education Authority and it is a matter for each university to determine how it is allocated internally. The decision of any university to provide specific programmes is a matter for the university concerned.

The Government has recently published its second ICT Skills plan which is designed to assist higher education institutions to produce more graduates with the skill-sets necessary to fill ICT skill gap and meet the demands of employers in Ireland. All computing courses at degree level at Irish higher education institutions operate on the basis that once a student has acquired knowledge of one programming platform these generic programming skills are easily adapted and transferred to other platforms. As a student progresses through their degree they have ever increasing opportunity to specialise in different computing languages including Java.

Since 2011 my Department has introduced two new competitive funding streams at higher education level that address the specific skills needs of industry and supports jobseekers into employment – Springboard and the ICT skills conversion programme. All courses approved for funding under these initiatives are selected by an independent panel with industry and educational expertise having regard to guidance from Forfás and the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs on current and future skills needs of enterprise. One of the key areas for focus for Springboard and the ICT skills conversion programme 2014 is in Programming languages to include Java knowledge.

Number of Multi-Denominational & Educate Together Schools in Ireland – 1st April 2014

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will indicate the percentage of primary schools in the country that will be Educate Together or multi-denominational schools by 2016; the number of these schools that currently exist; the number that will be established by the State; the number that will be created as a result of an existing school changing patronage; and if he believes this percentage will be improved after 2016 and how.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

In 2012/13 school year, there were 3,152 primary schools in the country. 82 (2.6%) primary schools have a multi-denominational ethos. Educate Together is patron for 52 (1.6%) of these schools.

7 new primary schools opened in 2013. All 7 have a multi-denominational ethos. Educate Together is patron for 3 of these schools. One of the schools under Educate Together patronage opened as a result of the patronage divesting process.

4 new primary schools will commence operation in September 2014, all of these schools will have a multi-denominational ethos. Educate Together will be patron for 2 of these schools.

Apart from the school established in 2013 under the patronage divesting process, the other 10 new primary schools were or are being established to meet a demographic need. The arrangements for determining patronage for such schools were announced by me in June 2011. These arrangements, which are overseen by the New Schools Establishment Group, place a heavy focus on parental choice and they allow for the introduction or widening of diversity of school provision where parents want this.

My Department continues to analyse demographic data to identify where further new primary schools may be required to meet demographic demands from 2015 onwards. It will be open to all patron bodies, including Educate Together, to apply for patronage of any such schools in line with the procedures outlined above.

Under the patronage divesting process, it is expected that a further 4 new primary schools will commence operation in 2014. All of these will be under the patronage of Educate Together.

As part of this particular process, the Deputy will probably be aware that my Department surveyed 43 areas to establish the level of parental demand for a wider choice in the patronage of primary schools within these areas. The outcome of the survey indicated a viable parental demand for an alternative patron in 28 of the areas – 27 for a multi-denominational English medium school and 1 for a multi-denominational Irish medium school. Early progress is being made with the expected commencement of 4 new schools under this process in 2014. Active consideration is being given to options for divesting in the other areas concerned. As such it would not be possible to indicate the percentage or number of primary schools in the country that will be Educate Together or multi-denominational schools by or after 2016.

Tax relief on third-level registration fees – 27th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question NO. 232 of 4 February 2014, if he will consider including registration fees for third level institutions as a qualifying fee for tax relief under the current scheme.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

The position is that the student services charge, often referred to as a registration charge, was replaced by the student contribution in 2011. Under the Finance Act 2013 qualifying fees in excess of €2,500, raising annually by €250 to €3,000 in 2015, are eligible for tax relief. This means that families with two or more siblings attending approved higher education institutions may qualify for tax relief on the student contribution.

The former Garda station on Harcourt Terrace – 13th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will make a request to the Office of Public Works regarding the purchase of a site (former Garda station on Harcourt Terrace).

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

I can confirm that officials from my Department have made initial enquiries with the OPW in relation to the feasibility of securing long term use of the site in question to meet future potential school needs in the catchment area.

Funding for the Irish language – 13th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to protect funding for the Irish language in future budgets.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

As you are aware I am committed to the implementation of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 – 2030, as its recommendations relate to the remit of my Department. This is being done on a phased basis over the twenty year time span.

For example, there is a lot of activity underway in reforming the Irish language curricula at primary and post-primary. At primary there is the new Integrated language curriculum which is being developed for the infant classes through to first and second classes. At Junior Cycle, a consulation process has just been completed on a background paper relating to the development of a new specification for Irish at Junior Cycle. At senior cycle there is a revised assessment arrangement in place which allocates 40% of the Leaving Certificate marks to the oral component of the examination. This additional allocation to oral Irish is currently being reviewed.

Work has also commenced on a review of education in the Gaeltacht areas.

Tax relief in respect of third-level tuition fees – 4th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if tax relief can be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education, including Government mandated registration fees for third level institutions; and if not, the reason for same.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

The position is that tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. This tax relief provision means that second and subsequent siblings in a family do not have to bear the full cost of the student contribution.

Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners on www.revenue.ie

Parents placing children on multiple school enrolment lists – 15th January 2014

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 12 December 2013, if he has considered the introduction of PPS numbers on enrolment forms for schools as part of his new reforms in the area of admissions so as to assist in managing supply and demand and in order to minimise the practice of place-blocking where parents place their children on multiple school enrolment lists.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

As the Deputy is aware I have recently published a draft General Scheme for an Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, 2013 as well as draft regulations for discussion ahead of enacting legislation. These are available on my Department’s website.

The draft General Scheme and draft regulations are currently under consideration by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection. When the Committee has completed its consideration of the draft framework, I will reflect carefully on the Committee’s report, including any recommendations that it may make in relation to the issue of multiple applications, before progressing to the next stage of legislation.

Use of catchment areas as a criterion for school admission – 17th December 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will clarify current policy in relation to the use of catchment areas as a criterion for school enrolment; if schools are permitted to have an admission policy that does not include catchment area; if he envisages that the new legislation on admissions will make catchment area a compulsory criterion in school admission policies, either ranked or not ranked.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. In this regard a Board of Management may find it necessary to restrict enrolment to children from a particular area or a particular age group or on the basis of some other criterion. The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances are a matter for the schools themselves. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. Under section 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act 1998, each school is legally obliged to publish its enrolment policy.

The Deputy will be aware that I have recently published a draft General Scheme for an Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, 2013 as well as draft regulations for discussion ahead of enacting legislation. These are available on my Department’s website.

I have referred the draft proposals to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection, to allow a full public discussion of the proposed legislative framework, including inputs from parents, education partners and other stakeholders.

I will be reflecting carefully on the views expressed in the consultation process to ensure the legislation strikes the right balance between school autonomy and fairness in our education system.

Haddington Road & Non-Unionised Teachers – 7th November 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way the Haddington Road Agreement will apply to non-unionised teachers.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

The Haddington Road Agreement is being implemented in line with the general approach taken in the public service. Where only one union has members in a sector the Agreement is either applied or not applied to everyone, depending on whether or not a collective agreement is reached with that union.

In ETB schools, where TUI is regarded as the representative union, the HRA applies to all teachers. In Voluntary Secondary schools, where ASTI is regarded as the representative union, the FEMPI Act 2013 applies to all teachers. My Department is considering the position of TUI members in Voluntary Secondary schools.

The HRA applies to teachers who are TUI members in schools with dual union representation, such as Community & Comprehensive schools and Designated Community Colleges. The FEMPI Act 2013 applies to other teachers in Community & Comprehensive schools and Designated Community Colleges. My Department is considering the position of non-unionised teachers in these schools.

The Allocation of Resource Teachers – 12th July 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is considering restructuring the current process of allocating resource teaching posts in favour of a ratio system (details supplied) that would allocate a resource teacher based on the number of mainstream teachers employed in a school.

“Do away with resource hours and base Learning Support/Resource posts on
numbers of mainstream classes.
For 1 to 4 teachers give one Special Ed teacher;
For 5 to 6 teachers give 2nd Special Ed teacher;
For 7 to 8 teachers give 3rd Special Ed teacher and repeat, i.e. 9 to 12 – 1
teacher, 13 to 14 – 2nd teacher, etc.”

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) recently published comprehensive policy advice on Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools, which is available on its website www.ncse.ie.

The NCSE consulted widely with parents of children with special educational needs, representative bodies and the education partners in preparing this policy advice.

Inter alia, the report recommends that under the new resource allocation model proposed by the NCSE in the report, children should be allocated additional resources in line with their level of need, rather than by disability category.

Mr Eamonn Stack, who is the NCSE Chairperson, will chair this working group and the group, which will include parents, will begin its work immediately.

The group will report to me in September on the progress of its work, to develop advice on how to reform the way the substantial additional educational resources for pupils with special educational needs are allocated in the school system.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is considering putting in place measures that will ensure that resource teachers and special needs assistants are not assigned to more than one school; and the reason special needs assistants are paid on a 32 hour basis when the primary school week is approximately 26 hours long.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

The NCSE consulted widely with parents of children with special educational needs, representative bodies and the education partners in preparing this policy advice.

I have, as suggested by the Report, requested the NCSE to establish a Working Group to develop a proposal, for consideration, for a `tailored’ allocation model, which will underpin a new allocation system for teaching supports for children with Special Educational Needs based on the profiled educational needs of children in schools. The Working Group will report to me in September on the progress of its work, to develop advice on how to reform the way the substantial additional educational resources for pupils with special educational needs are allocated in the school system.

I wish to explain also that there is no system for shared Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocations between schools.

The NCSE Policy Advice does not recommend a significant change to the manner of allocating SNAs to schools, but recommends clarification of the role of an SNA. The Deputy may also be aware that my Department has published a Value for Money (VFM) and Policy Analysis Review of the Special Needs Assistant scheme, which is available on my Departments website: www.education.gov.ie.

The Review has shown that the SNA Scheme has been successful in supporting schools in meeting the needs of students with disabilities who also have significant care needs. However, the review also found that the allocation process is generally not well understood within schools and by parents nor is the purpose of the Scheme fully understood.

The review recommended that the SNA scheme should be restated to ensure an efficient allocation of SNA resources and to clarify the ‘care’ nature of the SNA role for parents, schools and professionals.

My Department has established a working group which is presently implementing the recommendations of the SNA Value for Money report.

The working week for full-time SNAs is defined in their contract (Department of Education and Skills Circulars 12/05 and 15/05). SNAs are required to work normal classroom hours including class break periods and in addition to attend before and after school in order to help with the preparation and tidying up of classrooms, reception and dispersal of children etc. The exact hours of work will normally be specified by the Board of Management in the SNAs contract of employment and may vary from school to school depending on the requirements of the school.

In addition the contract for Special Needs Assistants in the post primary sector specifies that SNAs are required to work the month of June.

Furthermore, all SNAs were required to be available for a number of days at the start and finish of each school term not exceeding 12 in total. Under the Croke Park Agreement it was agreed to introduce greater flexibility to the use of these 12 days. These 12 days will now equate to 72 hours (pro-rata for part-time SNAs) to be used by schools as an additional bank of hours to be utilised and delivered outside of normal school opening hours and/or the normal school year.

SNAs who are employed in a part-time capacity are obviously paid a pro-rata amount dependent upon their level of hours of employment. Part-time SNAs are paid on the agreed divisor rate for pay purposes for part-time SNAs which is 32 hours.

Extending the eligibility of the July Educational Programme to children diagnosed with Dyspraxia. – 21st June 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider extending the eligibility of the July Educational Programme to children diagnosed with Dyspraxia.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

The Deputy will be aware that the July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism that choose to extend their education services through the month of July. My Department also provides for a July Programme for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. Where school based provision is not feasible, home based provision may be grant aided.

It is not proposed to review the expansion of the eligibility criteria for the programme at this time.

I have recently requested the NCSE to prepare Policy Advice on the Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The National Council for Special Education has a formal role under the EPSEN Act to advise the Minister in relation to any matter relating to the education of children and others with disabilities.

A Contingency Plan for Protestant Schools -13th June 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if is considering a contingency plan for protestant parents who may no longer be able to afford to send their children to protestant fee paying schools.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

This Government recognises the importance of ensuring that students from a Protestant or reformed church background can attend a school that reflects their denominational ethos while at the same time ensuring that funding arrangements are in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

The SEC then disburses funds to the Protestant fee-charging schools on behalf of pupils who would otherwise have difficulty with the cost of fees and who, in the absence of such financial support, would be unable to attend a second level school of a reformed church or Protestant ethos. Funding amounts to €6.5 million annually. This fund ensures that necessitous Protestant children can attend a school of their choice. There are no changes proposed in respect of the Protestant block grant.

The Deputy will be aware that in the context of the Budget 2013, I made a further one point change to the staffing allocation of fee charging schools from September 2013.

Given the extremely difficult economic circumstances that this country is facing and the fact that every Department has to find considerable cost-savings, all expenditure must be examined to see if cost-savings can be found.

The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot at this stage anticipate any specific decisions the Government may take in respect of the next budget.

Protestant Schools – 13th June 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is considering ring-fencing the current teacher pupil ratio of 23:1 for fee paying protestant schools.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

The Government has protected frontline services in schools to the greatest extent possible in the recent budget and there will no reduction in teacher numbers in primary schools and in free second level schools for the 2013/14 school year as a result of the budget. The DEIS scheme for disadvantaged schools is also fully protected with no overall changes to staffing levels or funding as a result of the budget.

At post primary level and in order to promote fairness in funding second level schools, a two-point increase in the pupil teacher ratio in fee-charging second level schools will be introduced in September 2013. There are currently 55 schools out of 723 post-primary schools charging fees ranging from €2,550 to €10,065 for day pupils.

At present, the State pays the salaries of one teacher for every 21 pupils in these schools compared with one teacher for every 19 pupils in schools in the free education scheme. A ratio of 18.25 pupils to one teacher, applies in DEIS schools. This will rise to 23:1 in fee charging schools from September 2013.

However, these schools have the resources, through fees charged, to employ teachers privately, an option which is not available to schools in the free education scheme. A report on the analysis of the tuition income of fee-charging schools carried out by the Department was recently published and shows that the schools in question have €81m in discretionary income that schools in the free scheme do not have.

It is important to note that the report does not contain any policy proposals at this stage. However, even after the Budget changes are implemented, the discretionary income available to these schools will still be quite considerable.

There are some concerns within the Church of Ireland community on the recent budget measure affecting fee-charging schools. This Government recognises the importance of ensuring that students from a Protestant or Reformed church background can attend a school that reflects their denominational ethos while at the same time ensuring that funding arrangements are in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

How best to sustain education provision for widely dispersed and small local communities does present as a particular challenge, especially in any locality where enrolment is declining to single figures. The Government is intent in fostering pluralism in school provision. Supporting small communities including minorities in maintaining their schools is part of that policy.

With regard to the fee-charging Protestant schools, an arrangement exists whereby funding is provided by my Department to the Secondary Education Committee (SEC), an organisation run by the churches involved in managing the Protestant secondary schools. The SEC then disburses funds to the Protestant fee-charging schools on behalf of pupils who would otherwise have difficulty with the cost of fees and who, in the absence of such financial support, would be unable to attend a second level school of a reformed church or Protestant ethos. Funding amounts to €6.5 million annually. This fund ensures that necessitous Protestant children can attend a school of their choice.

Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) – 30th May 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in relation to Student Universal Support Ireland student grant administration, the number of service providers that were invited to tender for the contract; the performance criteria set for delivery of the contract by City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee; if City of Dublin VEC will pay any financial penalty for their underperformance over the past eight months; if the contract will be offered to other public and private service suppliers for the 2014/15 academic year as part of public sector reform and the date on which the Accenture report on SUSI’s performance will be published.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

In January 2011, my Department issued an Expression of Interest invitation to the VECs, local authorities or other public bodies who might be interested in taking on administrative responsibility for the centralised student grants awarding and payments function. A total of 10 proposals were received.

These proposals were examined by an independent selection panel against the evaluation criteria which were an integral part of the Expression of Interest procedure. On the basis of the review carried out by the panel at the initial stage of the process, four proposals were short-listed for oral presentation. Following oral presentation these proposals were assigned a ranking depending
on their relative strengths under each of the evaluation criteria leading to the preferred proposal.

The selection panel evaluated the proposals under each of the following criteria:
Organisational capacity to perform the function
Experience in dealing with comparable schemes/services
Existing core management, expertise and resources available
Capacity to deliver strong cost and efficiency benefits
Overall quality of the proposal for delivery of a central student grants function.

Following this process, the selection panel made a recommendation to the Minister for Education and Skills on the preferred proposal which was the City of Dublin VEC proposal to establish Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) as a unit of that VEC.

While indicative delivery costs were provided by each of the bodies, they were not as such tender prices, as this was an expression of interest process. These indicative costs were considered under the evaluation criteria which examined the capacity of the bodies to deliver strong cost and efficiency benefits. Each of the short – listed proposals was marked under all of the evaluation criteria heading. City of Dublin VEC was designated as the single grant awarding authority and operated on a transitional basis accepting all new applications for the 2012/13 academic year.

The independent review of the first year of operation of SUSI was commissioned by City of Dublin VEC and carried out by Accenture. The report was published on Friday 17th May 2013 and is available on www.cdvec.ie

The Inclusion of Community Education within the Education and Training Bill – 16th May 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is considering broadening the definition of the Further Education and Training Bill to include community education.

Minister of State, Ciarán Cannon

I propose to take questions 122 and 126 together.
I recognise that further education and training as it is currently delivered covers a broad spectrum that ranges from basic adult literacy and numeracy courses to courses that are certified at level 6 and above on the National Framework of Qualifications. It also spans the generations of learners from adult learners to early school leavers. It is delivered in formal classroom settings and in less formal settings based in the community. It is essentially a flexible form of education that can meet the diverse needs of learners in the most appropriate setting.

Since the publication of the Bill a number of concerns have been raised regarding the definition of further education and training and the matter is being dealt with in the context of the passage of the Bill.

Individual Teaching Hours for Chilldren with Down Syndrome – 14th May 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is considering giving an automatic qualification of individual teaching hours for all children with Down’s syndrome.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

The Deputy will be aware of this Government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including children with Down syndrome, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. The policy of my Department is to secure the maximum possible level of inclusion of students with special educational needs in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, or where a special school or special class placement may be required to ensure such placements are provided for.

Pupils with Down syndrome attending mainstream schools may receive additional teaching support in primary schools, either under the terms of the General Allocation Model (GAM) of teaching supports, if the pupil’s educational psychological assessment places the pupil in the mild general learning disability/high incidence disability category, or through an allocation of individual additional resource teaching hours which are allocated by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), if the child is assessed as being within the low incidence category of special need, as defined by my Department’s Circular Sp Ed 02/05.

It should be noted that the introduction of the GAM in 2005 did not change the position in relation to the allocation of supports for children with Down syndrome who had mild general learning difficulty. Prior to the GAM introduction, Circular 08/02 set out that the level of additional support to be provided for children who present with a particular syndrome e.g. Down Syndrome, Syndrome, will be determined following consideration of psychological or other specialist reports which details the nature and degree of the child’s special educational needs. The allocations made were differentiated on the basis of the extent of general learning difficulty of the child.

Pupils with Down syndrome may be allocated resources under the category of mild general learning disability, or under the categories of moderate general learning difficulty or Assessed Syndrome, in conjunction with another Low Incidence disability. There is not presently a distinct disability category of Down syndrome for resource allocation purposes. As such, it is not possible to advise of the number of children with Down syndrome who are attending mainstream primary education.

I have asked the National Council for Special Education to provide me with policy advice on the issue of whether Down syndrome should be reclassified as a low incidence disability in all instances, regardless of assessed cognitive ability. This advice will be included in the NCSE’s comprehensive policy advice on how the education system can best support children with special educational needs which is currently in preparation and which is expected in the coming weeks.

Student – Teacher ratio in the further education sector – 7th May 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he if will be maintaining the current student – teacher ratio of 17:1 in the further education sector in the budget for 2014.

Minister of State, Ciarán Cannon

The current pupil teacher ratio (PTR) for the Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) programme is due to change from 17:1 to 19:1 with effect from 1 September 2013 for the 2013/2014 academic year in accordance with the decision taken by the Government last year as part of the budgetary process.

The Provision of School Places – 7th May 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a primary school place in respect of a child (details supplied) in Dublin 6.

A resident of Ainsley Park, Ranelagh Dublin 6, her daughter is due to start primary school in September 2013. Her daughter will be 5 years old at the time of enrolment. To date no school has confirmed availability of a place. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what non fee paying primary schools will admit girls for September 2013 within the Dublin 6 area.

Minister Ruairí Quinn

The selection and enrolment of pupils in schools is the responsibility of the authorities of the individual school. My Department’s main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. As schools may not have a place for every applicant, a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants.

Under section 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act, 1998, each school is legally obliged to disclose its enrolment policy and to ensure that as regards that policy that principles of equality and the right of parents to send their children to a school of the parents choice are respected.

Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of a Vocational Educational Committee (VEC) school to the VEC in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year. My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a pupil, except in the case of an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 being upheld.

The parents/guardians of the pupil in question may wish to contact my Department at the Section 29 Appeals Administration Unit, Friar’s Mill Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, (phone 044 9337008) if they wish to take an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998.

The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The NEWB may be able to offer assistance and advice on securing a school placement within the pupil’s area. The contact details for the NEWB is National Educational Welfare Board, 16-22 Green Street Dublin 7, phone number 01-8738700.

State support for Killkenny College – 23rd April 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of any financial arrangement of either a capital or current spending nature, provided by the State to Kilkenny College as part of the move by that school from the fee charging to the non-fee charging school system.

Minister Ruairí Quinn

The authorities of Kilkenny College indicated that they were considering that the long term future of the College might be better secured by entering the Free Scheme,

The Government is committed to supporting access of minority denomination communities to schools that are of their tradition or ethos. The provision made by Kilkenny College caters for the needs of children from the Protestant community spread across several counties. Accordingly, I was happy to have officials of my Department work with the college authorities to work through a basis on which such a transfer would be feasible if that was their ultimate judgement.

The Deputy will appreciate that over the course of those detailed discussions the College authorities shared information in confidence with the Department and while I wish to respect that position at the same I do want to provide the Deputy with information on the arrangements made to assist and support the College through its transition.

Kilkenny College will cease to charge fees with effect from the start of school year in September next and as a result my Department will in future pay thesalaries of a teacher for every 19 students attending the College. This compares with one teacher for every 21 students in fee charging schools at present and which will rise to one teacher for every 23 students in September 2013.

My Department will also provide capitation and related funding to the College on the same basis as every other voluntary secondary school within the Free Education Scheme.

I approved specific transition arrangements in relation to the the teaching staff employed by the College and also reviewed the level of exchequer funding approved by the Department for school building projects carried out by the College.

The precise cost of additional exchequer expenditure in Kilkenny College will be a function later this year of the actual enrolment in the College as a school within the Free Scheme.

While the arrangements made in relation to Kilkenny College were specific to its circumstances and plans to enter the Free Scheme, I have made clear that my Department will engage constructively with any fee charging school that is considering how best to secure its future. On the basis of the analysis I published earlier this year on the income from fees available to fee charging schools I expect that a minority of the fee charging schools will wish to engage with my Department, as Kilkenny College did, in order to plan for the future.

Educate Together School-12th March 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on plans to set up an Educate Together primary school in the Sandymount/Ringsend area of Dublin.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

As the Deputy may be aware, in June 2011, I announced the need for the establishment of 20 new primary schools to cater for increased demographics across a number of locations up to 2017, including the Sandymount/ Ringsend area in Dublin 2/4.

I also announced new arrangements for the recognition and determination of patronage of these new primary schools. The new arrangements published by my Department provide a balanced approach to allow applications to be made by prospective patrons for the establishment of schools. The criteria used in deciding patronage of the new schools place a particular emphasis on parental demand for plurality and diversity of patronage. This consideration will have regard to the patronage of the existing schools in an area.

Educate Together school in Dublin 8 – 12th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of negotiations regarding a new Educate Together school (details supplied) in Dublin 8..

The amalgamation of Basin Lane school with another school so that the Portobello Educate Together school will be able to open in the Basin Lane building in September 2013.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

I am aware of the considerable demand for the provision of multi-denominational primary school places in the area referred to by the Deputy and that this demand has grown over the last number of years.

I can confirm to the Deputy that discussions are ongoing between my Department and the authorities of an existing school in this area with a view to making a school building available for an alternative school patron. It is my Department’s wish to be able to conclude these discussions in sufficient time to allow the multi-denominational school concerned to commence at the start of the new school year this coming September.

Employment practices in the civil service – 6th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are any retired public sector workers from his Department, or any other part of the public sector, currently on his Department’s payroll, for example, for sitting on a committee or preparing a report, but not exclusively these two areas; the number on the payroll; the cost to his Department; the services being delivered for this money; and the way that the positions were originally advertised.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the attached table, which shows payments made from my Department’s staff payroll system to retired public servants during 2012, which is the latest period for which payment information is available.

My Department additionally maintains details of retired Civil Servants re-engaged, usually on a short-term basis, to carry out specific tasks that require their particular experience and expertise. As appropriate, such engagements are subject to the abatement principle, whereby the fees payable are set at a level that ensure that the individual’s pensions plus fees do not exceed the salary level of their positions to retirement. This information is compiled retrospectively on an annual basis. The information for 2012 is not yet available but the attached table includes details in respect of 2011 payments made to individuals from various subheads on my Department’s Vote.

McKinsey report on education – 16th January 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the 2012 McKinsey Center for Government Report, Education to Employment: Designing a System that Works.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

The Report, “Education to Employment: Designing a System the Works” focuses on addressing global youth unemployment through skills development with a particular emphasis on the importance of developing connections between employers and education providers in order to ensure that students are learning the right skills for employment.

Strengthening links with industry as recommended in the report is a key element of the wide ranging programme of reform being implemented across the education and training system in Ireland. For example the new targeted funding models of skills development, Springboard, Momemtum and ICT skills have strong employer involvement. The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) which is funded by my Department also brings together industry, academia and State agencies in identifying the future skills requirements of the economy and its research and reports inform the development of course curricula.

The selection process for substitute teachers – 18th December 2012

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether the current system of subbing lists in use in primary schools, in particular insofar as the way in which substitute teachers are selected for positions in schools and offered covering work on a day to day or week to week basis, to be unbiased and fair.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). The Constitution of Boards and Rules of Procedure document 2011 sets out the procedures for appointment of teachers and special needs assistants at primary level.

From 1 December 2011 all advertising of teaching and special needs assistant positions at primary level must be through one of the four listed websites, which include sites run by the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) and the management bodies. Vacancies for the post of principal may also be advertised on www.publicjobs.ie.

I issued Circular 31/2011 in May of last year which requires that, from September 2011, schools at primary and post-primary level maintain a list of appropriately qualified registered teachers who notify the school that they are available for substitute teaching at short notice.

Jobseeking teachers at primary level may also register with the IPPN’s www.educationposts.ie website for both permanent and temporary roles and with SubSearch, a facility which is run by the INTO.

Retired teachers doing substitution work – 18th December 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to retired teachers doing substitution work, in particular the supervision of trainee teachers in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

The staffing arrangements for the supervision of students undertaking their School Placement is a matter for the initial teacher education providers. I understand that supervision of students on School Placement is undertaken by a combination of full-time staff in the Colleges concerned along with a number of external supervisors if needed due to the number of students involved. The external supervisors engaged are often retired teachers as the work requires experienced personnel with a thorough knowledge of the Curriculum and experience of a wide variety of classroom situations.

More generally, the recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures published by my Department.

Circular 31/2011, published in May 2011, details a cascade of measures for recruitment of teachers, prioritising unemployed registered teachers over retired registered teachers and registered teachers over unregistered persons.

Schools at primary and post-primary level are required to maintain a list of appropriately qualified registered teachers who have notified the school that they are available for substitute teaching at short notice. Where a substitute teacher is needed at short notice and advertising for the position is not feasible, the school must contact a person on the list established by the school or use a national service such as SubSearch or TextaSub.

Where these procedures are adhered to, an unregistered person should only be engaged for a limited period of time in exceptional circumstances. The school remains under an obligation to source an appropriately qualified and registered teacher at all times.

Each principal must report to his or her board of management on a regular basis on the fact that a list of unemployed registered teachers is being maintained, and the circumstances in which he or she has had to engage a registered teacher in receipt of a pension under a public service pension scheme or an unregistered person.

In response to a request under the Freedom of Information Acts, my Department recently provided information on the number of retired teachers employed in schools on a substitute or temporary basis between 28 August 2012 and 26 October 2012. This information is included in this reply.

Qualifications need to be a PE teacher – 29th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if teachers in primary and secondary schools instructing in physical education require any specific qualifications or training in order to perform their role as physical educators, and what these qualifications are.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

The Teaching Council is the body with statutory responsibility for the registration of teachers including the recognition of qualifications. There are a number of qualifications in physical education which have been recognised by the Council. As each application for registration is considered on its own merits any query relating to a particular qualification should be addressed directly to the Council.

As Physical Education is part of the primary curriculum, teachers registered under Regulation Two (Primary) are qualified to teach physical education on the basis of their registration.

Resources available for physical education – 29th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is concerned about a lack of resources for the teaching of physical education in primary and secondary schools in disadvantaged areas.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

My Department is committed to the provision, maintenance and modernisation of physical education and physical activity facilities in our schools for our children and young people.

In a new school building or major refurbishment/extension, PE facilities are included as an intrinsic part of the design.

While my Department currently has no specific grant schemes in place to provide funding for the purchase of gym equipment, primary schools received €2,000 each in PE equipment grants in 2006, at a total cost of €6.5 million. A similar grant of €4,000 per school, at an overall cost of around €3 million, issued to post-primary schools in 2007. In 2010 grant aid in excess of €16m issued to both primary and post-primary schools to allow each school address its own specific PE and outdoor equipment needs.

Is PE mandatory – 28th Novemeber 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is a requirement that children in primary and secondary schools participate in physical education during their school day; if this requirement is mandatory; what it involves in practice for the teacher and the pupils; the time each student will spend on such activity in a given week; if this aspect of their education is directed towards specific goals; and the details of these goals.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

Physical education (P.E.) is included in the curriculum at primary level and it also forms part of the Junior Certificate at post primary level.

At primary level, the P.E. curriculum includes six broad strands comprising Athletics, Dance, Gymnastics, Games, Outdoor and adventure activities and Aquatics. A minimum of one hour of P.E. per week is recommended for all primary school pupils.

In accordance with the Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools, all post primary schools should provide P.E. as part of the curriculum. The Rules and Programme provide that a basic minimum of two hours per week is required to implement the programme.

At junior cycle, the P.E. curriculum builds on the 6 strands of the primary curriculum, and includes an additional area of study entitled Health Related Activity which attempts to synthesise students’ learning from the other strands.

P.E. forms part of the new Junior Cycle Framework which I published last month. Promoting physical activity is reflected in the 24 ‘statements of learning’ that are at the core of the new Framework. P.E. is also one of the short courses that will be developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) for use by schools on an optional basis from 2014.

At senior cycle, my Department is currently considering two new curricula for senior cycle P.E. – one for examination and the other a non-examination curriculum framework.

The P.E. curriculum has a number of goals which are clearly outlined in the relevant curriculum documents (available at www.NCCA.ie). One of the primary goals is to promote the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of the student through participation in physical activities in a safe, challenging and enjoyable environment.

Home economics initial teacher education – 20th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to remove home economics initial teacher education from a school (details supplied) in County Sligo, as recommended in the recent report from the Higher Education Authority.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

I have accepted the recommendations set out in a report commissioned by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on the structures of initial teacher education. The purpose of the report, which I requested, was to identify new possible structures to improve initial teacher education in Ireland so that it is comparable with the best in the world.

The international panel of education experts recommended that teacher education be provided in six “centres for teacher education”. Currently there are 19 state funded providers of ITE (and three non-state funded) offering more than 40 college programmes in primary and post-primary teaching. The new collaborations recommended by the international panel will mean that a smaller number of centres for ITE exist, but that they offer education across multiple sectors from early childhood to primary, to post primary to adult education.

These centres for teacher education will also possess a critical mass in terms of research capacity which is not always possible in smaller institutions. The new configurations will mean strong research bases can be created in each centre.

The HEA has been requested to consult with the relevant parties and to prepare a detailed plan on how to implement the recommendations of the Panel. I understand that this process has started and a plan is expected by the end of the year.

I will fully consider the implementation plan from the HEA when received.

One IT access point for the Education Sector – 15th November, 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has considered the possible merging of information systems to create one access point for information such as lists of schools, pupil numbers, teachers’ salaries and grant payments.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

My Department has been dependent for many years on IT systems to provide a range of services to its customers, including schools and school employees. A number of systems have been developed over the past two decades, leading to disparate data stores. In an effort to address this issue, my Department’s IT Unit has already taken steps to implement a technical solution to allow designated users a single access point for information regarding schools, pupils, school employee/pensioner pay details and grant payments.

The Business Intelligence tool acquired has the capacity to merge information from many different data stores and provides users with interactive dashboards, analysis and reporting functionality, and capacity to run ad-hoc queries. This tool has been implemented for designated staff in the Inspectorate, Statistics Section and Post-Primary Division of my Department, using primary census returns data and aggregate post-primary pupil data. The current phase is focussing on the inclusion of school employee payroll data for my Department’s Payroll Division.

Educational resource on Conflict and Peace Building – 8th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied that Give Peace a Chance: An Educational Resource on Conflict and Peace Building for Post Primary Educators is sufficiently objective for use by teachers in teaching Citizenship Education, Religious Education, Geography, English and History.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

I am not in a position to comment on the use of this resource by teachers in post-primary schools. It is a matter for individual schools to select the resources and textbooks available that best support their implementation of the syllabuses , including CSPE, prescribed by my Department.

This flexibility gives schools the opportunity to select the resources that are most appropriate to the needs of their students. However, it is expected that schools will enable their students to think critically about the content of the materials that are used during the teaching and learning process. This is particularly true of subjects such as Civic, Social and Political Education, History and English where students are provided with the opportunity to analyse and interpret input, and to discuss the difference between fact and opinion and between bias and objectivity in texts and other materials.

Public Sector Rostering – 6th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

In the vast majority of cases no public sector employees associated with my Department are subject to rostering conditions of attendance. I understand that some educational facilities may operate rostered hours of attendance for caretakers/porters for administrative reasons. However, as my Department is not the employer I am not in a position to provide detailed figures on this matter.

Plans for school building on Haddington Road – 18th October 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the former secondary school building on Haddington Road, Dublin 4, which was purchased by the Department of Education and Skills last year.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

The school building referred to by the Deputy is currently the subject of a major extension and refurbishment project. This project when complete will provide appropriate accommodation to facilitate the amalgamation of the two nearby primary schools and additional school accommodation to meet additional pupil enrolments in the area.

A design team was appointed in September of this year to take the project through the stages of architectural planning.

Do Irish nationals abroad qualify for free university education in Ireland – 16th October, 2012

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if Irish children who are living abroad, and who are in possession of an Irish passport, are required to pay college fees other than the standard registration fee, if they wish to attend university in Ireland.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

Under the terms of my Department’s Free Fee Schemes the Exchequer meets the cost of tuition fees in respect of eligible students who are pursuing full-time undergraduate courses of study which are a minimum of two years duration in an approved higher education institution.

The main conditions of the scheme are that students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss nationality in their own right, and have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course.

Currently there are exemptions to the residency clause of the scheme for persons posted abroad in the service of the state and for volunteer development workers. These exemptions are currently being examined and decisions in this regard will be made when these deliberations are completed. I would point out that the higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and the criteria governing the level of tuition fees to be charged (EU or Non EU rate), in cases where undergraduate students do not qualify for free fees and in the case of postgraduate study, is a matter for the institutions to determine.

The reduced allocation of special needs assistants – 18th September 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the following case regarding a reduced allocation of a special needs assistant in respect of a school in Dublin.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support.

The NCSE operates within my Department’s established criteria for the allocation of such supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. All schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy were advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2012/13 school year by 16th March, 2012.

All schools have now been advised by the NCSE of their SNA staffing allocation for the coming school year. Details of the allocations which have been made to each school are available at www.ncse.ie.

Where schools subsequently enrolled new pupils with special educational needs who were not considered at the time that these allocations were made, or where new medical conditions have arisen in the interim, schools may apply to the NCSE for additional SNA support.

I understand that the school referred to by the Deputy recently made a new application to the NCSE for additional SNA support. This application is currently being considered by the NCSE and the school will shortly be advised of the decision in relation to this application.

It should be noted, however, that SNAs are not allocated to individual pupils. The NCSE allocates a level of SNA support for each school annually taking into account the care needs of all of the qualifying children enrolled in the school. SNAs should then be deployed by schools in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.

Ecommerce course for FAS – 3rd July 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to

the fact that there is no longer an ecommerce training course being offered by
FÁS; his views on whether an ecommerce course would be a useful addition to the
current courses on offer.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

I am informed that the ecommerce course referred to by the Deputy was deactivated by FÁS in order to update it and bring it into line with the new Common Awards System. FÁS is currently working on a replacement course and once this course has been developed, it will be scheduled on the FÁS course calendar.

In addition, Skillnets receive funding from the National Training Fund (NTF) through my Department to support companies from any sector or region to engage in training by co-investing in the delivery of training with member companies of networks. Skillnets works in partnership with enterprise, in particular SMEs, by supporting the development of flexible and effective training delivery methods which are customised to its specific needs.

There are a number ofcurrent course offerings related to ecommerce or which include a module around ecommerce and these can be viewed on the Skillnets website at www.skillnets.ie.

Patronage of the new Primary School in Dublin 2/4 – 3rd July 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the role his Department will play in assessing the preferred patronage for the new primary school to be established in the Dublin 2/4 area; if he will examine or consider any changes to the existing schools patronage’s; and what direct communications he expects to have with parents living in the catchment area before the new school is built.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

I also announced new arrangements for the recognition and determination of patronage of these new primary and post-primary schools. The new arrangements published by my Department provide a balanced approach to allow applications to be made by prospective patrons for the establishment of schools. The criteria used in deciding patronage of the new schools place a particular emphasis on parental demand for plurality and diversity of patronage. This consideration will have regard to the patronage of the existing schools in an area.

Actions taken to address skill shortage in tech sector – 3rd of July 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the specific actions have been taken to address the skills shortage in the technology sector, where there currently exists significant under-employment, and which was highlighted by a briefing to Cabinet earlier this year by a senior manager in a major internet company invested and located here.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

The joint Government-Industry ICT Action Plan, which I launched in January this year, was developed as a direct response to specific skills shortages in the ICT sector. The Plan outlines a range of short, medium and long term measures to develop a sustainable domestic supply of high quality ICT graduates to support the further expansion and development of the ICT sector and support innovation and growth across other sectors of the economy.

As part of the Plan, 750 places have been made available on new Higher Diploma Level 8 Conversion ICT Programmes which began rolling out in higher education institutions across the country from March 2012. Access is free of charge to participants who will obtain a level 8 higher diploma. Graduates of these programmes will be available in early 2013. In addition, 530 people with a qualification at level 8 or Master’s level in ICT are now due to graduate from the first phase of Springboard. A further 2,200 places on ICT programmes from certificate to masters degree level are now open for applications as part of Springboard 2012.

In terms of medium term graduate supply, the indications are that the message is getting through to those applying for full time higher education that Technology courses (including Science, Computing and Engineering)offer good opportunities for graduates in today’s job market. This year’s CAO applications data shows that first preference applications to Technology courses are showing an increase in total proportion of discipline choices from 17.7% in 2011 to 19.8% in 2012. In numerical terms, the number of students applying to study Technology courses increased from 11,370 in 2011 to 12,230 in 2012, a percentage increase of 7.5%.

Other actions provided for in the Plan are also underway including the establishment of a new high level Academic Industry Foresight Group chaired by John Hennessy, Chair of HEA, and with strong high level industry membership.

Staff in the Department’s redeployment pool – 26th of June 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons in his Department’s redeployment pool, including agencies responsible to it, that is, those persons who are to be redeployed as their current role is no longer necessary, but have not been redeployed as of yet.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

The Public Service Agreement 2010-14 (Croke Park Agreement) provides for agreed redeployment arrangements to apply in most parts of the public service, and for these arrangements to take precedence over other methods of filling vacancies.
In the Education sector new redeployment procedures for second level teachers were implemented in advance of the 2011/2012 school year resulting in the elimination of a surplus of some 200 teachers. 62 teachers at post primary level were surplus to requirements this year and have been successfully redeployed in advance of the commencement of the 2012/13 school year.

Redeployment procedures at primary level were implemented in advance of the 2011/12 school year with some 950 surplus teachers re-deployed. A total of 463 primary teachers were surplus to requirements this year and to date 395 have been redeployed to other schools or were assigned to new permanent or fixed term vacancies in their own school.

Accordingly, there are currently 68 teachers at primary level awaiting re-deployment and it is anticipated that all of these teachers will be redeployed in advance of the 2012/13 school year.

Furthermore, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) has put in place a system of Resource/Redeployment Panels to support the redeployment processes in those sectors, including the Education sector, agreed under the Public Service Agreement. This system is utilised to facilitate the re-deployment of staff (other than teachers and SNAs) in the Education sector. There are currently 26 staff from the Education sector on the Public Appointments Service (PAS) Redeployment panel pending their re-deployment to an alternative permanent position elsewhere in the public service. The maximum period of time that aperson from the Education sector has been on the PAS resource panel awaiting permanent re-deployment is approximately 10 months.

Public sector staffing numbers –12th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of staff working in the public sector, including in the civil services, that he deems to fall into the category of frontline staff, administrative, management, elected representative and any other relevant categories; and the way the pay budget is allocated across these categories in percentage and real terms in terms of as a proportion of the Department expenditure on salaries.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

The gross pay allocation for Vote 26: Education and Skills included in the 2012 Revised Estimates Volume is €5.351 billion. Front line staff in the Education Sector are regarded as comprising teachers and Special Needs Assistants in first and second level schools, as well as academic staff in third level colleges and institutions.

A full breakdown of the 2012 overall pay allocation for my Vote is listed below. The figure for the Third-Level Sector includes costs for both academic and non-academic staff as a breakdown of these sub-categories is not readily available.

First & Second level Teachers’
Pay €3,778m 70.6%
Special Needs
Assistants €362m 6.8%

Third-Level Sector (Universities, IOTs & other3rd Level Colleges) €828m 15.5%

First & Second level Non-Teaching Staff (Excl SNAs) €113m 2.1%

(Mainly staff in VECs, Comprehensive & Community Schools
and Caretakers/Clerical Assts in schools)
Skills Development (mainly FÁS)
€131m 2.5%

Department Staff (Admin, Inspectors, Psychologists) €77m 1.4%
State Examinations Commission
€45m 0.8%

Other Bodies (Special Education Council, Redress, NCCA etc) €17m 0.3%

TOTAL €5,351m 100%

Student maintenance grants –15th of May 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a maintenance grant in respect of a person(details supplied) in Dublin 4..

Reply The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

To satisfy the terms and conditions of the student grant scheme in relation to progression, a student must be moving from year to year within a course having successfully completed the previous year or be transferring from one course to another where the award for the subsequent course is of a higher level than the previous course.

The objective of this policy is to help as many students as possible to obtain one qualification at each level of study. Given the level of demand on the student grant budget from first time students and students that are progressing with their studies to a higher level, there are no plans at present to change the arrangements in place.

In the scenario presented by the Deputy, a student who already holds a Level 8 undergraduate qualification and intends to pursue a second undergraduate degree at the same level is not considered to be in progression and cannot be considered for funding, regardless of whether grant aid was made available to pursue the previous qualification

However, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners.

In relation to the issue of independent living , the position is that a student may be assessed as an independent mature student if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course or of re-entry following a break in studies of at least three years and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous 1 October. Otherwise he/she would continue to be assessed on the basis of his/her parents’ income.

The lack of school places in Dublin 6 – 22nd February 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review a case (details supplied) regarding lack of school places.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of a Vocational Education Committee (VEC) school to the VEC in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year. My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a pupil, except in the case of an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 being upheld.

The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The NEWB may be able to offer assistance and advice on securing a school placement within the pupil’s area. The contact details for the NEWB in your area is National Educational Welfare Board, 16-22 Green Street, Dublin 7, phone number 01-8738700.

The Minister’s view on the general allocation model – 16th February 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the general allocation model.

It has been requested that schools be able to combine hours allocated under the general allocation model in order to be able to hire one full time teacher as opposed to two part time ones, for example it was argued that spreading resources across part time teachers would in effect result in a net loss of hours teaching to children.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

The new simplified approach to the General Allocation Model of support for schools will make it easier to automatically update it annually in line with the changes in the number of classroom teachers in each school. Schools will also have autonomy on how to deploy the resource between language support and learning support depending on their specific needs. The arrangements for the staffing allocation under the General Allocation Model (GAM) are specifically designed to facilitate GAM hours being clustered into full-time posts – either entirely within their own school or with a nearby neighbouring school.

The new GAM allocations are being done in 5-hour blocks which is the equivalent of the tuition time for a full school day. Teachers that are in shared posts between schools can therefore operate local arrangements that enable their travel to a neighbouring school to be done, where possible, from the start of the school day thus avoiding loss of tuition time.

Any re-clustering of learning support (GAM) and language support hours into full-time posts will be operated at school level with schools having greater autonomy rather than the previous Department led approach.

My Department will be notifying schools in the coming weeks of the new staffing arrangements for 2012/13 school year.

A database for PHD students – 15th February 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to establish a database or network of PHD students at universities in the country and details of their work so as to create a portal into this important state resource.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

My Department has no plans to create a database or network that is dedicated specifically to Ph.D. students at Irish universities.

However, funding was provided under the Department’s Strategic Innovation Fund to the Irish Universities Association in 2008 to develop a national online repository for research publications from Irish universities. This initiative aims to make Irish research material more freely accessible, and to increase the research profiles of individual researchers and their institutions.

The portal, rian.ie, was launched in 2010 and provides open access to the research of the seven universities and the Dublin Institute of Technology. I understand that there are proposals to extend this initiative to other institutions.

I understand that there are a number of other initiatives under development across the sector, which aim to showcase and promote Irish research internationally and these developments are to be welcomed.

Breakdown of education budget for 2012 – 31st January 2012,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total amount of the education budget for 2012; and the breakdown in spending between the different categories and levels of education, both as a percentage of the total budget but also in monetary terms.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

The 2012 Gross Budget Allocation for Vote 26: Education & Skills was almost €8,672 million. Expenditure on Education services in Vote 26 is accounted for under seven main headings in Vote 26 as follows:

PROGRAMME AMOUNT % €M

Administration
€91.7          1%
Other Services
€329.4          4%
First Level Education
€3,109.5        36%
Second Level Education                                €2,957.6        34%
Third Level & Further Education                              €1,566.3        18%
Capital Services
€474.2          5%
Skills Development & Further Education                   €142.8          2%

TOTAL €8,671.5

The impact of Budget 2012 on DEIS schools – 15th December 2011,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the disproportionate impact Budget 2012 will have on the ability of DÉIS schools to meet the needs of their pupils; and the supports he proposes to implement to mitigate this serious loss of resources for children attending these schools.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

The Government has prioritised targeted supports for schools with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage. These supports will continue to be targeted through the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) scheme, which is focussed on 670 primary schools and 195 post-primary schools with particularly high levels of disadvantage. This scheme is designed to ensure that the most disadvantaged schools benefit from a comprehensive package of supports.

The creation of a dedicated DEIS Band 1 pupil teacher ratio of 22:1 in the Budget will secure a more favourable staffing allocation for these primary schools in comparison to the mainstream pupil teacher ratio of 28:1. While the new staffing schedule gives greater autonomy to DEIS Band 1 schools, the schools should continue to prioritise their staffing allocation to implement more favourable pupil teacher ratios in junior classes, in line with DEIS policy.

The Government is also providing €13 million in enhanced funding for DEIS schools, €2 million in school book funding for DEIS schools, as well as a €26 million investment in the Home School Community Liaison scheme. All of these areas have been protected from reductions in expenditure for 2012. In addition €28 million will be provided next year for the School Completion Programme, a major component of DEIS, funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

Furthermore DEIS post-primary schools will be targeted for additional support through an improved staffing schedule of 18.25:1, which is a 0.75 point improvement compared to the existing standard 19:1 that applies in post-primary schools that do not charge fees (or compared to the 21:1 ratio that will apply in fee-charging schools).

All Band 2 urban DEIS Schools will be subject to the mainstream staffing schedules from 2012/13 onwards.

DEIS Urban primary schools are currently entitled to the allocation of administrative principals on lower enrolment and staffing figures than apply in primary schools generally. From 2012/13 school year, the allocation of administratie principals will be enrolment based only. In DEIS Urban Band 1 schools, an enrolment of 116 pupils will facilitate the principal becoming an administrative principal, while an enrolment of 145 will apply in Band 2 urban primary schools, compared to 178 in other schools. Schools affected by the
change to allocating principals on enrolment basis only, will retain their administrative principal status until there is a change of principal in the school. When an administrative principal post needs to be filled in future, the allocation will be made on an enrolment basis only.

In order to ensure fairness in the distribution of resources available under the DEIS plan, it is no longer possible to allow some schools to retain legacy posts on a concessionary basis that pre-date the introduction of the DEIS scheme. As a result, a decision has been taken to withdraw posts (428 posts) from earlier disadvantage programmes/schemes in 270 primary schools and 163 post primary schools that exceed what equivalent schools are entitled to under DEIS or to which non-DEIS schools are not entitled.

As part of the alleviation measures, DEIS band 1 junior schools will be placed on a staffing schedule based on an average of 1 teacher for 20 pupils. 32 schools that have legacy posts that provided for 1 teacher for every 15 pupils in junior classes only will now have a staffing schedule that operates on the basis of an average of 1 teacher for 18 junior pupils.

The special position of DEIS schools will also be recognised in adjustments to the General Allocation Model which is used to allocate learning and language support teaching posts to schools.

All schools will be notified in January 2012, three months earlier than normal, of their staffing entitlements under the new arrangement including any alleviation measures that may apply. This will allow schools to plan for the school year beginning in September.

Staff parking on school grounds – 24th November 2011,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his policy regarding to staff receiving free parking places at the school where they work: if they are entitled to free parking places on public roads in the vicinity of the school; if the school is entitled to subsidise parking by staff on public roads; and his views that it is appropriate that a school may give up valuable space for permanent car parking that could be used more appropriately for children in the
school.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

My Department makes provision for car parking spaces within the vested school site in the context of general school design. The level of provision may depend on the particular school project, the site conditions prevailing and the requirements of Local Authorities.

Individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care, including traffic management measures and general school organisation. The matter of parking on public roads does not come within the remit of my Department and is appropriate to the relevant Local Authority. The position relating to a school subsidising staff parking on public roads from within its own resources is a matter for the individual school authority.

When will Irish no longer be compulsory for leaving cert – 16th November 2011,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has any plans to make Irish a non-compulsory subject at leaving certificate level (details supplied); and if so, when does he predict this will happen.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

This Government is committed to supporting the overall thrust of 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, and to the delivery of the goals and targets proposed. As part of this, a thorough reform of the Irish curriculum and the way Irish is taught at primary and second level will be undertaken. The priority is to take steps to improve the quality and effectiveness of the teaching of Irish. Only when these steps have been implemented, the question of whether Irish should be optional at Leaving Certificate will be considered.

A revised Leaving Certificate curriculum in Irish began in all schools in September 2010 for first examination in 2012. The revised programme provides for an increase in the proportion of marks available for oral assessment to 40%, and is aimed at promoting a significant shift in emphasis towards Irish as a spoken language, where students can communicate and interact in a spontaneous way, and where Irish is spoken every day in schools.

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has been asked to review this syllabus in the light of the experiences of students in the first examination.

Development plans for site on Haddington Road – 20th September 2011,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for a site containing a school building and land, purchased by his Department on Haddington Road, Dublin 4.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

My Department has acquired the former school building and lands at the location to which the Deputy refers to provide additional school accommodation for the projected increase in pupil numbers in the area.

It is intended that the site will be developed to meet some of this need and this is currently being explored by my Department in consultation with the existing primary schools.

Changing requirements for non-adjacent grants – 21st July 2011,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reasoning behind Dublin City Council changing the requirements for non-adjacent grants for independent mature students, resulting in a cut of €2000; and the reason this cut is not means tested in the case of a person(details supplied).

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

The changes to the student grants scheme to which the Deputy refers were introduced by the previous Fianna Fáil – Green Party Government under Budget 2011.

These changes alter the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent rate of grant from 24kms to 45kms and remove the automatic entitlement of mature students to the non-adjacent rate of grant.

While these measures will result in changes to the rate of grant payable, none of the measures will result in a student losing a grant or becoming ineligible for a grant.

All student grants applications are means tested and qualifying students receive the rate of grant available under the scheme in accordance with their individual circumstances.

Students on particularly low incomes will continue to receive a “top-up” in the special rate of maintenance grant and the Student Assistance Fund at some €5m continues to be made available through the access offices of third-level institutions to assist students in exceptional financial need.

The cost imposed on school awaiting the summer works programme – 19th July 2011,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the bureaucratic and costly requirements imposed on schools awaiting the summer works programme; and his plans to reform this system.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

As the Deputy is aware all funding allocated under my Department’s Devolved Schemes including the Summer Works Scheme to allow school management authorities carry out building or improvement works to their schools, must be offered to the market in accordance with EU and National procurement guidelines.

School management authorities must comply with all the requirements of Technical Guidance Documents TGD 007 and TGD 008 (Design Team Procedures for Small Works and Engaging Professional Consultants for Small Works respectively) which are available on my Department’s website. Failure to do so may expose the school management authorities to challenge and subsequent financial penalties from a consultant or contractor who feels he/she was not afforded an opportunity to tender. Any such challenge could also result in the project being substantially delayed.

As these guidelines provide a balanced approach by allowing access for smaller firms while also ensuring that appropriate consultants are engaged for small works I do not propose to make any changes.

The replacement of Fás – 21st April 2011,

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to the commitment in the Programme for Government 2011-2016 to replace FÁS, if he will clarify the specific functions undertaken by FÁS which are his responsibility; if the skills training aspect of FÁS are and will be continue to be his responsibility; the way these functions will be implemented in the absence of FÁS, and the timeline for any transfer of responsibilities.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairi Quinn):

Following the commencement on 1 January 2011 of the relevant sections of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2010, the Department of Social Protection assumed the funding and overall responsibility for FÁS employment services and employment programmes. My Department has retained the funding and overall responsibility for the remaining functions of FÁS, including the provision of skills training.

I am currently reviewing options regarding the provision of further education and training and the structures to support it.

This week’s pq replies

Posted November 13th, 2012

Read a report on Accident and Emergency admissions relating to the abuse of alcohol here

To read the Minister for Finance’s views on an enterprise investment scheme and the current tax reliefs available for investment schemes click here

Health Questions

Posted November 13th, 2012

Charity funding – 14th July 2015

To ask the Minister for Health if he supports the work of a charity (details supplied); and if he will provide State funding to the charity.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Aodhán Ó’Ríordáin)

Funding from the Department of Health’s Drugs Initiative Fund is allocated to the Local and Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Forces to support community based drugs initiatives.

Applications for funding for the organisation concerned should be made directly to the relevant Local or Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force.

Activities for children with autism – 29th May 2015

To ask the Minister for Health his plans for supporting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in extra-curricular activities that may improve their social skills, but do contribute to their quality of life, while young but also as they grow in to their teenage years (details supplied – article from Irish Times).

This question was answered by the HSE on behalf of the Minister. Click to view it.

Support for children with autism – 14th May 2015

Minister for State at the Department of Health (Kathleen Lynch)

The Government is committed under the National Disability Strategy (NDS) to ensuring that people with autism are empowered by policy and programmes to participate meaningfully as citizens in Irish society. The NDS is driven by this basic but fundamentally important objective and is the most effective combination of legislation, policies, institutional arrangements and services to support and reinforce equal participation for all people with disabilities.

The Cabinet Committee on Social Policy has been examining issues around autism across Government Departments in association with the National Disability Authority (NDA). This work by the NDA, which has included consultation with families, will be of significant assistance in informing how best to address the needs of people with ASD, so that we can be sure that they are appropriately reflected and included in policies and actions.

The National Disability Strategy Implementation Group has already discussed the findings of the NDA consultation and mapping of services to people with autism. Further to the recommendations of this exercise, the NDA has been engaging bi-laterally with Departments and agencies to guide the development of actions under the umbrella of the National Disability Strategy Implementation Plan.

My Department has asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy in respect of the detailed operational aspects of the issue that he has raised insofar as it relates to the health service. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Lifetime Community Rating and emigrants – 21st April 2015

To ask the Minister for Health if the new lifetime community rating late entry levy will apply to returning emigrants over the age of 35.

Minister for Health (Leo Varadkar)

Lifetime Community Rating (LCR) is being introduced to encourage people to take out private health insurance at a younger age. Encouraging more people to join the market at younger ages helps spread the costs of older and less healthy people across the market, helping to support affordable premiums for all.

The regulations provide for a grace period up until 30 April 2015, during which time as many people as want to can take out health insurance without incurring loadings. From 1 May 2015, late entry loadings will be applied to those who join the private health insurance market at age 35 or over.

Anybody who lives outside the State on 1 May 2015, and who returns or moves to take up residence in Ireland after that date, will have a grace period of 9 months to purchase private health insurance without incurring loadings.

Nursing Home Support scheme – 27th March 2015

To ask the Minister for Health when the review of the Nursing Home Support scheme will be completed.

Minister for State at the Department of Health (Kathleen Lynch)

The Review of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme is broader than was first envisaged and the various issues arising are now being systematically considered with a view to completion and publication as early as possible.

It is expected that the Review will be completed very shortly after which a report will then be made publicly available.

HSE service delivery – 12th March 2015

Minister for Health (Leo Varadkar)

To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide information on the following service delivery contracted out by the Health Service Executive (details supplied).

As the Deputy’s question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.

Hereditary angioedema – 20th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Health his views on implementing best practices regarding hereditary angioedema (HAE) which have been outlined in a report (details supplied), and adopted in most European Union countries, specifically to make home infusions of C1-INH protein standard practice; his views on the report’s positive cost-benefit analysis of said practice and to educate medical professionals of the symptoms of HAE.

Minister for Health (Leo Varadkar)

As this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Click here to view reply.

Fatal foetal abnormality – 20th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 962 of 17 September 2014, and to the correspondence from the Health Service Executive (details supplied), his plans to introduce national policy in relation to antenatal screening and foetal abnormality testing.

Minister for Health (Leo Varadkar)

As this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Click here to view this reply.

Residential care – 13th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Health his views on implementing recommendations (details supplied) regarding residential care.

Minister for Health (Leo Varadkar)

Like others, I was shocked and distressed by the revelations of extremely poor and unacceptable standards of care and mistreatment of vulnerable adults in Áras Attracta. Every person who uses our disability services is entitled to expect and receive supports of the highest standard and to live in an atmosphere of safety and care.

The safeguarding and protection of vulnerable people in the care of the health service is of paramount importance and the Director General of the HSE has written to all staff instructing them to take personal responsibility for ensuring that individuals supported by the HSE in any setting are treated with dignity and respect.

In December 2014 the HSE initiated both an expert investigation chaired by Mr Christy Lynch, and an independently chaired review of services at this facility led by Dr Kevin McCoy.

Mr Lynch’s investigation team is working independently of the HSE and its findings will be a precursor to any disciplinary process consideration at which the HSE will undertake. Mr Lynch is both nationally and internationally recognised as a champion for people with a disability and a leader in the implementation of innovative supports. His independence in relation to this issue should not be questioned, as his proven track record in fighting for people with a disability speaks for itself.

Dr McCoy is undertaking an Assurance Review of the services at Áras Attracta and the final report will include an individual plan for improvement in each bungalow within the complex. The review will identify system wide learning involving engagement with relevant expertise as well as input from staff.

A Garda investigation into allegations of abuse at the centre is ongoing and the Gardaí had requested that a stay be placed on HSE investigations until such time as the Garda investigation is completed. However, the HSE has informed me that Gardaí have now cleared the way for the investigation to commence. Following the lift of a Garda stay, I have asked the HSE to keep me informed of progress.

On 16 December 2014, the Director General of HSE announced the appointment of Ms Leigh Gath as Confidential Recipient in respect of complaints or disclosures of abuse of vulnerable persons in receipt of HSE funded services. Ms Gath has been a fearless advocate and a champion for people with a disability for many years and will, no doubt, provide a strong and independent voice in her role. I am informed by the HSE that Ms Gath took up her duties with effect from Monday 22^nd December 2014

In line with Government policy, disability providers are delivering an increasing proportion of services and supports which are individualised and person-centred and the HSE is actively working with disability providers towards the migration of more services in 2015 to this person-centred supports model.

Further work is necessary before decisions can be taken on the form or forms which individualised budgeting will take, but the essence of it will be that the individual is given more choice and control over how the money allocated to meet their needs is utilised.

In the meantime there are demonstration projects underway which are looking at all aspects of providing more person-centred and accountable supports for people with disabilities and these projects are providing a valuable insight into the issues arising.

The other points made in the details attached by the Deputy touch on the responsibilities of a number of my colleagues as well as myself, and I will make sure that my colleagues are made aware of these.

I can assure the Deputy that my Department will monitor progress on the initiatives and processes commissioned by the HSE in relation to Áras Attracta, to ensure that the learning from this incident is promulgated throughout our health system.

Policy on antenatal screening – 6th February 2015

Minister for Health (Leo Varadkar)

The National Clinical Programme for Obstetrics and Gynaecology was established in 2010. One of the programme’s key objectives is to develop and disseminate national guidelines. Such guidelines provide standardised guidance for all maternity units in the country on a range of clinical issues relating to women’s health.

As the query raised relates to a service issue, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.

Services for those with mental health difficulties – 6th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Health his plans to improve services for those with mental health difficulties in view of ongoing problems (details supplied).

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Kathleen Lynch)

In line with the Programme for Government, my priority as Minister has been to modernise our mental health services, notwithstanding the severe resource constraints overall in recent years, and to prioritise new resources to underpin implementation of A Vision for Change. In that regard, the Government has provided an additional €125 million and some 1,150 posts for mental health comprising €35m with 416 posts in 2012, €35m with 477 posts in 2013, €20m for the recruitment of approximately 250 posts in 2014 and a further €35 million in 2015.

The funding is being used to continue to strengthen Community Mental Health Teams for both adults and children, to enhance specialist community mental health services for older people with a mental illness, those with an intellectual disability and mental illness, forensic mental health services, and to enhance access counselling and psychotherapy in primary care and investment in suicide prevention measures.

In relation to the specific issue by the Deputy, there are a number of treatment options for depression. The best and most appropriate treatment option depends on the individual case, the likely cause of depression and the severity of symptoms. Treatment for depression usually involves a combination of medication, talking therapies – usually provided by a mental health professional, such as a counsellor, psychiatrist or psychologist – and self-help. In some cases, a combination of all three might be the most appropriate treatment plan for that individual.

There are many excellent counselling services currently provided across the country by both the HSE and voluntary sector. Counselling is provided across the health service including primary care, social care and within the mental health. The type of service can be provided by a range of trained health professionals and delivered to meet a clinical need at either primary or secondary care level. The Government, in keeping with its commitment in the Programme for Government to increase access to counselling and psychotherapy, has provided funding totalling €7.5 million to develop the Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC) service, which works closely with HSE Mental Health Service, under whose aegis this funding is provided.

CICP is one of a range of initiatives taken by the HSE to build the capacity of primary care services to respond to mental health needs of individuals. I was pleased to note that the HSE in its National Service Plan 2015 has committed to “reviewing and improving access to psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic interventions”.

Risks associated with SSRIs – 6th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Health his views on the use of the anti-depressant Selective Serotonin ReUptake Inhibitor and if his attention has been drawn to studies that link it to increased cases of suicide and violence.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Kathleen Lynch)

Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors or SSRIs are anti-depressants available on prescription only. They are authorised for use in Ireland and across the EU for the treatment of depressive disorders and some anxiety related conditions.

Depression may be associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts, self-harm and suicide. This risk may persist, particularly in the early stages of treatment with anti-depressants such as the SSRIs when a patient starts treatment and until significant remission of their depression occurs. Healthcare professionals and patients are advised of this risk through the product information for the individual medicines which specifically highlight the need for monitoring of the patient following initiation of treatment.

The approved product information accompanying these products advises that patients and their care-givers should be alerted to the need to monitor for any clinical worsening, suicidal behaviour or thoughts, or unusual changes in behaviour and to seek medical advice immediately if these symptoms appear.

The risk of suicide was reviewed at EU level on a number of occasions, most recently in 2008. During this safety review the existing warnings contained in the SSRI product information were further strengthened throughout Europe and manufacturers of SSRIs were obliged to update the product information on all SSRIs. The updated warnings were communicated by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (formerly known as the Irish Medicines Board) to doctors and pharmacists.

The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), in conjunction with medicines authorities in other member states continuously monitors the safety of medicines in a collaborative way and takes actions, as necessary, to ensure that medicines continue to have a favourable benefit-risk profile for patients. As part of the system of monitoring medicines safety, there is a spontaneous reporting system whereby healthcare professionals and patients can report suspected adverse reactions to medicines.

The HPRA also reviews, approves and continuously updates the product information and package leaflet of medicines to reflect the current state of knowledge of each medicine and the risks associated with its use. New and emerging safety data is assessed in conjunction with EU medicines authorities.

Huntington’s disease – resources being invested – 28th November 2014

To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide details of those resources being invested to assist in research into Huntington’s disease and care for Huntington’s disease patients.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Kathleen Lynch)

he supports provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to people with Huntington’s Disease involve a multi-disciplinary team approach. This approach incorporates the provision of health and personal supports and incorporates Acute Hospital Services, Primary Care, Community Services and specialist disability supports and services. The HSE recognises the valuable contribution made by the Huntington’s Disease Association of Ireland to those who suffer from the disease, and to their families and carers and it provided a grant of €68,887 to support the Association with their work in 2013.

I have arranged for the aspect of the Deputy’s question which relates to research to be referred to the HSE for investigation and a direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.

Drug abuse in Dublin – 18th November 2014

To ask the Minister for Health his views that the Government is doing enough to address the drug addiction and drug abuse problem in Dublin city centre, including with discrepancies in the law (details supplied).

Details Supplied: for example where a pensioner found guilty of public intoxication and causing a breach of the peace, without previous convictions, is banned from all licensed premises in Dublin for three months, but a person caught injecting themselves with heroin in public, caught in possession of cannabis, is abusive to Gardai, has 118 previous convictions, only receives a suspended sentence.

Minister for Health (Leo Varadkar)

In line with the National Drugs Strategy, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has developed a national treatment and rehabilitation service that provides drug free and harm reduction approaches for problem substance users. The HSE provide a variety of drug treatment interventions to reduce drug-related harm and which encourage problem substance users to engage with, and avail of such services. These services include needle exchange provision, together with evidence-based treatment options such as methadone maintenance treatment, counselling and community and residential rehabilitation.

In an effort to respond to the problem of drug-related anti-social behaviour in Dublin city centre, the HSE, in partnership with a local voluntary service provider, Dublin City Council and an Garda Síochána have set up an assertive case management programme to engage with the cohort who are involved in public drug use. The pilot programme, which will be monitored and evaluated, is designed to provide best possible outcomes for these individuals and address their issues of homelessness and addiction using shared resources. The HSE also cooperate with the local community representatives of the North and South Inner City and with local Gardaí to minimise any negative public order issues that may arise in the vicinity of its treatment centres.

The National Drugs Strategy is a high priority in Government and I work closely with my cabinet colleagues, including the Minister for Justice, to ensure its full implementation. The Oversight Forum on Drugs, which I chair, monitors progress on the delivery of frontline services and addresses operational difficulties and blockages in implementing the Strategy. This forum brings together the key Government departments and agencies involved in the implementation of the Strategy.

In relation to the particular matter raised, the Deputy will appreciate that judges are independent in the matter of sentencing, as in other matters concerning the exercise of judicial functions, subject only to the Constitution and the law.

Foetal abnormality testing, state support and policy guidelines – 26th September 2014

To ask the Minister for Health the Health Service Executives policy on foetal abnormality testing; the State support provided; and the guidelines or policy that is in place for the HSE in dealing with religious and cultural beliefs that may be at odds with the welfare of women in this State.

Minister for Health (Leo Varadkar)

Antenatal screening i.e. tests that assess whether your unborn baby is at risk of certain conditions or abnormalities is part of the antenatal care provided to women during their pregnancy. The provision of antenatal screening is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive and as such, I have referred this question to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply.

Best practices regarding hereditary angioedema (HAE) – 26th September 2014

To ask the Minister for; Minister for Health his views on implementing best practices regarding hereditary angioedema (HAE) which have been outlined in a report (details supplied), and adopted in most European Union countries, specifically to make home infusions of C1-INH protein standard practice; his views on the report’s positive cost-benefit analysis of said practice and to educate medical professionals of the symptoms of HAE.

Minister for Health (Leo Varadkar)

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Multiple sclerosis drug – Fampyra – 15th July 2014

To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider adding the multiple sclerosis drug Fampyra to the drug payment scheme.

Minister for Health (Leo Varadkar)

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.

The HSE received an application for the inclusion of Fampridine (Fampyra®) in the GMS and community drugs schemes. The application was considered in line with the procedures and timescales agreed by the Department of Health and the HSE with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) for the assessment of new medicines.

In accordance with these procedures, the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) conducted a pharmacoeconomic evaluation of Fampridine and concluded that, as the manufacturer was unable to demonstrate the cost effectiveness of fampridine in the Irish healthcare setting, it was unable to recommend the reimbursement of the product. The report is available on the NCPE’s website (www.ncpe.ie). The NCPE report is an important input to assist the HSE in its decision making process and informs further discussions between the HSE and the manufacturer of the drug.

The HSE assessment process is intended to arrive at a decision on the funding of new medicines that is clinically appropriate, fair, consistent and sustainable. In these circumstances, the HSE has not approved the reimbursement of Fampridine under the GMS or other community drug schemes.

However, I am aware that studies are ongoing to assess the wider impact of Fampridine on both walking and quality of life for persons diagnosed with MS. The results of these studies will contribute to the evidence base demonstrating the clinical effectiveness of the product which can be used to support future applications for its inclusion on the lists of reimbursable items supplied under the GMS and other community drugs scheme.

The HSE met with Biogen Idec recently to discuss a potential revised application. The HSE expects that Biogen Idec will submit a revised application. The HSE will then re-consider the application in as timely a fashion as possible in line with the agreed procedures and timescales for the assessment of new medicines.

Medical practitioners receiving industry gifts – 15th July 2014

To ask the Minister for Health if it is the case that members of the dentistry profession or any medical profession have to disclose gifts received by industry, for example, hospitality, entertainment or travel; the way such disclosures are policed or regulated; and if he is satisfied with current practice in this area.

Minister for Health (Leo Varadkar)

Under the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 and the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 certain prescribed bodies must furnish a statement of compliance with legislation to the Standards in Public Office Commission. These bodies include Government Departments, public officials and public servants. Compliance with legislation is overseen by the Standards in Public Office Commission. Public servants in designated positions of employment must complete an annual compliance statement in the context of the Ethics in Public Office Acts, which provides details of occupational income, shares, directorships, land (excluding private home), travel and accommodation, meals (supplied free of charge or at a price that was less than the commercial price), other remunerated positions, public service contracts, gifts, property and services given and other interests. However, this requirement does not apply to private individuals or other agents contracted by the public sector to provide certain services.

The Dental Council advises the dental profession and the public on matters relating to dental ethics and professional behaviour. It has not issued guidance on the acceptance of gifts or hospitality from industry and this issue has not been raised with the Dental Council. In relation to the medical profession, the Medical Council has issued guidance (October 2012) in this area ” Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Medical Practitioners”. This document clarifies the ethical guidance which the Medical Council gives to doctors’ interactions with pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

Delays in amending the Misuse of Drugs Regulations (1988) – 13th May 2014

To ask the Minister for Health when will the draft Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations, which will amend the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1988, be submitted to Government seeking the Government’s approval to notify the draft regulations to the EU Commission; the reason for the delay in submitting the draft regulations for Government approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health (Alex White):

Work is ongoing on the drafting of regulations to amend the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1988. This process is taking longer than anticipated because it is a complex and technical body of work. The regulations will be finalised as soon as possible.

Entitlement to public hospital inpatient services for those with private health insurance – 1st April 2014

To ask the Minister for Health if he will clarify the following issue regarding entitlements under PRSI (details supplied).

Details: I have always understood that I am entitled, through my PRSI etc, to public hospital inpatient service subject to a possible per diem fee of €75 euro (aggregate max of €750 in any year). Has this changed and, if not, on what basis can Dr Reilly decide that I will have to pay over €800 per diem because I have private health insurance?

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly):

The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all persons ordinarily resident in the country are entitled, subject to certain charges, to all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultant services and out-patient pubic hospital services including consultants services. For persons availing of public in-patient services, the current public hospital statutory in-patient charge is €75 per night, subject to a maximum of €750 in any twelve consecutive months. Medical card holders are exempt from public hospital charges.

Section 55 of the Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides for the charging of private in-patients. An essential element of the eligibility arrangements is that the public or private status of a patient must be specified on admission to hospital. Where a patient elects to be treated privately by a consultant the hospital must treat that patient as a private patient. Persons who opt to be private on admission to hospital are liable for the fees of all consultants involved in his or her care and for such charges under Section 55 for that episode of care.

With effect from 1st January 2014, private hospital charges, as provided for in the Health (Amendment) Act 2013 can be found here.

Allocation of resources by county, region and type of spending – 27th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the allocation of resources to healthcare by county and region and by type of spending for example human resources, infrastructure and so on.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly):

The HSE published its 2014 National Service Plan, setting out the type and volume of health services it proposes to deliver during the course of this year on the 18th December last, after consideration at Government and approval by the Minister for Health. This year’s National Service Plan is the first Service Plan presented by the Directorate of the Health Service Executive following the enactment of the HSE Governance Act, 2013. The 2014 Service Plan sets out the overall funding framework within which the HSE will operate during the year along with details of the health care resources allocated across each of the service Divisions. This National Service Plan is supported by Operational Plans which set out in detail the services to be delivered by each service Division ( Acute, Health and Wellbeing, Primary Care, Mental Health and Social Care) and by the National Ambulance Service. These Operational Plans were published by the HSE on 30th January last and are available under the publications heading on the HSE website at www.hse.ie.

A) Breakdown of the burden of disease across counties & regions by socio-economic strata – 27th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the burden of disease across counties and regions in Ireland by socio-economic strata.

B) Breakdown of the distribution of health problems by disease type, county & region – 27th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the distribution of health problems broken down by disease type and county and region within Ireland.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly):

The Health Status and Health Utilisation module of the Quarterly National Household Survey is carried out periodically, most recently in 2010. The report from this survey may be accessed on the CSO Website at:

http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/releasespublications/documents/labourmarket/2010/healthstatusq32010.pdf.

Table 3 in the report sets out the percentage of adults who self reported doctor diagnosed health conditions for 21 different health conditions broken down by a number of categories, including region and high level ILO Economic Status. The survey only samples adults (18+) in private households. As highlighted by CSO, some percentages quoted are based on small numbers and should be interpreted with caution.

Breakdown of mental health services per county and region – 27th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of mental health services per county and region; the number of staff in each unit; their grade; the number of patients; and the total level of funding provided by region on such services over the past three years.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly):

As this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Click here to view this reply.

Government policy on e-cigarettes – 27th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Health if he has any concerns regarding the possible impact of e-cigarettes on young people in terms of encouraging them to become smokers; if he is concerned that tobacco manufacturing and same companies are investing in and procuring e-cigarette companies; if it is Government health policy that the e-cigarette industry be subsidised in any way here through grant aid, agency support and so on.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly):

The current position in relation to e-cigarettes in Ireland is that if e-cigarettes are not presented as medicinal products for smoking cessation or as medical devices with a therapeutic purpose, they do not fall under the medicinal products or medical devices legislation. As e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco they are currently not regulated under our tobacco legislation.

Guidelines developed under the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control contain recommendations that countries should not grant aid the tobacco industry. However, it is important to note that these guidelines were developed in the context of the industry producing tobacco containing products.

Tobacco Free Ireland, Ireland’s tobacco control policy, states that the general consensus at European level is that there is a lack of research in relation to the long term health effects of e-cigarettes and a lack of sufficient evidence that they aid with smoking cessation. There is a concern that e-cigarettes may act as a gateway to tobacco smoking.

In order to harmonise regulation of e-cigarettes across EU Member States, the new Tobacco Products Directive,which still has to be formally adopted at European level will, inter alia, provide for the regulation of e-cigarettes. The Tobacco Directive will
– set mandatory safety and quality requirements e.g. on nicotine content, ingredients and devices, as well as refill mechanisms etc., for e-cigarettes.
– make health warnings and information leaflets obligatory,
– introduce notification requirements for manufacturers and importers of e-cigarettes,
– impose stricter rules on advertising and monitoring of market developments.

In view of the lack of sufficient research and information regarding e-cigarettes, my Department will continue to monitor existing and emerging evidence on the potential harm and the potential benefits of e-cigarettes.

Tackling the emerging hospital consultant recruitment crisis – 18th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Health his plans to tackle the emerging hospital consultant recruitment crisis.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly):

Notwithstanding the need to reduce the numbers employed across the public service in order to meet fiscal and budgetary targets, the HSE has the capacity to recruit consultants. Arrangements are in place in the HSE to allow the recruitment of front-line staff where there is an established service need. More generally, in order to mitigate the impact on frontline services of the reduction in employment numbers, the priority is to reform how health services are delivered in order to ensure a more productive and cost effective health system.

It is Government policy to move to a consultant delivered service and there has been a significant increase in the number of consultants (Whole Time Equivalents) over the past 5 years, the number increased from 2,260 in December 2008 to 2,555 in December 2013. However there are some specialties in which there is an international shortage and which have been traditionally difficult to fill, regardless of the salary scale. There are also some hospitals to which it has historically been difficult to attract applicants, in particular smaller hospitals that have onerous rosters due to the limited number of consultants. The establishment of Hospital Groups will help to address this issue, as this will allow doctors to be appointed as group resources – instead of to just one hospital.

The ability of the public service to attract and retain high quality consultants shapes the extent to which the HSE can maintain and develop the range of health services required. If the health services are to continue to provide consultant-level opportunities for doctors to replace consultants who retire and eventually to expand overall capacity, this can only happen on the basis of a lower-cost model, hence the decision to reduce the pay of new consultants by 30%. This decision is being modified to enable consultants currently working in permanent posts within the public service to move to different posts, while retaining their existing salaries. Application of the revised guidance will support consultant mobility. Allowing serving clinical consultants retain their existing salaries will remove a blockage on movement within the system at present. This mobility will, in due course, also facilitate the roll-out of the Hospital Group model with staff appointed to the Group rather than being confined to specific locations.

I set up a group under the chairmanship of Professor Brian McCraith last July to carry out a strategic review of medical training and career structures. The Group submitted an interim Report focused on training to me in December and is now progressing examination of the career structure to apply on completion of specialist training with a view to reporting to me by the end of March. Broader issues relating to recruitment and retention of NCHDs and consultants will be given further consideration on receipt of this report.

Efforts to keep private health insurance affordable – 13th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on his efforts with health insurance providers regarding the increasing cost of private insurance, the need to encourage younger people to secure private insurance, and continued preparations towards the provision of a universal healthcare system.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly):

There are currently just over 2 million people, or 44.6% of the population with private health insurance. While this has fallen from a peak of 50.9% in 2008, Ireland continues to retain a high level of population holding voluntary private health insurance. There are a number of measures being progressed by my Department to help maintain a competitive and sustainable private health insurance market.

My immediate focus is to keep health insurance affordable for as many people as possible. I have been strongly seeking much greater cost control in the private health insurance industry and established the Consultative Forum on Health Insurance, comprising representatives from the private health insurance companies, my Department, and the Health Insurance Authority, to generate ideas to address health insurance costs. Last year, I appointed an independent Chairperson Mr. Pat McLoughlin, to work with my Department and the insurers under the auspices of the Forum on a review process to give effect to real cost reductions in the private health insurance market. Mr. McLoughlin’s first report was published on 26 December 2013, and the second phase of the review has commenced and will report within three months. In particular it will study further the drivers behind rising costs in the PHI industry and seek to address them.

I am supportive of the concept of Lifetime Community Rating (LCR) as a potential means of helping to address decreasing membership of the private health insurance market, in particular to provide an incentive for people to take out private health insurance at a younger age. This is important as the health insurance market requires a sizeable cohort of younger members, who are generally healthier, to offset the high cost of older and less healthy members, which is critical to the sustainability of our system of community-rated health insurance. My Department is working on proposals in this regard and will work, in conjunction with the Health Insurance Authority and industry stakeholders, to develop these further over the coming months.

With regard to the provision of a universal healthcare system, intensive work is currently underway on the preparation of a White Paper on Universal Health Insurancewhich will provide more detail on the UHI model for Ireland, including the overall design of the model, the standard package of services, funding mechanisms and the key stages of the journey to UHI. Drafting is at an advanced stage and I intend to bring the White Paper to Government very shortly with a view to publication as soon as possible.

Methadone clinics in the city centre – 4th February 2014

A) To ask the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive is considering changing its policy of concentrating methadone clinics in the city centre, particularly in tourist areas; and if they are considering alternatives such as mobile clinics.

B) To ask the Minister for Health his views on the concentration of methadone clinics in the city centre and social order issues that arise as a result of same; and the negative impact this has on those visiting the city, as well as on tourism businesses to operate in the city centre.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health (Alex White):

The HSE provides opioid substitution (mainly methadone) in a number of treatment settings to meet the needs of individual drug users. These settings include:

– primary care through GPs and community pharmacies;
– satellite clinics that facilitate opioid substitution provision through community pharmacies;
– treatment centres where opioid substitution treatment is dispensed on site; and
– residential rehabilitation facilities.

– City Clinic, Amiens Street
– Bride St
– Merchants Quay Project
– National Drug Treatment Centre, Pearse Street
– Castle St Clinic
– Cork St Clinic

The HSE Addiction Service continues to co-operate with the local community representatives of the North and South Inner City and the local Gardaí in minimising any negative public order issues that may arise in the vicinity of its treatment centres.

There are no plans to introduce alternatives to the opioid treatments services outlined above such as mobile clinics.

Delays in HSE physiotherapy appointments in Pembroke-South Dock – 19th December 2013

To ask the Minister for Health the reason there is a delay in processing and arranging Health Service Executive physiotherapy appointments in the Pembroke-South Dock area.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly):

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Click here to see the HSE’s response.

Tobacco products subject to plain packaging laws – 4th December 2013

To ask the Minister for Health if he is considering, as part of the new plain packaging laws, excluding cigar and pipe tobaccos, as was the case with the display ban introduced for cigarettes.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly):

As the Deputy will be aware, Government approval was received on 19^th November 2013 for the publication of the General Scheme of a new Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013 and to proceed with the drafting of the legislation based on this General Scheme. It is proposed that all tobacco products will have to comply with this legislation.

Accountability of Hospital CEOs regarding their budgeting performance – 26th November 2013

To ask the Minister for Health if the chief executive officers of individual hospitals or areas of the health service are responsible for their performance regarding budgeting and so on; and if so to whom are they responsible.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly):

Each agency under the aegis of the Department of Health has set out the respective roles of its Accounting Officer and Chief Executive Officer. For bodies which have a Board, the Board is responsible for the body’s system of internal controls, including financial, operational and compliance controls and risk management. The Chief Executive Officer is answerable to the Board.

Each State body has a properly constituted internal audit function or should engage appropriate external expertise in this regard and should operate within the provisions set out in the Department of Finance’s “Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies”.

In relation to the specific arrangements in relation to hospitals and agencies for which the HSE is responsible I have forwarded the question to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Click here to see direct reply.

Medical card eligibility for those with UK pensions – 12th November 2013

To ask the Minister for Health if those who receive a UK pension but are living here are automatically entitled to a medical card.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly):

Regulation (EC) 883/04 and Implementing Regulation 987/09 provide for the coordination of social security systems, including healthcare, within the EU/EEA and Switzerland, with the aim of ensuring the free movement of persons. This objective of the Regulation is to ensure that persons exercising their right to move and to stay freely within the EU/EEA and Switzerland do not suffer disadvantage.

In Ireland, a Medical Card may be issued to EU\EEA citizens under EU Regulation 883/04 if the person is in receipt of a qualifying payment from one, or more, of the Member States, provided they are not subject to Irish social insurance legislation. It is the person with the qualifying payment who is assessed for a medical card. Family members of persons with an entitlement under the EU Regulations may also be entitled to a medical card provided they (the family member(s)) are not subject to Irish social security legislation.

Access to Primary Care Services – 17th July 2013

To ask the Minister for Health his plans to set national criteria for access to primary care services in view of the geographic discrimination that applies when accessing healthcare, for example physiotherapy and mental health services.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly)

This Government is committed to reforming our model of delivering healthcare so we can reduce the cost of achieving the best health outcomes for our citizens.

The implementation of the Primary Care Strategy continues to be a priority for this Government. The objective is to develop services in the community which will give people direct access to integrated multi-disciplinary teams of general practitioners (GPs), nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and others. At the end of May 2013, there were 418 Primary Care Teams operating, i.e. holding clinical team meetings, involving GPs and HSE staff. The HSE’s 2013 National Service Plan commits to having 484 operational Teams in place by the end of this year.

In 2012, the HSE completed a detailed analysis of the numbers and distribution of public health nurses, registered general nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. The analysis revealed considerable variation across the HSE’s 17 Integrated Service Areas in ratios of health care professionals to population, and to population numbers in areas of high deprivation.

Based on this exercise, in 2013, Primary Care funding of €20 million, nationally, will be invested to support the recruitment of prioritised front-line primary care team posts and enhance the capacity of the primary care sector.

I issued approval to the HSE on the 27th March 2013 to commence recruitment to Primary Care Teams with immediate effect of the following additional 251 Primary Care posts:

70 Public Health Nurses;
37 Registered General Nurses;
51 Occupational Therapists;
46 Physiotherapists; and
47 Speech & Language Therapists.

The allocation and distribution of the above posts is based on bringing each Integrated Service Area, where staffing is below the national average, towards the national average.

This Government recognised the pivotal role that Primary Care has in addressing the mental health needs of the population and committed in the Programme for Government to the provision of counselling services in primary care, specifically for people with mental health problems. Budget 2012 provided a special allocation of €35 million for mental health from which €5m was made available for the provision of psychological and counselling services in primary care, specifically for people with mental health problems who are eligible under the General Medical Services. A further €2.5 million was made available from this year’s special allocation for mental health. Ten Counsellor Coordinators, who will be responsible for the set-up, roll-out, management and monitoring of the service, have now been appointed.

Last week, I was delighted to join my colleague, the Minister with responsibility for Mental Health, Kathleen Lynch, T.D, at the launch of the Counselling in Primary Care Initiative. This Initiative will be working to improve access to counselling to people with mild to moderate psychological difficulties who are medical card holders under the General Medical Services Scheme.

It is expected that the start date for the service will vary according to when the Counsellor Coordinator takes up the post but the first services will begin to roll-out this month.

Labeling of GMO ingredients in foods – 12th July 2013

To ask the Minister for Health his policy in relation on the labeling of GMO ingredients in foods.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly)

Ireland adopts a “positive but precautionary” stance on GMO food and feed matters, considers the advice of EFSA with regard to authorisations, and votes with the European Commission once assured of the safety of the product. The only GM food ingredients that are authorised in the EU and that may, as a consequence, be marketed in Ireland are soya bean, maize, oilseed rape, cotton, sugar beet and starch potato. Under current EU legislation, if more than 0.9% of a food or a food ingredient is derived from a GM source, then it must be labelled accordingly. Even if the GM ingredient is present in a food but below the 0.9% threshold level, operators must be in a position to demonstrate that they tried to obtain the food or ingredient from a non-GM source and that its presence is due to cross contamination. Non-authorised GMOs are not allowed at any level.

Adding Addison’s Disease to the Long Term Illness scheme– 26th June 2013

To ask the Minister for Health if he is considering categorising Addison’s disease as an illness under the long term illness scheme.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly)

There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Long Term Illness scheme.

Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.

In addition, people who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. In the assessment process, the Health Service Executive can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family. Those who are not eligible for a medical card may still be able to avail of a GP visit card, which covers the cost of GP consultations.

Free GP care for children with Special Needs – 26th June 2013

To ask the Minister for Health if a date has been set for the rolling out of the free general practitioner scheme for children with special needs.

Reply:

Minister for Health (James Reilly)

No date has been set, nor was a commitment given to set a date, for the provision of a general practitioner scheme for children with special needs. However, the Government is committed to introducing, on a phased basis, a universal GP service without fees within its first term of office, as set out in the Programme for Government and the Future Health strategy framework. This policy constitutes a fundamental element in the Government’s health reform programme. There has been no change to the Government’s over-arching commitment to this goal. This Government is the first in the history of this State to have committed itself to implementing a universal GP service for the entire population.

Currently, I am exploring a number of alternative options with regard to the phased implementation of a universal GP service without fees. Minister Reilly and I expect to report back to the Cabinet Committee in the near future. As part of this work, consideration will be given to the approaches, timing and financial implications of the phased implementation this universal health service. This Government is determined to expedite the implementation of a national GP service for the entire population, something to which no previous Government has ever aspired.

Diabetes Nursing Posts – 21st June 2013

To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the filling of the five sanctioned integrated diabetes nursing posts.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

The National Integrated Care Diabetes Programme is being implemented on a phased basis. The programme will improve patient access and manage patient care in an integrated manner across service settings, resulting in better outcomes, enhanced clinical decision making and the most effective use of resources.

The Government has approved funding for the appointment of 17 Integrated Care Diabetes Nurse Specialists (one per HSE Integrated Service Area) to support the phased roll out of the programme. These Diabetes Nurse Specialists will work 1 day per week in a hospital setting and 4 days per week in primary care. They will play a key role in the development of clinically sound collaborative links between primary care and secondary care providers and will also be an essential resource in empowering patients to achieve optimum diabetes control. To date 15 posts have been offered or accepted, subject to Garda clearance, etc. It is anticipated that all 17 positions will be filled soon.

Meetings with the Irish Thalidomide Association and the Irish Thalidomide Survivors Society – 16 April 2013

To ask the Minister for Health if he has had any recent meetings with the Irish Thalidomide Association or the Irish Thalidomide Survivors Society and if he will provide an update of the outcomes of those meetings.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to reopen discussions with Irish survivors of thalidomide. I met with both representative organisations in July 2011 and have been in correspondence since.

Given the challenges that persist for each individual, this Government’s aim is to address the health and personal social care needs of thalidomide survivors living in Ireland. I have stated that I am willing to enter into discussions about a health care package on a non-statutory basis; an ex-gratia payment having regard to current financial circumstances; and a statement to the Dáil recognising the challenges faced by survivors.

The Irish Thalidomide Association announced publicly in 2012 that it had ceased talks with the Government. The Association’s legal advisor has initiated personal injuries claims against the manufacturer and distributors of the Thalidomide drug and the State.

The Irish Thalidomide Survivors Society is seeking, amongst other things, an independent agency with ring fenced funding to provide for a statutory package to provide for their needs including health and personal services, housing adaptations, heating, transport and clothing. I am not in a position to meet the demands of the Society. I would also point out that each Irish thalidomide survivor has a medical card and it is open to each individual to apply for the numerous public supports available to people with a disability provided by other Departments such as housing adaptation grants, disabled drivers tax concessions and disability allowance. However, I have asked the Society to consider, in good faith, proceeding with a Health Care Protocol which envisaged appointing and training a multi-disciplinary team, arranging a multi-disciplinary health evaluation, identifying and documenting their healthcare needs/issues and developing plans to address those needs. The Society are unwilling to proceed on that basis.

There are currently 32 Irish Thalidomide survivors. Each survivor received lump sum payments from a German Foundation and the Irish Government in the early 1970s. In 1975 the lump-sums paid by the Irish Government ranged from €6,400 to €21,000. In addition, each survivor receives on-going monthly payments from both the German Foundation and the Irish Government. Combining the Irish and German payments, most individuals receive over €2,500 per month, or €575 per week tax free.

The Medical Council’s prerequisites for transfer to the General Division of the Medical Register – 16 April 2013

To ask the Minister for Health the Medical Council’s reason for requiring doctors who have been registered for two years on the Supervised Division of the Medical Register to take the pre registration exam as a prerequisite for transfer to the General Division.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

Responsibility for maintenance of this Medical Register lies with the Medical Council. The Supervised Division was established in 2011 by amendment to the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 to enable the Health Service Executive (HSE) to recruit doctors to practise under supervision for a fixed term in specialty specific non-consultant hospital doctor posts. It was established to address a shortage of doctors in the HSE.

This amendment to the Medical Practitioners Act requires that doctors registered in the Supervised Division only practise medicine in the post to which they have been proposed by the HSE, while under strict supervisory arrangements, for a period of up to two years. These assessment and practice arrangements are designed to protect patients. The amendment was intended to complement and not to replace arrangements already in place for registration of doctors pursuing training in Ireland.

Under the arrangements for registration set out in Part 6 of the Medical Practitioners Act, doctors registered in the Supervised Division, wishing to establish themselves in practice on an ongoing basis outside the supervised, specialty specific posts for which they were initially assessed, may transfer to the General Division or the Trainee Specialist Division.

Once registered in the General Division, practitioners may practise medicine on an ongoing basis in Ireland in any post and without any regulatory limit on scope of practice. The ability to practice medicine in any post was not assessed in the specialty specific assessment, which was designed for registration in the Supervised Division.
The registration process for entry to the General Division involves an assessment to ensure that the practitioner is fit-to-practise in a diverse range of positions. For most doctors currently registered in the Supervised Division, this will involve examination by way of the PRES, which is designed to ensure that the doctor demonstrates competence in a general scope of practice, which is consistent with registration in the General Division of the register. This is a critical and necessary measure to protect the public.

Doctors registered in the Supervised Division may also seek registration in the Trainee Specialist Division provided relevant criteria are met. These criteria include having access to a recognised training post, holding a document which is deemed equivalent to a certificate of experience, and being successful at the PRES, or being exempted from this exam.

The Medical Council is currently working with the HSE to operate an efficient process for doctors seeking transfer from the Supervised Division. Doctors currently registered in the Supervised Division wishing to transfer registration to the General Division must engage in this process.

In-patient and day case waiting lists in St Vincent’s Hospital – 20th March 2013

To ask the Minister for Health the measures that have been taken to tackle in-patient and day case waiting lists in St Vincent’s University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4; the impact of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

In 2011, I established the Special Delivery Unit in my Department as set out in the Programme for Government. The aim of the SDU is to unblock access to acute services by improving the flow of patients through the system. The SDU’s Scheduled Care Team focused initially on waiting times for in-patient and daycase elective surgery. For 2012, a target was set that no adult should wait longer than 9 months for inpatient or daycase treatment. By the end of December 2012, the number of adults having to wait more than 9 months for inpatient and day case surgery nationally had fallen to 86. This was down from 3,706 in December 2011, representing a 98% decrease

I am determined that the progress made in 2012 be maintained and improved upon. For 2013, the target is that no adult should be waiting longer than 8 months for inpatient or daycase treatment. It is important to recognise that the progress made in 2012 does not mean the problem is solved, and 2013 will of course be extremely challenging. For example, winter pressures in Emergency Departments have impacted on scheduled care waiting times. However, in the coming months, as winter pressures ease, the SDU will work towards re-balancing scheduled care to maintain the improvements seen in 2012 and to achieve the new 2013 target.

With regard to the specific hospitals referred to, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputies concerned.

To view the HSE’s response click here

Medical cards for Polio survivors – 26th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Health his plans to allow Polio survivors to qualify for a medical card automatically and if he is considering categorising Polio as an illness under the long term illness scheme.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

Medical cards are not awarded to any particular group of patients on the basis of a specific medical condition.

Under the provisions of the Health Act 1970, eligibility for health services in Ireland is based primarily on residency and means. There are currently two categories of eligibility for all persons ordinarily resident in Ireland i.e. full eligibility (medical card) and limited eligibility (all others). Full eligibility is determined mainly by reference to income limits and is granted to persons who, in the opinion of the Health Service Executive, are unable to provide general practitioner, medical and surgical services to themselves and their dependents without undue hardship. There is no automatic entitlement to a medical card for persons with any specific illness.

There is a provision for discretion to grant a card in cases of “undue hardship” where the income guidelines are exceeded. The HSE set up a clinical panel to assist in the processing of applications for discretionary medical cards where there are difficult personal circumstances.

There is an emergency process for a person who is terminally ill, or in urgent need of medical attention and cannot afford to pay for it, that provides a card within 24 hours while the normal application process is completed. Once a letter from the patient’s GP or consultant is received stating that the person is terminally ill and the required personal details are provided, an emergency card is issued to that person for a six-month period.

There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Long Term Illness Scheme.

Graduate programme for speech and language therapists – 26th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Health if a graduate programme for speech and language therapists will be introduced in 2013.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

The Government has decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet its fiscal and budgetary targets. The health sector must make its contribution to that reduction.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform agreed to a nurse graduate initiative on the basis that it would deliver significant savings through displacement of agency and overtime expenditure.

I have no plans at present for similar graduate programmes for other health professions.

Funding for day care services for elderly people (Cowpercare daycare) – 7th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Health his views on correspondence regarding funding for day care services for elderly people by Cowpercare daycare in Cowper Road, Rathmines.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

To read the response from the HSE, click here.

Agency nurses in the HSE – 6th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Health his views on the use of agency nurses in hospitals here, in particular the cost-effectiveness of using agency nurses in cases of unexpected demand, specialist nursing and to cover Health Service Executive staff sick leave and holidays.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

In the health service, agency staff are used to fill vacancies that arise for a variety of reasons including sick leave, annual leave and maternity leave, to ensure continuity of service and where some flexibility in staffing a service is required.

However such arrangements involve certain additional costs, such as a fee to the agency concerned as well as Value-Added Tax (VAT) at 22%. As such, health service management must tightly control the extent to which agency staff are used, particularly to substitute for staff who have left the health service, given the requirement to reduce employment levels to a net 98,955 wholetime equivalents by the end of 2013.

The HSE’s National Service Plan 2013 notes that considerable savings have to be achieved from changes to the manner in which staff are deployed, with tight control of the use of higher-cost staffing arrangements and in particular the use of agency staffing and overtime. The Plan includes a target saving of €10m set against the recruitment of graduate nurses to directly offset spend on agency and overtime. It also recognises the need for systematic reviews of rosters and a focused approach to addressing staff absenteeism and implementing revised new sick leave arrangements.

Destruction of Heel Prick data – 6th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Health if he is concerned that the destruction of data obtained through the use of the heel prick test will result in a loss of valuable data that could be used to better understand certain diseases and their genetic links; and if he has considered restrictions on the use of such data instead of its destruction.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

Following the receipt of a complaint regarding the retention of Newborn Screening Cards (NSCs), the Data Protection Commissioner found that the retention of the cards without consent constituted a breach of the Data Protection Acts 1998 and 2003. There were a number of meetings between the Deputy Data Protection Commissioner, representatives from my Department, the HSE, and the Children’s University Hospital, Temple Street which resulted in agreement that NSCs older than 10 years would be destroyed. Retention of NSCs for ten years was deemed appropriate for the purposes of checking an initial diagnosis.

I requested the HSE to conduct a review of this decision. This review examined both the legal and ethical basis for the retention of NSCs and the potential use of the existing cards for research purposes. The Review Group report and recommendations were submitted to me in January 2012. Having carefully considered the issue, I accepted the recommendation of the review group that in order to meet our legal and ethical obligations, particularly in relation to the Data Protection Acts, NSCs older than ten years will be destroyed. The review group also explored how the material could be made available to the research community in a way which was compatible with our ethical and legal obligations.

However, I recognise the potential value of the material for research purposes. As deputies are aware, the HSE has begun an information campaign offering members of the public the opportunity to have their NSC returned to them prior to any destruction of the cards taking place. This will ensure that anyone who wishes to donate their or their child’s Newborn Screening Card to research will be afforded the opportunity to do so. The HSE is actively engaging with the research community to facilitate the direct transfer of cards where this may be more convenient for parents. To this end, the HSE has contacted a number of research organisations to inform them of this position and has invited these organisations to provide a plan setting out a governance system for the storage and future use of the card or cards for clinical or research purposes, prior to any agreed transfer.

I consider that the people to whom the NSCs relate, or their parents if they are under 18 years of age, are the people who should choose what happens to their cards. I am confident that the approach adopted by the HSE will ensure that their choices will be respected.

Employment practices in the civil service – 6th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Health if there are any retired public sector workers from his Department, or any other part of the public sector, currently on his Department’s payroll, for example, for sitting on a committee or preparing a report, but not exclusively these two areas; the number on the payroll; the cost to his Department; the services being delivered for this money; and the way that the positions were originally advertised.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

Six retired Public Servants (3.86 wholetime equivalents) are currently re-employed in my Department and are on the payroll.

Four former staff members of my Department, who are now retired, were rehired in line with a Government Decision on the arrangements for dealing with our EU Presidency requirements. These officers have experience and expertise that is essential to a successful Presidency for Ireland in the important area of Health Policy. The fixed term contracts of employment in each of these cases will terminate as soon as our Presidency tasks have been discharged.

In addition to this I appointed Ms Maureen Windle, ex-Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Area Health Board as my Special Adviser on a two-thirds basis and Minister of State Alex White appointed one retired Public Servant as a Civilian Driver.

For ease of reference I have attached the information requested by the Deputy in tabular format.

Grade Current – Annual Salary Rate
1 Principal Officer (50% of full time) – €40,025
2 Assistant Principal (50% of full time) – €30,983
1 Assistant Principal (70% of full time) – €43,376
1 Special Adviser (66% of full time) – €61,784
1 Civilian Driver – €32,965

The pensions of these staff are subject to pension abatement rules.

Working Hours for non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) – 5th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Health if Ireland is complying with the EU Working Time Directive for non-consultant hospital doctors at present; if NCHDs are working more than 48 hours per week and/or working for more than 24 hours consecutively; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

The Government is committed to achieving compliance with the European Working Time Directive in respect of non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) by 2014. I have emphasised to the HSE the high priority the Government and I attach to this issue.

In January 2012, a detailed plan for the achievement of compliance by NCHDs with the Working Time Directive was submitted to the EU Commission. The plan affirmed Ireland’s commitment to achieving compliance with the Directive over a three-year time period. It committed to implementing the measures necessary, including: the implementation of new work patterns for medical staff, transfer of work undertaken by NCHDs to other grades, and the organisation of hospital services to support compliance.

The Health Service Executive’s Service Plan for 2013 specifically recognises the need to address the issue as a priority, stating that there will be a particular focus in the acute hospital service on the achievement of compliance with the European Working Time Directive amongst the non-consultant hospital doctor workforce, in line with the Implementation Plan submitted to the Commission in 2012. The HSE is currently finalising its National Operational Plan to support the implementation of the National Service Plan 2013. This will specify in greater detail the actions to be taken during the year in relation to EWTD compliance. A key priority for the HSE in 2013 will be a further reduction of average weekly hours worked and also a reduction in the duration of shifts undertaken.

The HSE, as the principal health service employer, engages with the IMO on a regular basis in relation to contractual matters, including EWTD compliance, and will continue to do so.

Reform of the Health System – 5th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Health when the single health insurance fund will be put in place; the persons who will be covered under the new system; the services to be covered by the fund; the amount of the additional cost that is covered; if there is a forum in which private insurers may decide how to modify their plans in line with these services; if additional tax relief is planned for those still maintaining private health insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

The Government is embarking on a major reform programme for the health system, the aim of which is to deliver a single-tier health service, supported by universal health insurance (UHI), where access is based on need, not on income. Insurance will be provided under a multi-payer insurance model with no distinction between “public” and “private” patients. Under UHI, everyone will be insured and will have equal access to a standard package of primary and acute hospital services, including acute mental health services. A new Insurance Fund will subsidise or pay insurance premiums for those who qualify for a subsidy.

In moving to a system of UHI, there are a number of key stepping stones that are necessary to pave the way for the introduction of universal health insurance. Work is underway on these critical building blocks that will bring benefits and drive efficiencies in advance of implementing UHI. They include:

– the strengthening of primary care services to deliver universal primary care with the removal of cost as a barrier to access for patients;

– the work of the Special Delivery Unit in tackling waiting times and establishing hospital groups;

– the introduction of a more transparent and efficient “Money Follows the Patient” funding mechanism for hospitals, and

– reform of the private health insurance market.

The reform programme is a major undertaking that requires careful planning and sequencing over a number of years. The Programme for Government acknowledges that full implementation of UHI will take some time to achieve. Future Health: A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012-2015 highlights the importance of a step-by-step evidence-based approach to achieving an effective, equitable and efficient system and sets out key actions to systematically deliver on reform. It is anticipated that by 2016 the necessary groundwork will be in place to enable us to phase in implementation of UHI, as promised in the Programme for Government.

The Department is preparing a White Paper on Universal Health Insurance which will provide further detail on the UHI model for Ireland in addition to the estimated costs and financing mechanisms associated with the introduction of universal health insurance. The work involved is both complex and technical, necessitating significant research and financial modelling to support analysis and costing of different design options. This, in turn, demands a wide-range of specialised expertise. The Department is engaged in a process to ensure the provision of this expertise to feed into work on the preparation of the White Paper during 2013. The White Paper will be published as early as possible within the Government’s term of office.

In advance of the White Paper, my Department has produced a Preliminary Paper on UHI, which I intend to publish in the near future.

Finally, the Deputy has asked about a forum in which private health insurers may engage in relation to plans on UHI. Last year, I established the Health Insurance Consultative Forum. The Forum comprises representatives from the country’s main health insurance companies, the Health Insurance Authority and the Department of Health. The Forum provides a platform for identifying ways of addressing costs throughout the industry, whilst always respecting the requirements of competition law. In addition, it also gives a voice to insurers in raising issues relating to the development of the new Universal Health Insurance model.

Proposal for new qualified speech and language therapists – 18th December 2o12,

To ask the Minister for Health if he has considered a proposal regarding graduate speech and language therapists (details supplied).

Details Supplied: If graduate Speech & Language Therapists (SLTs) want to go abroad to work due to the lack of jobs in Ireland, they need to have worked in Ireland under supervision (in order to get a letter of good standing from the Irish Association of Speech & Language Therapists). Therefore, if qualified SLTs were placed around Ireland under supervision in the health centres and hospitals (a badly needed service due to the current need in Ireland). This would satisfy the dual requirement of the year’s supervision & offer the services of an SLT to the state and people of Ireland at a reduced cost.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

My Department is not aware of the proposal referred to by the Deputy.

Upon graduation from one of the recommended Irish training programmes speech and language therapy graduates are deemed fully qualified to work in the Irish health service having fulfilled the required hours of practice placements prior to graduation. Students on existing Irish programmes which lead to recognised qualifications in speech and language therapy are facilitated by the Irish health service to undertake clinical placements during the course and as part of their education and training programme. There is no postgraduate supervised practice required as a prerequisite to employment.

Irish graduates seeking work abroad in any of the EEA countries are assessed for qualification equivalence under Directive 2005/36/EC. A letter of good standing from the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists is not a requirement under the Directive.

Methadone Clinics – December 13th 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health his views on methadone clinics (details supplied)

Details Supplied: Details: moving methadone clinics out of the city centre, where they cause serious problems with anti-social behaviour, possibly adopting the practice as in Amsterdam. Buses distribute the methadone at relevant, suitable locations. Existing buildings could be sold to cover the costs of the scheme. This dispersal method overcomes some of the current problems being experienced here in the city centre but would also have the added benefit of protecting people attending clinics from drug dealers and other related elements

The Minister of State at the Department of Health (Alex White):

The HSE provides opioid substitution (mainly methadone) in a number of treatment settings to meet the needs of individual drug users. These settings include:

primary care through GPs and community pharmacies;

satellite clinics that facilitate opioid substitution provision through community pharmacies;

treatment centres where opioid substitution treatment is dispensed on site; and

residential rehabilitation facilities.

The HSE recognises that drug treatment is best provided at the lowest level of complexity, matching the patient’s needs and as close to the patient’s home as possible. There are currently 52 clinics within the four Dublin Local Authority Areas of which only 6 are based in the city centre. The city centre clinics cater for 1,082 people which is less than a quarter of the overall Dublin figure. 85% of those availing of services in the Dublin city centre clinics are from the local area.

The HSE has reviewed waiting lists for opioid substitution treatment over the past few years with a view to maximising the utilisation of existing services and developing new services where required. I support the provision of services in local communities but some concentration of services in Dublin city centre is needed in view of the number of clients from these areas, the fact that some people wish to avail of services outside their local area and the need to provide services for some people who have more complex needs. This approach is in line with that in many EU countries.

HSE clinics, as well as a number of voluntary service providers, have “good neighbour” policies and protocols in place and a strong focus on inter-agency working. Some provide a range of outreach and drop-in services to encourage engagement with a view to moving more people into treatment. C.C.TV is used at some centres to monitor movements and as an aid towards deterring anti-social behaviour. Drug treatment centres also work closely with An Garda Síochána with the aim of minimising any potential problems.

The number of nurse who have emigrated since 2010 – 5th December 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the number of nurses who have qualified here and subsequently emigrated since 2010.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

There are no statistics available regarding the number of nurses who graduated in this country and subsequently emigrated in the period 2010 to date. The number of Irish nursing graduates in the period is set out under. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland hold information on the number of new Irish Graduates who apply for Certificate of Current Professional Status documents (CCPS documents). The CCPS documents establish the graduates qualification for working outside of Ireland. It is important to note that applying for CCPS documents does not necessarily mean that the graduate actually emigrated.

Number of Nurse Graduates Number of New Irish Graduates who applied for CCPS documents:
2010 1629 320
2011 1701 213
2012 1672 176 (to date)

Is there a shortage of nurses in Ireland? – 5th December 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health his views on a possible shortage of suitably trained nurses in hospitals here.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

At present, some 1650 nurses/midwives graduate per annum from our Universities and other colleges. The Department of Health has recently completed a review of undergraduate nursing and midwifery education programmes. As part of this review an analysis of the number of student places required to ensure sufficient numbers of nurse and midwife graduates was completed. This indicates that the overall numbers of students at undergraduate level meets demand.

The Government has determined that, in line with its commitment to reduce the size of the public service, health sector employment numbers must be reduced substantially in 2013 and 2014. Spending on health services will also have to be very tightly controlled. The cumulative impact of staff reductions from this year and previous years represents a significant challenge for the health system in delivering services. The priority is to reform how health services are delivered in order to ensure a safe, more productive and cost-effective health system.

These changes implemented through the moratorium on recruitment have had an impact on the number of nurses and midwives available. Directors of Nursing/Midwifery will continue to examine closely improvements in flexible working arrangements, changes to rosters, changes to the role of staff and other approaches to minimise impact on patient safety and the quality of care.

The Croke Park Agreement has been crucial to the health service’s ability to manage through the very difficult circumstances of recent years. The flexibility and adaptability shown by staff has meant that even with reducing staff numbers, service levels have largely been maintained and indeed performance in relation to Emergency Departments and hospital waiting lists has markedly improved.

The continued reduction in staffing increases the need for reform, including greater flexibilities in work practices and rosters, as well as redeployment and the HSE is committed to fast-tracking new, innovative and more efficient ways of using reduced resources under the Croke Park Agreement.

CoAction in West Cork – 5th December 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health if he is planning any cuts in budget or service to CoAction West Cork in 2013.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

The level of funding which the HSE will allocate to specific organisations in 2013 will have to be determined by the Executive in the context of the overall level of resources which will be made available to it next year, and priorities identified in the National Service Plan.

Private in-patients in public hospitals – 20th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health if he will clarify his proposal to charge private patients for medical services provided in public hospitals.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

I think the Deputy may be speaking about the VHI’s recent claim that charging private in-patients who occupy public beds in public hospitals the daily maintenance charge, would result in a 45% increase in health insurance premia.

The situation is that a system of bed designation has been in place in public hospitals since the 1990s. Under this system, most beds are either designated as public beds or private beds: there is a small number of non-designated beds, such as those in Intensive Care Units. Under the current framework, private in-patients who occupy public beds in public hospitals are not levied the daily maintenance charge, which ranges from €586 to €1,046 in most public hospitals.

The Comptroller and Auditor General reported in 2010 that 45% of in-patients treated privately by their consultants were not charged for their maintenance costs because they were not occupying designated private beds. As part of Budget 2012, I announced that I intended to bring forward legislation to provide for the charging of all private patients in public hospitals, irrespective of whether they occupied a public or a private bed. In view of the significant potential cost implications for private health insurers, I subsequently indicated that I would be prepared to postpone implementation of the legislation until 2013 provided that the funds targeted for the current year were raised through a system of improved cashflow from the private insurers. Arrangements for this improved cashflow have been agreed in principle with the insurers, and the legal details are being finalised at present.

In relation to charging all private patients in public beds, the issue will be dealt with as part of the budgetary process for 2013 and I will bring legislative proposals to Government on the matter in due course. I am committed to keeping the cost of health insurance premia as low as possible and, to this end, my Department is working closely with the four health insurers, through the Health Insurance Consultative Forum. The objective of the forum is to explore ways to minimise costs, while always respecting competition law.

Standardised did not attend policy – 20th November 2012

To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1000 of 6 November 2012, if he has considered a penalty scheme for persons who do not attend appointments and give no prior notice of non-attendance in view of the high percentage that occur.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

I refer the Deputy to my previous reply of the 6th November this year. It remains the position that, while acute hospitals currently have in place a variety of DNA (did not attend) policies, a standardised approach is now being developed as part of a national Outpatient Performance Improvement Programme. This Programme, developed by the Special Delivery Unit (SDU) will be implemented nationally over the period 2012 to 2015 to improve the provision of outpatient services. The Programme will address the management of DNAs as well as a range of other issues.

If a patient finds they cannot attend the appointment they have been given I would appeal to all such patients to inform the clinic concerned as soon as they know they cannot attend.

Interchangeable medicinal products – 15th November, 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health if he has plans to exempt anti-convulsant medication for epileptics from the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012 in view of evidence that epileptics can suffer breakthrough seizures caused by switching medication.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health (Alex White):

Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill, the Irish Medicines Board has statutory responsibility for establishing and publishing a List of Interchangeable Medicinal Products.

In deciding whether to add a group of medicinal products to the List of Interchangeable Medicinal Products, the Board must be satisfied that each medicinal product which falls within the group:
(a) has the same qualitative and quantitative composition in each of its active substances as each of the other medicinal products which fall within the group;
(b) is in the same pharmaceutical form as, or in a pharmaceutical form that is appropriate for substitution for, each of the other products in the group ; and
(c) has the same route of administration as each of the other medicinal products which fall within the group.

In addition, the Bill provides that the Board is not permitted to add a group of medicinal products to the List of Interchangeable Medicinal Products where, for example, any of the medicinal products cannot be safely substituted for any one or more of the other medicinal products in the group. To further enhance the patient safety aspect of generic substitution, Section 13 of the Bill allows a prescriber to indicate on a prescription that a branded interchangeable medicinal product should, for clinical reasons, not be substituted.

It is important to point out that generic medicines must meet exactly the same standards of quality and safety and have the same effect as the originator medicine. All of the generic medicines on the Irish market are required to be properly licensed and meet the requirements of the Irish Medicines Board.

HSE policy on drug rehabilitation clinic locations – 15th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has a policy on the location of its drug rehabilitation clinics.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health (Alex White):

An objective of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-16 is to develop a national treatment and rehabilitation service that provides drug free and harm reduction approaches for problem substance users and to encourage problem substance users to engage with, and avail of, such services.

To this end the HSE provides a variety of drug treatment interventions to meet the needs of individual drug users. These include interventions to reduce drug-related harm such as needle exchange provision, together with evidence-based treatment options such as opioid substitution, counselling and community and residential rehabilitation initiatives.

The treatment settings utilised include:

primary care through General Practitioners and community pharmacies;
satellite clinics that facilitate opioid substitution through community pharmacies;
treatment centres where opioid substitution treatment is dispensed on site; and
residential rehabilitation facilities.

The HSE recognises that drug treatment should be provided at the lowest level of complexity, matching the patient’s needs and as close to the patient’s home as possible. In the past few years the HSE has systematically reviewed waiting lists with a view to maximising the utilisation of existing services and developing new services where required. Arising from this additional services have been made available in Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, Cork, Tralee, Limerick and Dundalk, greatly enhancing the drug treatment options for people in these areas.

The HSE will continue to review the overall situation with a view maximising the availability of treatment for problem drug users in line with available resources.

Placements for graduate speech and language therapists – 15th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health if he has considered allowing graduate speech and language therapists to conduct their mandatory supervised one year placement with the Health Service to allow graduates receive their qualification and make available more personnel in this area, and at a reduced cost to the State.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

There is no requirement for graduate speech and language therapists to undergo a mandatory supervised one-year placement post qualification.

Students on existing Irish programmes which lead to recognised qualifications in speech and language therapy are facilitated by the Irish health service to undertake clinical placements during the course, and as part, of their education and training programme.

What it costs the HSE to subsidise antidepressants and anxiolytic drugs – 13th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health the cost breakdown to the Health Service Executive in the years 2009, 2010 and 2011 to subsidise antidepressants and anxiolytic drugs.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

The cost to the Health Service Executive of antidepressants and anxiolytics for 2009, 2010 and 2011 is set out in the table below:

Mental Health Services – 13th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health the capacity, number of patients per year, within the public services to provide mental health services.

To ask the Minister for Health the cost per day of a hospital bed within the mental health services for psychiatric patients.

To ask the Minister for Health the waiting time in terms of access to mental health professionals within the public services.

To ask the Minister for Health the number of days, on average, that a patient stays in, once admitted into a hospital for psychiatric care.

To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients being taken care of every month by psychologists and or psychiatrists in the Health Service Executive.

To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients, as a percentage, that are referred to a psychologist after an emergency appointment at a public hospital.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

As the Deputy’s questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Number of A&E admission related to the abuse of alcohol – 8th November 2012

To ask the Minister for Health the percentage of accident and emergency admissions that are drink related or due to the abuse of alcohol and the estimated cost of this to the health system.

I wish to advise you that this information is not routinely collected by the HSE. On the subject of Emergency Department drink related admissions research was carried out and published in a document called Alcohol and injuries in the accident and emergency department – a national perspective. Dublin: Department of Health and Children by Hope
A, Gill A, Costello G, Sheehan J, Brazil E and Reid V (2005). The link to the publication is http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/6006/1/DOHC_alcohol__and_injuries.pdf

Number of missed outpatient appointments – 6th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health the percentage of outpatients not turning up for scheduled outpatient appointments and not giving any notice; the estimated cost of this to the health service; if penalties financial or otherwise for a person not cancelling an outpatient appointment are being considered by the Government.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

Table 1 sets out a yearly sum of patients who missed scheduled appointments (did not attend) from 2008 to 2010, along with those who attended and total number of appointments booked (supplied by the HSE Business Intelligence Unit). The DNA rate is calculated by taking the number of missed appointments (DNAs) as a percentage of the total number of attendances and missed appointments combined. While hospitals returned activity, including DNA data across 2011, this data was not compiled / processed by BIU due to the roll out of the Outpatient Data Quality Programme.

Table 1. Outpatients – Attendances and DNAs 2008, 2009, 2010

Year No of New Attendances No of Return Attendances No of Appointments Missed (DNA) No of Return Appointments Missed (DNA) All Appointments Booked DNA as a % of all appointments booked

RAW DATA SOURCE: HSE BIU

While acute hospitals currently have in place a variety of DNA (did not attend) policies, a standardised approach is now being developed as part of a national Outpatient Performance Improvement Programme. This Programme, developed by the Special Delivery Unit (SDU) will be implemented nationally over the period 2012 to 2015 to improve the provision of outpatient services. The Programme will address the management of DNAs as well as a range of other issues.

If a patient finds they cannot attend the appointment they have been given I would appeal to all such patients to inform the clinic concerned as soon as they know they cannot attend.

Public Sector Rostering – 6th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

As Minister for Health, I am replying to this question only insofar as it relates to the health sector.

Where it is necessary to provide services on an extended-hours or 24-hour basis, staff are rostered for duty to ensure an appropriate match between the staff available and service required. Provision is also made, where appropriate, for some staff to be off duty but on-call to meet urgent but unpredictable service needs. Health service managers keep rosters under review to ensure the most cost-effective staffing arrangements having regard to service needs and to achieve optimum patient care. There are no general plans to cease the rostering of staff, as such arrangements are key to the provision of essential health services to the population.

Shortage of speech and language therapists in the HSE – 18th September 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health in view of the shortage of speech and language therapists in the health service, if he will consider allowing graduate speech and language therapists conduct their mandatory supervised one year placement with the Health Service to allow graduates receive their qualification and make available more personnel in this area, and at a reduced cost to the State.

Reply

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

I will examine the proposal and will correspond with the Deputy on the matter as soon as possible.

Number of staff in the department who completed PMDS – 10th July 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health the number of health service employees who completed performance management and development system assessments in 2011 by the Health Service Executive area and hospital; if he will provide a breakdown of the scoring categories 5 to 1 in each HSE area and hospital.

Reply

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Public sector staffing numbers – 12th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health the percentage of staff working in the health sector, that he deems to fall into the category of frontline staff, administrative, management, elected representative and any other relevant categories; and the way the pay budget is allocated across these categories in percentage and real terms in terms of as a proportion of the health sector spend on salaries.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Potential sites for the children’s hospital – 12th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health further to his statement in Dáil Éireann that the National Assets Management Agency had written to him identifying 11 potential sites for the new children’s hospital, some of which he thought might have use for hospitals of a different nature, the location of those sites; which of the sites have other potential; if the Irish Glass Bottle site or the Elm Park site are included in either list; and the possible future uses that have been identified.

Reply

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

As you will be aware, I established an independent Review Group to consider the implications of the decision of An Bórd Pleanála, received on 23 February 2012, to reject the planning application for the proposed construction of a national paediatric hospital on the site of the Mater Misericordiae Hospital. The aim of the Review was to consider all the possible options for the earliest possible delivery of a new children’s hospital . During the course of its deliberations, the Group received submissions from many different Groups.

The Group has now presented its report, which I intend to consider carefully before bringing to Government.

As I have previously stated, a number of potential sites were identified by NAMA, details of which cannot be provided for reasons of debtor confidentiality. NAMA advises that it is at all times open to proposals which can contribute to the achievement of broader social and economic objectives and has committed to giving first option to public bodies on the purchase of property which may be suitable for their purposes.

Sections of the Liquor Act 2008 – 23rd February 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health in relation to the recommendations made by the Steering Group Report on the National Substance Misuse Strategy, if he will clarify where the report states the commence Section 9 (structural separation) of the intoxicating Liquor Act 2008, if this refers to sub section 1a or 1b.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

At the end of paragraph 35 on page 18 of chapter 2, the Steering Group of the National Substance Misuse Strategy recommended as follows:

Commence Section 9 (Structural Separation) of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008.

At paragraph 32 of the same chapter, the Steering Group wrote that ‘Section 9 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008 provides for the structural separation of alcohol from other products in mixed trading outlets’; and hence what was mainly contemplated by the Steering Group were the substantial provisions on structural separation in Section 9 (1A) of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008 – though the powers of commencement of these provisions are vested in the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence.

The selling of alcohol at below cost price – 23rd February 2012,

To ask the Minister for Health if he has considered banning the retailing of alcohol at below invoice cost price to ensure that retailers cannot reclaim 23% of the cost of the loss leader in their VAT return, thus saving the State an average of €21 million each year.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

In its report on alcohol, the National Substance Misuse Strategy Steering Group recommended – among other things – the introduction of a legislative basis for minimum pricing per gram of alcohol. As minimum pricing is a mechanism of imposing a statutory floor in price levels for alcohol products that must be legally observed by retailers, its primary function would be thus to discourage at risk levels of alcohol consumption. This recommendation is being actively considered as part of the development of an Action Plan in advance of proposals being drafted for Government.

The palliative care budget – 12th January 2012

To ask the Minister for Health his views on the possibility of whether or not cuts to palliative care were contained in the health budget.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health (Kathleen Lynch):

The HSE has statutory responsibility for the delivery of health and personal social services, and the question of funding specific care programmes, or individual non statutory care providers, can only be addressed in the context of finalising the HSE Service Plan 2012. The allocation of funding across care groups, including Palliative Care, has yet to be agreed. As was the case in previous years, the Executive will engage with voluntary providers to discuss services levels for 2012, in line with resources available. A focus of such discussions will be to identify savings designed to have minimum effects on the provision of services to patients.

Medical card case – 16th of February 2011,

To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider the following case regarding a person’s (details supplied) in Dublin 6 difficulty in receiving a medical card.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health (Roisin Shortall)

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

The possibility of a director of mental health – 12th February 2012

To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider the possibility of putting in place a director for mental health with budgetary authority and accountability.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health (Kathleen Lynch):

Deputies will be aware that the Government has already approved the drafting of legislation to give effect to changes in the governance of the HSE. This involves radical reform of the health service generally which will see the introduction of Universal Health Insurance (UHI). Significantly the new system of governance will involve seven Directorates, including a separate Directorate for Mental Health which will have full responsibility and accountability in that area. In this context, my colleague Minister Reilly intends to bring forward detailed proposals at a later date for the re-organisation of the HSE at directorate, regional and local levels in a manner which facilitates a smooth transition from the current governance arrangements to the proposed new structures.

When the appointment of the expert group is due to happen – 1st February 2012

To ask the Minister for Health when he will be appointing an expert group to consider the implications of last years ECHR ruling in the ACB v Ireland case on Ireland’s abortion law; the number that will be in this group; and the way it’s members will be selected.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Expert Group on the ABC v Ireland judgment of the European Court of Human Rights was established on 13th January 2012. The Group consists of fourteen members who have all been selected based on their medical, legal, and policy expertise.

24th November 2011,

To ask the Minister for Health if any decision has been made in Budget 2012 in relation to funding for St Michael’s House, Ballymun Road, Dublin 9, which provides services to those with intellectual disabilities in the community.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health (Kathleen Lynch):

The Health Service Executive has advised me that expenditure on health services for people with a disability in 2011 will be approximately €1.5 billion. Special consideration was given to disability and mental health in Budget 2011 through a maximum reduction of just 1.8% in the allocation for the two sectors. The relatively lower reduction of 1.8%, compared to other areas of the health budget that saw reductions of up to 5%, recognises that these services are provided to vulnerable groups and should help to ensure that existing services are maintained and that priority is given to the delivery of frontline services.

I recognise and appreciate the valuable contribution that St. Michael’s House makes to the provision of services to individuals with intellectual disabilities in Dublin and Navan through a range of community-based day, respite, and residential services on behalf of the Health Service Executive. The HSE has advised that St. Michael’s House will receive approximately €72 million in funding from them in 2011. Taking the reduction in the overall HSE disability budget for 2011 into account, the HSE was asked to manage the additional resources and engage with service providers including St. Michael’s House, to ensure that existing support needs, and demands for additional places and supports, are managed effectively within the overall allocation.

Budget 2012
With regard to the level of funding for the Disability sector next year, this is being considered as part of the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure and Estimates process for 2012 which is currently underway. Deliberations on the expenditure allocations for 2012 are likely to continue up until Budget time and it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage pending the outcome of those deliberations. As you are aware, the very difficult financial position facing the Exchequer will obviously require very careful management across all areas of expenditure.

Value for Money & Policy Review of Disability Services
A major priority for the Government in the coming months will be to finalise the current Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services to ensure that existing funding for people with disabilities is spent to best effect. It is now more important than ever that large scale spending programmes of this nature are subject to detailed periodic review. The VFM Efficiency and Effectiveness Review will make recommendations that will ensure that the very substantial funding of €1.5 billion provided to the specialist disability health sector is used to maximum benefit for persons with disability, having regard to overall resource constraints which affect all sectors at this time.

The funding of the National office for Suicide Prevention – 25th of October 2011

To ask the Minister for Health the steps being made to increase the funding of the National office of Suicide Prevention.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health (Kathleen Lynch):

The Government has prioritised the reform of our mental health services in line with A Vision for Change – the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy (2006) and Reach Out -the National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention 2005 – 2014. This commitment was clearly shown in the Programme for Government which provides for the ring-fencing of €35 million annually from within the overall health budget to develop community mental health services and to implement Reach Out. This is currently being considered as part of the Estimates process for 2012 and future years. Any increases in funding for the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) will be decided in this context.

The amount to be spent by the department on consultancy fees – 6th October 2011,

To ask the Minister for Health the amount he intends to spend on consultancy fees in 2011, in particular those contracted to identify value for money in his Department.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

The Department has significantly reduced its spend on consultancy in recent years and all projects which involve the engagement of external consultants are approved by the Minister prior to the issuing of public tenders. Once initiated, the spend profile of each project is monitored by the Department on a monthly basis. It is expected that the total expenditure on consultancy fees for 2011 will be approximately €760,000, none of which relates to value for money initiatives.

The Department has put in place its own dedicated resources to undertake reviews under the auspices of the Value for Money & Policy Review Initiative 2009-2011. Last year, the Department completed a value for money review of private and semi-private treatment services in public hospitals. It is expected that implementation of the report’s recommendations will result in increased revenues to the health service of approximately €75m in 2011 and approximately €18m in 2012. In addition to participating in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure as part of the overall pre-Budget deliberations of the Government, the Department is also currently engaged in two further value for money reviews in the areas of disability services and immunisation programmes, both of which will further help to drive efficiency and effectivenesss in the health sector.

Arrangement for those affected by thalidomide – 21st July 2011,

To ask the Minister for Health his views regarding the arrangement made between the parents of children affected by thalidomide and the Government in 1975.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health (Kathleen Lynch):

Irish survivors of thalidomide receive a monthly payment of up to €1,116 and an annual lump sum of up to €3,680 from the German Foundation for Thalidomide (The drug sold in Ireland in the 1950s and 1960s was manufactured by a German company). In addition the Irish Government provides a monthly payment of up to €1,109. The majority are in receipt of the maximum payments from both Germany and Ireland. All of these payments are tax free. Each individual automatically receives a medical card.

Combining the German and the Irish payments Irish survivors of thalidomide receive on average a tax free payment of €26,000 per annum or €2,166 each month.

In accordance with the Programme for Government I met with both representative bodies of Irish survivors of thalidomide last Friday 15th July. I listened to their proposals for additional health care supports and financial assistance. I undertook to consider their proposals and have further discussion with them.

A medical card case – 21st July 2011,

To ask the Minister for Health if those in receipt of a state and work pension are entitled to a medical card once they reach 70 years as the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 14.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health (Roisin Shorthall):

Under the Health Act 2008, a simplified system of assessment for eligibility was introduced in respect of persons aged 70 or over, based on significantly higher gross income thresholds rather than the standard net income limits. The gross income thresholds are €700 per week for a single person and €1,400 for a couple, as against net income limits of €210.50 for a single person and €298 for a couple.

The regulation of the cosmetic surgery industry – 19th of July 2011,

To ask the Minister for Health his plans to implement the legislation developed under the previous Government to regulate the cosmetic surgery industry.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

My Department is developing legislative proposals for the licensing of public and private healthcare providers and cosmetic surgery will be considered in this context. However, in regard to current regulation, the Deputy will also wish to be aware that the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 provides for a clear compulsory requirement for registration for all medical practitioners, including cosmetic surgeons, who practice medicine in Ireland. Under the Act, the Medical Council.

Children and Youth Affairs questions

Posted November 9th, 2012

Tax credit scheme for childcare – 5th December 2014

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views regarding a tax credit scheme for childcare (details supplied).

Details: I am about to become a mother. Both I and my fiance have worked hard to save and buy a house last year. We are both higher rate tax payers, and will pay the Property Tax, water charge etc because we understand that a functioning society means you pay for the services you use. Despite the decrease in house prices and our relatively privileged position, it is a stretch for us to have bought a home close to my family, but we have been able to do this by taking lodgers. We have waited longer than we might have liked to start a family, and financial considerations are a key reason for this.

I have a serious difficulty with your colleague Dr. Reilly’s views that a tax credit scheme for childcare is not to be considered as it would unfairly benefit higher earners and discriminate against stay at home mothers. I work for a number of reasons. Because I am a highly educated professional and I have a contribution to make to the society that paid for my education. Because I want to show my children that education, work and bettering yourself are to be valued. Because being a parent should not be at the exclusion of being a professional. Last but not least, because we simply cannot afford to pay our mortgage on one salary. I would be very surprised indeed if even a tiny percentage of couples of our generation living in Dublin can. Labeling the requirement for mothers to work as a choice is misleading. There is no other option for the majority.

The economic model on which our society is based absolutely requires parents like my fiance and I to go to work and pay taxes. It also absolutely requires some people to have children. Without them, who is to pay for your pension and mine? If society wants people to work, it should not make it prohibitively expensive for them to do so. Manageable childcare costs encourage women to go to work, develop their career, and stay in work. They will contribute more in taxes over their lifetime. They are less likely to fall behind or stall in their careers, making more skilled workers available to the economy. Models better than ours, and which encourage the greater participation of both parents both to the family and the workplace, exist in just about every other European country.

Last but not least, quality, affordable childcare has consistently been shown to be in the best interests of toddlers and pre-school children. Those who have had it do better in school. It is time for some joined up thinking on this point and the introduction of affordable and top class childcare for pre-school children. If there is a better solution than a childcare tax credit, I am open to that. However the current model of relying on those raising children to be the tax donkeys for the rest of society while paying exorbitant childcare costs is not sustainable.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (James Reilly)

The introduction of a tax credit scheme is a matter for Government and the Minister for Finance in the first instance.

I am aware of the relatively high cost of childcare in this country and of the difficulties that this presents, particularly where both parents are in employment outside of the home. To help address the issue, funding of €260 million is provided annually by my Department to support the implementation of a number of targeted childcare support programmes that assist parents in accessing quality and affordable childcare. More than 100,000 children benefit from these programmes each year.

The question of tax allowances for working parents who incur childcare costs was considered prior to the introduction of the targeted childcare supports which are now in place. A number of issues emerged at that time which did not favour the introduction of tax relief for childcare. This approach would not benefit parents working in the home and could, therefore, be seen by some as discriminatory. Tax reliefs would favour the higher-paid, and those on the minimum wage or in part-time work would not be in a position to benefit to the same extent. Many parents use childminders or relatives to meet their childcare requirements and may not be in a position to obtain receipts, making it impossible for them to establish their entitlement to tax relief. There is also a view that the introduction of tax credits could lead to increased prices and therefore have limited impact in terms of savings to parents.

I consider that direct investment in childcare provision would be a fairer way of supporting parents who require childcare support. I am aware that, despite the substantial Government investment, the issue of childcare costs remains a significant concern for many parents throughout the country. Increasing the State supports provided to help parents with these costs would require a considerable level of funding which will be considered in future Budgets. These are matters I will be exploring in detail over the coming period.

Department liaison for youth educators – 6th October 2014

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he has designated or will designate a point of contact in his Department to liaise with youth educators on the various departmental schemes across Government, in place to assist children in education and fitness, and the various eligibility criteria and so on to help youth educators better navigate the system.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (James Reilly)

The Deputy may be aware that my Department supports and promotes non-formal education and developmental opportunities for young people through which they can enhance their personal and social skills and competencies. Particular regard is had to the youth work needs of young people between the ages of 10 and 21, and to those who are socially or economically disadvantaged.

My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme under which funding is made available on an annual basis to 31 national and major regional youth organisations. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people are provided through the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund, Rounds 1 and 2, Local Drugs Task Force Projects and certain other programmes including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme. Funding is also made available for a network of Youth Information Centres throughout the country. The purpose of these Centres is to provide young people and those who work with them, with access to information on rights, opportunities, benefits, health, welfare and other matters.

The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately, 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. In 2014, funding of €49.78m has been provided to my Department for these schemes. Information about the funding schemes and the provision of youth services is available on my Department’s Website at www.dcya.gov.ie.

A wide and diverse range of programmes and activities are organised by youth services and projects throughout the country, for and with young people. These include programmes to promote personal and social development, including activities to encourage healthy lifestyles, physical and mental well-being and initiatives to raise awareness of the risks associated with drugs and alcohol abuse and other issues that impact on young people’s lives and their engagement in their local communities.

Programmes and activities are organised and delivered at local level by professional youth workers in projects and well trained volunteers. This work is supported by a network of Youth Officers in the Education and Training Boards.

Youth Officers are a key resource in the co-ordination of youth service provision to my Department and a contact point in their respective localities. They have an important support role to the providers of youth services in the implementation of the National Quality Standards Framework – a Framework to ensure that the diverse range of programmes available for young people have a common approach to ensuring quality services that draw on best practice and are responsive to young people’s needs. The National Youth Organisations that support the local services are the key contacts for information about the range and choice of youth facilities and youth programmes available to young people and how to access them.

The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department is engaged in an on-going basis with the providers of youth services throughout the country and with the network of Youth Officers. My Department works collabratively with those key contacts, including the various structured Fora, to ensure that they have access to the tools and best practice resources that are available to support their work with young people.

Details of the Websites of the major national youth organisations is being compiled and will be forwarded to the deputy shortly.

Closure of the creche in Tallaght Hospital – 28th May 2014

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his attention has been drawn to plans to close the creche in Tallaght Hospital; the way this will affect parents and children who avail of the creche facility; and if he has seen or will publish the report commissioned by the hospital management.

REPLY.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Charlie Flanagan):

Almost all the pre-school services in this country are provided by commercial or community providers. A small number are provided in workplace locations. All of these services are developed in response to local or employment needs and the ongoing viability of such enterprises is a matter for the service providers. My Department has no responsibility in relation to the sustainability of the creche at Tallaght hospital or any other individual childcare service.

The recent enactment through the Child and Family Agency Act 2013 of amendments to the Child Care Act 1991 underpins a number of key reforms being introduced as part of the Pre-School Quality Agenda. The amended legislation strengthens the current inspection regime, provides a statutory basis for the registration of early years services, and also provides for the setting of minimum qualification standards for staff working with children in early years services.

To provide for the implementation of the changes to the Act it will be necessary to amend or make additions to the current Regulations in a number of areas, and these are currently being finalised. New National Quality Standards will also be published. It is not intended to impose any additional costs on services as a result of the new regulations, other than an increase in the annual fee payable by services to the Early Years Inspectorate. In the case of the service in question, the increase in the fee payable is expected to be in the region of €80 per annum.

My Department has introduced measures to support training for childcare staff to enable them to upskill to meet the increased qualification requirements and €3 million is being made available over the next two years for this initiative.

A key element of the Pre-School Quality Agenda is to strengthen the pre-school inspection system nationally. My Department is working with the Early Years Inspectorate to develop new protocols on regulatory compliance so that there is greater clarity and consistency of approach. I am confident that these reforms will provide for a more consistent and robust pre-school inspection regime.

Facilitating adoptions from India – 25th March 2014

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there are delays in sending dossiers for adoptions to India; if so the reason for same; and the action being taken to remedy the situation.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

The Republic of India has ratified the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption, as such it is not necessary to have a bilateral agreement with India. As a contracting state under the Hague Convention, the Adoption Act 2010 provides that adoptions by Irish prospective adoptive parents may be made subject to Irish and Indian requirements being satisfied in line with relevant laws and the provisions of the Hague Convention. It is a matter for contacting states whether they wish to impose restrictions on whether and how intercountry adoptions of citizens of that State may be effected.

I recently facilitated a meeting between the Irish India Support Group and the Adoption Authority in order to provide prospective adopters up to date information on the status of adoptions from India. At this meeting the Adoption Authority advised that there remains a general moratorium by the Indian Central Authority (CARA) on India accepting adoption applications from other countries other than in special circumstances. The Authority has recently received an announcement from CARA that India is currently accepting packs from non-resident Indian prospective adoptive parents for the adoption of Indian children (“normal” category). This means that India remains closed to non-Indian prospective adoptive parents at this time in respect of what it terms “normal” categories of children. The Adoption Authority understands that CARA is accepting applications in respect of children which are termed “special needs”, which includes children over five years of age and sibling groups. The Authority is currently attempting to establish from CARA a possible time frame for the acceptance of application packs in the “normal” category from non-Indian nationals.

The Adoption Authority has advised it is their position that it is necessary to have an Irish registered accredited body to facilitate inter-country adoptions from India in order to safeguard the process for the child and the adoptive parents. The Authority has recently decided to delegate its functions under Articles 15, 16 and 17 of the Hague Convention to Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agency with regard to adoptions from India. Helping Hands is awaiting approval by CARA in order to proceed in this regard.

I have arranged a follow-up meeting with the Irish India Support Group and the Adoption Authority in May in order to update the group on progress made.

Capital funding for Youth Cafés – 15th January 2014

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide details of the assessment process for the awarding of youth café capital funding; the criteria involved; and the reasons for ineligibility and so on.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

In February 2013, I announced that my Department would be providing funding for youth capital projects in 2013. In this regard, total funding of €1.55m has been made available for my Department’s Youth Cafe 2013 programme.

Pobal assisted my Department with the application and evaluation process for the Youth Cafés 2013 Programme.

Applications for new youth cafés were invited from organisations and consortia involved in the provision of services to young people, with at least 3 years’ experience in the development of youth services. It was a requirement of the scheme that applications were to be submitted ‘online’ by 12 April, 2013. Detailed guidelines on the application and appraisal process and supporting documents in relation about best practice for youth cafes was made available to applicants on the Pobal website.

Some 95 applications for support under this scheme were received by Pobal.

To be eligible, applications were required to demonstrate that the proposed new youth café would be developed in line with my Department’s Youth Cafes in Ireland: a Best Practice Guide; that the facility would be target service for 12 – to 25 year olds and aim to meet the needs of the local youth population, particularly in disadvantaged areas. Criteria also included the extent to which the proposed new youth café would add value to existing provision for young people in a locality, criteria in relation to the capacity of the organisers to effectively manage the project, the involvement of youth in the development of project, how the project would be sustainable and the strength of the overall proposal.

Eligible applications were then appraised on the basis of a detailed assessment of the extent to which the criteria were met. The applications that scored well in the initial process with Pobal were further evaluated in the Department taking account of youth population, existing youth service provision and geographic considerations. Following the completion of the assessment and evaluation process some 30 proposals for new youth cafes projects were approved for funding and for inclusion in the next phase of the youth café programme. These successful applicants have now entered the pre-contracting development stage and are working with Pobal to progress their projects in this regard.

I have arranged for a copy of the detailed guidelines on the application and appraisal process provided to all applicants to be sent to the Deputy.

Details of the proposed 30 new youth cafés are available on my Department’s website at www.dcya.gov.ie

Employment practices in the civil service – 6th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there are any retired public sector workers from her Department, or any other part of the public sector, currently on her Department’s payroll, for example, for sitting on a committee or preparing a report, but not exclusively these two areas; the number on the payroll; the cost to her Department; the services being delivered for this money; and the way that the positions were originally advertised.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

The only retired public servants on the payroll of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs are two civilian drivers whose positions are coterminous with my position as Minister. The drivers work on a week on/week off basis to drive my private car on official business. Each driver receives €631.75 per week in respect of these duties.

Legislation to reform adoption law – 16th January 2013

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to the commitment in the Programme for Government to modernise and reform outdated elements of family law, in particular the legislation to consolidate and reform the law on adoption, the way this legislation is progressing and if this will contain provision for the recognition of rights for non-biological parents or children in same-sex relationships.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

I am currently examining a number of proposals in relation to possible amendments to the Adoption Act, 2010. Any changes will be brought forward in conjunction with the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2012, which the Government plans to bring before the Oireachtas following the passing of the Children’s Referendum.

In addition, the drafting of the Heads of Bill in relation to the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill is at an advanced stage in my Department. While consideration of the policy issues in relation to all aspects of the proposed Bill is ongoing, it is intended that the proposed legislation will provide for a structured and regulated way of both safeguarding adoption records and providing access to adoption information.

Timeframe for enactment of legislation following the Referendum – 28th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the timeframe for the enactment of changes to family law legislation that are expected following the passing of the Children’s Referendum.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

A challenge to the provisional referendum certificate has been made under the provisions of the Referendum Act 1994 and is currently before the High Court for determination. In light of this, it would not be appropriate for me to anticipate the enactment of legislation pursuant to the children’s referendum held on 10th November 2012.

I take this opportunity to point out that the initiation of any changes in family law are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality. Regarding my area of responsibility, the General Scheme of a proposed Adoption (Amendment) Bill was published back in September, in conjunction with the publication of the referendum proposal, in order that members of the public would be informed of changes to adoption law envisaged for implementation arising from approval of the Constitutional change.

Funding for the City of Dublin VEC – 22nd November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee are in the process of withdrawing funding from the position of catholic youth care education officer and the impact this will have on youth groups across the south inner city (details supplied).

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth sector. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people are provided through the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2 and Local Drugs Task Force Projects.

Funding of €56.806m has been provided to my Department to support the provision of youth services in 2012. Some 477 projects and youth services throughout the country receive support under the schemes. The annual funding allocations for youth projects are determined by my Department and the funding is administered, on behalf of my Department, by a number of grant administering agencies that includes the City of Dublin Youth Services Board (CDYSB) of the CDVEC.

Funding is provided to CYC by my Department for the provision of services for young people including an allocation of €1,010,735 in 2012 under the Youth Service Grant Scheme. An allocation of €44,506 for the provision of services in Dublin South East inner city has also been provided.

My Department is working on the funding allocation for youth services in 2013. Having regard to the savings requirements identified in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure my Department is seeking to ensure that, in the determination process for the allocations, the front line youth services, particularly those for the most vulnerable young people are protected as far as is possible from the impact of any necessary reductions in funding.

No decisions have been made by my Department neither in relation to the 2013 funding for youth services throughout the country, nor in relation to the funding allocations to be provided for individual projects, including the CYC.

My Department has been advised that the CDYSB, in anticipation of reductions in the funding allocations next year, has been holding a series of meetings with the projects within its area in relation to 2013.

Any proposals or recommendations that a body administering funding on behalf of my Department, such as CDYSB, makes in relation to the distribution of funding in its locality on account of its local knowledge of the needs of young people would require the approval of my Department before they are implemented.

My Department will be making every effort to advise organisations and projects of their 2013 allocations as soon as possible.

Public Sector Rostering – 6th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

Certain grades of care staff are employed on a roster basis in the Children Detention School and due to the nature of the work involved, there are no plans to remove them from that system.

Report from the Adoption Authority of Ireland regarding Ethiopia – 9th October 2012,

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she expects to conclude her review of the reports submitted by the Adoption Authority of Ireland following their visit to Ethiopia.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

Ethiopia is not a signatory of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. In these circumstances, future adoptions from Ethiopia would require a bilateral agreement between Ireland and Ethiopia. The negotiation of bilateral agreements on intercountry adoption with states who have not ratified the Hague Convention is governed by Section 73 of the Adoption Act 2010 which states that “the Authority, with the prior consent of the Minister, may enter into discussions with any non-contracting state concerning the possibility of the Government entering into a bilateral agreement with that State.”

The Adoption Authority delegation visit to Ethiopia in April of this year was an initial part of the Authority’s deliberations on the feasability and suitability of entering into discussions with Ethiopia on a bilateral adoption agreement. The Authority is awaiting legal advice and will contact me once it has received this advice and completed its consideration of the matter. Once I have received the Authority’s assessment I can then fully consider the appropriate next steps in this regard.

Timeframe for legal advice on Ethiopian adoptions – 9th October 2012

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she expects the Adoption Authority of Ireland to contact her regarding the legal advice sought on Ethiopian adoptions; and when she expects the AAI to have completed its consideration of this matter.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

When will Russia sign bilateral adoption agreement – 15th May 2012,

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the fact that under the Adoption Act 2010 no Russian adoptions can take place until a bilateral agreement is signed with the Russian authorities, and when this bilateral agreement can be expected to take place.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

The Hague Convention is a co-operative agreement drawn up to allow countries to mutually support one another in protecting the best interests of children in the intercountry adoption process. It sets out minimum standards regarding intercountry adoption and covers issues such as subsidiarity, consent and financial considerations. It is designed in such a way as to allow for mirrored mechanisms and structures to mutually assure countries of the safety and standard of intercountry adoptions in those countries.

The Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) performs the function of a Central Authority under the Adoption Act, 2010, in accordance with the Convention. In choosing to deal primarily with Hague countries, the AAI has the mechanism to work collaboratively with equivalent structures in that country. Each Central Authority has the responsibility to oversee standards in respect of those parts of the process taking place within their respective jurisdictions. This mutual arrangement is designed to give the AAI, the Government and, most importantly, those involved in the adoption process assurance as to the standards being set and the oversight of the system.

A limited number of adoptions from Russia are currently being processed under transitional arrangements as provided for in the Adoption Act, 2010. Under the provisions of the legislation, such adoptions may take place up to the end of October 2012, with the possibility of the Adoption Authority granting approval for an extension of up to one year. Russia has not ratified the Hague Convention and there appears to be no immediate prospect that this will happen. In the circumstances, adoptions from Russia, beyond those provided for under the transitional arrangements, may only be possible under a bi-lateral agreement developed to the standards of the Hague Convention.

An official delegation from Ireland recently visited Russia and held preliminary discussions regarding the potential for a bilateral agreement. I have received an initial assessment from the Adoption Authority which will inform the next steps to be taken in relation to this matter. My Department is in discussions with the Adoption Authority on this assessment and other issues which will influence any policy decisions to be taken in this regard. I am aware of the need to bring clarity to the situation in respect of Russia and I hope to be in a position to do so shortly.

The immediate priority of the Adoption Authority is the development of administrative arrangements with other countries which have ratified the Hague Convention. Any future bilateral arrangements which might be entered into would also be required by law to meet the minimum standards set out in the Convention.

Adoption Authority’s report on adoption in Ethiopia – 22nd May 2011,

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she expects to receive the report from the Adoption Authority following the delegation’s visit to Ethiopia in early April; and when she expects to conclude a bilateral agreement between the Irish and Ethiopian authorities in order that adoptions from Ethiopia can commence.

The Minster for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

Adoptions from Ethiopia, effected under the transitional arrangements provided for in the Adoption Act 2010, are ongoing and are currently being examined, and recognised, by the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI). These transitional arrangements may lead to adoptions from Ethiopia taking place up to the end of October 2012. The Adoption Act 2010 also contains provision for a one year extension to declarations of eligibility and suitability to adopt which may lead to a one year extension to this date.

Ethiopia is not a signatory of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. In these circumstances, adoptions from Ethiopia which are not covered by the transitional arrangements referred to above would require a bilateral agreement between Ireland and Ethiopia. The negotiation of bilateral agreements on intercountry adoption with states who have not ratified the Hague Convention is governed by Section 73 of the Adoption Act 2010 which states that “the Authority, with the prior consent of the Minister, may enter into discussions with any non-contracting state concerning the possibility of the Government entering into a bilateral agreement with that State.” Any bilateral arrangements which might be entered into would be required by law to meet the minimum standards set out in the Hague Convention.

A delegation from the Adoption Authority visited Ethiopia in April and held exploratory meetings with the Ethiopian authorities regarding the system of adoption which operates in that country. The delegation, in the course of its visit, held preliminary discussions with the Ethiopian authorities around the potential for a bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption. Yesterday, 21st May, I received a Report from the Authority summarising the conclusions and recommendations of the delegation’s visit. While this is now being considered in my Department, the AAI has stated that it has decided to seek further legal advice in Ethiopia on whether adoptions there are full or simple adoptions. The Authority has further stated that it will contact me again once it has received the legal advice referred to and completed its consideration of the matter.

I have also been advised that the Authority has decided to post an advisory on its website in relation to the visit to Ethiopia.

The Department’s expected expenditure on Consultancy Fees – 6th October 2011,

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount she intends to spend on consultancy fees in 2011, in particular those contracted to identify value for money in her Department.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

My Department expects to spend approximately €24,000 on consultancy fees in 2011.

Big Brother Big Sister Mentoring Scheme – 21st July 2011,

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she supports the Big Brother Big Sister mentoring programme for children in the community organised by Foróige.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

The 2011 budget for the Youth Affairs Section of my Department is €60.154m on current expenditure and €800,000 on capital expenditure. This funding supports the delivery of a range of youth programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities through grants in aid.

Foróige is currently in receipt of €6.037m from Youth Affairs Unit for projects run under a number of schemes including the Youth Service Grant Scheme, Special Projects for Youth Scheme, four (4) Youth Information Centres and for a number of projects under the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund (Rounds 1 and 2).

As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs I am aware of the Big Brother Big Sister Programme. However, having regard to the reductions in public expenditure that must be achieved by Government Departments and State Agencies and the limited funding available, it was not possible to consider funding for the programme in 2011. In light of further budgetary constraints in 2012 it is unlikely that any new application for funding will be considered next year.

Child-staff ratios in the Childcare Industry – 9th June 2011,

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has considered any potential benefit to small businesses in the childcare industry of an increase in ratios per childcare staff (details supplied).

Details Supplied: At present, the ratios are for age 0-1, 1:3 adult/child ratio, age 1-2 1:5 adult/child ratio. It has been suggested that an increase in the number of adults caring for children in childcare facilities will increase the quality of service and ultimately keep the childcare care industry afloat which, like many industries, consists of small business/crèches

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):
Pre-School services are regulated under the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No. 2) Regulations 2006. Regulation 12, together with the Explanatory Guide thereto, provides for the maximum adult to child ratios which are recommended depending on the age range and type of pre-school service in question.

The Child Care Regulations 2006 were introduced following wide-ranging consultations with the pre-school sector. The adult to child ratios were last examined as part of this process and, as a result, the adult to child ratio for children aged 1 to 2 years was reduced from that of 1 adult to 6 children to 1 adult to 5 children. My Department will continue to keep the regulatory environment for pre-school services under review with a view to ensuring the safety and well-being of children as well as practical considerations for service providers.

I am aware that, along with other areas of the economy, early childhood care and education services have experienced a reduced demand from parents. I believe it is important to support the sector through these times for a number of reasons. Clearly, the State has made a very significant capital investment in the sector which should be protected into the future. More importantly, quality early childhood care and education services are of vital importance to ensuring young children’s well-being during this key developmental stage of their lives.

For this reason, I am committed to maintaining my Department’s work in funding some 4,500 pre-school services across the country, in effect almost every pre-school in the State, through the three major early childhood care and education programmes which I am responsible for. These programmes, which include the free Pre-School Year, support some 100,000 children and the jobs of up to 20,000 personnel, at a cost of €240 million per annum.

This Week’s PQ replies

Posted November 7th, 2012

To read about rostering within the public sector here.

To find out how may people have missed scheduled outpatient hospital appointments click here.

Foreign Affairs and Trade Questions

Posted November 4th, 2012

Non-proliferation Treaty – 30th June 2015

To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views that the failure of the 2015 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference to agree an outcome document increases the urgency for the negotiation of a new legal framework to ban and eliminate nuclear weapons in keeping with the spirit of Article VI of the NPT; and if Ireland will take a leading role in initiating such negotiations, and so on.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Charlie Flanagan)

Ireland’s long track record in the area of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation dates back to the late 1950s when Ireland’s efforts at the United Nations General Assembly led to the negotiation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). I addressed the NPT Review Conference in New York at its opening on 27 April this year in order to highlight Ireland’s continuing strong commitment to nuclear disarmament. I also had the opportunity to meet with a number of delegations on that occasion.

It is a matter of great regret that, despite strenuous efforts, including by Ireland, the 2015 NPT Review Conference ended without an agreed outcome document. Both before and during the Conference, Ireland worked for concrete progress on creating an effective outcome document through our national efforts and also through the New Agenda Coalition (NAC), a cross-regional group of States, including Ireland, which are committed to promoting urgent progress on nuclear disarmament.

Right from the inception of the NPT, Ireland has emphasised – primarily for humanitarian reasons – the urgent need to pursue the effective measures for nuclear disarmament mandated by Article VI of the Treaty. It is clear that, in order to be effective, these measures need to be legally binding, and it is my view that work on elaborating them needs to begin immediately.

The need for urgent progress on nuclear disarmament has been given even greater impetus by the facts and research presented at three major recent conferences on the risks and consequences associated with nuclear weapons and the devastating humanitarian consequences of any nuclear detonation whether by accident or design. A statement endorsed at the Review Conference by 159 States, including Ireland, asserts that nuclear weapons must never be used again under any circumstances and that the only way of ensuring this is through their total elimination.

Ireland’s final statement to the Review Conference recalled our commitment to nuclear disarmament and our belief that effective measures for the implementation of Article VI are required as a matter of urgency.

This has always been and remains Ireland’s position, as was shown last year when Ireland was Coordinator of the New Agenda Coalition and contributed significantly to the debate at the Final Preparatory Committee meeting for the NPT Review Conference by presenting on behalf of the NAC a Working Paper with detailed proposals on the effective measures required by Article VI. This work was taken forward by the current NAC Coordinator, New Zealand, at the Review Conference itself.

I can assure the Deputy that we will continue to work towards achieving a world without nuclear weapons, including by consulting closely with like-minded partners and by supporting South Africa, when it assumes the role of Coordinator of the New Agenda Coalition from 1 July 2015.

Millennium development goals – 6th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on concerns expressed that the Government has reneged on its commitment to the millennium development goals; and the current position regarding same.

Minister of State (Seán Sherlock)

The Government is very strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme and to its place at the heart of Irish foreign policy. Our programme and our development policy are centrally based on our commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, which were adopted by world leaders at the UN in 2000 and which set out clear targets in the fight to end poverty and hunger in the world. Our commitment has been recognised internationally, and Ireland has been asked by the UN to co-facilitate the negotiations next year on the new framework for global development to succeed the MDGs after 2015.

The OECD has recognised in recent weeks in the peer review of Ireland’s aid programme that “Ireland continues to excel in the delivery of effective aid”. Our commitment to development cooperation is clear in the Programme for Government and was further enhanced by the launch of our policy for international development – One World One Future.

The policy sets out our vision for a sustainable and just world in which people are empowered to overcome poverty and hunger and to fully realise their rights and potential. One World One Future has a clear focus on the poorest countries and communities in sub-Saharan Africa and sets out three goals: reduced hunger and stronger resilience; sustainable development and inclusive economic growth; and better governance, human rights and accountability.

It provides a clear framework for the prioritisation of activities and for the allocation of resources across six priority areas for action deriving from those goals. These areas are closely aligned with the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals.

In the context of the very difficult economic circumstances facing the country, the Government has successfully managed to stabilise allocations to Ireland’s aid programme. For Budget 2015, we were again determined to protect the aid programme, and we have provided a total allocation of just over €600 million for next year. This clearly demonstrates our commitment to the aid programme and represents a very significant and generous contribution on behalf of the people of Ireland to assist those less fortunate than ourselves. I will set out the case for building further on this commitment over the coming year.

Obtaining a second passport – 9th October 2014

To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the conditions or circumstances in which an Irish person can obtain a second passport.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Charlie Flanagan)

I can confirm that the Passport Service does operate a system to provide a second passport to Irish citizens who are regularly required to travel into countries where possession of an entry/exit stamp or visa from another state would likely prevent a person’s entry into that country. A second passport is also provided in circumstances where the holder can show that their passport is held for regular periods of time at Embassies while waiting to obtain a visa, preventing the individual from other regular travel plans.

Applicants are required to complete the standard passport application form and additionally include a letter from their employer detailing the circumstances of the case and providing sample travel plans which show regular travel into the countries concerned.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his involvement in Congo – 30th April 2014

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 63 of 8 April 2014, the Government’s position regarding the Rwandan President Paul Kagame and UN allegations regarding his involvement in Congo.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Eamon Gilmore)

As highlighted in my response to Question No. 63 of 8 April 2014, Ireland is actively engaged at both European Union and United Nations level in relation to the ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes region.

The Government, along with our partners at the EU and UN, condemns all forms of external support to destabilising forces active in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The focus by all sides must be on finding a durable solution to the ongoing crisis in the DRC and the region. It is imperative that regional Governments, including the Government of Rwanda, cooperate with the United Nations and play a positive role in searching for peace and stability. In this regard, I note that Rwanda is one of the signatories of the Framework Agreement for Peace, Security and Cooperation in the Great Lakes Region which was signed in the presence of the UN Secretary General in Addis Ababa on 24 February 2013.

Ireland is supporting former President Mary Robinson in her important role, as Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for the Great Lakes region of Africa, to coordinate and assess the implementation of national and regional commitments under the Framework Agreement. In December 2013, Ireland contributed €300,000 to the UN Trust Fund in support of the Office of the Special Envoy. We are also actively considering support for the Women’s Platform for the peace process in the Great Lakes Region which is under the guidance of Special Envoy Robinson.

Since 2009, Ireland has provided €44.6 million in response to the crisis in the DRC. In 2013 alone, Ireland provided over €5.5 million in humanitarian funding to the DRC – €3.8 million was provided to the Common Humanitarian Fund for the DRC, while the remaining €1.8 million was allocated to NGO partners.

The ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo – 8th April 2014

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the Government’s position regarding Rwanda President Paul Kagame and UN allegations regarding his involvement in Congo.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Eamon Gilmore):

The Democratic Republic of Congo continues to face one of the most complex and enduring humanitarian crises in the world. Ongoing conflict, human rights violations and gender-based violence in the east of the country continue to displace hundreds of thousands of people internally and across borders into neighbouring countries. It is vital to counter and deal with all destabilising forces in the region, that regional Governments, including the Government of Rwanda, cooperate with the United Nations on this and play a positive role in searching for peace and stability. Central to this is the process of reconciliation, justice for the perpetrators of human rights abuses and peace building, so that the myriad development needs of the people in eastern DRC can be met.

The EU pursues a comprehensive approach to the DRC and Great Lakes region encompassing political, security, development and humanitarian response. The main focus of the EU’s political engagement is supporting the implementation of the Framework Agreement for Peace, Security and Cooperation in the Great Lakes Region which was signed in Addis Ababa on 24 February 2013. The signatories of the Framework Agreement are the DRC and its 10 neighbours, including Rwanda.

Former President Mary Robinson was appointed on 18 March 2013 as the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for the Great Lakes region of Africa and her role is to coordinate and assess the implementation of national and regional commitments under the Framework Agreement. Ireland is committed to supporting this work and in December 2013, Ireland contributed €300,000 to the UN Trust Fund in support of the Office of the Special Envoy. We are also actively considering support for the Women’s Platform for the peace process in the Great Lakes Region which is under the guidance of Special Envoy Robinson.

System of scoring for the Department’s election monitoring roster (No.3) – 4th March 2014

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 132 of 11 February 2014, if he will provide details of the election missions in which the OSCE specified that a second relevant local language, other than Russian, would be desirable for missions in 2013 and 2014 and the language in question for each mission; if marks were awarded to applicants claiming to have such languages as part of the assessment process; if he will detail the way language abilities claimed by applicants were tested as part of the selection process; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Joe Costello):

Further to my replies to two Parliamentary Questions on this matter last month, I can confirm that Ireland nominated observers for eight OSCE monitoring missions between 1 January 2013 and 28 February 2014. The missions were to Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. As set out in a previous reply, English is the primary language used on OSCE Missions, and knowledge of a second relevant language is usually indicated as desirable. For all eight missions since the start of 2013, the OSCE stated that ‘command of the English Language is essential and knowledge of local languages is desirable, but not essential’.

Ireland’s Election Observation Roster services both EU and OSCE-led election observation missions. Since the start of 2013, we have provided observers for eleven EU monitoring missions. For six of these, the observers were required to have fluency in a language other than English.

I regard it as important that language proficiency was one of the four criteria for the selection of roster members. All applicants for the new roster were required to set out their language proficiency in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Arabic. Applicants could also indicate their proficiency in other languages. Candidates were asked to indicate their levels of proficiency, what formal study had been undertaken, and their usage of the languages. Although language skills were not tested orally, it is important to note that the EU carries out spot checks on language proficiency among candidates nominated to take part in election observer missions.

Irish participation at international conference on humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons in Mexico – 13th February 2014

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Ireland will play an active part in the second international conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons, taking place in Mexico on 13-14 February 2014.

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Eamon Gilmore):

The Deputy may be assured that Ireland strongly supports international efforts to focus on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons and that we will continue to play an active part in all related discussions, including at the Second International Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons in Mexico this week. Officials from my Department will actively participate in that Conference.

At the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Preparatory Committee meeting in Geneva in 2012, which marked the beginning of the 2015 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review cycle, Switzerland delivered a joint statement on behalf of sixteen countries, including Ireland, on the humanitarian dimension of nuclear disarmament. Since then, over successive NPT and UNGA First Committee meetings, support for the statement has grown from 16 to 35 to 80 and, at the 2013 First Committee meeting of the UN General Assembly, to 125 states – a majority of UN members. Ireland participated in the First International Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons, hosted by the Norwegian Government in Oslo on 4 and 5 March 2013. We will remain closely associated with this humanitarian initiative, as one of the original sixteen initiators of the joint statement.

I believe that discussion of the humanitarian consequences of a nuclear detonation offers a basis for reframing the nuclear disarmament debate in such a way that the catastrophic consequences so evident in Hiroshima and Nagasaki guide international efforts to eliminate nuclear arsenals entirely.

System of scoring for the Department’s election monitoring roster (No.2) -11th February 2014

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 153 of 4 February 2014, the reason the four criteria carried equal weighting when one criteria, for example experience, is vastly more important than language skills as such supports are generally provided in-country.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Joe Costello):

Further to my previous replies to Parliamentary Questions on this issue, I wish to reiterate the importance that Ireland attaches to participation in international election monitoring missions, particularly in the light of our strong commitment to the promotion of human rights and democracy.

Ireland’s election observation roster has been put in place to facilitate the deployment at short notice of suitably qualified individuals to participate in international election observation missions, organised in the main by the EU and the OSCE.

The EU and the OSCE set the specific skills requirements for election observation missions and make the final call in selecting observers to participate in individual missions. Requirements set for participation include relevant language skills, good knowledge and/or experience of electoral processes, knowledge of human rights and/or governance issues, and relevant regional experience.

Ireland has had very good success in recent years in terms of having nominees selected to participate in missions led by the EU and the OSCE. In order to ensure this continued success, it was critical that a new election observation roster contained the right mix of skills and experience, matching the specific requirements set by the EU and the OSCE.
Specific, often difficult, language skills are frequently sought by the EU and the OSCE in organizing missions. The importance of having this as a criterion for inclusion in the new roster is borne out by recent calls to serve on election monitoring missions. In 2013, for example, Irish roster nominees took part in eleven election monitoring missions overseen by the EU. Six of those missions required fluency in a primary language other than English. In the case of the OSCE, while English is the primary language used on missions, knowledge of a second relevant local language is usually indicated as desirable for election observers. The trend for 2014 so far mirrors the 2013 experience.

Given the range of experience and specific skills requested by both the EU and OSCE for participation in election observation missions, I am satisfied that the four criteria selected to assess applications for Ireland’s new roster were appropriate and merited equal weighting. The assessment of applications against these four criteria was carried out in a fair and impartial way. I am confident that, given the broad mix of skills and experience across our new roster, Ireland will be in a position to maintain our active participation in international election observation missions into the future.

Monitoring state expenditure on Africa Day – 4th February 2014

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount of money the State has contributed to the holding of Africa day in 2012 and 2013; the amount committed for 2014; the amount of money that went directly to consultants and the amount provided that went on consultancy fees including plans for 2014; the reason this money was not given directly to the communities and groups participating in Africa day; if the spend of this money is audited; and if he will provide a breakdown of this spend.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Joe Costello):

Africa Day on 25 May is the official day of the African Union. Through Irish Aid, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has taken a leading role in encouraging and supporting initiatives to mark Africa Day in Ireland. The objectives are to increase awareness of the Government’s aid programme, which is strongly focused on sub-Saharan Africa; to build greater public understanding of Africa and African issues, by highlighting the diversity and potential of the continent and its people; and to enhance awareness of the potential for bilateral trade and investment links between Ireland and African countries.

The Department encourages, and provides funding for, the organisation of community events throughout the country in cooperation with local authorities in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford. Community and civil society groups also receive support to participate in the National Flagship Event. In 2013, this event was held in the Farmleigh Estate in Dublin. Some 46 community groups and NGOs took-part, and 34,000 people attended the event, making it the most successful Africa Day in Ireland to date.

While the Department, through Irish Aid, has always taken the lead on Africa Day, in cooperation with community groups, local authorities and African community and diplomatic representatives, it is clear that the coordination, promotion and implementation of a programme of events on this scale requires some professional expertise. To this end, a contractor with experience in large-scale event management and publicity has been engaged each year by the Department, on the basis of an open tendering process.

The table below provides a breakdown of the costs to the Department of Africa Day, in 2012 and 2013. This expenditure is subject to audit and review, both internally and externally.

Click here for table.

For Africa Day events in 2014 some €180,000 has been allocated provisionally at this stage, with approximately half of the funding to be directed to regional community events organised in cooperation with local authorities. There has been no expenditure on the 2014 Africa Day programme so far.

System of scoring for the Department’s election monitoring roster – 4th February 2014

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 35 of 14 November and 51 of 12 November 2013, how it came to be, that using the system of scoring adopted by the Department, persons who had previously been selected to serve on the Department’s election monitoring roster when they had no prior experience in election monitoring abroad, were subsequently not selected for the new roster, even though they had by that time gained significant experience in election monitoring.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Joe Costello):

International election monitoring missions play an important role in the promotion of democracy and human rights. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade maintains and administers a roster of observers for such missions. The aim is to ensure that, when requested, Ireland is represented at an appropriate level in international observation missions for both elections and constitutional referendums.

The Department carried out a comprehensive review of the election observation roster in 2013. Following a call for applications which was issued by the Department in January 2013, a new roster comprising 200 individuals with a strong mix of skills and experience came into effect on 15^th May 2013, for a five year period.

Applications to join the new election observation roster were invited from members of the existing roster and members of the public not on the roster. All applicants were requested to submit an application form setting out their relevant qualifications, knowledge and experience. 263 eligible applications were received and included a combination of existing roster members and new applicants.

In the interests or fairness and transparency, all 263 applications were scored independently by two assessors external to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade against four criteria. These criteria were clearly set out in the Information Note for applicants. They were: Language Skills; Experience of election observation; Knowledge of human rights and / or governance issues; and experience of living in challenging environments. Applicants were asked to demonstrate their proficiency or experience as appropriate and to provide concrete written examples under each of the four criteria to support their application.

In order to ensure fairness and consistency in the scoring of applications, the external assessors were provided with a scoring guideline, which set out how marks were to be awarded under each criterion. All four criteria carried equal weighting. This methodology applied equally to all applicants. Given the high quality of applications received, successful candidates had to score highly against more than one of the criteria in order to ensure selection for the new roster.

I am satisfied that all applicants were treated fairly and impartially. I would note that unsuccessful applicants were invited to request feedback on their applications. In addition, in my reply to a previous Question, I outlined the offer of a review process.

On foot of feedback received, two unsuccessful applicants requested a final review of their applications. In both cases, the reviewer was of the view that the scoring of the applications was fair and impartial across all four published criteria. As indicated previously, it was recommended in one case that the applicant’s score be adjusted marginally upwards. This adjustment did not affect the final outcome in relation to placement on the roster, however.

Getting on the roster for election observation missions – 12th November 2013

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 130 of 8 October, if he will be publishing a new roster in 2014; if the current roster will be amended in any way before a new roster is brought in; if any additions can be made to the existing roster; and if not what those persons interested in participating in observation missions should do in the interim.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Joe Costello):

The Department carried out a comprehensive review of the election observation roster earlier this year. Following a public call for applications, and an appraisal process against published criteria, 200 individuals with a strong mix of skills and experience were selected to serve on a new roster. This new roster came into effect on 15 May 2013 for a period of five years. A reserve panel was established from which applicants will be drawn should any roster members leave the roster during the five year period.

The Department nominates roster members to participate in missions organised mainly by the European Union and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. These nominations are made following invitation by the organisations concerned. A number of international organisations, including the Carter Centre, the National Democratic Institute and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, also recruit directly for participation in election monitoring. It is open to persons interested in participating in such missions, who are not on the Department’s roster, to apply directly to these organizations if they are interested in participating in their missions.

Irish embassies in Libya – 18th September 2013

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when an Irish consul will be appointed to Libya; when an Irish Embassy will be established in Libya ; and if the Libyan National Transitional Council have offered to fund an Irish Embassy in Tripoli.

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Eamon Gilmore):

The scale and deployment of our diplomatic and honorary consul network is considered by the Government on an ongoing basis taking account also of the resources available to us at this time. There are no immediate plans to appoint an Honorary Consul in Libya nor to establish an Embassy there. My Department is unaware of any offer to fund an Embassy having being made by the Libyan Transitional National Council, which was superseded in 2012 by the current Libyan Government and the National Assembly.

International Conference on Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons, Oslo – 19th February 2013

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Ireland will be represented at the forthcoming International Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons, to be held on 4-5 March in Oslo.

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Eamon Gilmore):

I welcome and strongly support the initiative by the Norwegian Government to host an International Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons. I believe that this Conference — and, indeed, discussion around this topic more generally — will help to highlight the calamitous, unmanageable and immoral implications of any use, whether accidental or deliberate, of nuclear weapons. It will also help to demonstrate once again that the possession of nuclear weapons entails unacceptable risks and that there is no place for these weapons in defensive arsenals or security postures.

The Deputy may be aware that there was discussion of the humanitarian dimension of nuclear disarmament at the 2010 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which expressed its “deep concern at the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons” and reaffirmed “the need for all States at all times to comply with applicable international law, including international humanitarian law”.

When the preparatory process towards the next (2015) NPT Review Conference commenced in Vienna last May, Switzerland sought to generate discussion around this topic with a joint statement on the humanitarian dimension of nuclear disarmament, which it delivered on behalf of 16 States. It delivered the same statement to the 67th UN General Assembly First Committee meeting in October on behalf of 34 States. Ireland was involved with both statements from the outset and we are associated by name with them.

I can confirm to the Deputy that Ireland will participate actively in the Oslo Conference. Last December I was invited by my Norwegian counterpart to nominate Irish representatives at senior official and expert level to participate in the Conference. The Director for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will attend on my behalf. Our Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, which covers disarmament issues, will also be represented. We are consulting with other interested Government Departments to establish how best we might frame a constructive contribution to the discussion in Oslo.

The Conference will be preceded by a civil society meeting, organised by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which will debate the same topic. A contingent of NGOs from the civil society meeting will then participate in the official conference. I believe that civil society has an extremely important role to play in raising awareness about this important issue and in contributing to debate. I would of course hope that Irish civil society will be able to feed into the useful and timely discussion now emerging.

Ireland has an established track record of support for efforts to promote nuclear disarmament and I can assure the Deputy that it is my intention that we will continue to participate actively in these efforts.

The use of depleted uranium in war munitions – 7th February 2013

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his position on the use of depleted uranium in war munitions.

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Eamon Gilmore):

Ireland does not possess, and has never possessed, any weapons, armaments or ammunition containing depleted uranium. It is the firm policy of the Government that depleted uranium munitions will never be used by the Defence Forces.

Ireland has voted in favour of the four resolutions on depleted uranium taken at the United Nations General Assembly since 2007, most recently in December 2012 when General Assembly Resolution 67/36 was supported by 155 States. These resolutions requested the UN Secretary-General to seek the views of member States and relevant international organisations on the effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions containing depleted uranium.

Research carried out to date by the relevant international organisations, including by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has concluded that depleted uranium does not pose a significant radiological risk. Other research has consistently returned inconclusive results.

Following consultations with the Department of Defence, Ireland provided a national report to the UN Secretary-General in 2009. This confirmed that, while there is no practical method of testing people who may have been exposed to depleted uranium, thorough medical examinations are carried out on all Defence Forces personnel returning from deployment overseas. These include tests intended to detect signs of those disease processes most likely to arise in cases of contamination with depleted uranium. To date, no evidence of an unusual incidence of disease has been found.

At present, there is no international framework or treaty relating to depleted uranium munitions and, consequently, no internationally agreed definition or prohibition. To achieve the political momentum required for implementing an international ban, a necessary condition would be to establish conclusively the negative impact of depleted uranium on human health and on the environment.

The Government supports further study and research by relevant international organisations and the scientific community and is not currently considering the introduction of legislation on depleted uranium weapons. A number of like-minded partners, including Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan and Spain, have adopted a similar approach.

Employment practices in the civil service – 6th February 2013

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there are any retired public sector workers from his Department, or any other part of the public sector, currently on his Department’s payroll, for example, for sitting on a committee or preparing a report, but not exclusively these two areas; the number on the payroll; the cost to his Department; the services being delivered for this money; and the way that the positions were originally advertised.

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Eamon Gilmore):

Details are set out in the table provided of the retired officials of my Department who are currently contracted to the Department.

The temporary Clerical Officers were recruited through an open competition organised by the Public Appointments Service (PAS).

My Department’s Development Cooperation Division also occasionally engages a small number of retired staff for short duration specialist consultancy projects connected with the activities of Irish Aid.

The policy of my Department regarding the re-engagement of retired officials is to do so to the minimum extent possible. However, for certain once-off or short-duration projects, it is more productive and cost-effective to re-engage retired staff who already have the relevant expertise and experience than to go through a time-consuming and relatively expensive recruitment, induction and training process. Where it occurs, retired staff are usually re-engaged on a pension abatement basis, which means in effect that they continue to receive their pensions and are paid correspondingly reduced salaries by the Department.

The records currently available to my Department do not enable me to respond in full as regards retired public sector workers currently employed. However, under the provisions of the Public Service Pensions (Single Schemes & Other Provisions) Act 2012, new employees are required to declare if they are in receipt of, or entitled to, a pension from previous service in the public sector.

Public Sector Rostering – 6th November 2012,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Eamon Gilmore):

I understand that the Deputy’s question relates to cases involving staff being moved from roster-working to annualised hours. No such cases arise in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Actions points by Trociare regarding Ireland’s Presidency of the EU – 25th September 2012,

To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider the seven action points put forward by Trocaire in relation to Ireland’s presidency of the EU in 2013; and his thoughts on same.

The Minister of State for Trade and Development (Joe Costello):

Ireland’s EU Presidency offers an important opportunity to lead and influence debate on international development issues, with a credibility based on the strength and effectiveness of our aid programme. In focusing on EU development policy during the Presidency, we will seek to build on the strong focus in Ireland’s aid programme on the fight to end hunger and undernutrition and the growing impact of global challenges, including climate change.

The Irish Presidency comes at a crucial period for international development policy, as the international community opens discussion on the framework for global development after 2015, the target date for the Millennium Development Goals. A special political meeting will be held at the United Nations, probably in September 2013, to review progress on the Millennium Development Goals and to begin consideration of the post-2015 development framework.

A key priority for Ireland’s Presidency will be to ensure that the EU adopts a strong, coherent position for this Millennium Development Goals event. In working with our partners to guide discussions on the post-2015 development framework we will build on our commitment to eradicate poverty and hunger in the world. We will also work to highlight the important linkages between hunger, nutrition and climate change and to have these linkages recognised for future policy and programming internationally.

We will also work to forge stronger links between humanitarian relief and development aid, based on experience in emergencies in recent years. Drawing on lessons from the Horn of Africa emergency in 2011 and with input from our partners in developing countries, we will explore the practical application of these principles and showcase examples of best practice. We will place particular emphasis on the EU’s approach to disaster risk reduction, helping communities to prepare and take action to avert the effects of disasters and emergencies. We plan to hold an informal meeting of EU Development Ministers in Dublin in February 2013, which will be the first opportunity for substantive discussion by Ministers of all these key issues.

I and my officials have been consulting closely with Ireland’s development NGOs in preparation for the EU Presidency. The policy document just published by Trócaire is an important contribution to the discussion. I look forward to continuing our dialogue with Trócaire and the other members of Dóchas, the umbrella body for the development NGOs, in the lead-up to and during the EU Presidency.

The Minister’s opinion on the Mexican Presidential elections – 18th September 2012,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the outcome of the recent Mexican presidential elections, following reports of vote-rigging, vote-buying and unfair media coverage during the campaign.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

The Presidential election in Mexico took place on 1st July 2012. Enrique Peña Nieto, the candidate of the PRI – the Institutional Revolutionary Party – has been confirmed by the Mexican electoral authorities as the winner of the election and will take office on 1 December.

Mexico’s legislative framework for elections is highly detailed and provides for independent and non-partisan electoral bodies and dispute mechanisms. Reforms in this area in recent years have strengthened further the framework and the transparency of the electoral process. Some 30,000 Mexican and 500 foreign observers were registered as observers for Election Day, including the officers of the Embassy of Ireland in Mexico City. The European Union and the Organisation of American States, amongst others, conducted specialist oversight of the election.

Availing of the legislative provisions open to him, the candidate who came second requested the Mexican Federal Electoral Institute to conduct a recount, claiming widespread voting irregularities. He lodged also a detailed law-suit with the Federal Electoral Tribunal alleging vote buying, media bias and other abuses in favour of the PRI candidate.

The Federal Electoral Institute recounted close to 55% of the presidential ballot. It confirmed the result in favour of Mr Peña Nieto by a significant margin. The Federal Electoral Tribunal endorsed this result, confirming that the election was carried out in line with legislation and rejecting the various claims made as grounds to nullify the election. This outcome is consistent with the views of respected international observers.

I warmly congratulate Mr Peña Nieto and wish him every success in fulfilling his mandate. I look forward to the enhancement of our bilateral relations with Mexico in the period ahead.

Plans for the EU Presidency and Turkey’s accession to the EU – 17th July 2012,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans for the EU Presidency next year in so far as Turkey’s accession to the EU is concerned, if he anticipates any significant developments, in particular in relation to the opening or closing of remaining chapters.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

The enlargement agenda is an important aspect of EU foreign policy still within the purview of the rotating EU Presidency. We have already begun planning to take the process forward in relation to all five candidate countries – Iceland, Turkey, Montenegro, Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia.With regard to Turkey, Minister of State Creighton visited Turkey last week in part to discuss areas for possible progress during our Presidency.As the Deputy may be aware, progress on Turkey’s EU accession has been very slow of late with the last Chapter in the negotiations opened in 2010. 12 of the 33 negotiating Chapters have been officially opened and one provisionally closed.

Of the remaining 21 Chapters, negotiations on eight of them have been suspended by the Council since December 2006 due to Turkey’s failure to meet its obligations under the Ankara Protocol i.e. normalisation of relations with Cyprus. The Council also agreed that it will not decide on provisionally closing Chapters until the Commission verifies that Turkey has fulfilled its commitments related to the Protocol. A further four Chapters remain frozen since 2007 and Cyprus is blocking another six. This leaves three Chapters with a possibility of being opened.

In the absence of movement in the enlargement negotiations, Turkey is still proceeding, nonetheless, with reforms including plans for a new Constitution, in part to bring it more in line with EU standards. The December 2011 General Affairs Council also took “positive note” of the Commission’s proposal for a renewed “positive agenda” to support the negotiation process which would involve enhanced cooperation with Turkey in parallel with the accession process in an effort to keep momentum behind the negotiations.

We will be working closely with Turkey, with the European Commission, and with our EU partners and will make every effort to move the agenda forward during our Presidency.

Open Government Partnership – 17th July 2012,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if this country will be signing up to the Open Government Partnership.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is an ad hoc international initiative which was launched in 2011 and which is overseen by a multi-stakeholder International Steering Committee involving Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as civil society representatives. The aim of the organisation is to promote progress by participating states in relation to enhanced transparency and anti-corruption measures.

To my knowledge, the Government has not been in receipt of any approach by the OGP to join the organisation and the question of possible participation by Ireland has not yet been examined. It would be necessary as part of any such examination to consider, in conjunction with the other relevant Government Departments, the potential added value of membership as well as the resources implications.

Ireland participates at EU level and within the OSCE, OECD, Council of Europe and United Nations frameworks in efforts to promote cooperation on, and improvement in, transparency and anti-corruption measures. We ratified the UN Convention Against Corruption in 2011 and are also a party to the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention. During the Nineteenth Session of the UN Human Rights Council in March 2012, Ireland co-sponsored a resolution on “The role of good governance in the promotion and protection of human rights”, which was adopted by the Council. This encouraged States to ratify the UN Convention Against Corruption and emphasised the role of good governance in the full realisation of human rights, sustained economic growth, sustainable development and the eradication of poverty and hunger.

The number of staff in the department’s redeployment pool – 26th June 2012,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of persons in his Department’s redeployment pool, including agencies responsible to it, that is, those persons who are to be redeployed as their current role is no longer necessary, but have not been redeployed as of yet.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

My Department’s current staffing levels are within the ceilings authorised under its Employment Control Framework and the available staff are required to assist the Department in delivering the diverse range of foreign policy, economic promotion, programme management and citizen services it provides at home and abroad.
There are no State agencies under the aegis of my Department.

Public sector staffing numbers – 12th June 2012,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the percentage of staff working in the public sector, including in the civil services, that he deems to fall into the category of frontline staff, administrative, management, elected representative and any other relevant categories; and the way the pay budget is allocated across these categories in percentage and real terms in terms of as a proportion of the Department expenditure on salaries.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

My Department’s salaries budget is not allocated on the basis outlined in the question and the type of information sought is therefore not currently available.

However, in order to be helpful to the Deputy, I am providing below a table containing a full breakdown of the core staffing of the Department at home and abroad on 30th April 2012.

Just less than 590, or approximately 42% of posts are based abroad and a majority of those would be regarded as frontline staff. At Headquarters, some 40% of the 810 posts are filled by staff involved in the provision of passport and consular services and would also fall into that category, as would smaller numbers of staff in some other areas of the Department.

Overall, about 36% of the Department’s staff are graded at Higher Executive Officer or equivalent level, or above, and would be regarded as management staff.

Two members of the Dáil are office holders in the Department; myself as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Mr Joe Costello TD, Minister of State for Trade and Development. The ministerial salary of the Minister for European Affairs, Ms Lucinda Creighton TD, is paid by the Department of the Taoiseach.

GradeNos. serving at headquarters Nos. serving abroad

Assistant Secretary and above1127

Counsellor/Principal Officer2744

Principal Development Specialist32

Senior Development Specialist106

Assistant Legal Advisers4.6

First Secretary/Assistant Principal77.990

Professional Accountants4

Development Specialists13.811

Architects2

Third Secretary /Administrative Officers /HEO10965

EO and equivalent78.413

Staff Officers36.32

Clerical Officers378.435

Service Officers / Cleaners422

Civilian Drivers2

Political Appointees11

Local Staff289.1

Total:810.4586.1

Overall total1396.5

A Middle East free from nuclear weapons – 29th March 2012,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Government endorses the international joint Parliamentary Statement for a Middle East free from nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction, which, inter alia, supports the goal of a Middle East zone free from nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction, affirms the role of the United Nations in assisting in the development of such a zone, emphasises the importance of comprehensive peace negotiations in the Middle East; commends the leadership of the United Nations Secretary General in advancing a five point proposal for nuclear disarmament, and calls on all Governments, especially those in the Middle East and the nuclear weapons states, to collaborate in good faith with the UN facilitator tasked to conduct consultations with the States of the region and undertake preparations for the convening of a conference to be attended by all States of the Middle East, on the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

Nuclear weapons pose an existential challenge to humanity and achieving their elimination is a fundamental global challenge. Nuclear non-proliferation and implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty have been priorities of Irish Governments for over 50 years. We have a proud record of engagement and achievement in this critically important field and I am committed to maintaining this tradition.

The NPT, the primary international mechanism for controlling the spread of nuclear weapons, is reviewed every five years. The 2010 review conference adopted forward-looking action plans across all three pillars of the Treaty, disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Full implementation of these plans would considerably reinforce the non-proliferation regime and I intend to promote this, bilaterally and multilaterally, in the period ahead.

Ireland regards the establishment of a Middle East Zone free of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems as a particularly important objective. I am very pleased that at the 2010 NPT Review Conference, Ireland brokered agreement on a text which emphasised the importance of establishing such a zone and which set out a number of practical steps towards achieving this, including the convening of a conference in 2012. We are hopeful that all countries in the region will participate in the Conference and in the process going forward.

The position of the Government has been clear and consistent. The Middle East is an area of high tension which contains many regional conflicts and has seen many wars. The escalation of military capabilities to new heights in such a volatile region can only make the situation more dangerous. We support the establishment in the Middle East of a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction, to include all states in the region.

Ireland’s vote at the cluster munitions talk in Geneva – 22nd February 2012,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will clarify Ireland’s position and subsequent vote at the cluster munitions talks in Geneva November 2011; and the way he sees the process developing from here.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

The Fourth Review Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) took place in Geneva from 14-25 November 2011. The main item for discussion was the draft of a possible Protocol VI to the Convention relating to cluster munitions.

Ireland’s position on a possible Protocol VI was clearly expressed at the Review Conference and at the meetings of the Group of Governmental Experts in advance of the Conference. We saw value in an instrument that would impose strong and binding legal commitments on states not currently in a position to become party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions that currently possess and/or produce such munitions. We were prepared to negotiate in good faith on an instrument that would be compatible with and complementary to the Convention on Cluster Munitions agreed in Dublin under our chairmanship in 2008 which would add value and make a difference in reducing civilian casualties in future armed conflicts. We would only have acceded to such an instrument if these conditions were met.

My officials worked hard with a group of like-minded states to improve the text of the draft under discussion in Geneva. However, it did not prove possible to reach consensus on the draft and no vote was taken.

It is not likely that negotiations on a Protocol on Cluster Munitions will resume in the CCW framework in the immediate future. Ireland will continue to promote the full implementation and universalisation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions and looks forward to the fulfilment of our role, in conjunction with the Lao Peoples’ Democratic Republic, as the Convention’s Co-ordinator on Clearance.

Procedure for the renewal of Irish passports for Irish citizens in the UK – 17th January 2012,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current policy in relation to renewal of Irish passports by Irish born citizens who are currently resident in the UK.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

The Passports Act, 2008 requires that before issuing a passport to a person, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade shall be satisfied as to the identity of each applicant and that the person is an Irish citizen. Documentary proof in respect of identity and entitlement to citizenship are required for all passport applications. These requirements are outlined in the passport application form notes that accompany each application form. Details are also available on the Department’s website www.passport.ie .

In the context of mitigating the risk of passport fraud the Department requires that those witnessing passport applications certify that that they are satisfied as to the identity of the applicant. For those Irish citizens who are resident overseas this would ordinarily mean that the witness would also live overseas and that the application is submitted through the nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate. A separate application for APS2 E (English version) and APS 2G (Irish version) are used for this purpose. For citizens resident overseas the range of those who may witness applications is very extensive and significantly beyond the requirement for citizens resident in the State, who may only have their application witnessed by a An Garda Síochána. The list of acceptable witnesses include police officers, a member of the clergy, medical doctor, lawyer, bank manager, elected public representative, notary public/commissioner for oaths, peace commissioner, school principals/vice principal or accountant.

The last passport recorded as having been issued to a person of the name and details supplied was a passport of one year’s validity, expiring in October 2004. Given that the previous passport for this citizen had been reported as lost; the length of time which has passed since the expiry of its passport; the fact that the application was submitted in Ireland for someone resident overseas who would have had to travel to Ireland without a passport, the Passport Service sought to exercise additional care in relation to this application. The request to have the application witnessed by a person in the applicant’s country of residence – in this case Britain – who could identify the applicant and that it be submitted through the Passport Office in London, which is best placed to confirm the bona fides of the witness, was prudent and appropriate, consistent with policy, and served to minimise the risk of identity theft and fraud.

A ministerial trip to China – 6th December 2011,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when he intends to make an official visit to China; and if there are plans for senior ministers to make official visits in 2012.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

The Government attaches great importance to widening and deepening bilateral relations with China. China is a key high-growth and high-potential market for Ireland under the Strategy and Action Plan for Irish Trade, Tourism and Investment to 2015. The local market team, set up under the Strategy, includes all of the State Agencies present in China in addition to the Embassy in Beijing and the Consulate-General in Shanghai. The team is chaired by our Ambassador in Beijing and has been actively working to build on our growing economic and trade relationships with China.

Ireland had a modest trade surplus with China in 2010. Total merchandise trade between Ireland and China was worth almost €5.3 billion in 2010. Trade in services during the same period was worth €2.1 billion. Over 130 Irish companies now have a permanent business presence in China – an increase of 300% over the last five years.

I very much hope to visit China next year in order to build on the excellent bilateral relations that exist between our two countries; to have discussions with my opposite number in China on matters of mutual concern; to promote Irish interests; and to further enhance our political, trade, investment, education and tourism links with China. As the Deputy will appreciate, a visit must take place at a time mutually convenient for my Chinese counterpart. This will be arranged between the Irish and Chinese sides through diplomatic channels.

As the Deputy will be aware, Government Ministers generally commit to official visits abroad based on the demands of their portfolio. I am not aware of any confirmed travel plans by other Ministers in relation to China, although the Deputy will be aware that the Taoiseach also intends to visit China in 2012.

Gendercide – 16th November 2011,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he recognises the term gendercide; and if so, the reason the term infanticide was included in the amendment to Senator Ronan Mullen’s motion on the problem of gendercide.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

While I understand the term “gendercide” is beginning to gain currency, it is not a term which has been fully defined at international level, and is not currently in use in international law, human rights or development discourse. For his reason, the term “female infanticide” was used in the amendment proposed to Senator Ronan Mullen’s motion. Infanticide is a long-standing recognised specific crime in national law and in many other jurisdictions.

The amendment envisaged that Seanad Éireann, condemning in the strongest terms female infanticide and all other violations of the rights of women and girls, would commend the Government’s firm opposition to such practices and its efforts to combat all forms of gender-based violence. It would also endorse the Government’s strong support for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls through its Official Development Assistance Programme.

Is trade under the remit of the Minister – 25th October 2011,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the trade function has moved under his remit, if not when will this occur, if it has happened – to what extent; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

Following a Government decision on 24 May last, the transfer of trade promotion functions from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade took place on 1 June. The transfer gives my Department an enhanced role in trade promotion.

On a practical level, my Department now has responsibility for the management of the Export Trade Council and of our Joint Economic Commissions which Ireland maintains with a number of countries.

I chaired the first meeting of the Export Trade Council, on Thursday 29 September 2011. In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government the new Council will strengthen cooperation and coordination across all Government Departments and State Agencies involved in the promotion and development of trade and exports and will oversee the progressive implementation of the recommendations set out inTrading and Investing in a Smart Economy published last autumn.

I will lead the Irish delegation at the forthcoming meeting of our Joint Economic Commission with the Russian Federation scheduled to take place on 7 November next in Moscow.

The transfer of trade functions has resulted in a closer working relationship with Enterprise Ireland, particularly in relation overseas trade missions which they organise and which are led by myself or my colleague the Minister for State for Trade and Development. Minister O’Sullivan has recently led trade missions to London, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and will shortly lead one to South Africa. I attended the annual meeting of Asia Pacific Ireland Business Forum (APIBF) in Seoul, on 14 October 2011 and while in the region, took the opportunity to travel to Tokyo to have a number of meetings there focussed on trade and economic issues.

The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation retains lead responsibility for trade policy, which includes representing Ireland’s trade interests in the context of the EU Common Commercial Policy and at the World Trade Organisation.

The amount the department will spend on consultancy fees – 6th October 2011,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount he intends to spend on consultancy fees in 2011, in particular those contracted to identify value for money in his Department.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

My Department manages expenditure under two Votes – Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) and Vote 29 (International Co-Operation).

In 2011, an allocation of €108,000 has been made for consultancy services and value for money and policy reviews in Vote 28. Most of this budget has been allocated towards the provision of specialised ICT consultancy services which are essential in order to maintain the security and integrity of the Department’s ICT networks. In line with Government policy, the Department has significantly reduced its spending on consultancy services in recent years. Since 2008, this budget line has been reduced by 81%.

The Vote 29 consultancy budget for 2011 is €1.4 million. My Department, through Irish Aid (Ireland’s official development assistance programme), commissions consultancy services where specialised knowledge and/or skills are not available within the Department and where independent appraisal, audit, monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects is required. Given the overall scale, range and diversity of the Irish Aid programme, it is necessary, from time to time, to complement our in-house capacity with specialised skills and advice. These commissions sometimes involve examination of value for money issues as part of a wider set of objectives for the project. In these situations it is not possible to separately identify the VFM element of the total costs.

The consultancy expenditure is constantly monitored to ensure that it does not exceed the level required for the proper management of the aid programme.

Ireland’s commitment to arms control – 20th September 2011,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of Ireland’s commitment to international arms control, in particular nuclear non- proliferation and disarmament and in view of Ireland’s chairmanship of the OSCE, which we will take up in 2012, if he will inform Dáil Éireann of when he intends to implement Ireland’s accession to the Antarctic treaty.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

The question of Ireland’s possible accession to the Antarctic Treaty System is under consideration in those Government Departments which have responsibility for the areas covered by the Antarctic Treaties.

A Government Decision of 9 June 2010 authorised the then Minister for Foreign Affairs and the other relevant Ministers to conduct preparatory work on this issue. A process of inter-departmental consultation, chaired by my Department, is continuing. This includes an assessment of the legislative implications of accession; it is apparent that these could be significant.

The Vatican Embassy – 20th September 2011,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a decision has been reached in relation to retaining an Irish embassy in the Vatican.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

I am currently reviewing our network of diplomatic and consular missions in the context of the Government’s comprehensive review of expenditure. It would be inappropriate and discourteous for me to speculate on the outcome of that review as regards individual missions.

Heads of State outside the EU who have been called on to stand down by the EC – 14th April 2011,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide details of all those Heads of State outside of the European Union that the European Council has formally called on to step down.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

The European Union maintains diplomatic relations with almost every country in the world. Through engagement with these countries, the EU aims to promote the common values and interests of the Union, to develop and consolidate democracy and the rule of law and to promote respect for human rights. The European Council, which defines the general political direction and priorities of the EU, has, on occasion, called on a foreign Head of State or Government to step down. Such a call, however, represents just one, limited way of promoting EU values and influencing the process of change within a country.

In relation to Libya, the Deputy will be aware of the Government’s view that Colonel Gaddafi and his family should surrender power and leave the political stage in order to allow the Libyan people to peacefully determine their future. This is also the considered view of our EU partners, as clearly expressed by the European Councils on 11 and 25 March, and again by the Foreign Affairs Council on 12 April.

Calling for Colonel Gaddafi to relinquish power does not amount to actively seeking regime change. He has clearly lost all legitimacy to rule and there are no circumstances in which one could envisage the vast majority of the Libyan people being prepared to have him continue as their Head of Government, in light of the violence and repression he has visited upon them. Ultimately, however, it remains for Colonel Gaddafi to draw his own conclusions and recognise that he and his regime have no political future in Libya. Extensive diplomatic and economic restrictive measures have also been imposed by the EU against Libya.

Following the Presidential elections in Cote d’Ivoire last year, Alassane Ouattara was declared the victor but the incumbent, Laurent Gbagbo, refused to accept the result. While the Foreign Affairs Council did not call on Gbagbo to step down, its conclusions on 31 January stated that it would only consider legitimate those institutions and bodies who placed themselves under the authority of President-elect Ouattara. The EU also imposed restrictive measures on Gbagbo and his allies. Gbagbo was arrested on Monday, 11 April, and is in the custody of the forces of President Ouattara.

Overseas development aid – 14th April 2011,

To ask the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the mechanisms in place to ensure that overseas development aid funding is spent as intended once drawn down by the recipient, that is, in accordance with the stated objectives of the programme receiving funding.

Reply

The Minister of State (Jan O’Sullivan):

Irish Aid has rigorous planning, monitoring, evaluation and audit mechanisms in place. This ensures that all funds are spent effectively and are used for the stated objectives of the programmes receiving funding.

Irish Aid planning processes have a strong results focus which identifies specific objectives and results against which Irish Aid programmes are measured and evaluated. All development aid funding is disbursed based on clear and detailed proposals in line with these specific objectives. Proposals are appraised by Irish Aid staff as well as by an independent external Programme Appraisal and Evaluation Group using a number of different criteria, including quality of intended impact, sustainability, cost effectiveness and efficiency in the use of resources.

Programmes in receipt of funding from Irish Aid are continually monitored and assessed, by both staff in the field and at headquarters, to ensure that they are achieving results and that the intended objectives and goals are being accomplished. This takes place through regular supervision and reporting, and external reviews are also conducted as necessary.

Irish Aid programmes are regularly audited and evaluated by independent evaluation and audit firms as well as by Irish Aid’s Evaluation and Audit Unit, including internal auditors based in our Programme Countries. The Unit’s work is also reviewed by the Department’s independent Audit Committee. These evaluations and audits provide assurance that funds are used for the purposes intended and have a particular focus on poverty outcomes and value for money.

While we are working in some of the most difficult environments in the world, I am satisfied that the monitoring, evaluation and audit systems which we have in place provide the best assurance that development aid funding is used for the intended objectives.

An value for money audit used for overseas aid – 14th April 2011,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the last time a value for money audit was conducted in relation to moneys allocated under overseas development aid programme.

Reply

The Minister of State (Jan O’Sullivan):

The last value for money work relating to the overseas development aid programme was completed in November 2009. This was a review of Irish Aid’s expenditure of €340 million devoted to HIV/AIDS programmes for the period 2000 to 2007. This report was published and is available in the Dáil Library and on the Irish Aid website.

Further value for money work is planned to be undertaken in 2011. This value for money exercise will be a review of Irish Aid’s support to Concern Worldwide under the Multi-Annual Programme Scheme for NGOs over the period 2007-2010.

The Minister’s understanding of the concept of neutrality – 3rd May 2011,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his understanding of the concept of military neutrality; the way this differs from neutrality and the extent to which both these concepts must evolve in relation to our membership of the European Union post entry in to force of the Lisbon Treaty.

Reply

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Eamon Gilmore):

In the strict sense of international law and practice, the question of neutrality does not arise during peacetime but only during a state of war, when the neutrality of a state would be embodied in an attitude of impartiality towards the belligerents.

Ireland is one of a number of States which proclaims to pursue a policy of neutrality or non-alignment in peacetime. It is a matter for each of these States to determine the nature and characteristics of its policies. Ireland’s traditional policy of military neutrality, which has been pursued by successive Governments, is characterised by non-participation in military alliances.

This is not a policy of isolationism and is fully consistent with Ireland’s foreign policy of active international engagement. The values on which our traditional policy of military neutrality rests inform Ireland’s broader foreign policy, including through our participation in international peacekeeping, our contributions to conflict resolution and peacebuilding, our work for human rights and development, and our efforts to promote disarmament and the elimination of weapons of mass destruction.

Indeed, it is these very same values which have underpinned and motivated Ireland’s long and distinguished record of support for and participation in military operations sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council in the cause of international peace and security.

The EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), as set out in the Lisbon Treaty, is an integral part and operational arm of the Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). The CSDP is entirely consistent with Ireland’s values and interests, including the primacy of the United Nations in the maintenance of global peace and security. While the CSDP is an evolving process directed towards the achievement of ever-greater effectiveness, successive Treaties since the Maastricht Treaty have stipulated that Union policy in this area shall not prejudice the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain member States.

Ireland’s participation in a European common defence is prohibited by Article 29.4.9 of the Constitution. Any change in that position could take place only with the approval of the people in a referendum to amend the Constitution.

Breakdown of overseas development aid – 14th April 2011,

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide a detailed breakdown of overseas development aid spending in 2009 and 2010; the amount that was allocated, by country and region, as well as programme of support and if money allocated in the years in question was drawn down.

Reply

The Minister of State (Jan O’Sullivan):

For 2010, Ireland spent €675 million on Official Development Assistance (ODA). Of this total, €521 million was administered by my Department through Irish Aid. A further €154 million was accounted for by ODA eligible expenditure made through other Government Departments, and Ireland’s share of the EU Development Cooperation budget.

This level of expenditure resulted in Ireland spending approximately 0.53% of its GNP on ODA – and ensured Ireland met, and indeed exceeded, the wider EU target of 0.51%.

Comparative figures for 2009 show that Ireland spent a total of €722 million on ODA, which represented 0.54% of GNP.

Ireland’s aid programme is internationally recognised as being of the highest quality and having a sharp focus on poverty reduction, with hunger eradication at its core. The latest OECD review of Ireland’s aid programme has described the programme as “cutting edge”. Most of Ireland’s bilateral ODA is directed to the least developed countries, with a particular focus on a limited number of very poor partner countries, called Programme Countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Ireland’s aid programme is based on the promotion of sustainable development results and has a particular focus on the social sectors of health, education, governance and addressing food security and hunger. Funding is delivered through a wide range of partner organisations including Programme Country national systems, NGOs and Missionary Organisations and UN and other international specialist agencies.

My Department is currently in the process of finalising the detailed analysis of Ireland’s ODA expenditure for 2010, which will be published shortly in the Irish Aid annual report. The detailed analysis of Ireland’s 2009 ODA expenditure is available in the 2009 annual report which can be accessed through the Irish Aid website at www.irishaid.gov.ie

Rostering in the Public Sector

Posted November 3rd, 2012

Public Sector Rostering – 6th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine: (Simon Coveney):

Some 32 staff of my Department engaged in information technology and border/port inspection duties are employed on a roster basis. My Department has no plans to remove these employees from their roster systems.

To ask the Taoiseach the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

An Taoiseach (Enda Kenny):

No staff in my Department or the National Economic and Social Development Office, which is the only agency under the aegis of my Dpeartment, are currently employed on a roster basis.

To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Jimmy Deenihan):

A number of staff from the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department comprising conservation rangers, guides and general operatives work on a rostered basis to facilitate public access to national parks and nature reserves at weekends.

In addition, a number of the National Cultural Institutions funded from my Department’s Vote Group have agreed rostering systems in place so that facilities are available to the public both at weekends and on certain late evenings. Rostered staff include attendants, shop assistants, library assistants, learning and outreach officers, and cleaners.

Lock keepers from Waterways Ireland also work a rostered week, which varies according to the regions in which the lock keeper is based.

I am advised that the roster arrangements in place both in my Department and in the bodies funded from my Department’s Vote Group are working well and there are no plans to change them at present.

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Frances Fitzgerald):

Certain grades of care staff are employed on a roster basis in the Children Detention School and due to the nature of the work involved, there are no plans to remove them from that system.

To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Pat Rabbitte)

My Department does not employ any staff on a roster basis.

Information in respect of bodies and agencies under the aegis of my Department is a day to day matter for those organisations and my Department does not have the information sought by the Deputy. I will, however, request the relevant Agencies and bodies under the aegis of my Department to respond directly to the Deputy in the matter.

To ask the Minister for Defence the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Defence (Alan Shatter):

As the Permanent Defence Force operates on a 24/7/365 basis, it is necessary to have a rostering system in place.

In addition, a small number of civilian employees of my Department currently work on a roster basis to ensure that essential services can be provided outside of normal working hours.

There are currently no plans in place to change the rostering system.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Education and Skills (Ruairí Quinn):

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phi Hogan):

A roster system is in use in the local authority sector and in Met Éireann, a division of my Department. There are no plans at present to change those systems, which are necessary for business reasons. There are no employees employed on a roster basis in the State agencies under the aegis of my Department.

To ask the Minister for Health the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Health (James Reilly):

As Minister for Health, I am replying to this question only insofar as it relates to the health sector.

To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Justice (Alan Shatter):

Two bodies under the aegis of my Department – an Garda Síochána and the Irish Prison Service (IPS) – operate rostering systems.

Prisons must function on a 24/7 and therefore it is necessary to operate a rostering system. The IPS uses rostering to schedule an officer’s basic working week over the periods outside normal working hours and is developing and implementing more efficient rosters. There are no plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

An Garda Síochána also provides a 24/7 service and members of An Garda Síochána including Garda reserves and some civilian staff in the organisation work on a roster. As the Deputy will be aware, a new roster system was introduced this year in An Garda Síochána which more closely matches the deployment of resources with policing demands while at the same time protecting the health and welfare of the members.

Out of hours cover and on call arrangements which would not ordinarily be considered as employed on a roster basis are utilised across the Justice sector. Such arrangements will continue to be a feature in the areas where they apply.

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin) :

No staff in my Department are currently employed on a roster basis. Likewise in the offices and agencies under the aegis of my Department there are no individuals employed on a roster basis.

To ask the Minister for Social Protection the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Social Protection (Joan Burton):

The only areas of my Department where staff attend on a roster basis are the Operations and Control sections of the Department’s IT Division. The roster arrangements are necessary to facilitate overnight processing of claims, generation of payments to the Department’s customers and on-going maintenance of the Department’s various IT systems.

There are no plans to change the existing arrangements in respect of the areas in question.

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Eamon Gilmore):

I understand that the Deputy’s question relates to cases involving staff being moved from roster-working to annualised hours. No such cases arise in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

There are two areas in my Department with rostered attendence patterns, the Irish Coast Guard and the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division, where staff work shift patterns. The rostered work patterns are necessary in the case of the Irish Coast Guard to provide a 24 hour/7 day rescue service for the State 365 days a year. The shift patterns in the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division are to provide technical support for the National Vehicle and Driver Computer system in particular outside of the normal 9 to 5 working hours. There have been no plans submitted to me to change this system.

Questions for Public Expenditure and Reform

Posted November 1st, 2012

Lansdowne Road Agreement – 14th July 2015

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will publish the details of all side-deals to the Lansdowne Road Agreement on Public Sector pay.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin)

The context of the discussions that I initiated with the trade unions and associations representing public servants across the public service was the need to plan and provide for a measured unwinding of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts.

My aims were also to secure the continuation of the productivity measures introduced under the Haddington Road agreement, honour the Government’s commitments under that agreement and provide for a continuation of the stable industrial relations agreement and structures in the public service which has served our recovery well. Any outcome also had to be consistent with our international obligations under the Stability and Growth Pact to manage our public finances in a prudent manner.

The Lansdowne Road agreement, if ratified by the trade unions, will extend the terms of the Haddington Road agreement to September 2018. Given the complex industrial relations processes within the public service, issues on matters of local interest are raised on an ongoing basis between sectoral management and trade unions, with or without the assistance of the Labour Relations Commission or involvement by my Department.

I understand that at the time the agreement was being negotiated, the Labour Relations Commission was asked to resolve a number of sectoral discussions on matters of local interest. These discussions do not form part of the proposed public service agreement, are not part of the overall pay settlement and are not in the document on which public servants are being balloted. Copies of any agreed outcome to industrial relations issues in other sectors are not retained by my Department.

For the Deputy’s information, the following issues were raised by Civil Service unions with officials of my Department and agreed with the assistance of the Labour Relations Commission.

First, the previously agreed approach to resolving anomalies on pay between former Health Service Executive and Combat Poverty Agency staff transferred to the Department of Social Protection in 2010 will be applied from 1 January 2016.

Second, various matters raised by the Civil and Public Service Union, including an outstanding claim for loss of “bank time” which was abolished in 2010, a review of pay and allowance structures for attendants in the cultural institutions, some anomalies highlighted by the union on leave entitlements and issues relating to the redeployment of some Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine staff are to be subjects of further discussion and-or referral to arbitration, as appropriate.

Third, as a pilot, staff will again be able to take up to 1.5 days of flexi-leave per month, subject to an overall limit of 13 days per annum.

Public Sector Pay Commission – 9th June 2015

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the establishment of an independent Public Sector pay commission, similar to the Low Pay Commission, to oversee an evidence based and transparent approach to public sector pay talks.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin)

Free collective bargaining between the employer and employee is recognised as a primary feature of the Industrial Relations landscape in Ireland and is underpinned in legislation by the Industrial Relations Acts and more recently the Workplace Relations Act 2015. This system applies to the public service also.

This process has served the public service well during the years of fiscal and economic crisis. The negotiation and agreement by public service employers with staff interests of the Croke Park and Haddington Road Agreements have provided an agreed stable and effective industrial relations framework to manage a reduction of some 20% in the public service pay bill and a 10% reduction in public service staff numbers since the end of 2009.

The Agreements have delivered increased productivity through a range of measures including the introduction of a new single pension scheme, reformed annual leave and sick leave arrangements and through the provision of additional working hours in a climate of industrial peace.

Following the conclusion of discussions on pay and reform in the public service on 29 May last, the negotiators on both sides, with the expert assistance of the LRC who oversaw the talks’ process, have come forward with a set of proposals to form the basis of a new agreement, the Lansdowne Road Agreement. This will extend the terms of the Haddington Road Agreement to September 2018, while securing an Industrial Relations framework that will foster and support further productivity and change at the level of the workplace.

The proposals which provide for the beginning of the gradual unwinding of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) legislation, which was put in place in response to the financial crisis, are prudent and sustainable in the fiscal space currently available to Government.

Future pay determination in the public service will continue for some time to be dominated by the legislative constraints imposed on public service employers under the FEMPI legislation. Alternative pay determination structures which can provide a sustainable public service pay policy into the future and can apply when the FEMPI legislation is brought to an end will have to be considered by Government in due course.

How many people are in receipt of 2 or more pensions from the State? – 30 April 2014

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons in receipt of two or more pensions from the State and the cumulative value per annum paid to these persons.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin):

I assume that the Deputy’s question relates to public service pensions only, and that it does not comprehend the various social insurance-linked and other pensions paid by the Department of Social Protection.

Public service pensions are not centrally administered. Instead the large number of separate public service pension schemes are operated by individual employers or sectoral authorities.In the context of this non-centralised administrative model, detailed information of the kind sought by the Deputy is not available to my Department. However, certain relevant information is available from the results of an exercise carried out in 2012 and 2013 by my Department in connection with the aggregation of pensions for purposes of the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR).

As the Deputy will be aware, the PSPR imposition on certain public service pensions was introduced on 1 January 2011 as provided for in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2010.

Section 69 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 subsequently amended the 2010 Act by providing that public service pensioners who have two or more qualifying public service pensions should have those pensions subjected to PSPR on a combined or aggregated basis, not separately as was originally the case. Section 5(5) of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013 modified this requirement to aggregate pensions for PSPR purposes so that it only applies to persons whose multiple public service pensions, before application of PSPR, have a combined value of over €32,500.

In order to facilitate the implemention of PSPR aggregation, my Department conducted an exercise to ascertain those pensions in payment that would be subject to PSPR aggregation. Based on this exercise, the number of public service pensioners who receive more than one public service pension, and in repect of whom the combined value of those pensions, on a pre-PSPR basis, exceeds €32,500, is estimated at about 1,300, and the cumulative annual pay-out value of those pensions is estimated at about €70 million. I should point out that a significant proportion of multi-pension cases in the public service are represented by persons who, in addition to their own retirement pension, receive a survivor’s pension in respect of a deceased public service spouse.

How many people are employed by the State? – 18th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total number of persons employed by the State as of 31 December 2013, broken down by civil servants, local authorities, State body, semi-State body, State agency, quasi autonomous non-Governmental organisation, executive and defence forces.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin):

Information on the number of public servants is collected and collated on a quarterly basis and in accordance with the categorisation outlined below. The total number employed by the State in each of the following categories as of 31 December 2013 – and expressed in terms of whole-time equivalents (WTEs) – is set out in the table below. Further data, including previous quarters, is available on the my Department’s Databank website ( http://databank.per.gov.ie/).

Click here for table.

The Lansdowne Road Bridge & Flood Defences on the Dodder – 18th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Office of Public Works will provide information on the pedestrian and railway bridge at Lansdowne Road in terms of the development of new flood defences along the river Dodder; if the height of the bridge was considered in these plans in terms of contributing to past flooding; and the way this is to be addressed in the current defence works.

The Minister for State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (Brian Hayes):

The design of the River Dodder Flood Relief scheme has been undertaken by Dublin City Council, with the works being undertaken by the Office of Public Work’s (OPW) direct labour force. The scheme was designed to provide protection against a flood event with an annual exceedance probability of 0.5%, commonly referred to as the 1-in-200 year event, which is the standard level of protection for locations that are tidally influenced. It is the OPW’s understanding that the river was modelled with the bridge in place, and that it was determined that it does not contribute to flooding in the event of the design flood nor is it affected by such an event. The OPW understands, therefore, that the Council has no proposals to undertake work to the bridge.

Differences in salary scales for civil servants recruited in 2010 and 2011 – 11th February 2014

A) To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he will, as part of the terms Haddington Road Agreement, resolve the difference in salaries scales in the civil service that occurs between those recruited in 2010 and those recruited in 2011; and the way he intends to do same.

B) To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if someone recruited to a position in the civil service in 2011 or 2012 can be deemed to be recruited in 2010 for the purposes of determining their salary scales, for any reason, including if they had previously worked, if only for a short period of time and on a temporary contract or part-time contract, in the civil service or public sector generally prior to their recruitment to a permanent position post in 2010.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin):

On the introduction of the modified salary rates introduced in January 2011, persons who were recruited to the public service through direct entry competitions in the period after January 2011 and who previously worked as a public servant in a similar or analogous role had such service recognised and were not accordingly subject to the revised rates.

In fulfilment of the commitments entered into under the terms of the Haddington Road Agreement, my Department recently notified Government Departments and Offices of the revised pay rates applying in respect of the relevant direct entry civil service grades coming within the terms of clause 2.31 of that Agreement.

Payment of dividends to the Exchequer by State-owned companies in respect of the NewEra strategy – 26th November 2013

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 244 of 12 November 2013, in respect of the NewEra strategy, if he has devised a strategy for the payment of dividends by State-owned companies to the Exchequer for the next five years.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin):

In general, dividends of 30% of profits after tax have been sought of State companies in recent years. My Department, working with other relevant Departments and NewEra, is at present working on a range of shareholder considerations, including developing a new dividend policy for commercial state companies.

Application of the Freedom of Information Act to companies owned by local authorities – 18th September 2013

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is considering amending the Freedom of Information Act to include companies that are owned by local authorities.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin):

Section 6 of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill 2013 contains a generic definition of public body which will enable FOI to apply to all public bodies unless specifically exempt in whole or in part. Essentially, FOI is being extended to the widest possible definition of public bodies, including a number of significant high profile bodies which have been excluded since the legislation was first enacted. Provision is also being made in the Bill (Section 7) to allow for the application of FOI, either in whole or in part, to non-public bodies which are in receipt of significant funding from the State. This will be progressed in due course by way of Ministerial Order subject to consultation with the relevant Departments to agree on criteria to select bodies which are a priority for bringing within the FOI regime.

As regards the companies that are owned by local authorities, the position is that, while it would not be possible for me to state definitively that all of the companies that are owned by local authorities will be covered by FOI under the new legislation, it appears on the face of it that such companies will be automatically comprehended by the very broad definition of public body contained in Section 6 of the FOI Bill, in particular Section 6(1)(f), subject to the appropriate commencement period provided for in Section 1(3) of the Bill. Certainly no exemption has been provided for such companies. Confirmation of the position in any particular instance should presumably be available from the relevant local authority based on its knowledge of the specific legal structure that is in place.

The Haddington Road Agreement – 5th July 2013

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if public sector workers who are not members of a union will face greater uncertainty and or unequal treatment regarding their future working conditions as a result of not being a member of a union in the context of the Haddington Road Agreement.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin):

I propose to take questions numbered 406 and 410 together.

The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013 was enacted on 5 June 2013. The primary purpose of the legislation is to implement the proposed pay reduction for public servants earning annual salaries of €65,000 or more, and the parallel reduction in public service pensions over €32,500.

Contingency measures that may be deployed to secure the necessary reductions in the public service pay and pensions bill are also included in the legislation, including provision for a universal freeze on pay increments. The Act also affirms that the person, which may be a line Minister or other public service body, that has the power to determine terms and conditions of employment may exercise that power to reduce non-core rates of pay or to increase hours worked. However, under the legislation, a facility is provided for unions and representative associations to conclude collective agreements with their public service employers.

Where a union has signed up to a collective agreement, now called the Haddington Road Agreement, it will avoid the need for those contingency measures to be used. It is a matter for public servants and their representative unions and associations to decide if they wish to conclude a collective agreement with their employers. Non-union members are not included in the balloting process undertaken by unions but the legislation or the public service as an employer does not distinguish between those employees who are members or not members of unions and changes in terms and conditions are applied on a grade basis.

With regard to those grades represented by a union who do not conclude a collective agreement under the Act, as well as the increment freeze that will apply directly under the terms of the Act, the relevant decision maker will have to take the necessary measures to meet their targeted paybill savings in 2013 and following years.

The top 10 (OPW) Tourist Sites in Dublin – 16th June 2013

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Office of Public Works will list the top ten OPW managed tourist sites in Dublin; the pricing structure for each site; and the number of visitors to each site per annnum.

The Minister for State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (Brian Hayes):

The Office of Public Works (OPW) administers a range of visitor sites in Dublin. A number of these sites, that are free of charge, do not have a guided service. As a consequence, visitor numbers are not recorded at these sites. An example of such a site is St. Stephen’s Green.

Click here for the tables that list those OPW visitor sites where visitor numbers are recorded and the admission/guided tour charges, if applicable. It should be noted that some of the sites listed have restricted opening dates/times.

Quangos – 30th May 2013

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of quasi autonomous non-Governmental organisations including State bodies, agencies and boards, that have been abolished, merged, or absorbed into existing State bodies, respectively; the level of savings that have been achieved as a result; and the number of quangos that now remain; the difference between this figure and the figure of March 2011; and his future plans in this area.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin):

My Department is currently monitoring the implementation of the agency rationalisation programme of the Public Service Reform Plan on a quarterly basis. The latest tables which detail this progress to end Quarter 1 2013 can be found at: http://per.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/Public-Service-Rationalisation-Measures-end-Q1-2013.pdf

In summary, the tables show that significant progress has been made by Departments on the implementation of agreed rationalisation measures. To date, rationalisation and amalgamation measures involving 25 bodies have been fully implemented, and measures involving a further 83 bodies are at advanced legislative or administrative stages.

Further measures, involving 107 bodies, were identified under a critical review process undertaken in 2012 as part of the Public Service Reform Plan. The majority of these measures will be implemented in 2013.

On the issue of savings, the Public Service Reform Plan aimed to secure €20 million in enhanced service efficiencies and value-for-money from the rationalisation programme, a target which will be achieved. The bulk of the savings are derived from a reduction in the number of public servants working in the merged entities.

From the outset we have maintained that the lasting and most important benefit from the rationalisation of State Bodies will be a less crowded administrative landscape resulting in greater democratic accountability, less duplication of effort and clearer lines of responsibility for the citizen. Moreover, the rationalisation programme needs to be understood as just one of a package of reform measures that will allow for the continued delivery of critical services against the backdrop of public service numbers. There will of course be other cash savings realised over time as organisations, financial systems, office accommodation etc. are rationalised into leaner, more coherent structures. These savings, some of which will be once-off, will be factored into the overall budgetary framework as they arise.

With regard to the Deputy’s question regarding the number of State Bodies that still exist, as I have stated before in previous PQs, there are three broad categories of State Bodies.

Firstly, there are a number of Offices of State which typically are staffed by Civil Servants and have their own Vote for the allocation of public monies and which are within a Vote Group. A list of these bodies is set out in Appendix 1 (click here).

Secondly there are non-commercial State Bodies who are usually staffed by Public Servants and funded (or part funded) through a grant-in-aid from their parent Department. Details of such bodies are set out in the Detailed Expenditure Information on Non-Commercial State Agencies included in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2013, which can be found on my Department’s website at: http://per.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/REVISED-ESTIMATES-VOLUME-2013-final.pdf

Beyond that within each Department there are many other executive offices, divisions and directorates, operational or consultative groupings, task groups or forums that exist for various purposes that might or might not meet the definition of ‘entity’. Many of these groups are transient in nature in response to the needs and business pressures of particular Departments and sectors and details of which would not be held centrally.

Questions on such bodies should be directed to the relevant Ministers. The internal organisation of my own Department is set out in Appendix 2. (click here).

Other bodies under my Department include Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC), Outside Appointments Board, Public Service Agreement Implementation Body, Civil Service Arbitration Board, the Valuation Tribunal, and Special EU Programmes Body. Separately, both the Institute of Public Administration and the Economic and Social Research Institute receive Grant-in-aid from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

The Way Commercial Rates are Determined for units in surburban shopping centres. – 16th April 2013

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way commercial rates are determined for units in surburban shopping centres.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform ( Brendan Howlin):

The levying and collection of commercial rates is the responsibility of each local authority and the Valuation Office has no function in this regard. The basis of rateable valuation for all commercial property, including retail units in suburban shopping centres, is net annual value and is set out in Part 11 of the Valuation Act, 2001.

Net annual value is the rental for which one year with another, the building might, in its actual state, be reasonably expected to let from year to year, on the assumption that the probable average annual cost of repairs, insurance and other expenses (if any) that would be necessary to maintain the property in that state, and all rates and other taxes and charges (if any) payable by or under any enactment in respect of the property, are borne by the tenant of the property.

Various methodologies may be used in estimating the net annual value (NAV/rental value) of a building. The most common methodology used is direct comparison with other similar buildings in the same rating area. This is the method used to estimate the net annual value (NAV/rental value) of retail units in suburban shopping centres.

There are two provisions in the legislation governing the assessment of valuations, i.e. revision and revaluation.

Revision of valuation is the mechanism used to maintain existing local authority valuations lists. It is used to add new properties to the list, to amend the valuations of altered properties and to remove demolished or defunct properties from the list. The valuations of commercial properties at revision are determined by reference to the net annual values of comparable properties on the same valuation list. That is to say that they are compared with similar type properties in the same local authority area to ensure, in so far as it is possible, that they are all treated equally.

In a revaluation the entire commercial valuation list for a local authority is brought up-to-date by reference to values at a specific valuation date and the entire list is published on one date (usually 31 December) and comes into effect for rating purposes on 1 January the following year. To-date, revaluations of the commercial list have been completed in South Dublin, Fingal and Dun Laoghaire County Council areas and the revaluation programme for the Dublin City Council area is currently underway and is expected to be completed by 31st December, 2013.

The Commissioner of Valuation is responsible for the administration of the Valuation Act and is independent in the exercise of his duties under the act and I, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, have no function in decisions in this regard.

The Way Commercial Rates are Determined – 16th April 2013

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way commercial rates are determined for private houses that are used as businesses for example doctor’s surgeries.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform ( Brendan Howlin):

I should point out that the Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the exercise of his duties under the Valuation Act, 2001 and the making of valuations for rating purposes is his sole prerogative and I, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, have no function in this regard.

The levying and collection of commercial rates is the responsibility of each local authority and the Valuation Office has no function in this regard. Private residential houses are exempt from rates, however, if there is a business undertaking located in a residential house, such as a medical surgery or other similar facility being operated on a commercial basis, the accommodation space used for that purpose is valued for rating in the same manner as a commercial property unconnected to a private house.

The basis of rateable valuation for all commercial property, whether it forms part of a private house or otherwise, is net annual value and is set out in Part 11 of the Valuation Act, 2001. Net annual value is the rental for which one year with another, the building might, in its actual state, be reasonably expected to let from year to year, on the assumption that the probable average annual cost of repairs, insurance and other expenses (if any) that would be necessary to maintain the property in that state, and all rates and other taxes and charges (if any) payable by or under any enactment in respect of the property, are borne by the tenant of the property.

The National Lottery Bill – 27th March 2013

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is considering including the natural environment as a category for financial support in the upcoming National Lotteries Bill.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform ( Brendan Howlin):

The categories for the disbursement of National Lottery funds provided for in section 41 of the National Lottery Bill 2012 include national culture and heritage (including the Irish language) and youth, welfare and amenities. These categories are quite wide and would not prohibit the funding of community projects which have an environmental dimension. Consequently, I am of the view that a specific category called the Natural Environment is not required.

Furthermore, the inclusion of a new category would inevitably lead to demands for the inclusion of other specific categories, thus leading to greater demands on the amount of funding available and the dilution of the effectiveness of those funds. Accordingly, I do not propose to alter the categories of good causes specified in the Bill.

Employment practices in the civil service – 6th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there are any retired public sector workers from his Department, or any other part of the public sector, currently on his Department’s payroll, for example, for sitting on a committee or preparing a report, but not exclusively these two areas; the number on the payroll; the cost to his Department; the services being delivered for this money; and the way that the positions were originally advertised.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform ( Brendan Howlin):

In response to the Deputy’s question the Public Appointments Service (PAS), in the course of running recruitment competitions for the public service, avails, inter alia, of trained and experienced retired public servants as interviewers, assessors and as decisions arbitrators. At any given time, PAS would have approximately sixty active on their database that would be used from time to time for short periods. For this work, retired members are paid on a fee-per-day basis and are subject to tax and other relevant deductions. The fees are linked to pre-retirement grades and take account of the principal of pension abatement. These positions are not advertised but any trained professionals can apply to PAS to be placed on the data base for our selection boards. The total cost for these services in 2012 was €385,856.67.

The outgoing Chairman of the Public Appointments Service Board, who is a former Civil Servant, was reappointed by me in September 2011 and is paid a stipend €11,970 per annum.

The Chairperson of the PAS Internal Audit Committee is also former Public Servant and was paid a fee of €2,137.50 in 2012. She was appointed by the former Chief Executive of PAS on the basis of her experience in the area of corporate governance.

The Office of Public Works has engaged the services of a former member of staff for the period of the EU Presidency. This person was selected because of previous experience of EU Presidencies and other important events. The abatement principle was considered to be a cost effective way of contributing to the smooth running of all EU Presidency events in Dublin Castle. The cost of his services is approximately €28,000.

There are no other retired public sector workers currently on my Department’s payroll.

Government contracts – 11th December 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the percentage of Government contracts in his Department that were awarded to non-Irish companies in the three years 2009 to 2011 inclusive; and the percentage of these that went to EU companies in that period.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform ( Brendan Howlin):

Under EU Directives on public procurement public works, supplies and service contracts above certain thresholds must be advertised on the Official Journal of the EU and awarded on the basis of objective and non-restrictive criteria. As we cannot include nationality as a criterion in deciding on contract award my Department does not therefore hold these records.

The aim of these European rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money. It would be a breach of the rules for a public body to favour or discriminate against particular candidates on grounds of nationality and there are legal remedies which may be used against any public body infringing these rules. In this regard, it is worth pointing out that the open market regime also offers opportunities for Irish companies to win business abroad and reliable EU studies indicate that many Irish businesses are successful in this regard.

The public procurement market in the EU is estimated to be valued in excess of €2 trillion. The open market regime affords opportunities to Irish companies to win business abroad as part of the EU Single Market.

Staffing reductions in the public service and the moratorium – 28th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a breakdown of reductions of personnel in the public sector over the past four years; the expected reduction over the next two years; and when he expects the moratorium on recruitment to end.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin) :

The Government is committed to reducing public service numbers to 282,500 by the end of 2014 as part of its Reform Agenda. The overriding objective is to have a more customer focused, leaner, more efficient and better integrated public service which delivers maximum value for money.

The moratorium on recruitment will continue until such time that the targets agreed in the Programme for Government are met. If the general moratorium on recruitment was lifted and numbers were allowed to return to their former levels, the paybill would increase over time and accordingly a substantial part of the savings already achieved would be lost. However, the precise operation of the moratorium is being kept under review by my Department.

The historical data requested by the Deputy is available on my Department’s website http://databank.per.gov.ie/ from 1994 to Quarter 3 2012. This data is regularly updated and I would urge all Deputies to utilise this resource.

The number of Quangos – 28th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there will be any provisions in Budget 2013 to reduce the number of quangos; and the number of quangos that will then exist following these reforms.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin) :

As the Deputy is aware it would not be appropriate for me to comment in advance of the Budget on possible Budget decisions.

Redundancy strategy in the public sector – 20th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform regarding additional redundancies expected in the public sector, if these redundancies will be made in a selective or targeted way.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin) :

The Government is committed to creating, a leaner more efficient Public Service.

To this end, the identification of staff surpluses is underway across the public service. Where surplus staff cannot be redeployed, exit mechanisms (including voluntary redundancy) will be employed.

Final decisions on numbers reductions to be achieved in each sector will take account of the surpluses identified by Ministers in respect of their portfolios and of expected rates of retirements in those sectors, Departments and Offices over the next few years.

Management of the National Convention Centre – 20th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the name of the person managing the National Convention Centre and the terms under which the management company are operating the centre.

The Minster of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (Brian Hayes):

The National Conference Centre (NCC), now known as the Convention Centre Dublin (CCD), was procured by means of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Contract awarded to Spencer Dock Convention Centre Dublin Limited (SDCCD). Under the terms of the Contract, SDCCD were required to design, build and finance the Convention Centre and also to operate and maintain it, under licence, for a period of 25 years. The operation and maintenance of the Centre is undertaken by a Company, namely Spencer Dock Convention Centre Dublin (No. 2) Limited, a subsidiary of SDCCD. Details as to the personnel of the operator are available on their website at www.theccd.ie.

How former secretary generals’ pensions are calculated – 15th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the pensions of retired secretaries general are still linked to the salaries of existing secretaries general, or their former salaries upon retiring.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin):

Superannuation benefits of retired Secretaries General are calculated by reference to pensionable remuneration at their date of retirement. It is the practice that pay increases granted to those serving in the equivalent grade are awarded to the relevant pensioners.

However, having regard to the severe economic circumstances facing the country, there have been no salary or pension increases in the civil service since 2008.

The Deputy will be aware that, in fact, pensions have been reduced. The pensions of Secretaries General who retired on or before 29 February 2012 are subject to the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR) calculated in line with the following rates and bands:

This reduction is exclusive of normal taxation.

It should also be noted that the pensions of Secretaries General retiring on or after 1 March 2012 are based on reduced pay rates which in turn will give a lower rate of pension. I should point out that, in common with all public servants, Secretaries-General have had their pay reduced substantially and serving Secretaries-General pay the pension levy.

Additional allowances in the public sector -15th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there are any public sector workers that have become entitled to and have received additional allowances since the Croke Park Agreement came into force, what these allowances are for, and what they are worth.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform ( Brendan Howlin) :

Allowances are and will continue to be a normal part of the pay structure in the public service. The general position adopted by my Department in reviewing the business case of an allowance, as stated during the Review conducted this year is that allowances should only be payable in certain circumstances. These are:

that it reflects the arduous nature or unsocial hours, including the need to remain on call at weekends and other times, clearly associated with the duties of posts, or
work of additional value is actually received by an employer, or
in actual cost accrues to the employee derived from their employment.

In that context, my Department has sanctioned new pay allowances since June 2010, including:

An on-call allowance (€1,188 per week) for clinical staff at the National Virus Reference Laboratory at UCD, paid to one staff member per week to be on-call on a 24/7 basis for that week.
An on-call allowance (€5,940 per annum) for 6 staff members in the National Ambulance Service, following the recommendation of a HIQA report that the HSE should ensure that there are formalised senior manager on call arrangements in place at all times for ambulance services, including Ambulance Control.
An out of hours allowance was approved for Forensic Psychiatrists in order to ensure the availability of Consultant Psychiatric Support in critical emergency incidents, particularly in the context of recommendations arising from reviews of the tragic events at Abbeylara.

The detailed information sought by the Deputy in relation to the number of new beneficiaries of allowances in the wider public service in that period is not available to my Department. My Department has however published extensive information on the numbers in receipt of allowances during 2011. This does not include staff of commercial State -sponsored bodies or bodies funded by the State outside the public service since the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is not responsible for setting the rate of pay for employees (other than the Chief Executives of the commercial semi-State bodies) outside the public service.

Public Sector Rostering – 6th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin) :

No staff in my Department are currently employed on a roster basis. Likewise in the offices and agencies under the aegis of my Department there are no individuals employed on a roster basis.

The number of staff to complete the PMDS – 26th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of public service employees that have completed performance management development scheme assessments in 2011 by sector and if he will provide a breakdown of the scoring categories [5 to 1] in each sector.

Reply

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin):

My Department collects data on the operation of the Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) in the Civil Service only. In this regard the Annual Evaluation of PMDS for 2011 was concluded recently and showed that 77% of civil servants completed PMDS assessments. The distribution of ratings in 2011 is set out below.

The ultimate aim of any changes to PMDS is to ensure that the PMDS system itself will support the improvement of individual and organisational performance across the Civil Service and that it is applied in a more fair and consistent manner.

56

3

35

2

0.9

1

4

My Department alongside management of the Civil Service and unions is now engaged in a process of identifying ways to improve more fundamental problems with PMDS. The Evaluation of PMDS Survey 2010 highlighted that one of the main underlying problems with PMDS is a perceived lack of fairness and consistency in the application of the system. In this regard, my Department is currently negotiating with the unions on further changes to PMDS aimed at improving fairness and consistency and the operation of PMDS from both a management and a staff perspective.

% of staff

There has been an overall increase in PMDS completion rates since 2009. In that year, completion of PMDS was at 56%, rising to 69% in 2010 and to 77% in 2011.

The central aim of any performance management system is to support managers and employees in improving the performance of the individual and, in turn, the performance of the organisation.

The most important element of how effective performance management will be in an organisation is the skills and talent of line managers. My Department has developed a range of tools to support line managers in developing good management skills.

In addition to the skills of line management, it is also critical that the performance management system itself is designed in such a way as to support management and staff in delivering high performance levels.

My Department carried out a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the performance management and development system used in the Civil Service in 2010. The Evaluation of PMDS Survey 2010 identified a number of problems with how PMDS is currently operating.

My Department has been working with management and unions, in accordance with commitments in Croke Park to strengthen performance management in the Civil Service, and has agreed changes to strengthen performance management.

In 2011 changes were introduced aimed at improving the operation of PMDS. This involved streamlining the paperwork associated with PMDS primarily to create space for more discussion about performance between staff and managers. Critically we are increasing manager accountability for managing performance by giving a low rating to managers who do not manage the performance of their staff proactively i.e. a manager who has not been managing their staff (including the completion of PMDS for their staff) should not get a rating above 2.

Rating

0.1

A chief information officer – 26th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will be appointing a chief information officer for the Government in addition to forming a committee; and if members from professional bodies will be invited on to that committee.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

The CMOD Division of my Department has a public service-wide brief with responsibility for researching, developing and implementing policies in the areas of technology, shared ICT services, eGovernment and telecommunications. It also operates as the sanctioning authority for ICT expenditure in the public service. It represents Ireland at EU level in relation to public service ICT and eGovernment. The Director of CMOD, at Assistant Secretary level, represents Ireland on the EU’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) Network.
In November 2011, my Department established a Public Service CIO Council in accordance with our commitment in the Public Service Reform Plan. This CIO Council is chaired by the Director of CMOD and comprises a representative sample of the most senior and experienced ICT and eGovernment personnel in the public service. The purpose of the Council is to work with CMOD in developing ICT and eGovernment policies, procedures, principles and best practices for the public service, reflecting Government policies and supporting the reform programme. The Council discusses key ICT and eGovernment issues, and provides expert input to decisions and actions aimed at maximising the positive impact of these on public service modernisation and customer service. For example, since its establishment, the Council has assisted with the development of the new eGovernment Strategy which I published in April and with the development of a Cloud Computing Strategy which I hope to bring to Government in the coming weeks. The Council may also establish working groups to research and/or develop proposals/recommendations for specific topics or actions. The Council determines the composition, size, mandate, terms of reference and timelines for such working groups, subject to ethical safeguards and avoiding conflicts of interest. This would include engagement with industry, academia and professional bodies. Full details of the Council’s membership and operation will be published on a new website for the Council shortly.

The number of staff in the department’s redeployment pool – 26th June,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons in his Department’s redeployment pool, including agencies responsible to it, that is, those persons who are to be redeployed as their current role is no longer necessary, but have not been redeployed as of yet.

Reply

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

To date in my Department no positions have been identified as surplus to requirements and therefore no positions have been placed on a redeployment panel. Regarding agencies under the aegis of my Department, the Public Appointments Service has two positions available for redeployment on their panel since May 2012. In addition in the IPA, out of 15 positions identified for redeployment, there are only three still awaiting redeployment for the last two months.

The Public Appointments Service is responsible for reassigning positions from redeployment panels.

Management in my Department will continue to monitor and examine how resources are been deployed and whenever possible any surplus posts will be placed on the redeployment panel.

Will the FOI Act apply to NAMA – 26th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will be applying the Freedom of Information Act in full to the National Assets Management Agency.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

It is planned to bring proposals to Government shortly to secure approval to draft amending Freedom of Information legislation. Extension of the remit of the Freedom of Information Act to include the National Asset Management Agency will be considered by Government in this context.

Staffing arrangements in the public sector – 12th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the percentage of staff working in the public sector, including in the civil services, that he deems to fall into the category of frontline staff, administrative, management, elected representative and any other relevant categories; and the way the pay budget is allocated across these categories in percentage and real terms in terms of as a proportion of the Department expenditure on salaries.

Reply

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

My Department is working on gathering the material and information requested by the Deputy and will furnish the information to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available.

When will the FOI Act be reformed – 12th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the timeframe in which he intends to restore the Freedom of Information Act as committed to in the Programme for Government.

Reply

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

Significant work has been undertaken by my Department to examine and assess the key next steps and priorities relating to the implementation of the commitments on Freedom of Information (FOI) in the Programme for Government. My Department is currently considering the responses it has received from other government departments in respect of proposals relating to the substantive restrictions introduced in 2003 and to further extend FOI. It is planned to bring proposals to Government in the coming weeks to secure approval to draft amending FOI legislation.

The Minister’s views on the membership of the Croke Park Implementation Body – 17th March 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on whether it is necessary to review the membership of the implementation body for the Croke Park Agreement in order that at least one of the body’s members is from a non-public sector area.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

As is customary for industrial relations agreements, the membership of the Implementation Body is drawn from the parties to the Agreement and is specified under paragraph 1.18 of the Agreement which provides that the Body will comprise of an independent chair and nominees by Public Service Management and by the Public Services Committee of ICTU respectively.

Public tenders and companies in receivership – 18th April 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if it is his policy or law to award public tenders to companies in receivership; and if he is reviewing procedures for the awarding of printing and other such contracts in view of recent experience.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

The assessment of a tenderer’s financial and economic standing is a key part of any procurement process. Establishing the appropriate suitability criteria that are relevant and appropriate to a particular contract is, of course, a matter for the contracting authority concerned. This is because the contracting authority is in the best position to gauge the appropriate levels of financial capacity that are appropriate to the needs of that specific contract.

In this regard, tenderers must declare that they have the necessary capacity to carry out a contract and must be in a position to produce the necessary documentation when requested. That documentary evidence (e.g. bank statements, audited accounts, proof of professional indemnity, etc.) need only be produced when a tenderer has been short-listed or is coming under consideration for the award of a contract. Contracting authorities are advised to check these issues throughout a procurement process up to the point of awarding a contract to ensure that such circumstances have not changed. If the financial situation of the tenderer has changed they can be excluded from any further participation in the competition.

Any tenders received from companies in receivership are considered on their own merits, taking account of the circumstances of the case and the provisions of the relevant tender competition.

Real tennis court in Earlsfort Terrace – 27th March, 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider asking the Office of Public Works to support an association (details supplied) in its efforts to secure the reopening of the real tennis court in Earlsfort Terrace.

Reply

I have agreed to meet representatives of the the Irish Real Tennis Association in the coming weeks to hear their proposals.

The cost to the Oireachtas of prepaid envelopes – 18th January 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount the Oireachtas pays each year for prepaid envelopes provided for TDs and Senators, in total and per individual TD and Senator; the price paid per envelope; if any savings are achieved from An Post for this bulk purchase; if the money is paid up front or when the envelope is used; and if he or the Commission have investigated the possibility of achieving greater savings through a different arrangement, as well as the possibility of moving to a system in which envelopes are paid for on an as per use basis.

Reply

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

The Regulations in relation to free postal facilities for members of the Houses of the Oireachtas provide for monthly allocations of prepaid envelopes for both Deputies and Senators – currently 1,250 and 750 respectively – with additional allocations for party whips. The allocations were reduced in June 2011 from the previous levels as a means of achieving efficiencies. The administration of the free postal facilities is a matter for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. The Commission, therefore, is in the best position to provide to the Deputy the detailed information requested, and I understand that the Commission is currently reviewing the provision and use of Oireachtas envelopes.

The minimum/maximum amount of money spent that must appear on the Departmental accounts –15th February 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the minimum amount of money spent by a Government Department that must be made public as an individual itemised line in the Departmental accounts when published.

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the maximum amount of money that a Government Department can spend before that specific item of expenditure must be made public.

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the obligations to publish money spent by each Department.

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree of detail the Government is obliged to provide expenditure incurred by the State; and the form in which the information must be published.

Reply

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

I propose to take the following Questions together 121, 122, 123 and 124.

Expenditure incurred by the State is reflected in the accounts of the central and local government sectors, the semi-state sector and other organisations making up the wider public sector. Each of these sectors prepares its annual accounts and reports in accordance with the standards currently in place for that sector. This ranges, for example, from Appropriation Accounts prepared by Government Departments and Offices, to the Finance Accounts, in relation to the Central Fund and to commercial style accounts prepared by semi state bodies. Items of expenditure are processed and recorded in the financial management systems of the organizations concerned and are subject to internal and external audit.

In relation to expenditure by Government Departments, in the case of the majority of transactions, there are no minimum or maximum amounts specified for reporting in the annual accounts. There are, however, a number of situations in the annual Appropriation Accounts where expenditure thresholds apply. These are outlined in the Statement of Accounting Policy and Principles which are published with the Appropriation Accounts. Certain notes to the Accounts aim to draw the attention of the Dáil and of the Committee of Public Accounts to matters bearing on parliamentary control, or to provide fuller information about material transactions of an unusual nature recorded in the Account e.g. losses, special or ex gratia payments, and extra remuneration. Except in the cases outlined below, notes are provided where an individual transaction, or a category of transactions taken together, involves a sum of €50,000 or more. Where amounts lower than the threshold values are involved, notes are also provided where a serious issue of principle arises or where the Comptroller and Auditor General or the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform consider that a note should be given.

In the case of extra remuneration, the details given include the total amount paid under each category, the total number of recipients, the number of individuals that received €10,000 or more, and the maximum individual payment, if over €10,000. In the case of late payments in commercial transactions, information is supplied where the total of interest payments due was €10,000 or more or an individual interest payment was €10,000 or more.

Apart from the issue of annual accounts, as the Deputy is probably aware, the Programme for Government includes a provision that every purchase order by a Government Department or agency for more that €20,000 will be published online. This process will commence over the coming months and will provide a range of information on state expenditure.

The review of the National Development Plan – 15th February 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the National Development Plan is to be reviewed; and his plans for this review.

Reply

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

My Department has already conducted a major review of capital expenditure programmes across Government in 2011. On foot of this we have set out our capital investment priorities for the next five years in Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2012-2016, which we published on 10 November 2011.

A Green Book Appraisal system – 15th February 2012,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to introduce a Green Book appraisal system similar to that in the UK.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

In the Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2012-2014 published last December, I set out a range of reform initiatives designed to modernise our system of public expenditure management and planning. As part of this reform process, I introduced a new Value for Money (VFM) Code, a central point of reference for the public service on good practice in the areas of evaluation, appraisal and prioritisation of public funds. The VFM Code, which is accessible on-line at http://VFM.per.gov.ie, consolidates, updates and streamlines earlier elements of the national VFM framework, including the Capital Appraisal Guidelines.

Who controls payments for staff at polling stations – 29th November 2011,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the person who determines the amount paid to those who work at polling and count centres at election time; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many of these workers are on holiday leave from public sector jobs to do this paid work.

Reply

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

Prior to an election, it is a statutory requirement that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform prepare a scale of maximum charges for returning officers setting out the approved levels of fees and permissible expenditure in connection with election work. This includes the fees payable to staff working in polling centres and on the election count. Once this order is signed, Dáil and Local Returning Officers’ can draw down advances for their expenses and, post election, they submit detailed accounts.

Local returning officers are responsible for all matters in connection with the actual conduct of elections and referendums, including the selection, appointment and training of polling station and count staff in accordance with the relevant provisions of electoral law. It is the responsibility of Returning Officers, who undertake the disbursement of public funds at elections/referendums, to achieve value for money for the services and expenses incurred and to comply with Public Procurement Guidelines as appropriate.

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, whose primary role in electoral matters is to provide an appropriate policy and legislative framework for a modern and efficient electoral system, assists returning officers, by issuing guidance to them in advance of each election and referendum. The guidance emphasises that the smooth conduct of polls is dependent on maintaining a cadre of sufficiently skilled and experienced people. Having regard to that overall objective, returning officers are advised to employ competent and efficient persons as polling staff and asked to give consideration, where possible, to employing suitable persons who are unemployed.

Reduction of the number of quangos – 25th October 2011,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there will be any provisions in Budget 2012 to reduce the number of quangos.

Reply

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

The question of rationalisation and the reduction in the number of State bodies is being considered in the context of the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure and the overall budgetary and estimates process for 2012, and decisions on such matters will be made by the Government over the coming weeks.

The priorities set out in the Programme for Government for the rationalisation of State Agencies states that rationalisation must be cost effective and lead to a more transparent, accountable and efficient public service. The overriding imperative is the absolute requirement to achieve major savings in all areas of expenditure and to reduce staff numbers and administrative overheads. This underscores the need for radical streamlining of bodies, abolishing those bodies whose remit is no longer essential and amalgamation of other agencies or sharing of services between bodies, so that public services and functions can be delivered more cost-effectively.

The President’s remuneration package – 25th October 2011,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if 70% of the President’s remuneration package is tax free; and if he will clarify the total worth of the President’s remuneration package.

Reply

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

Under the Presidential Establishment (Amendment) Act, 1973, the personal remuneration of the President is set at the rate paid to the Chief Justice plus ten per cent. In accordance with the Act, the personal remuneration of the current President is €325,507 p.a. and is subject to the normal income tax code including the Universal Social Charge. The remuneration of the current President is protected under the Constitution by virtue of Article 12.11.3 which provides that the emoluments and allowances of the President shall not be reduced while in Office.

In line with its stated intention to provide for reduced salary rates for new members of the judiciary, the Government has provided for a revised rate of pay of €249,014 to apply to the person who takes up the office of President following the enactment and commencement of the Single Pension Scheme and Remuneration Bill, 2011. That Bill is currently before the Oireachtas.

Under the legislation the President also receives an allowance related to the Office of €317,434 p.a. which meets the expenses incurred in providing for state functions etc.

I acknowledge that notwithstanding the Constitutional protection afforded to the emoluments of the President while in Office, the current President has voluntarily waived sums due in respect of her entitlements under the legislation. A similar facility will be open to the new President on election.

How much the department expects to spend on consultancy fees – 6th October 2011,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount he intends to spend on consultancy fees in 2011, in particular those contracted to identify value for money in his Department.

Reply

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Brendan Howlin TD):

The 2011 Estimate for my Vote includes the following provision for consultancy expenditure:

Administrative Budget €7k

Programme Consultancy Costs €75k

At this point I do not envisage that the full allocation will be required but the final requirement cannot be predicted with reasonable certainty.

I do not envisage that any of this provision will be attributed to contracts to identify value for money in my Department.

The Valuation Office envisages spending €70,000 approximately on consultancies in 2011. None of the consultancies are specifically geared towards the identification of value for money.

Public Appointments Service

Nil spend on consultancy in 2011.

Commission for Public Service Appointments

The Estimate for 2011 includes a provision for Consultancy spend of €158,000. To date in 2011 total spend amounts to €25,000 and it is not envisaged that the full amount of the provision will be required to the end of the year. None of this is attributable to contracts related to identifying value for money.

State Laboratory

The State Laboratory intends to spend €12,000 on consultancy fees in 2011. This spend relates to Internal Audit services only.

Office of Public Works

The estimate in administration subheads for consultancy fees and value for money on Vote 10 for OPW in 2011 is €54,000. Of this amount €33,000 relates to Value for Money and Policy Review consultancy contracts. Additional Information:In the course of its normal business activity, the Office of Public Works engages technical consultants on many of its projects, primarily architectural and engineering. The costs of these consultancies would be included in the overall project.

Agency, Body, Office

Detail

The amount of lottery number spent on health – 6th October 2011,

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the percentage of National Lottery money spent on health; and the percentage of European lottery money spent on health each year.

Appendix 1 of the Revised Estimates for Public Services (REV)each year gives a breakdown by Department of all the expenditure areas that are supported by the proceeds of the National Lottery. It is estimated that a total of €230 million will be available in 2011 from the Lottery.

The total allocation in the REV for 2011 for the subheads in the Health Votes (39 and 40) which are part-funded by Lottery proceeds is €13.3 million. As Lottery funding is treated as an item of non-tax revenue to the exchequer, it is not possible to indicate the amount or percentage of Lottery funding provided to any particular Vote or subhead. However, it is estimated that in 2011 total funding from the Lottery will represent 66% of the overall allocation for all subheads which are part-funded by the Lottery.

No distinction is made between funds raised by the National Lottery from European lottery games.

Questions for Environment, Community & Local Government

Posted November 1st, 2012

Weather forecasting – 17th July 2015

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to add weather forecasts from weather stations in Northern Ireland to all of Met Éireann’s weather reports (details supplied).

Details: Met Eireann’s forecasts cover the island of Ireland except in one respect. See http://www.met.ie/latest/reports.asp

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Alan Kelly)

All of Met Eireann’s general forecasts cover the entire island of Ireland. Furthermore the regional forecasts as published on www.met.ie and on the Met Éireann weather app relate to each of the four historic provinces of Ireland.

Weather reports are only supplied from the Met Éireann stations in the Republic of Ireland. There are no current plans to publish weather reports from Northern Ireland on the Met Éireann website – these are available through the website of the UK Met Office.

Cuts to social inclusion programme – 13th March 2015

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the fact that a 13 per cent cut to the SICAP budget on the back of successive cuts of 33 per cent (details supplied) over the past 4 years, will continue to have a detrimental impact on the communities in Lot 2.4, Canals/Rathmines/Pembroke, and that community development focuses on building relationships and working in solidarity with communities; his views on the dismantling of this sector and the long term negative implications this will have on those who our voiceless in our communities.

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No.7 of 4 March 2015, if he will clarify statements made, during which it was said that €0.6m was being made available to Dublin Central groups outside of the LCDP/SICAP budget; the use for the money and the groups that will benefit;: the fund this money is being made available from; and if other unsuccessful tenderers including a group (details supplied) will be provided similar funding outside of the tendering process.

Minister of State for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Ann Phelan)

My Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State and is being implemented on a transitional basis until the end of March 2015, pending the roll out of the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) on 1 April 2015.

In accordance with the Public Spending Code, legal advice, good practice internationally and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of services to clients, SICAP is subject to a public procurement process, which is in its final stages. Tenderers have now been informed of the outcome of their tender and Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) are in the process of issuing contracts to the successful tenderers.

It should be noted that as there is currently a 14 day standstill period in place, the public procurement process is still ongoing and, therefore, confidentiality requirements continue to apply. Following contract signature, Pobal will publish a Contract Award Notice in the Official Journal of the EU (http://ted.europa.eu/) and on the eTenders website (www.etenders.gov.ie) announcing the results of the procurement process. Such notice is likely to be published in early April 2015.

I n relation to the Dublin Central area, a s referred to in the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 7 of 4 March 2015 , my Department has continued to ensure that LCDP services, for the communities in the Dublin Central area, have been maintained in a coordinated manner through LCDP interim funding arrangements until 31 March 2015.

In terms of the transition thereafter, funding of some €0.6 million, separate to SICAP, is being provided to certain Dublin Central groups (former Community Development Projects ) , pending agreement with Dublin City Council and the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) on an optimum delivery mechanism for the area. This funding is entirely separate to the €0.63 million which is being provided to the Dublin Central area under SICAP.

The groups in question are: An Siol, Cabra, Lourdes Youth and Community, Nascadh, North Wall Women’s Centre, Robert Emmet, South Inner City Community Development Association, Community After Schools Project.

Regulation of home heating services – 6th February 2015.

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans regarding regulation of certain home heating (details supplied).

Details: An issue that troubles me is the unregulated business of the sale and installation of stoves/inset cassette fires. While gas and electricity installers are regulated the stove business seems to be a free for all. Very rarely do two vendors quote for the sale work. One vendor over sells while others under sell to the consumers risk depending on the customers perceived budget and the vendors profit target. In effect short cuts are being taken to satisfy both. In most cases the vendors and their sub contractors engaged to install are not even aware of current building regulations.

The consumer has not got an idea of the risks they are potentially taking when purchasing such a device. I strongly recommend that this business is regulated so everyone can sleep at night knowing that these extremely hot flamed devices are installed to a high standard in keeping with building regulations issued by the Department of the Environment.

Minister of State for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Paudie Coffey)

The regulation of gas and electricity heating installers is undertaken by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. I am not aware of any plans for the establishment of a state regulatory body for the installation of other fuels along the lines suggested. However, I understand that industry stakeholders are developing both a training and registration scheme for the installers of oil and solid fuel heating systems.

Part J of the Building Regulations sets out the statutory minimum requirements that apply to ensure the safe design and installation of heat producing appliances in dwellings. Following a full review, new Building Regulations (Part J Amendment) Regulations 2014 and a revised Technical Guidance Document (TGD J 2014) came into effect from 1 September 2014. Part J/TGD J 2014 place a new emphasis on the engagement of competent contractors, the proper commissioning of systems and the obligation to provide information for owners on the system installed and any continuing maintenance required to ensure its safe and effective operation and avoid risk to health.

There are no proposals for the establishment of a state regulatory body for stove installers along the lines suggested.

The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), which comes under the remit of the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, is the lead agency in relation to the formulation of quality, design and safety standards for heating installations and it normally advances such work through the establishment of expert industry working groups. I also understand that the Construction Industry Register Ireland (CIRI) established by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) as a register of builders and contractors provides for participation in the register by heating and plumbing contractors. While the CIRI register is a voluntary register at present, the Government has signalled its commitment to placing the register on a statutory footing. I expect that legislative proposals in that regard will be brought to Government in the first half of this year. in line with the Government’s commitment to have the necessary legislation in place during 2015. I have asked my Department to liaise with CIRI and the NSAI in relation to the development of the heating and plumbing element of the register.

Social housing construction – 6th February 2015

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total number of social housing built in 2009 and each subsequent year, including plans for 2015.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Alan Kelly)

My Department publishes a wide range of housing statistics. It includes data on the number of units provided directly by local authorities and approved housing bodies (under the voluntary and co-operative heading), broken down by year. The statistics requested are available on my Department’s website at:

http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/HousingStatistics/FileDownLoad,15291,en.xls

by clicking “Social Housing Outputs” under the Social Housing Supports heading.

I expect that, nationally, some 7,400 new social housing units will be provided under a range of initiatives for 2015.

Standards and monopolies in the waste market – 4th December 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the privatisation of Dublin City Council’s waste contract; if he is satisfied with the manner in which this occurred; if he is satisfied that customers of private companies are protected from quasi-monopolistic practices and poor services in view of the fact that the council is no longer a direct service supplier in the waste market.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Alan Kelly)

Under Section 33 o f the Waste Management Act 1996, a local authority is required to collect, or arrange for the collection of waste within its functional area . Almost all local authorities have now exited the waste collection market.

Collection of waste by a private operator is subject to compliance with applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, primarily the Waste Management Act 1996 and conditions attached to each waste collector’s collection permit issued under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007. Waste collection in individual local authority areas may also be subject to local bye-laws , and enforcement of waste legislation, a waste collection permit condition or waste bye-law is a matter for the relevant local authority.

As Minister, I am specifically precluded under section 60(3) of the Waste Management Act 1996, from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by the Agency or a local authority, in particular circumstances, of a statutory function vested in it. My role as Minister in terms of waste management is to provide the legislative and policy framework under which waste management enforcement authorities work.

In this regard, as part of the introduction of a radical and comprehensive new regulatory framework to reform the regulation of the collection of household waste in 2015, I intend to introduce measures to require collectors to have a customer charter in place and to meet certain minimum standards of customer service , such as specified frequencies of collection . I will be setting out in law what the minimum content of these customer charters will be , so that standards of service are raised and are consistent. It will also become a statutory requirement for all collectors to operate the “pay-by-weight” system as a condition of their permit.

The regulation of weighing mechanisms used to determine weight-based waste collection charges is the responsibility of the National Standards Authority of Ireland and queries in this regard should be directed to that body.

Standing electoral commission – 18th November 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the progress of ongoing work to establish an independent standing electoral commission; and when a first proposal might be ready for discussion by Dáil Éireann.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Alan Kelly)

The Government Legislation Programme for Autumn 2014 provides for the publication of an Electoral Commission Bill in 2015.Work on this task has commenced in my Department.

This will involve detailed and considered examination of the key issues, including international best practice, the Commission’s structure and functions, who it reports to, its relationship with other bodies currently involved in electoral administration, and the approach to be followed in relation to the extensive legislation that will be required, as well as practical matters including staffing and funding arrangements.

NPPR fines & deadlines – 30th October 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government regarding the late payment of the non principal private residence, if he is satisfied that communications of the charge and of the late payment procedures and penalties were sufficient in view of the potential costs concerned to persons; the way the level of penalty was arrived at; and if he will provide the guidelines in place for assessment of appeals.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Alan Kelly)

The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non-Principal Private Residence Charge. The NPPR Charge, which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence. The self-assessed charge is set at €200 per annum and liability for it falls, in the main, on owners of rental, holiday and vacant properties. Section 6 of the 2009 Act, as amended, provides that the owner of a liable property who fails to pay the charge, in addition to his or her being liable to pay the charge, is liable to pay to the relevant local authority a €20 late payment fee in respect of each month or part of a month in which the charge, any late payment fee, or any part of such charge or fee, remains unpaid.

Part 12 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 deals with the collection of undischarged liabilities relating to the NPPR charge. The Act provided for a period from 2 March 2014 to 31 August 2014 during which time no new late penalties were applied to existing liabilities. If payment was not made in full or if settlement terms were not agreed by the end of that period, an additional late payment fee of €120 per liability date applied on 1 September 2014. As the Charge applied in each of the years from 2009 to 2013, there were five liability dates – 31 July 2009 and 31 March for each of the years 2010 to 2013. In addition to this late payment fee to be applied per liability date, the entire NPPR liability is then increased by a factor of 50% and frozen.

My Department undertook an initial media campaign when the NPPR Charge was first introduced in 2009. Nationwide advertising has also taken place in each year since the introduction of the Charge under the auspices of the local authorities to ensure general awareness of the Charge and the liability dates. In addition, local authorities have undertaken their own advertising campaigns locally. The NPPR Project Board, in conjunction with individual local authorities, undertook a media campaign this year aimed at reminding non-compliant owners that additional late payment penalties applied after 31 August 2014. The extensive radio and print media campaign reminded non-compliant owners of their obligations to come forward to regularise their affairs and to take advantage of this once-off grace period. While it is a necessary principle of law that all citizens are required to be aware of relevant legal obligations and duties in respect of such charges, as is the case in other jurisdictions, it remains my view that reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that property owners have been aware of the Charge and liability dates.

Under section 77 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 my Department issued guidance to local authorities concerning matters relating to arrears of the NPPR Charge and late payment fees to ensure that a consistent national approach is adopted. The guidelines, which are available at http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Administration/FileDownLoad,37899,en.pdf , encourage local authorities to take a proactive approach to ensure that any outstanding NPPR liabilities are discharged in the most equitable, efficient and economically beneficial manner and also include information in relation to dealing with hardship cases . It is expected, in the majority of cases, that local authorities will collect the full NPPR Charge liability from owners. In some cases, this may be by means of arrangement by installment. The Act places the Charge under the care and management of the local authorities and application in particular circumstances is a matter for the relevant local authority. A ll non-compliant owners should log on to www.nppr.ie or, alternatively, contact their local authority to discuss any matters they wish to clarify and to make their outstanding payments.

Protection from dramatically increasing rents – 24th October 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce further protections insofar as dramatically increasing rents over a short period of time are concerned for long-term renters, specifically families, so that they can realistically choose to rent long-term, where buying a home is either not an option or a preference, so that families cannot be effectively evicted from their homes with the resulting upheaval to their families’ lives for example moving a child out of their school and so on.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Alan Kelly)

The private rented sector is an important element of the housing market, with the proportion of households in the sector almost doubling in the period 2006-2011. I am conscious of the difficulties caused by rising rents and the problem of sourcing suitable accommodation, especially in Dublin and other urban centres.

Part 3 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 deals with rent and rent reviews. Under the Act, rent may not be greater than the open market rate and may be reviewed (upward or downward) only once a year unless there has been a substantial change in the nature of the accommodation that warrants a review. Tenants must be given 28 days notice of the new rent and may ask their landlord to review the rent if they feel it exceeds the market rate for the property. Disputes about any aspect of rent may be referred to the Private Residential Tenancies Board ( PTRB ) .

The fundamental reason behind the rise in rents is a lack of supply. Increasing both public and private housing supply is a critical issue and earlier this year the Government published Construction 2020 – A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector . It includes a commitment to a social housing strategy which is being finalised and will be considered by Government in the coming weeks.

In addition, the PRTB was asked to conduct a study to explore options to address the difficulties being experienced in segments of the private rented sector due to rising rents and to report back to me with policy options. This report , with a specific focus on rent stability, was completed recently and is the first of two studies on the private rented sector.

It explores a range of issues in regard to rent stability, ranging from an examination of rent regulation regimes to the tax treatment of the private rented sector and the role of rent supplement. It will require careful consideration before deciding on the best options to address the current difficulties in the market. The overriding objective is to achieve stability and sustainability in the market for the benefit of tenants, landlords and society as a whole.

Water allowance for third level students – 6th October 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider extending the under 18s water allowance to third-level students living in the family home.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Alan Kelly)

With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and the CER has been given statutory responsibility for protecting the interests of customers.

The proposed approach to charging was outlined by Irish Water in a water charges plan which it submitted to the CER in line with the provisions of the Act. The CER recently held a public consultation on this plan which covered a range of issues relating to water charges and allowances. The CER has today issued a determination on the water charges plan and details are available on the CER website ( www.cer.ie ) . The water charges plan provides that the children’s water allowance will only apply to the address at which a child is registered for the purposes of receiving child benefit, unless the registered occupier provides approval to transfer.

In making its determination on the water charges plan, the CER had to take account of the decisions made by the Government on the funding model for Irish Water and a direction made under Section 42 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act in July 2014. This policy direction addressed a number of matters relating to domestic water charges including the provision of a free allowance of 30,000 litres of water supplied and waste water treated per annum for a primary residence on a public supply and a free allowance to cover the normal usage of water services by every child in their primary residence based on the same qualifying conditions as the child benefit allowance. There are no plans to provide additional allowances, other than those announced in the Government decision.

Self-builders and new building regulations – 4th June, 2014.

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide clarification regarding the position of self-builders after the introduction of the recent building regulations – S.I. 80 which came into effect on 1 March 2014; if he will shed light on the position of certified suppliers such as small quarries supplying stone gravel or small family joinery shops in particular; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Building Control Act 1990 places a clear statutory obligation on owners, designers and builders to ensure that buildings are designed and constructed in compliance with the building regulations. This applies to all sectors of the construction industry, including the self-build sector.

Neither the Building Control Act 1990 nor any regulations made thereunder, including the new Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014, place any restriction on whom an owner may assign as a builder once the owner is satisfied that the builder is competent to undertake the works involved.

An owner who intends to self-build, and who contracts out elements of their work to other parties, must assume legal responsibility for ensuring that the building or works concerned will comply with the requirements of building regulations.

The reply to Question Nos. 432 and 434 of 4 February 2014 addresses some of the practical considerations that arise for an owner in meeting their obligations as owner and as builder in a self-build situation. An Information Note on Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 and the Self-Build Sector issued by my Department on 26 February 2014 has also been placed in the Oireachtas library.

The responsibility of the manufacturers of construction products to provide robust and reliable information in relation to the performance characteristics of such products arises from Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and repealing Council Directive 89/106/EEC. In addition, the National Standards Authority of Ireland has also produced additional guidance in respect of some harmonised standards in the form of National Annexes or Standard Recommendations which set out appropriate minimum performance levels for specific intended uses of certain products in Ireland. The key effect of the EU Construction Products Regulations is that since 1 July 2013, manufacturers of any construction product which is covered by a harmonised European product standard (known collectively as hENs) are required, when placing a product on the market, to make a Declaration of Performance for the product, and to affix the product’s CE mark.

The recent reforms of the arrangements in place for the oversight of building activity will mean that all those along the supply chain, including small quarries and joinery shops, can now expect certification to be sought in relation to the products they carry.

Planning applications; unfairly weighted against objecting parties? – 27th May, 2014.

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied that the current process in relation to objecting to or appealing planning applications is not unfairly weighted against the objecting parties.

For example, where planning is refused and the case is appealed to An Bord Pleanála (ABP), the local authority must inform those who objected to the application, of the appeal to ABP – this is done by way of a letter and may not be the most effective or efficient way of notifying objectors. Should other forms of communication be used or should there be a notice issued locally or in local media.

Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (Jan O’Sullivan):

Under Article 69(1) of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, a planning authority is required – as soon as possible after it is given a copy of an appeal lodged with An Bord Pleanala against a decision of that planning authority – to notify in writing any person who made a submission or observation on the planning application, in accordance with the Regulations. The notification must –

(a) specify the reference number of the Board in respect of the appeal,

(b) specify the date on which the appeal was received by the Board,

(c) state that a copy of the appeal is available for inspection or purchase for a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy during office hours at the offices of the planning authority, and

(d) state that submissions or observations in relation to the appeal may be made in writing to the Board within the appropriate period and on payment of the appropriate fee.

The appropriate period is, as specified in section 130 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, 4 weeks beginning on the day of receipt of the appeal by the Board.

The above provisions apply equally to objectors to, and supporters of, a proposed development.

I am not aware that there are any difficulties with the current provisions, but will consider whether any revisions to the provisions might be required in the context of the proposed Planning Bill to be brought forward later this year.

Increased water allowance for individuals with specific medical conditions – 27th May 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if persons with an ileo-anal pouch will qualify for an increased water allowance.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and the CER has been given statutory responsibility for protecting the interests of customers.

Under the European Communities (Drinking Water) Regulation s 2014, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, suppliers of drinking water are required to ensure that the water supplied is wholesome and clean. Water which is wholesome and clean is defined as water which is free from any micro-organisms and parasites and from any substances which in numbers or concentrations constitute a potential danger to human health, and which meets the quality standards specified in the Schedule to the Regulations.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the supervisory authority with responsibility for monitoring Irish Water’s compliance with these regulations.

In the event of non-compliance with the quality standards set out in these Regulations, the water supplier will investigate the cause and, in consultation with the EPA and, if a potential risk to human health may exist, the Health Service Executive, ensure that the appropriate remedial action is taken.

The Water Services (No.2) Act 2013 requires the CER to perform its functions in a manner that best serves the interests of the customers of Irish Water. This is similar to the CER’s statutory role in respect of the gas and electricity sectors. I fully expect that the CER will consider compliance with statutory standards by Irish Water in the discharge of its functions.

The Government has decided, following consideration of proposals in relation to the funding model for Irish Water, to provide a free allowance of 30,000 litres of water supplied and waste water treated per annum for a primary residence on a public supply. The Government has also decided to provide for an additional free allowance to cover the normal usage of water services by every child in their primary residence based on the same qualifying conditions as child benefit, such that water charges will in effect only apply to adults in such households. The normal consumption is estimated at 38,000 litres annually per child of water supplied and waste water treated and so the allowance being provided will be up to 38,000 litres per annum. This level of consumption will be verified over time through actual data from metering. There are no plans to provide addition allowances, other than those recently announced by the Government.

The Government has also decided that bills will be capped at the relevant assessed charge level for those customers with particular medical conditions which necessitate high water usage. Qualifying medical conditions will be set out, following consultation with the Minister for Health and the Health Services Executive.

There are no plans at present to provide communal public taps in community locations.

I intend to use my powers under the Water Services (No.2) Act 2013 to issue a policy direction to the CER in relation to the Government’s recent decisions relating to domestic water charges, including to ensure the water charges plan makes provision for circumstances where the quality of water services provided by Irish Water to customers is impaired or where services are reduced or restricted (e.g. customers with boil water notices). As required by the Act, a draft of the policy direction has issued to the CER and the Joint Oireachtas Committee for the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht, and has been published in Iris Oifigiúil. The draft direction is currently open for public consultation and details are available on my Department’s website at

http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Water/WaterSectorReform.

In making its decision on the approval or otherwise of the first water charges plan, the CER will take into account the decisions made by the Government on the funding model for Irish Water and the policy direction issued.

Water metering of apartments – individual metering for all units? – 30th April 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the water metering of apartments; when this is likely to commence; if it will be possible to have individual metering for all units in an apartment block; when this is likely to be completed; if persons living in apartments will be charged before then and if so, how.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has, therefore, decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. The Government has committed to the provision of a free allowance, above which charging based on usage would apply. Charges for customers who are not metered will be structured in such a way as to ensure that it represents a reasonable proxy for usage and is fair.

Local authorities are in the final stages of a pre-installation survey of households connected to public water supplies. The survey is providing information to Irish Water on the properties that can be metered. The intention is that a meter will be installed in any household connected to a public water supply where it is technically feasible to do so. Where a suitable boundary box for a water meter has already been installed in a property, this will be identified in the survey. Irish Water has also recently commissioned a study on possible approaches to metering properties that are not part of the current metering programme, including apartments and properties with shared service connections. The findings of this report are currently being assessed by my Department.

Irish Water will not collect charges from any households not connected to a public water supply. Currently, any farm connected to a public water supply is liable for charges as a non-domestic customer, with an allowance provided for domestic use. Following the introduction of domestic water charges, farms connected to public water supplies will be charged by Irish Water for both non-domestic and domestic use, subject to the free allowance to be provided to households in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government. There is no process in place where a housing estate can apply for an exemption from water charges for a set period of time.

The approach to charging will be outlined by Irish Water in a water charges plan to be submitted by it to the CER in line with the provisions of the Act. The CER will be responsible for approving the water charges plan which will set the approaches to charging domestic and non-domestic customers. The CER will announce its decision on the approved wat er charges plan, which will include details of the levels of metered, assessed and standing charges, in August 2014.

The CER commenced public consultations on the approach to the structure of domestic water services tariffs (for both metered and unmetered properties) and non-domestic water services tariffs on 17 April 2014. Further consultations are planned for June in relation to the water charges plan to be submitted to the CER by Irish Water. Full details of the CER’s public consultation plans are available on its website (www.cer.ie).

In making its decision on the approval or otherwise of the first water charges plan, the CER will take into account the decisions made by Government on th e funding model for Irish Water. The free allowance and the level of funding to be provided by the Government to Irish Water will have a strong bearing on the net charges to be met by households. Consequently, decisions on these matters will provide greater visibility on the expected level of charges in advance of the final determination of all aspects of the water charges plan by the CER. Proposals on these matters are currently under consideration by the Government. Part of this consideration will be the appropriate method for addressing affordability issues which may arise with the introduction of domestic water charges, particularly for households with high usage due to medical needs.

Water charges bring a number of benefits to communities including the security of a public drinking water supply, increased investment in water treatment and waste water treatment, greater environmental sustainability, increased efficiencies through the creation of Irish Water. The reform of water services delivery will also support economic growth and the creation of employment.

Transitional arrangements in S.I.105 for educational and healthcare projects only – 1st April 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the transitional arrangements detailed in S.I.105 extend only to educational and healthcare projects (details supplied).

Details: Is this an admission that the role of Assigned Certifier is not yet defined in either the GCCC or RIAI standard contracts and that to proceed without this clear definition of roles could present contractual difficulties which may cause delays and increased costs? If this is the case, shouldn’t the same applies to all contracts, not just those for educational and healthcare projects? How can a relaxation of the requirement to appoint an Assigned Certifier be considered an “alternative but equivalent” means of compliance?

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 127, 128, 129 and 130 of 26 March 2014 which sets outs out clearly the background context leading to the making of the Building Control (Amendment ) ( No 2) Regulations 2014. The position remains unchanged. I will make arrangements to have the letter of 5 February 2014 received from the Minister for Education and Skills, referred to in the reply, placed in the Oireachtas Library. This is the only written representation I received from another Minister in relation to this matter.

As indicated, my Department consulted with relevant Departments/ agencies represented on the Government Contracts Committee for Construction (GCCC), in relation to the implications of the Regulations for the public capital programme. Several Departments/Agencies, including the Department of Education and Skills, the National Development Finance Agency and the Health Services Executive, expressed concerns that the new requirements may cause delays in the Public Capital Programme. Large-scale public infrastructure projects, in particular, are prone to costly delays due to strict national and EU procurement rules which do not generally apply to private sector projects. Other agencies, notably the OPW, reported that the necessary arrangements were in place to administer contracts in accordance with the new requirements.

I understand that the Office of Government Procurement at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has issued Guidance Note 1.1.1 – Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 – Procurement Implications for Contracting Authorities. Concerns in relation to the clarity and definition of the Assigned Certifier on public procurement projects do not therefore arise.

Outside of the application of the Building Control ( Amendment ) (No.2) Regulations 2014, my Department will liaise closely with industry stakeholders and relevant Departments/agencies in order to ensure that no unforeseen difficulties will arise in relation to the delivery of large scale capital investment projects.

Waste collectors failing to provide brown bins for food waste – 25th March 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a person is in contravention of Part III Section 6(1)(c) of the Household Food Waste and Bio-Waste Regulations 2013 where there is no company offering such a service, as mandated under Part II Section 5(1) of the same regulations; if they are in contravention does the liability fall to the company that is in contravention of Part II Section 5(1); if the services as required under Part III Section (2)(b) are available in every local authority.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

In line with the objectives of the national waste policy, A Resource Opportunity – Waste Management Policy in Ireland, in terms of maximising the resource potential and minimising the disposal of our waste, the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2013 are designed to promote the segregation and recovery of household food waste. The Regulations impose obligations on both householders and waste collectors.

Under articles 4 and 5 of the Regulations, household waste collectors are required to provide, or arrange for the provision of, a separate collection service for food waste from households for population agglomerations in accordance with the following time schedule:

– 1 July 2013 – for population centres greater than 25,000 persons

– 31 December 2013 – for population centres greater than 20,000 persons;

– 1 July 2014 – for population centres greater than 10,000 persons;

– 1 July 2015 – for population centres greater than 1,500 persons; and

– 1 July 2016 – for population centres greater than 500 persons.

Under article 6, householders are required to ensure either that they:

– source segregate their food waste, keeping it separate from non-biodegradable materials, other waste and contaminants and make it available for collection by an authorised waste collector; or

– subject the food waste to a home composting process; or

– bring the food waste to an authorised facility with a view to its composting or anaerobic digestion or treatment in a way which fulfils a high level of environmental protection.

Enforcement of the Regulations is a matter for the local authorities and in cases where a collector has failed to provide a food waste collection service in a defined brown bin area, affected householders should contact the local authority concerned who have significant enforcement powers under the Regulations to secure compliance by both waste collectors and householders.

How funds already raised by the Property Tax will be spent in 2014 – 6th March 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government where funds already raised through the local property tax will be spent in 2014.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The local government funding model is changing considerably in 2014. Under the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012, commencing this year, the Minister for Finance will pay into the Local Government Fund an amount equivalent to the Local Property Tax paid into the Central Fund during that year. Details of the proposed expenditure from the Local Government Fund are set out in t he Revised Estimates Volume for Public Services 2014 as published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Local Property Tax paid into the Local Government Fund in 2014 will contribute to a range of financial supports being provided to local authorities, including General Purpose Grants and funding, on the basis of Service Level Agreements, for water services which local authorities will be providing on behalf of Irish Water.

Deferral of new Building Control Regulations to allow further examination in line with requests from the RIAI – 18th February 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will defer the new Building Control Regulations (SI 9/14), to allow further examination in line with those requests from the RIAI and to provide for third party inspection.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The new Building Control Amendment Regulations will greatly strengthen the arrangements currently in place for the control of building activity by requiring greater accountability in relation to compliance with Building Regulations in the form of statutory certification of design and construction, lodgement of compliance documentation, mandatory inspections during construction and validation and registration of certificates.

The new regulations are necessary following the widespread instances of failure by owners, designers and builders to comply with their statutory obligations under the Building Control Act 1990 to design and construct buildings in accordance with the building regulations.

Arrangements for a smooth transition to the new regulatory environment on 1 March 2014 are well in hand and my Department will continue to work with all parties to ensure they understand their obligations and the steps necessary to meet them.

As regards the issue of third party certification, it is not clear what useful purpose would be served by imposing a requirement for independent verification of design or construction by a third party as suggested. The merits of a designer overseeing the implementation of their design cannot be overlooked. Neither is there any intention to constrain the capacity of all-in service delivery models in key sectors of the industry. Enforcement powers under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2007 continue to be vested in the local building control authorities and it is here that independence is called for and in place.

The effect of the new Building Control Regulations on self builders – 11th February 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has any concerns regarding S.I 9 insofar as it relates to self builders; and if he intends to make any amendments to S.I 9 before it comes in to effect.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 544 and 554 of 28 January 2014 which comprehensively addressed the concerns raised by the Irish Association of Self-builders.

The new Building Control Amendment Regulations which come into operation on 1 March 2014 will greatly strengthen the arrangements currently in place for the control of building activity by requiring greater accountability in relation to compliance with Building Regulations in the form of statutory certification of design and construction, lodgement of compliance documentation, mandatory inspections during construction and validation and registration of certificates.

An extensive public consultation process was undertaken in 2012 to inform the development of the regulations. The consultation document Strengthening the Building Control System – A Document to inform public consultation on Draft Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2012 set out the context in which the reforms – as later signed into law last year, following some technical amendments, in S.I. No. 9 of 2014 – will operate and the regulatory impact of these for building owners and industry stakeholders. This document is still available on my Department’s website.

Pay scales in Irish Water – 4th February 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if pay scales in Irish Water were set in line with payscales in Bord Gais Energy; and if salaries for staff in Irish Water were benchmarked against contracts in BGE that are based on pre-2009 salary levels.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The employment terms and conditions for Irish Water staff are a matter for the company and I understand that the terms and conditions are in line with the arrangements applying with Bord Gáis Éireann. Bord Gais has in place a competitive market based pay model. The model offers market based pay ranges for all employees which includes a pay at risk element called Performance Related Award (PRA). A pay freeze will remain in place until 2016 as this is a key element of reducing overall payroll costs within the Group. As such, Irish Water does not pay increments or any form of automatic pay award; the pay model applied allows for part of salaries to be placed at risk and this element of pay is only earned subject to performance.

In this model, where an employee does not meet expectations they will not be eligible for a performance award and underperformance will be dealt with under the Irish Water Disciplinary Procedure and will lead to sanctions up to and including dismissal. Performance pay will be based on a structured performance review and requires company performance, business unit performance and individual performance metrics to have been met.

I also understand that no bonuses have been paid to Irish Water staff, but I have asked the company to set out the basis and content of the model as applied to Irish Water contracts of employment, including the criteria against which high performance will be evaluated and the kinds of targets (at company and division or grade levels) against which such performance may be bench-marked. The amount of the performance pay will be a function of corporate performance, business unit performance and individual performance.

Employment of existing local authority staff at Irish Water – 4th February 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the creation of Irish Water will lead to any local authority staff responsible for water services being made redundant or being re-allocated within the authority to non water services functions; and if not, the reason for same.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

Irish Water is being established to accelerate capital investment in water services and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of water services delivery. The organisation needs to be appropriately resourced to fulfil this task but will not be over-staffed. Irish Water is currently recruiting to build up the required internal capabilities and the number of staff employed is an operational matter for the organisation. I understand that the numbers and competencies were determined through a detailed planning process. It was agreed by the Steering Group for the Water Sector Reform programme that, to ensure skills within the sector were fully availed of in building up the new organisation, competitions for positions in asset management, capital delivery and operations would be restricted to staff in the partner organisations i.e. Bord Gáis Éireann, local authorities and my Department in the first instance. Open competitions are held for all other positions and details of these are available on Irish Water’s website .

Irish Water has entered into service level agreements (SLA) with each of the 34 authorities for the provision of water services. Staff in local authorities conducting work under these arrangements will remain local authority employees. The SLA reflects the transformation agenda required for the sector, with provision for annual service plans which will set out required performance, budgets and headcount. The length of the service level agreement and the fact that the agreement will include a programme of change are reflected in a Framework document, agreed with the Trade Unions under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission, and which is available on my Department’s website. This agreement, and the Water Services No.2 Act 2013 provides that, in the event of an SLA coming to an end, the staff covered by that agreement will become Irish Water employees and their terms and conditions and superannuation arrangements will be protected by legislation.

The headcount provided for water services under the SLAs for 2014 is 4319.6 full time equivalents subject to alignment with the budgets notified by Irish Water to each local authority. This headcount will be reviewed each year as part of the preparation and approval of the following year’s annual service plan.

While this number will reduce over time, the actual headcount requirement is intrinsically linked to the levels of investment within the sector in automation, rationalisation and infrastructure and operational upgrades. The SLA provides for the development of joint approach to long-term staff and workforce planning which will facilitate the implementation of the transformation programme. The establishment of Irish Water will lead to improved efficiency and effectiveness of water services delivery, and progress in these regards, leading to staffing reductions, will be closely monitored in the context of annual service plans.

Monitoring state expenditure on the new communities partnership – 4th February 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of money given to the new communities partnership in each year since the partnership was established; the person responsible for the partnership; if the money spent is audited; and if he will provide the details of relevant audits.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

My Department is responsible for a range of programmes to support communities, including the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) and the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO). Both of these programmes provide funding to support the work of the New Communities Partnership.

The LCDP is one of my Department’s main social inclusion programmes. Its objective is to tackle poverty and social exclusion through partnership and constructive engagement between Government, and its agencies, and people in disadvantaged communities.

The Programme is administered and managed by Pobal on behalf of my Department and delivered at a local level by the nationwide network of Local Development Companies and a small number of alternative delivery structures.

Following the closure, in 2010, of the Local Development Company for the Dublin Inner City area (Dublin Inner City Partnership), New Communities Partnership is one of a number of groups contracted directly by Pobal to deliver LCDP services in the Dublin Inner City Area. The table below provides details of the funding provided to New Communities Partnership under the LCDP.

2010 – €47,000

2011 – €54,183

2012 – €50,388

2013 – €49,585

2014 Allocation – €50,163

While the Board has ultimate responsibility for running the Company, Pobal carries out audits of LCDP funded groups in line with arrangements agreed with my Department. Although the Group in question has not been selected for audit under the LCDP to date, it has been required to comply with the financial guidelines which underpin the programme.

The SSNO in the Community and Voluntary sector provides multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. Priority is given under the Scheme to supporting national organisations which provide coalface services to disadvantaged target groups. Core funding refers typically to operating costs that will always need to be met, and are fundamental to the organisation’s survival. The funding normally covers basic organisational and administrative costs of an organisation, and may include items such as salaries, facilities, equipment, communications, and the direct expenses of day-to-day work.

The organisation in question was first funded under the SSNO which ran from 2008-2011, and is now funded under the current Scheme which commenced in 2011 and will finish on 30 June 2014. My Department conducts inspections on nationally funded schemes and programmes operated and implemented by the Department. A minimum selection of 5% of expenditure is examined each year across the Community & Voluntary Sector support programmes. To date, the Partnership has not been selected for inspection, although a system of checks is carried out prior to each payment.

The table below provides details of the funding to New Communities Partnership over the period 2008-2013.

2008 – €113,000

2009 – €108,500

2010 – €97,600

2011 – €83,600

2012 – €90,000

2013 – €84,800

Collection rate for NPPR charge – 28th January 2014

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm the collection rate achieved by local authorities for the non-principal private residence charge.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 broadened the revenue base of local authorities by introducing a charge on non-principal private residences. The self-assessed charge is set at €200 per annum and liability for it falls, in the main, on owners of rental, holiday and vacant properties.

Under the Act, it is a function of a local authority to collect Non-Principal Private Residence Charges, and late payment fees due to it and all Charges and late payment fees imposed and payable to a local authority are under the care and management of the local authority concerned.

Approximately 360,000 properties have been registered for the Non-Principal Private Residence Charge, which has raised in excess of €398m to date over its five years of operation. It is not possible to state with any certainty the level of non-compliance with the Charge, and therefore an estimate of the overall collection rate would not be sound. However, I am confident that compliance levels are high as a result of data matching undertaken with other public bo dies, such as the Private Residential Tenancies Board, as provided for under the Act. The amount raised by the Charge to date also indicates a high compliance rate.

2013 was the final year of the operation of the Non-Principal Private Residence Charge although local authorities will continue to pursue arrears outstanding in the period from 2009 to 2013. Since its introduction in 2009, the Charge has been an important source of revenue for local authorities and has funded the provision of vital local services.

Improving the rights of renters of residential property – 12th December 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he intends to protect and improve the rights of renters of residential property.

The Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Ms. J. O’Sullivan) :

The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants in the private rented residential sector and represented the most significant legislative reform in the private rented sector in over a century. The Act provided real security of tenure for tenants in the private rented sector for the first time and, inter alia, provided access for both tenants and landlords to an inexpensive, informal and independent dispute resolution process operated by the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB).

Nine years on from the passing of the Act, however, it is clear that there are aspects of the legislation that require amendment in order to improve the functioning of the rental sector. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2012 was published on 19 July 2012. The Bill builds on what has already been achieved by the 2004 Act, and by the PRTB, and is a key element in the delivery of the Government’s housing policy.

Among the main issues addressed by the amending legislation are the extension of the remit of the Residential Tenancies Act to Approved Housing Body tenancies; the Board of the PRTB to be reduced from 15 to 12 members; the separation of the governance and quasi-judicial functions of the Board; the merger of the PRTB and the Rent Tribunal; the simplification and streamlining of the mediation process and the introduction of a new procedure to enable the PRTB to deal effectively with tenants who do not pay rent during the dispute process.

While the Bill addresses a wide range of issues, there are some other aspects still under development which I hope to bring forward for consideration during the Bill’s passage through the Seanad. In particular, I am keen to progress the commitment in the Programme for Government to introduce a tenancy deposit protection scheme and I intend to provide for the establishment of such a scheme at Committee Stage of the Bill in the Seanad. The Bill is currently before the Seanad.

Amendment of the residential tenancy legislation – 4th December 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a proposal (details supplied) in relation to residential tenancy legislation.

The Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Ms. J. O’Sullivan) :

The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 represented the most significant legislative reform in the private rented sector in over a century. The Act provided real security of tenure for tenants in the private rented sector for the first time and, inter alia , provided access for both tenants and landlords to an inexpensive, informal and independent dispute resolution process operated by the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) .

Nine years on from the passing of the Act , however, it is clear that there are aspects of the legislation that require amendment in order to improve the functioning of the private rental sector, including in relation to the withholding of rent during the dispute resolution process. Currently, under Section 86 of the Act, rent continues to be payable pending the determination of a dispute but a termination of the tenancy may not be effected during this period.

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2012 builds on what has already been achieved by the Act and by the PRTB and is a key element in the delivery of the Government’s housing policy. Amendments were introduced at committee stage of the Bill in the Dáil , to provide for the introduction of a new procedure which will enable the PRTB to deal effectively with tenants who do not pay rent during the dispute resolution process. The amendments insert a new section into the Act which provide for a landlord, in such instances, to bring a complaint before the PRTB. On hearing this complaint, the PRTB can order the tenant to pay any rent due. The matter is then adjourned for a period of no more than 14 days to allow the tenant comply with the Order. Where the tenant does not comply the PRTB will have the power to terminate the tenancy irrespective of whether a notice of termination has been served.

Essentially, the non-payment of rent issue is fast-tracked and any other aspects of the dispute will be dealt with in the normal way . The proposed new provisions will allow the PRTB to deal effectively and quickly with the small number of tenants who do not comply with their statutory obligation to pay rent during the dispute process.

The Bill is currently before the Seanad.

The Producer Responsibility Initiative Model – 12th November 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding a review, initiated by his Department in June 2012, of the Producer Responsibility Initiative Model in Ireland; when this review will be complete; and when he will be in a position to publish the review in full.

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding producer responsibility initiatives here and the various waste streams which are covered by produ cer responsibility initiatives.

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the current number and identity of approved Producer Responsibility Initiatives under the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2007, S.I. No 798 of 2007; the date such approval commenced; the date and term of any extensions to the schemes; the process which was undertaken for the approval of such schemes; and if such approval is contingent upon or will be delayed until the outcome of the review of the Producer Responsibili ty Initiative Model in Ireland.

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the current number and identity of applications to his Department for approval to operate a Producer Responsibility Initiative under the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2007, S.I. No 798 of 2007; the process which will be undertaken in such an approval process; and if such approval is contingent upon or will be delayed until the outcome of the Review of the Producer Responsibility Initiative Model in Ireland.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

I propose to take Question Nos . 268, 269, 270 and 271 together .

In June 2012, I announced a wide ranging review of the existing producer responsibility initiatives (PRIs) in Ireland. The overall purpose of this review is to assess the nature and level of the challenges which are currently facing the existing Producer Responsibility Agreements as well as the forthcoming challenges that are expected to arise in the management of various waste streams. The findings and recommendations from the review will form the basis for the development of robust producer responsibility initiatives that will enable Ireland to operate successfully in meeting our domestic and EU environmental obligations in the medium to long term.

The terms of reference for the review provide that certain parts of the project would be progressed faster, and delivered once completed. In this regard, my Department has recently published the reports on Corporate Governance and the consideration of the introduction of a Packaging Levy. These reports are available on my Department’s website ( www.environ.ie). I expect to publish the reports on Waste Tyres and End-of-Life Vehicles in the coming weeks and the final report of the review will be published in the coming months.

The principal PRIs in Ireland are in the areas of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), batteries, packaging, end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), waste tyres and farm plastics. The majority of these PRI schemes have operated very successfully and have enabled Ireland to reach our domestic and EU recycling targets. They have also successfully contributed to Ireland meeting our overall environmental goals and have diverted substantial amounts of waste from landfill.

In terms of packaging PRI s, Repak is the sole compliance scheme approved to date under the Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2007. My Department currently also has one application on hand, from ERP Ireland, for approval under the Regulations.

Repak’s last five-year approval expired at the end of 2011. This was initially extended for a twelve-month period to 31 December 2012 and then for two further periods of six and then three months to 30 September 2013. Repak was re-approved for a further five-year period from 25 September 2013.

The application and assessment processes are set out under Article s 18 and 19 of the 2007 Regulations.

One of the issues under examination under the PRI review is the issue of the competitive environment for compliance schemes in Ireland , and the review will examine and advise on the optimal competitive environment. As the review is also examining a variety of inter-related issues within the packaging sector , including the possibility of a packaging levy, I decided that I would await the results and final report of the PRI Review before completing the decision- making process in respect of ERP Ireland’s application. My Department has kept ERP Ireland fully informed on this matter and on the status of their application generally and has given similar indications to other potential applicants in other waste streams who had enquired about the application process namely that , while they could seek to apply , their applications would not be considered and determined until after the PRI review was finalised.

Voting rights for Irish citizens living abroad – 8th October 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the extension of the franchise to overseas voters for elections taking place within the State.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

In order to be able to vote at elections and referendums, a person’s name must be entered in the register of electors for a constituency in the State in which the person ordinarily resides.

Postal voting is provided for in electoral law in respect of certain categories of person who are entered in the register of electors and who may be abroad on polling day – whole-time members of the Defence Forces; members of the Garda Síochána; Irish diplomats serving abroad and their spouses or civil partners; electors whose occupation, service or employment makes it likely that they will be unable to vote in person at their local polling station on polling day.

I understand that the Convention on the Constitution recently voted in favour of recommending the extension of voting rights in Presidential elections to Irish citizens who are resident outside of the State, including Irish citizens resident in Northern Ireland. In accordance with the resolution of the Oireachtas on the calling of the Convention the Government will provide in the Oireachtas a response to the recommendation of the Convention within four months of the report of the convention being submitted to the Houses of the Oireachtas and, if accepting the recommendation will indicate a timeframe it envisages for holding any related referendum. Proposals for change to electoral law will be brought forward in light of any decisions for change which might arise from this process.

Current financial position of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority – 8th October 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the current financial position of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority; if it can currently meet its day-today requirements such as providing street lighting within its functional area.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The most recent annual accounts of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, for the year 2011, have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and are also available on the Authority’s website, at www.ddda.ie.

The annual accounts for 2012 are being finalised and are expected to be submitted to my Department shortly. Once received, the accounts will be brought to Government after which they will, as in previous years, be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas.

The Authority continues to operate on a ‘going – concern’ basis and, as such, is in a position to meet its day-to-day financial requirements.

Transfer of assets from Dublin Docklands Development Authority to Dublin City Council – 8th October 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the transfer of the assets of the Dublin Docklands Development Agency to other bodies; if he will confirm that the public spaces, and other property such as parking spaces and social housing apartments, will be transferred to Dublin City Council.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

In the context of the decision to wind-up the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA), the Government has confirmed Dublin City Council (DCC) as the organisation under which the future regeneration of the Dublin Docklands is to be continued. In practical terms, DCC is providing staffing and other supports to the DDDA to allow it to continue to operate for the remainder of its period of operation.

My Department is currently examining the legal and financial arrangements needed to complete this process. The transfer of assets and other property is being considered in this context.

Installation of water meters – 24th September 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the time-frame for the installation of water meters, the reason that such a time-frame was decided on; and if he has considered installing these meters over a shorter period of time.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Programme for Government sets out a commitment for the introduction of water charges based on usage above a free allowance. The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has, therefore, decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. The Water Services Act 2013 provides for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group and assigns the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake the water metering programme. It is a matter for Irish Water to comply with all national and European legislation in the discharge of its functions.

The installation programme commenced in Au gust 2013 and will be implemented nationally as quickly as possible. The approach to procurement ha s been structured by Irish Water to ensure that there are sufficient boundary boxes, meters and installation contracts available for deployment to allow for the ramping up of the programme above the initial level once work is underway. It is important that all of these works are carried out safely and to a high quality standard with the minimum disruption and I expect that Irish Water will monitor and supervise all works accordingly.

Responsibility for the administration of my Department’s Rural Water Programme, under which funding is provided towards the capital costs of group water schemes, and of the subsidy scheme under which funding is provided towards the operational costs of group water schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. My Department will remain responsible for the overall policy and funding of the non-public water sector, including the group water sector. Over the past decade, substantial improvements have been made in the group water sector, reflected in improved infrastructure and management and leading to greater compliance with drinking water standards. This has been accomplished through a partnership approach between my Department, the local authorities and the group water sector itself, with the important involvement of the National Federation of Group Water Schemes. This co-operative approach will be maintained as the reform of water services provision is progressed.

Some group water schemes currently purchase water from water services authorities. In such cases the distribution network remains under the control of the group scheme. It is not intended that there will be any change to this arrangement when Irish Water assumes the water services responsibilities of the existing 34 water service authorities.

Section 237A of the Local Government Act – 24th September 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to repeal or amend section 237A of the Local Government Act in order to further separate the roles and responsibilities of Councillors and members of the Oireachtas.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

I have no plans to repeal or amend section 237A of the Local Government Act 2001.

Offsetting the NPPR Charge against the Property Tax– 21st June 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is considering offsetting the liability of the non principal private residence charge against the local property tax.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Local Property Tax is being introduced on a half year basis this year and accordingly 50% of the Tax is payable in 2013. The Local Property Tax and Non Principal Private Residence Charge operate quite differently in many respects; however, in general, those properties which are liable for the Charge will also be liable for the Tax. The amount of Local Property Tax incurred in respect of a liable property is based on that property’s value, while the Non Principal Private Residence Charge is incurred on the basis of a flat rate of €200 per liable property per annum. Therefore, it is not appropriate to assume equivalence between the Charge and the Tax. Liability for the Charge will not be offset against the Tax.

This year will be the final year of the operation of the Non Principal Private Residence Charge.

Guidelines for Planning Authorities -12th March 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if local authorities are obliged to follow the Development Contributions Guidelines for Planning Authorities as issued by his Department.

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the purpose of the Development Contributions Guidelines for Planning Authorities if local authorities are not obliged to follow them..

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 214 of 27 February 2013, if he will clarify the meaning of his statement when he said that guidelines published by Dublin City Council are very substantially in accordance with the draft guidelines.

Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (Ms. J. O’Sullivan):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 417, 418 and 419 together.

My role , as Minister, is to provide the necessary statutory and policy framework within which individual development contribution schemes are adopted by each local authority. The adoption of individual development contribution schemes is a reserved function of the locally elected members of each planning authority. While planning authorities, and An Bord Pleanála, are required to have regard to the guidelines in performance of their fu nctions under the Planning Acts, it is a matter for the members to determine the level of contribution s and the types of development s to which they will apply. Dublin City Council’s current development contributions scheme was adopted by the elected members before the publication of the new statutory guidelines. Nevertheless, the scheme reflects very closely the final content of the statutory guidance and contains several innovative provisions that are fully consistent with the pro-jobs/pro-planning objectives of the guidelines.

The guidelines were issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act s 2000 – 2012. This means that planning authorities are required to have regard to the guidelines in performance of their functions under the Planning Acts. However, the guidelines do not seek to alter the roles and functions of the elected members, the executive functions of local authorities or the role of my Department. They are intended, rather, to provide the necessary statutory and policy framework within which individual development contribution schemes are adopted by each local authority.

DCC proposals to energy retrofit Glovers Court in Dublin 2 – 19th February 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is familiar with Dublin City Council’s proposals to energy retrofit Glovers Court, Dublin 2; and his views on whether these proposals will come to fruition.

Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (Ms. J. O’Sullivan):

My Department is currently funding the large-scale refurbishment of a number of flat complexes in Dublin City. In line with overall national policy which promotes a reduction in energy use, the enhancement of energy efficiency standards remains a priority within my Department’s overall strategy for the improvement of local authority housing.

I am currently reviewing the terms of the energy retrofitting measure for 2013 and my Department will issue revised guidelines to local authorities in the context of the capital allocations under the housing programme for 2013, which I intend to announce shortly.

In January 2011, my Department approved a proposal by Dublin City Council to proceed to tender stage with the energy retrofitting works at Glovers Court. However, the project was not subsequently progressed to implementation stage under the capital funding programmes for 2011 or 2012. It is now a matter for Dublin City Council to progress these works within the context of the available funding and the terms of the energy retrofitting measure for 2013.

Water charges in apartment buildings – 12th February 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the way he intends to deal with water charges in apartment buildings; and if he will give a commitment that each apartment will have its own meter.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has therefore decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. Irish Water, a new State-owned water company to be established as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group, will be responsible for the domestic water metering programme and for the collection of water charges from households from 2014.

The Government has also decided to assign responsibility for the economic regulation of the water sector, including the setting of charges, to the Commission for Energy Regulation. The primary role of the regulator will be to protect the interests of customers and to ensure a consistent and appropriate level of service is provided to them.

As the metering programme will still be underway in 2014, an appropriate approach to charging customers who are not metered at that stage will be put in place. This will be structured in such a way as to ensure that it represents a reasonable proxy for usage and is fair. The approach to charges for both metered and unmetered properties will be included in a public consultation taking place this year as part of the regulatory process.

My Department estimates that up to 300,000 households may not be metered in the initial metering programme due to either the high cost or the technical difficulty of doing so. Where conventional meter installation is not possible, it is intended that alternative approaches will be considered. For example, for housing units in apartment complexes, internal metering may be considered.

Responsible waste disposal & anti-littering campaigns – 7th February 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if any funds from his Department, or funds from an agency or authority working under the remit of his Department, are used in promotion campaigns for a cleaner environment, responsible waste disposal, or anti-littering, the way such funding is spent, by whom, the campaigns undertaken in 2011 and 2012, their cost, and the funding allocated in this area for 2013, and whether or not this includes money spent by local authorities in this area.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

My Department provides funding to Local Authorities under the Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme. The Department has co-funded these grants for local authority anti-litter awareness and education initiatives since 1997. Local Authorities are responsible for selecting suitable projects for funding and deciding on individual grant allocations. The scheme requires that projects selected should promote greater public awareness and education in relation to litter, and since 2008, graffiti. They should also, where possible, focus on voluntary initiatives by community and environmental groups and involve schools and young people in anti-litter and anti-graffiti action. Typically, eligible projects include local media campaigns, clean-ups, primary/secondary school competitions, exhibitions and the production of videos, posters and leaflets. The maximum grant for a project may be up to 70% of the cost, with the balance being met by local contributions.

A total of €1,100,000 was made available to fund suitable projects under the scheme in 2011, while €1,000,000 was made available during 2012. Allocations under the scheme for 2013 remain under consideration.

My Department also launched a national litter and illegal dumping awareness campaign in the print media in July 2012 which ran for approximately 3 months. The advertising campaign was a result of an initiative between the Department and the newspaper and magazine industry.

The print media, represented by National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI), NNI Local & Regional, the Regional Newspapers and Printers Association of Ireland (RNPAI) and Magazines Ireland, made available, free of charge, advertising space valued at €500,000 in order to raise awareness of the damaging effects that fly tipping and small scale illegal dumping have on our environment and our economy, particularly on the tourism and agriculture sectors. Advertisements under this campaign appeared in national, regional and local newspapers and magazines over the course of the peak summer period, also providing information on how to report illegal dumping activity to the Environmental Protection Agency’s lo-call number 1850 365 121. The total cost incurred by my Department in relation to this campaign was less than €1,000 – these costs were associated with the professional costs of producing and sizing the advertisements.

In addition, National Spring Clean (NSC), run by An Taisce and co-financed by my Department, is a multi-sectoral initiative that promotes public awareness and participation in local litter clean-ups and awareness actions to improve the local environment. The campaign, which includes a central role for local authorities to co-ordinate and assist events at local level, is traditionally run annually throughout the month of April. Volunteers are equipped with free materials donated by NSC sponsors and the collected litter is recycled or disposed of in partnership with local authorities. My Department provided funding of €250,000 and €225,000 in 2011 and 2012, respectively, for this initiative. Funding for 2013 has not yet been finalised.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as an independent public body under the aegis of my Department, has a role in providing guidance to the public and to industry on various environmental topics, including waste prevention and generating greater environmental awareness. Its expenditure is detailed in its Annual Reports and Accounts, the most recent being in respect of 2011, copies of which have been laid before the Oireachtas and are also available on the Agency’s website, www.epa.ie

Emissions trading credits to the cement industry – 6th February 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether the current allocation of emissions trading systems credits to the cement industry to be appropriate, particularly in view of the fact that this allocation was based on the industry’s high sales levels in previous years and in view of reports that the cement industry is selling on these surplus credits.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The third phase of the EU Emissio ns Trading Scheme commenced on 1 January 2013 and will run over an eight year period to the end of 2020.

Following a major revision to the trading scheme, approved in 2009, the third phase is significantly different to the first two phases; key differences include –

1. a single EU-wide cap on emissions instead of twenty seven national caps;

2. auctioning, rather than free allocation , is now the default method of allocating allowances; and

3. in specific cases where allowances are still issued free of charge, harmonised allocation rules apply which are based on ambitious EU-wide benchmarks of emissions performance.

Competitiveness concerns are addressed in the case of installations deemed to be exposed to significant risk of carbon leakage. Where i nstallations concerned reach the relevant EU-wide benchmark in principle , they will receive a free allocation of allowances. Installations that fall short of the benchmark will receive a proportionately lower allocation of free allowances compared to their emissions, and therefore must reduce their em issions or buy allowances.

Under Commission Decision 2010/2/EU dated 24 December 2009, the manufacture of cement is a sector deemed to be exposed to a significant risk of carbon leakage.

As the third phase of the trading scheme is only operational for a matter of days, it would be premature to draw any conclusions regarding the appropriateness of the agreed EU-wide allocation methodology.

Treatment of unions in Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 – 6th February 2013

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 introduces new provisions along with amendments to the Electoral Acts to further enhance the openness and transparency of political funding in Ireland.

In response to the Programme for Government commitment on corporate donations the new provisions in the Act include a ban on the acceptance of donations over €200 for political purposes from a corporate donor unless the donor has registered with the Standards in Public Office Commission. This came into effect on 1 January 2013. Corporate donor is defined in the Act as meaning a body corporate, an unincorporated body of persons or a trust, which makes a donation.

Tenancy deposit protection scheme – 6th February 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is considering the introduction of a standardised private rental contract for residential property and a deposit scheme whereby deposits paid by renters are held in a neutral account.

Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (Ms. J. O’Sullivan):

The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the tenant-landlord relationship in the private rented residential sector. Under the Act a tenancy includes any periodic or fixed term tenancy whether oral, written or implied and a tenancy agreement includes an oral tenancy agreement. It is a matter for the tenant and landlord to agree the terms and conditions of a lease or tenancy agreement consistent with the Act and I do not propose to vary this arrangement.

On foot of the commitment in the Programme for Government 2011 to introduce a tenancy deposit protection scheme I asked the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) to commission research on such a scheme and to report back to me with recommendations. The final report and recommendations were submitted to me on 12 November 2012 and I am examining the report with a view to providing for the establishment of tenancy deposit protection in the context of the Oireachtas consideration of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012.

Employment practices in the civil services – 6th February 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there are any retired public sector workers from his Department, or any other part of the public sector, currently on his Department’s payroll, for example, for sitting on a committee or preparing a report, but not exclusively these two areas; the number on the payroll; the cost to his Department; the services being delivered for this money; and the way that the positions were originally advertised.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

Retired public and civil servants are engaged from time to time by my Department in areas where specific expertise is required for a short fixed period, and these staff provide a level of knowledge, experience and background compatible with such requirements.

The abatement principle, which ensures that the fee paid plus pension does not exceed the rate of pay the pensioner would receive if he/she had continued service in their former post, applies to payments as appropriate . The tasks carried out include time bound tasks or projects such as membership of expert groups, occasional service on interview boards, value for money reviews and process audits.
There are currently 8 retired public servants working for my Department.

The nature of the work involved, the costs and method of appointment is set out in this table.

In addition to the above, t here are a number of retired public and civil servants carrying out work for the Department from time to time on a pro bono basis.

Pop-up shops – 16th January 2013

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider a proposal for pop-up shops as a way of helping villages deal with empty premises and young entrepreneurs get their business ideas established.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

Under current legislation the person liable for payment of rates is the person in occupation of a rateable property at the date of the making of the rate. The owner rather than the occupier may be liable for commercial rates if the property in question is unoccupied on the date of the making of the rate. Should a person’s occupancy commence after the date of the making of the rate then that person is not primarily liable for rates for that year.

Under the provisions of the Local Government (Rates) Act 1970, a rating authority may make and carry out a scheme providing for the waiver by the authority of all or a portion of commercial rates due by ratepayers in respect of a specified class or classes of property. The making of such a scheme is subject to my consent as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. No rate waiver schemes have been consented to in respect of commercial property.

While matters relating to rates are kept under regular consideration in my Department, I have no immediate plans to bring forward legislative amendment in this area.

Manning levels in Dublin’s Fire and Rescue Services – 5th December 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on manning levels in Dublin City’s Fire and Resc ue Services (details supplied).

In the early 90’s a minimum manning level for the city’s’ Fire and Rescue services was negotiated, emphasis on the minimum. These levels were agreed between management and unions taking health and safety and operational issues at the time into account. Over the past 20 years, those levels have remained static (with the exception of the 2nd fire engine added in Tallaght and Swords going full-time), through the Capital’s expanse in population and urban sprawl. That said, the personnel of Dublin Fire Brigade have responded to, and dealt with, incidents of every description, fire, rescue, road traffic accident, ambulance, water rescue, etc. with the dedication and professionalism that you would expect from a Capital City’s’ emergency service

A solution recently proposed by DOE’s National Directorate and Fire Emergency Management Body (Keeping Communities Safe document) that addresses manning levels will have inevitable consequences. Should they be adopted, the minimum manning levels in the city will fall below minimum. Fire officer’s decisions to commit resources at incidents will be curtailed, due to the Incident Command systems and Standard Operational Guidelines in place. Any loss of life, damage to property or non-payment from insurance companies due to inadequate fire service cover as a result of these measures will not be the responsibility of fire service staff. Accountability will rest on your doorstep, for it will fall to you, as elected representatives, to explain to your constituents how and why fire cover in the Capital fell to these levels.

Minimum manning levels provide enough cover for “Safe Systems of Work” for all of us, firefighters and citizens alike, and to lessen them is to invite disaster. Do so at your peril. I am not scaremongering here, but giving an opinion based on reality, as I perceive it. As such, you can agree, or disagree, but please, do not dismiss lightly.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan)

I refer to the reply to Question No. 492 of 27 November 2012 , which sets out the position in this matter.

Question No. 492 of 27 November 2012

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has received and reviewed the draft document by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, Keeping Communities Safe; if he is concerned by any proposals to reduce minimum manning levels in the Fire Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Thomas P. Broughan.

For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 27th November, 2012.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Management Board of m y Department’s National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management has approved a policy document called Keeping Communities Safe (KCS) which is intended to set the future direction of fire services in Ireland. The policy document seeks to define an integrated approach to fire safety by ensuring an appropriate incident response from the fire service while strengthening the service’s role in fire prevention and community fire safety. The KCS document is the outcome of a wide ranging review of fire services activities , and considers future roles and appropriate structures to deliver services effectively and efficiently. Its preparation involved board stateholder consultation and its provisions are in line with international best practice.

I will be bringing Keeping Communities Safe to the attention of Government and I expect to publish it as national policy in the near future.

Register of electors for Dublin South East – 20th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of electors in each of the categories denoted by the letters (L) (D) (E) on the voters register for the constituency of Dublin South East who have restricted voting because they are registered to vote in Local Elections only (L), to vote in local Dáil and European elections only (D), to vote in local and European elections only (E); and if he will now readjust the electorate and turnout percentages in the official results maintained by his Department for the recent referendum to reflect this; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of electors in each of the categories denoted by the letters (L) (D) (E) on the voters register for each of the Dáil constituencies, who have restricted voting because they are registered to vote in Local Elections only (L), to vote in local Dáil and European elections only (D), to vote in local and European elections only (E); and if he will now readjust the electorate and turnout percentages in the official results maintained by his Department for the recent referendum to reflect this.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

Registration Authorities – County and City Councils – publish the register of electors annually on 1 February and it comes into effect fourteen days later on 15 February. The publication of the register requires the sending of a copy of the register for the relevant constituency to members of the Dáil, the Seanad, the European Parliament and local authorities. Registration Authorities also provide information on the register to my Department in February each year. Based on this information, the numbers available to me, both nationally and for the constituencies of Cork South West and Dublin South East, for each category of elector are as follows:

The information provided by the Registration Authorities to my Department shows the number of electors registered each year on a constituency and administrative county basis. As the European and Local Election constituencies do not correlate to Dáil constituency boundaries, the information on the number of European and local government electors in the Dáil constituencies of Cork South West and Dublin South East has not been provided to my Department.

The electorate for the recent referendum, as published by the Referendum Returning Officer on www.referendum.ie includes the number of ‘presidential’ electors (that is those entitled to vote at a referendum) on the 2012/2013 register, which came into effect in February 2012, and, in addition, those added to the register by way of the supplement to the register.

Assets under control of the Temple Bar Cultural Trust – 15th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 428 of 12 June 2012, if he will provide a list of the assets under the control of the Temple Bar Cultural Trust; the money received by the Trust as a return on these assets; and when he will publish and make available to the public the Latitude report on the Trust.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

As indicated in the reply to Question No. 428 of 12 June 2012, the Temple Bar Cultural Trust organisation is a private limited company with the Dublin City Manager as the sole shareholder, and governance arrangements and financial management of the Trust are matters for Dublin City Council. I have no role in relation to these matters. Accordingly, the information sought is not available in my Department and may be obtained directly from Dublin City Council.

Public Sector Rostering – 6th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phi Hogan):

Memorandum of understanding and the establishment of larger retailers – 18th October 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the Memorandum for Understanding agreed with the Troika includes provision for the establishment of certain larger retailers here.

The Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (Jan O’Sullivan):

The Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Retail Planning and accompanying Retail Design Manual which I published on 1 May 2012 are aimed at:

· ensuring that the planning system plays a key role in supporting competitiveness in the retail sector;

· advancing choice for the consumer while promoting and supporting the vitality and viability of city and town centres; and,

·contributing to a high standard of urban design and encouraging a greater use of sustainable transport.

The Guidelines take into account the recommendations of the Forfás s tudy : Review of the Economic Impact of the Retail Cap which is an evidence-based and focused study to analyse the potential economic impacts of eliminating the cap on the size of retail premises and is published on my Department’s website at www.environ.ie

. This s tudy was prepared i n response to the requirement in the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland for an economic analysis of the potential impact on competition and consumer prices of eliminating or relaxing the floorspace cap on retail premises .

On foot of the Forfás s tudy , and the public consultation process on the draft Guidelines, the convenience retail floorspace caps were amended rather than eliminated and proposed exceptions to the 6,000 square metres retail warehouse cap may be considered on the merits of individual development applications in the five National Spatial Strategy Gateway cities of Dublin, C ork, Waterford, Limerick/Shannon and Galway subject to the locational criteria set out in the Guidelines.

Measures to protect tenants from paying the household charge – 25th September 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps being taken to protect tenants from the paying the household charge in an instance where the landlord wrongly imposes the charge on a tenant.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012 provide the legislation underpinning the household charge. Under the legislation, an owner of a residential property on the liability date of 1 January 2012 is liable to pay the household charge by 31 March 2012, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver.

Section 1 of the Act provides a definition of “owner” for the purposes of the Act, which, in relation to a residential property, means—

(a) a person (other than a mortgagee not in possession) who—
(i) in the case of a residential property that is let under a lease or held under a tenancy for a term not exceeding 20 years, is entitled to receive the rent under that lease or tenancy whether in his or her own right or as trustee or agent for another person, or
(ii) in the case of a residential property that is not so let or so held, would, subject to paragraph (b), be so entitled if the residential property were so let or so held, whether in that person’s own right or as trustee or agent for another person,
or
(b) where the property is let under a lease or held under a tenancy for a term exceeding 20 years, the person (other than a mortgagee not in possession) who is the lessee under that lease or tenant under that tenancy.

A tenant holding a lease of less than 20 years’ duration, whether in public or in private rented accommodation, is not an owner of the property in which he or she is living and is therefore not liable in respect of that property. The household charge is a charge levied on the ownership of property, not on its occupation, and a non-compliant owner of a property, not the tenant, will be pursued for payment.

Upward on rent review clauses for legacy tenants – 27th September 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is in a position to instruct public bodies, for example local authorities, to waive their upward only rent review clause on legacy leases for tenants where there is no borrowing against the asset in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (Jan O’Sullivan):

There are no upward only rent review cl auses for social housing tenants of local authorities. In so far as the question relates to commercial leases then it is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality.

Any changes to Constituency Commission Report – 17th July 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in the legislation to be brought forward to implement the recent Constituency Commission Report, if any changes are to be made to the Constituency Commission Report, either in a substantive way, or at a technical level, for example, proposed names for new constituencies.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

An independent Constituency Commission was established on 27 July 2011 and it presented the Constituency Commission Report 2012 to the Chairman of the Dáil on 21 June 2012. In accordance with section 9(3) of the Electoral Act 1997 the Constituency Commission stands dissolved on the presentation of its report. I have no responsibility for the content of the report.

Following the publication of the Constituency Commission report the next step in accordance with accepted practice is for the preparation of a Bill in my Department to give statutory effect to the Commission’s recommendations. The final determination of the constituencies for Dáil Éireann is a matter for the Oireachtas to prescribe in legislation. I will bring the necessary legislation forward in the coming months.

Number of local authority employees to complete performance management and development system assessments– 12th July 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of local authority employees completed performance management and development system assessments in 2011 by authority sector; if he will provide a breakdown of the scoring categories 5 to 1 in each authority sector.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each City and County Manager is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. Accordingly, the detailed information sought is not available in my Department.

A wage threshold to retain council housing – 3rd of July 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on introducing a wage threshold for those in council housing whereby those earning a higher wage would no longer be able to avail of council housing.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

Sections of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009 dealing with social housing support, and the related Social Housing Assessment Regulations, 2011, were commenced on 1 April 2011. The Regulations contain national eligibility criteria, including maximum income limits, for persons applying for social housing.

Households in receipt of social housing support are not required to have their income assessed in order to continue to receive social housing support. Where household income increases this is taken into account in determining the relevant differential rent.

Number of staff in the Department’s redeployment pool– 26th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of persons in his Department’s redeployment pool, including agencies responsible to it, that is, those persons who are to be redeployed as their current role is no longer necessary, but have not been.; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

There are nine persons in my Department available for redeployment. Six have already been redeployed to other Departments. The maximum time a person has been awaiting redeployment has been fifteen months and this arises due to the particular business specialty of the persons concerned.

In relation to the state agencies under the aegis of my Department thirty four people are available for redeployment with 28 deployed already. The maximum waiting time for this sector is 12 months and again this is due to the specific nature of their business specialty.

The possibility of a road tax to incentivise the purchase of electric vehicles – 26th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is considering using road tax or other charges as a way of incentivising the purchase and use of electric vehicles.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

A review of options for the improvement in Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) and motor tax revenues in future years was announced on Budget day, 6 December 2011. Interested parties were invited to make submissions regarding the proposed revision in the current system of VRT and motor tax to adjust CO2 bands and rates in line with technological advances in motor vehicles while maintaining a positive environmental incentive to reduce transport emissions.

The public consultation period ran to 1 March 2012. Submissions, including submissions in relation to electric vehicles, were received from motoring representative organisations, motor dealers and other elements of the motoring industry, and also from private individuals. My Department and the Department of Finance are currently considering the submissions and possible options with a view to bringing proposals to Government.

Public sector staffing numbers – 12th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the percentage of staff working in the public sector, including in the civil services, that he deems to fall into the category of frontline staff, administrative, management, elected representative and any other relevant categories; and the way the pay budget is allocated across these categories in percentage and real terms in terms of as a proportion of the Department expenditure on salaries.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

As of March 2012 there were 28,811 whole time equivalent staff employed in local authorities. The table below provides a breakdown by category. Information on the allocation of pay by category of staff is not available in my Department.

Managerial

Clerical

/Admin

Professional

/Technical

Outdoor

Full- Time

Firefighter

Temp

/Contract

/Other

Total

235.8

10,172.65

3,955.89

11,885.58

1,170

1,391.02

28,810.94

The total number of elected members of local authorities is 1,627.

The cost, board members and planning powers of the Temple Bar Cultural Trust -12th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in relation to the Temple Bar Cultural Trust, the number of staff employed by the trust; the number of persons that sit on the board; the names of these persons; the salaries and expenses they receive; the planning powers the trust has; the total value of assets under the control of the trust; if he will provide a list of these assets; the money received by the trust as a return on these assets; the consultants engaged by the trust and the cost of same; when the trust was last audited; the amount of public money spent on maintaining the trust; the date on which this quango will be abolished; when he will publish and make available to the public the Latitude report on the trust.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Temple Bar Cultural Trust organisation is a private limited company with the Dublin City Manager as the sole shareholder. Therefore, in the first instance, governance arrangements and financial management of the Trust are a matter for Dublin City Council.

I understand that the current staffing level in Temple Bar Cultural Trust is 15. The Board Members are listed below. The fees for the new Chair are currently being addressed as are the fees for the new Board Members, other than City Councillors and City Council Staff Members.

The Trust has no planning powers. The total value of assets under the control of the trust, as per the 2011 financial statements, is €48.4 million which includes €9 million investment properties and €39.4 million of cultural properties.

There are currently no consultants engaged by the Trust. The accounts for 2011 have been audited by Smyth & Williamson Freaney and are currently before the Board for approval. Temple Bar Cultural Trust is financed through its property income and receives no subsidy from Dublin City Council or central Government. The Trust, however, receives various grants from Government Departments for particular pieces of work it undertakes throughout the year. An annual grant for Culture Night amounting to €100,000 is also received from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

No decision has yet been made on the future of the Trust. I understand that an independent consultancy report into the operation of the Trust, commissioned by Dublin City Council, was presented to the Council in 2011. The contents of the report were circulated and discussed in detail at a City Council meeting on 3 October 2011. The City Manager has tasked the Board with examining the recommendations in the report.

Board Members:
Chairman: Daithi O’Ceallaigh
Cllr. Oisin Quinn
Cllr. Mannix Flynn
Cllr.Maria Parodi
Cllr. Kieran Binchy
Mr. Ray Yeates, Dublin City Council Arts Officer
Mr. Declan Wallace, Dublin City Council Assistant City Manager
Mr. Alan Connolly, Formerly CEO Irish Public Bodies Mutual Insurances Ltd
Ms. Jane Daly, Irish Theatre Institue
Mr. Martin Harte, CEO, Temple Bar Traders Association
Mr. Joe Moreau, Byrne Moreau Connell Chartered Accountants
Ms. Marie Ostinelli, Founder Member Business to Arts
Ms. Ciara Sugrue, Dublin Tourism / Failte Ireland (Resigned, vacancy to be filled)
Mr. Dermot McLaughlin, Temple Bar Cultural Trust, CEO
Mr. Dara Connolly, Temple Bar Cultural Trust, Company Secretary

Responsibility for hiring staff at polling stations – 12th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the person responsible for hiring staff at the various polling booths and count centres for the recent referendum; if there was an obligation to hire persons on the live register over those who are currently in some form of paid employment; and if any members of the public sector were employed on the day separate from their existing contracts with the State.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The primary role of my Department in electoral matters is to provide an appropriate policy and legislative framework for a modern and efficient electoral system. Within that framework, local returning officers are responsible for all matters in connection with the actual conduct of elections and referendums, including the selection, appointment and training of polling station and count staff in accordance with the relevant provisions of electoral law. Accordingly, there is no information in my Department about the number of election staff chosen from the unemployed or employed, including the public sector.

To assist returning officers, my Department issues guidance to them in advance of each election and referendum. The guidance emphasises that the smooth conduct of polls is dependent on maintaining a cadre of sufficiently skilled and experienced people. Having regard to that overall objective, returning officers are advised to employ competent and efficient persons as polling staff and asked to give consideration, where possible, to employing suitable persons who are unemployed.

Staff in Donegal County Council earning in excess of €100,00 a year – 6th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details of all positions in Donegal County Council earning more than €100,000; the amount they earn and the additional benefits available to them.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

There are currently three employees in Donegal County Council in receipt of salaries in excess of €100,000. These comprise the County Manager and two Directors of Service. County Managers and Directors of Service may submit claims in respect of travel and subsistence expenses incurred as part of their official duties in accordance with the relevant travel and subsistence circulars. All local authorities are obliged to ensure that only essential travel is undertaken and that the number of employees going on any official journey is kept to an absolute minimum. Local authorities are also obliged to ensure that related expenditure is critically appraised and monitored.

The possibility of introducing a deposit retention scheme as a means of mediation– 22nd March 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has considered the introduction of a deposit retention scheme whereby a third party, perhaps a public body such as the Private Residential Tenancies Board, would hold a tenant’s deposit and act as mediator in disputes that arise, as is the case in many other countries such as the UK and Australia..

Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (Ms. J. O’Sullivan):

The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the tenant-landlord relationship in the private rented residential sector. Under section 12 (1)(d) of the Act a landlord is obliged to promptly refund deposits unless, and in accordance with the provisions of the Act, there is rent or other charges or taxes owing or there is damage to the property beyond normal wear and tear.

My Department conducted a review of the Act in 2009 and the incorrect retention of deposits by landlords was identified in the review process as one of a range of issues that merited specific attention. In July 2011 the Government approved the drafting of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2011. My Department is currently liaising with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel regarding the drafting of the Bill.

The Programme for Government 2011 commits to the introduction of a deposit protection scheme and it is important that action in this regard is taken in the context of a strong evidence base. I have therefore asked the PRTB to commission analysis-based research on such a scheme and to report back to me with recommendations. I understand that the PRTB has recently awarded the tender for this research and I expect that the Board will revert to me with detailed research and recommendations in Autumn 2012.

Housing grants for older people -22nd March 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding assistance for urgent repair work in respect of a person (details supplied).

Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (Ms. J. O’Sullivan):

The suite of grants include three separate grant measures; the Mobility Aids Grant scheme with grants of up to €6,000, the Housing Aid for Older People scheme with grants of up to €10,500 and the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability with grants of up to €30,000, depending on household income.

The Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability provide a range of grants for necessary improvement works or adaptations to houses in order to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their own homes by older people and people with a disability. The schemes are administered by Local Authorities and it is a matter for each local authority to determine how the funding is apportioned between the various grant measures and to manage the operation of the schemes in their areas from within the capital allocations provided by my Department.

Properties owned by charities that are exempt from the household charge – 19th April 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details of charities and the types of accommodation owned by charities that are exempt from the household charge; the estimate of what this is worth in lost revenue and if they will also be exempt from the property tax.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012 provide the legislative basis for the household charge.

Under the legislation, an owner of a residential property on the liability date of 1 January 2012 is liable to pay the household charge by 31 March 2012, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. The household charge is on a self-assessment basis and it is a matter for an owner of a residential property on the liability date to determine if he/she has a liability and, if so, to declare that liability and pay the household charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver.Section 4 of the Act sets out the exemptions and waivers from the household charge. In particular, section 4(1)(b) provides an exemption from the household charge where the owner is-

(i) a body corporate beneficially entitled in possession, and

(ii) an approved body within the meaning of section 848A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997.

I have established an Inter-Departmental Group on Property Tax to consider the structures and modalities for an equitable valuation based property tax. The Group will complete its work and make recommendations to me shortly. Following consideration of the Group’s recommendations, I will bring proposals to Government on the full property tax as soon as possible. It will then be a matter for the Government to decide on the structure and modalities of the full property tax.

Information on the household charge and property tax – 27th March 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide information on an issue in relation to the household charge and coming property tax (details supplied).

(A resident is wondering whether or not an exemption for either was, or is being, considered in relation to people who had paid stamp duty on new home purchases in the past five years. Any details or points of view of the Minister would be very much appreciated.)

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012 provide the legislation underpinning the household charge.

The household charge is framed on a self assessment basis at a point in time. It is a matter for those who own residential property liable to the charge to declare this and to pay the charge by the due date, 31 March 2012. The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provides for a number of exemptions and waivers from payment of the household charge.

Interpretation of the legislation is a matter for legal advice in individual cases and ultimately a matter for the Courts.

The exemptions from payment of the household charge are –
· Residential properties that are part of the trading stock of a business and have not been sold or been the source of any income since construction,
· Residential property owned by a Minister of the Government, a housing authority or the Health Service Executive,
· Voluntary and co-operative housing,
· Residential property subject to commercial rates and wholly used as a dwelling,
· Residential property owned by certain charities or discretionary trusts, and
· Residential property which an owner has vacated due to long-term mental or physical infirmity (e.g. elderly person that has moved into a nursing home).

The waivers which apply concern –

· Owners of residential property entitled to mortgage interest supplement, and
· Owners of houses in certain unfinished housing estates.

I have no proposals to provide any further exemptions to the household charge.

I have established an Inter-Departmental Group on Property Tax to consider the structures and modalities for an equitable valuation based property tax. The Group will complete its work and make recommendations to me by end April 2012. Following consideration of the Group’s recommendations, I will bring proposals to Government on the full property tax as soon as possible. It will then be a matter for the Government to decide on the structure of the full property tax.

Suggestions for the household charge – 27th March 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider a suggestion (details supplied) in relation to the household charge.

(To give people acting as executors of wills who are charged with selling a house on behalf of a deceased person an exemption from paying the Household charge and the 2nd house charge. This charge should not be waived but simply deferred until sale is completed and the charge could then be taken from the monies received from the sale.)

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, set out the legislation underpinning the household charge and the charge on non-principal private residences respectively.

Application of the legislation in particular circumstances is a matter for the relevant local authority. Interpretation of the legislation is a matter for legal advice in individual cases and ultimately a matter for the Courts.

Both Acts contain common provisions dealing with the situation where a person who is the sole owner of a residential property dies. The legislation provides that the personal representative of the deceased person shall not, in respect of that residential property, be liable to pay the household charge or the charge on non-principal private residences relating to a year in which the liability falls after the date of death of the deceased person and before the date of issue of a grant of representation to the estate of the deceased person.

The specific provisions are contained in section 4(3) of the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and, in relation to the charge on non-principal private residences, in section 4(7) of the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended.

In addition, both Acts provide that where a person who is the sole owner of a residential property dies and, at the date of his or her death, a household charge or a charge on non-principal private residence (and any related late payment penalties) remains unpaid in relation to that property, no further late payment penalties are payable in relation to that property until a grant of representation to the estate of the deceased person issues to the personal representative of such deceased person.

The personal representative of such deceased person is, as soon as a grant of representation to the estate of the deceased person issues to him or her, liable to pay to the relevant local authority the full amount due and owing by the deceased, at the date of his or her death, in respect of the household charge or the charge on non-principal private residences and any related late payment penalties.

Where the full amount owing is paid by the personal representative within 3 months of the date of issue of the grant of representation to the estate of the deceased, he or she shall have no further liability.

Where the full amount owing is not paid by the personal representative within 3 months of the date of issue of the grant of representation to the estate of the deceased, he or she is liable to pay late payment penalties, in addition to the full amount, from the date of issue of the grant of representation to the estate of the deceased.

These provisions are contained in section 7(3) – 7(6) of the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and section 6(3) – 6(6) of the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended.

A website to report local issues – 13 March 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update in the Government’s commitment to establish a website to assist residents in reporting local problems to their councils, with a guarantee that officials will respond within two working days; if there has been a delay in introducing such a system; and when such delays will be overcome.

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in keeping with the Government’s commitment to establish a web based reporting platform to local authorities, his plans to provide a mobile application platform for citizens so that they can report local issues to the local authority in real time and providing GPS data, to assist the local authority in the running, maintenance and upkeep of the local area..

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will be instructing local authorities to adopt technology, for example mobile and web based reporting tools, that will facilitate easier and better reporting by citizens of problems in their local area, that is illegal dumping, potholes and so on, technology that will then feed into performance indicators for the local authorities, will improve their service delivery, and will result in an improved interaction between the local authority and local residents, as well as obvious benefits for local businesses in view of the improved services in the area..

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

I propose to take question Questions Nos. 395, 396 and 397 together.

Local authorities already have arrangements and applications in place which facilitate citizens in making complaints or suggestions or in reporting problems through various mediums, including by post, phone, text, fax, e-mail and on-line through their websites.

In the context of the commitment in the Programme for Government, my Department is working with local authorities in developing options for the enhancement of these arrangements which will further assist citizens in availing of local authority services and in reporting problems or faults to their local authority.

This has included engagement with the County and City Managers’ Association and bilateral discussions with South Dublin County Council who have piloted an enhanced solution the www.Fixyourstreet.ie website which allows members of the public notify non-emergency issues such as graffiti, road defects, street lighting, drainage, litter and illegal dumping. To date, in excess of 2,400 reports have been uploaded onto the website. The average response time of South Dublin County Council to the queries raised in the last month (12 February to 12 March) was 1.3 days, less than the two working days deadline.

South Dublin County Council is currently assisting other local authorities with becoming involved with the FixYourStreet project and in this context, has recently facilitated two FixYourStreet information seminars (in December 2011 and February 2012) and plans to hold another next month. South Dublin County Council is also available to assist local authorities with technical or logistical issues around FixYourStreet.ie. I am given to understand that another local authority anticipates going live next month once the interface between their Customer Relationship Management software application and FixYourStreet is upgraded. I am advised that this will facilitate further roll-out to other local authorities.

Gated communities and the household charge – 28th February 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the consideration that was given and the consideration being given in relation to the household charge and property tax for persons living in communities with privately maintained infrastructure, for example a gated community where a management company is responsible for maintenance of roads and other amenities..

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012 provide the legislative basis for the household charge. Under the legislation, an owner of a residential property on the liability date of 1 January 2012 is liable to pay the household charge by 31 March 2012, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver.

Revenues from the household charge support the provision of local services. Internationally, local services are administered by local authorities and financed by local service charges. In Ireland, local authorities are responsible for, among other services, public parks; libraries; open spaces and leisure amenities; planning and development; fire and emergency services; maintenance and cleaning of streets and street lighting. These facilities benefit everyone.

I have recently established an inter-Departmental expert Group to design an equitable property tax having regard to its terms of reference. This Group has been asked to report to me by end April, 2012. I will then bring proposals to Government for decisions on the structure and modalities of the property tax.

Classification of the Swan River, a drain or a river – 22nd February 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will resolve the situation between his Department and the Office of Public Works regarding the official status of the Swan River, Dublin, if it is considered a drain or a river, as clarification of this matter is preventing progress in relation to flood protection alleviation measures and other necessary works..

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

I am not aware of any dispute between the Office of Public Works and my Department with regard to the status of the Swan River.

The river has, however, been the subject of discussions between Dublin City Council and the Office of Public Works, whose responsibilities include coordinating the activities of Government Departments, local authorities and other bodies in relation to flood risk management.

The river has been culverted by the local authority as part of it’s urban drainage responsibilities for the area, in effect incorporating the river wholly, or practically wholly, into the urban drainage system which was designed, constructed and is maintained by the local authority.

I understand that Dublin City Council is currently developing proposals for flood mitigation works for the river.

Transparency standards within the planning department of Dublin City Council – 31st January 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the Planning and Enforcement Department within Dublin City Council is self-regulating; and if standards of transparency exist within this Department..

Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (Ms. J. O’Sullivan)

Planning authorities are independent statutory bodies, with democratically elected councils and their own management structures to carry out their statutory duties. The Planning and Development Act 2000 extended the rules relating to ethics for planning authority staff. Part 15 of the Local Government Act 2001 introduced a comprehensive ethics regime for councillors and local government employees which came into effect on 1 January 2003. This regime includes annual declaration of interests, disclosure of interests as a matter arises and a public register of interests. This regime was further enhanced by the national Codes of Conduct for Councillors and Employees.

In proceedings under the Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 2010, where there is proof that certain persons in public office have received monies or other benefit from a person who has an interest in the outcome of their decisions, including planning decisions, there is a presumption that such payments were given and received corruptly.

Does the property tax apply to vacant properties – 12th January 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a property tax will apply to vacant residential properties, that are not rented and are up for sale.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

It will be a matter for the Government to decide on the scope and application of the property tax to replace the interim household charge in due course.

Situation with similar planning applications for the same property -15th December 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if two similar planning applications are put up on one site, and if an objection is lodged for one application, does it automatically apply as an objection for the second.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

Article 29 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001-2011 provides that any person or body, on payment of the prescribed fee, may make a submission or observation in writing to a planning authority in relation to a planning application within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

The submission is made in relation to a particular application which appears on the planning register under its own reference number. A planning authority or An Bord Pleanála will not associate the submission with any other application.

While there is not a limit to the number of planning applications that may be submitted in relation to a particular site, section 37(5)(a) of the Planning and Development Act provides that no application for permission for the same development or for a development of the same description as an application which is the subject of an appeal may be made before the appeal is dealt with by the Board.

If a subsequent application is made for a similar development on the same site it is of course open to anyone who made a submission on a previous application to make a submission on the subsequent application under the same conditions provided for by article 29 of the Regulations, including payment of the prescribed fee.

Planning applications – 29th November 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the practice when two similar planning applications are put up at the same property, an objection to one planning application has no bearing on the other application; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

It is not clear what practice is being referred to in the question. A planning authority is required to deal with any planning application in accordance with planning legislation, including the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended.

National Housing Agency building in Milltown – 24th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the situation regarding the National Housing Agency building beside the Milltown Luas station on Richmond Avenue South, Dublin 6.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The disposal by the National Building Agency (NBA) of their offices at ‘Hatherton’, Richmond Avenue South, Milltown, Dublin 6 is a matter in the first instance for the Board of the NBA. However, I understand that the offices in question are currently in the process of being sold.

Climate Bill before the Dáil – 23rd November 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to bring proposals for a Climate Bill before the Dáil committee for the Environment before the UN talks on climate change begin in Durban in December.

Reply

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Climate Policy Review was published on 3 November 2011 and is available on my Department’s website at www.environ.ie.

Do water charges apply to vacant rental properties – 25th October 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if water charges will apply to vacant rental properties that are yielding no income and are not in use.

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, should water charges apply to vacant properties, if the owners of these properties will have the right to have the water turned off.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

I propose to take Questions Nos 368 and 369 together.

The Memorandum of Understanding between Ireland and the EU/IMF includes a commitment to introduce water charges for households. The Programme for Government provides for the introduction of a fair funding model to deliver clean and reliable water. The objective is to install water meters in households connected to public water supplies and move to a charging system based on usage. My Department is currently preparing a strategy to implement these propsals and further details will be announced following the Government’s consideration of the proposals.

No appeal for decisions made by rent allowance scheme – 6th October 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that decisions made by the rental allowance scheme cannot be appealed to the Ombudsman for Public Services, unlike decisions made by other local Government agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (Mr. W. Penrose):

In general, decisions made by public bodies, including housing authorities, can be referred to the Office of the Ombudsman.

In relation to tenancies under the Rental Accommodation Scheme, all such tenancies are residential tenancy agreements governed by the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. Where disputes arise between the landlord and the tenant each has recourse to refer the matter to the Private Residential Tenancies Board under the provisions of the Act.

How will the household charge be implemented – 6th October 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 524 of 14 September 2011, if any decisions has been made on the way household charge will be implemented.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

Further to the reply to Question No. 524 of 14 September 2011, the legislation to underpin the household charge will contain the precise details of the charge and will be published and brought before the Houses of the Oireachtas shortly.

It is intended that the legislation will provide that the household charge will be administered on a self assessment basis and it will be a matter for owners of residential property to register and pay the charge by the due date. In the event of non payment, penalties will apply and unpaid household charges will remain as a charge against the property concerned

I recognise that the charge, although modest at €100, represents an additional cost for homeowners and it is proposed to facilitate homeowners by allowing it to be paid in four instalments.

Similar to the charge on non-principal private residences, an online system is being developed by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) to enable homeowners pay the household charge by credit card/debit card. In addition, homeowners will be able to make payments by cheque, postal order, etc through the post to the LGMA. A bureau will be established in the LGMA to administer the charge on a shared service/agency basis for all local authorities.

Maintenance of public toilet facilities – 6th October 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the provisions in place to ensure all public toilets are in working order and well maintained and if there are any proposals to increase the number of public toilet facilities.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

Section 67 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that a local authority may take such measures, engage in such activities or do such things (including the incurring of expenditure) as it considers necessary or desirable to promote the interests of the local community in relation to matters, including inter-alia, the public use of amenities such as sanitary accommodation.

It is a matter for each local authority to determine the extent to which these facilities should be provided and to allocate resources accordingly.

Gardaí abroad unable to vote in Presidential election – 20th September 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason gardai serving on UN or EU missions abroad are unable to vote in the presidential election.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

Electoral law provides for postal voting for specified categories of persons, including members of the Defence Forces and Irish Diplomats serving abroad. I will consider extending the categories of voters for which such arrangements should be put in place to Gardaí serving abroad in the context of any future amendments to electoral law.

Criteria to determine the rate of property tax – 14th September 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will indicate the criteria that will be used to determine the amount of property tax to be paid when the measure comes into effect.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

I presume the Question refers to the household charge.

The EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland commits the Government to the introduction of a property tax for 2012. The Programme reflects the need, in the context of the State’s overall financial position, to put the funding of locally delivered services on a sound financial footing, improve accountability and better align the cost of providing services with the demand for such services.

In light of the complex issues involved, a property tax, requiring a comprehensive property valuation system, would take time to introduce and accordingly, to meet the requirements in the EU/IMF Programme, the Government has decided to introduce a household charge in 2012. The household charge is an interim measure and proposals for a full property tax will be considered by the Government in due course.

The charge will be set at €100 and will apply to the majority of the households in the country, subject to a limited number of exemptions and waivers. It is expected to raise some €160 million and it is the intention that the revenues from the charge will support the provision of local services. Internationally, local services are administered by local authorities and financed by local service charges. In Ireland, local authorities are responsible for, among other services, fire and emergency services, maintenance and cleaning of streets, street lighting, public parks, waste services, libraries, open spaces and leisure facilities, etc.

Legislation to underpin the household charge will be brought before the Oireachtas shortly.

Permission for Gardaí to enter a building with a sounding alarm – 7th July 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce regulations or laws to allow Gardaí enter a premises in which an alarm has been sounding continuously to deactivate said alarm.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to address noise pollution through the introduction of fixed payment notices (also known as on the spot fines) and provision for mediation between neighbours. The development of new noise legislation by my Department will be considered in the context of this commitment. As indicated in the Government Legislation Programme published on 5 April 2011, it is not possible at this time to indicate when the legislation will be published.

The current position is that all external alarms installed on premises after 1 August 2006 must comply with the current Irish Standard – IS EN50131. This standard specifies a maximum duration of 15 minutes for the sounding of external alarms on buildings.

Construction of a sewerage plant in Arklow – 7th July 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if progress has been made regarding the construction of a sewerage treatment plant in Arklow, County Wicklow.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library, provides for the development of a comprehensive range of new water services infrastructure in County Wicklow. Three contracts under the Arklow Sewerage Scheme are included in the Programme amongst the list of contracts in the county to start in the period 2010 – 2012.

The major contract relates to the proposed wastewater treatment plant. I understand that the unsuccessful applicant to the High Court for a judicial review of An Bord Pleanála’s decision to grant approval for the wastewater treatment plant was given leave to appeal to the Supreme Court and has exercised that option. The hearing was held on 2 December 2009 and the Council is awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision in the matter. Further progress on this element of the scheme together with the contract for the Northern and Southern Interceptor Network will be dependent on the decision of the Court.

The planning of the proposed contract for the upgrade of South Green and Harbour Road Network is under consideration by the Council.

Class of property that falls under waiver for commercial rates – 30th June 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 130 of 16 June 2011, the classes of property that fall under the waiver scheme for commercial rates under the provisions of the Local Government (Rates) Act 1970, as referred to in the second part of his answer of 16 June 2011; if he or his predecessor have consented to any such schemes in the past seven years and if he has considered extending this scheme to classes or stages of business activity, for example, new businesses employing less than ten persons.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Local Government (Rates) Act 1970 does not specify the classes of property and of ratepayers that may be included in a rate waiver scheme. Such a scheme is made by a local authority as a reserved function and considerations as to the specified class or classes of property and of ratepayers to be included in the scheme are matters for the local authority. The making of such a scheme is subject to my consent as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

No rates waiver schemes have been consented to in the past seven years.

I recognise that these are difficult economic times for many businesses and I will continue to keep all matters relating to rates under regular consideration in my Department.

Publication of information relating to the Dormant Accounts Board – 30th June 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 66 of 26 May 2011, if the legislation presently being prepared that relates to the dissolution of the Dormant Accounts Board is scheduled for publication during the summer session or if he intends to publish at a later date in the lifetime of the 31st Dáil; when money within the account will be available for disbursement; if he can explain past application procedures and if community projects are entitled to allocation under part 6 of the Acts, including capital schemes.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011 is at an advanced stage of preparation and remains on schedule for publication during the current parliamentary session.

The Dormant Accounts budget for my Department for 2011 is fully committed to existing projects, and my priority must be to ensure that legal contractual commitments are met.

Under past application procedures, the Government made decisions on spending from the Fund, with three Interdepartmental Committees established to oversee the disability, educational disadvantage and social and economic disadvantage categories of Dormant Accounts Funding. Applications received in response to an invitation under section 43 of the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Act 2005 were assessed in accordance with published criteria and the results of the assessments were reported to the Minister.

Following receipt of the results of each assessment and on agreement by the relevant Interdepartmental Committee, the Minister must submit to Government a list of the measures and projects recommended for disbursement from the account and the amounts proposed to be disbursed. The list of approved measures and projects and the amounts to be disbursed is laid before each house of the Oireachtas and is made publicly available.

Community projects are eligible for funding under Part 6 of the 2005 Act, including capital schemes; there are currently no measures open for application under the Dormant Accounts Fund.

Who will qualify for a free water allowance – 23rd June 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he will determine the free water allowance to be granted to each household before such time as conservation charges are incurred.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

The Progamme for Government provides for the introduction of a fair funding model to deliver clean and reliable water. The objective is to install water meters in households and move to a charging system based on usage above a free allowance. My Department is currently preparing a strategy to implement these proposals, including the level of the free allowance and the potential impacts on vulnerable groups. Further details will be made available when the Government has considered the proposals.

Properties that are exempt from commercial rates – 16th June 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the classes of property that may fall under the waiver scheme for commercial rates under the provisions of the Local Government (Rates) Act 1970 and if he has considered extending this scheme to classes or stages of business activity.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.

Waiver scheme for commercial rates – 16th June 2011,

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

Potential waiver scheme for new business owners – 9th June 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has considered the introduction of a waiver scheme, or deferred payment scheme, in relation to council rates for start up businesses employing less than ten persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

There is currently no legal provision to introduce a national waiver scheme for rates. While matters relating to rates are kept under regular consideration in my Department, I have no immediate plans to bring forward legislative amendment in this area.

Guidance for rate payers in arrears – 21st April 2011,

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to give a policy direction to City and County Council managers regarding the pursuit of rate payers who are in arrears with their payments but who are making regular payments, or portions thereof, to the best of their ability, and in doing so are both keeping their businesses in operation with all the resultant benefits accruing to the wider economy while also recognising and maintaining their financial commitments to the Council and to the State.

Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Phil Hogan):

Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. I have no direct involvement in the collection of rates, which is a matter for each individual local authority.

Every effort is being made by my Department and the agencies under its aegis to progress these redeployments in line with the agreed procedures.

Questions on Transport, Tourism and Sport

Posted November 1st, 2012

Airport link – 24th June 2015

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the National Transport Authority will conclude their report on a rail line to the airport; and if he will support a light rail, above-ground option.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

The National Transport Authority (NTA) have been carrying out technical reviews of all the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) public transport projects and I am awaiting delivery of their report and recommendations. The NTA anticipates delivering this work by the end of June.
Following receipt and assessment of the documentation, I will then make my decision regarding public transport investment priorities in the GDA by the end of the summer.

It would not be appropriate for me to comment on any particular project in advance of the NTA’s report and recommendations.

Rugby world cup bids – 13th March 2015

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the Government is involved in a bid for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2017; and if he will provide an update on the bid for the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2023.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

I am delighted that the IRFU has submitted a bid to host the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2017. The bid is a matter for the IRFU and the Government is not involved in the bid. However, my colleague, the Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring T.D., wrote to the IRFU in recent weeks expressing his support, and the full support of my Department and Agencies, for the bid.

Following on from the report of the working group set up to examine key issues in relation to the possibility of Ireland hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2023, the Government and the Northern Ireland Executive announced their support on 5th December last for the preparation of a joint bid for the Rugby World Cup by the IRFU.

Since then, the bid group working in the IRFU has commenced work on compiling the bid, with the support of the two administrations and their agencies. An Overview Group will be appointed to oversee progress on the bid and guide the bid preparation. I hope to be in a position to announce the details of the group in the near future.

Expansion of Dublin Bike Scheme – 13th March 2015

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide extra funding for the expansion of Dublin bikes outside the canals, which would require Government subsidisation in view of the fact that there is very little scope for extending the scheme under the current model with a company (details supplied).

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

The administration and expansion of the Dublin Public Bikes Scheme is the responsibility of the National Transport Authority (NTA) in cooperation with each of the four Dublin Authorities.

I have forwarded your question to the NTA for direct response. If you have not received a response within 10 working days please contact my private office.

Support for tourism sector – 5th March 2015

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will support changes in regulation and/or legislation to permit the introduction of new specialist tourism vehicles in Dublin (details supplied).

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector is the responsibility of the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013

Under the 2013 Act the NTA may make regulations for SPSVs and their drivers and may set different requirements and conditions in relation to the licensing and operation of different categories of SPSVs and their drivers.

I am advised that the National Transport Authority has made a determination against introducing a licensing category to cover specialist tourism vehicles that would include the type referred to.

Parking on footpaths – 13th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 287 of 25 September 2014 if he will provide an update on same; and if he will clarify the situation in view of his correspondence (details supplied).

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

Under the Traffic and Parking Regulations, partial parking of vehicles on pavements is currently not permitted.

In June 2014, following representations on the issue, my predecessor indicated that he would ask the National Transport Authority (NTA) to examine the issue further and to consider the possibility of introducing a pilot scheme for partial parking on pavements.

The NTA has recently responded and has indicated that, after extensive consideration of the request and consultation with local authorities and informally with An Garda Síochana, the introduction of permitted parking on footpaths is “highly undesirable and problematic”.

The key concerns arising from permitting any partial parking of vehicles on pavements are that footpaths are intended to provide a safe route for pedestrians and to segregate them from other road users, thereby enhancing road safety and protecting the most vulnerable of our road users, including children, the impaired and the elderly.

Furthermore, footpaths are not designed or constructed to take the weight of cars or heavier goods vehicles. Allowing footpaths to be so used for parking will lead to more rapid deterioration of the footpath surface, further increasing maintenance costs and providing greater trip hazards for pedestrians.

The safety of all road users must be at the core of traffic and parking regulations. In light of all the evidence, I am of the view that safety considerations for pedestrians outweigh any benefits from the proposal to allow partial parking on footpaths in any circumstances and I have no plan to change the Traffic and Parking Regulations to allow for this.

Progress on bid for RWC 2023 – 13th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on bid preparations for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

Following on from the report of the working group set to examine key issues in relation to the possibility of Ireland hosting the Rugby World Cup, the Government and the Northern Ireland Executive announced their support in Armagh on 5th December last for the preparation of a joint bid for the Rugby World Cup by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU).

Since then the bid group working in the IRFU has commenced work on compiling the bid, with the support of the two administrations and their agencies. To oversee progress on the bid and guide the bid preparation, an Overview Group will be appointed and I hope to be in a position to announce the details of the group in the near future.

Parties in involved in bid for RWC 2023 – 6th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the Rugby World Cup bid, the meetings held and the progress to date with various bodies and the elements of the bid.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

Last November the Government considered a Memorandum on the discussions and analysis to date on a potential bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023. In response to the Memorandum, the Government expressed strong support for the proposal and for the conduct of further work to get to the stage of making a formal decision to bid.

To progress the matter further, Minister Ring and Minister Varadkar met with Minister Arlene Foster and Minister Carál Ní Chuilín, who are the Ministers respectively responsible for tourism and sport in the Northern Ireland Executive, in Armagh on 22 January 2014. A working group was established to examine key issues further and to report back to Ministers in the Summer.

The working group, on which the IRFU and relevant Government Departments from both jurisdictions were represented, has since reported and, in conjunction with our colleagues in Northern Ireland, Minister Donohoe and I have been examining the report and considering the most appropriate next steps.

The Government has also considered how to proceed, in close cooperation with the Northern Ireland Executive, and we will announce the results of these considerations very shortly.

Changes to transport prices – 6th February 2015

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his role in approving or allowing the prolapsed increase in public transport fares; the way in which this increase is justified given that the subventions from the State has not been reduced and passenger numbers are up

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

The National Transport Authority (NTA) is the statutory body with responsibility for overseeing the delivery of public transport services and also the regulation of fares charged in respect of public transport services provided under public service contracts.

In contrast to a trend of reducing PSO allocations in recent years, I have ensured that the level of Public Service Obligation for bus and rail services is being maintained in 2015 at current levels. The allocation and payment of the subvention to all operators is decided by the NTA in accordance with their Public Service Obligation (PSO) contracts with the companies.

I have referred the Deputies’ questions to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive replies within ten working days.

Anti social behaviour in Dublin City and the negative impact on tourism – 28th November 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport how he intends to address the serious anti-social behaviour taking place in Dublin’s main tourism area, Temple Bar, and surrounding areas, and how this is impacting on the city’s reputation as evidenced by recent negative media articles in the foreign press; and, if he has confidence in Failte Ireland when it seems more interested in focusing time and money on how cobblestones impact upon high-heel use in shoes in this area where drugs are readily available and needles litter the laneways.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

Overall responsibility for tackling anti-social behaviour rests with my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence. For my own part, I am of course concerned about anything impacting negatively on our tourists’ experience and liaise on an ongoing basis with my cabinet colleagues on such matters.

Thankfully, Ireland remains a very safe destination generally for holidaymakers and the rate of crime against tourists is relatively low. Research has shown that the vast majority of our overseas visitors are happy to recommend Ireland as a holiday destination to others.

With specific regard to Dublin, in line with its regional tourism development functions, Fáilte Ireland is currently pursuing “Destination Dublin: A Collective Strategy for Tourism Growth to 2020″. This strategy was developed by the Grow Dublin Taskforce, representing all the key tourism stakeholders in Dublin. I have asked the agency to provide the Deputy with any further relevant information relating to this tourism strategy and its promotion of Dublin as a tourism destination. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Click here to see a copy of the response from Failte Ireland.

Fines for cyclists – 30th October 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider introducing mandatory on-the-spot fines for cyclists in breach of the rules of the road; and if he will provide that fines may be collected at the time of levying, as in other European countries, including where necessary, escorting the cyclist to the nearest ATM.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

The Road Safety Strategy (RSS) 2013-2020 contains a commitment to bring road traffic offences by cyclists within the fixed charge notice regime. On a point of information, there are no longer ‘on the spot’ fines for road traffic offences. The fixed charge notice system replaced on the spot fines under the terms of the Road Traffic Act 2002.

My Department is currently working on the preparation of a new Road Traffic Bill and I intend to include provisions to extend the fixed charge notice system to cycling offences, in line with the commitment in the RSS, in that Bill. I expect to submit the General Scheme of the Bill to Government for its consideration shortly and thereafter to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications for pre-legislative scrutiny.

Partial footpath parking scheme – 6th October 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding his discussions with the National Transport Authority on the feasibility of a pilot partial footpath parking scheme for a limited number of specific locations in Dublin, as per previous replies.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

Further to the response provided by my predecessor to Dáil Question No. 205 of 18 June, officials within my Department wrote to the National Transport Authority (NTA) with regards a review of the issues arising from footpath parking and, in consultation with all interested parties, to consider the possibility of introducing a pilot partial footpath parking scheme.

I understand that the NTA is currently examining the matter and will issue a response soon.

Sports capital grants – 6th October 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there will be another round of sports capital grants in 2015.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

Under the Sports Capital Programme, funding is provided to voluntary, sporting and community organisations for the provision of sports and recreational facilities.

I was delighted to announce €31m in provisional allocations under the 2012 round of the Sports Capital Programme. The Deputy will be aware that this had been the first round of the Programme since 2008. The 2012 round of the Programme attracted a record number of 2,170 applications With such high demand it was never going to be possible to fund all applications.

I was very pleased therefore to press ahead with a new round of the Sports Capital Programme in 2014.

2,036 applications were received under the 2014 SCP, the second highest number ever received, illustrating the continuing demand and need for investment in sporting facilities. In July I announced provisional allocations totalling €40.5 million. A total of 821 of the provisional allocations were towards local sports clubs and organisations, with the remaining 59 provisionally allocated to regional or national projects.

No decision has been taken on the timing of the next round of the SCP.

Rugby World Cup bid – Update – 6th October 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the Rugby World Cup bid.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

The working group, on which the IRFU and relevant Government Departments from both jurisdictions were represented, has now reported and, in conjunction with my colleagues in Northern Ireland, I am currently examining the report.

Bye laws regarding the trailing of leads – 24th September 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to introduce regulations that will permit local authorities to enact bye laws pertaining to the trailing of leads over public roads, footpaths and car parks (details supplied).., To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to introduce regulations that will permit local authorities to enact bye laws pertaining to the trailing of leads over public roads, footpaths and car parks (details supplied).

Details: For example when using a lead to connect an electric vehicle to a charging point, should the parking bay immediately beside the point be occupied by another electric vehicle.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Paschal Donohoe)

I have no plans to provide for legislation that will permit local authorities to enact bye laws pertaining to the trailing of leads over public roads, footpaths and car parks to deal with the circumstances as described by the Deputy in relation to the charging of electric vehicles.

Rugby World Cup bid – Update – 26th June 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the proposed bid for the Rugby World Cup.

Minister of State for Sports and Tourism (Michael Ring)

Last November the Government considered a Memorandum on the discussions and examinations to date on a potential bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023. While the Memorandum identified a number of challenges, the great potential of the event is also clear and I believe that hosting the Rugby World Cup on a cross-border basis in 2023 would be a great opportunity for Northern Ireland and Ireland. In response to the Memorandum, the Government expressed strong support for the proposal and for the conduct of further work to get to the stage of making a formal decision to bid.

To progress the matter further, Minister Varadkar and I met with Minister Arlene Foster and Minister Carál Ní Chuilín, who are the Ministers respectively responsible for tourism and sport in the Northern Ireland Executive, in Armagh on 22 January. We established a working group to examine some key issues further and to report back to Ministers in the Summer.

The working group, on which the IRFU and relevant Government Departments from both jurisdictions are represented, has held a number of meetings to date and indeed is meeting again tomorrow. I look forward to receiving their report later in the Summer.

Click here to watch the discussion in the Dail.

Tourism performance over the last 3 years – 26th June 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the performance of the tourism sector in Ireland to date in 2014, in comparison to the previous two years and projecting forward for the rest of the year, including the increased numbers in employment.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar)

The most recent CSO figures for overseas visits to Ireland show that visitor numbers grew by 7.5% in the period from February to April 2014 when compared to the corresponding period of 2013. 2014 looks set to be the fourth year of consecutive growth in overseas visitor numbers according to these figures. Since the Government came to office, the total number of international visitors coming to Ireland per annum has increased by more than a million and is likely to exceed 7 million this year.

The recently published CSO Tourism & Travel release provides a breakdown of the purpose of visits, as well as expenditure and choice of accommodation for the first quarter. The number of trips to Ireland in the key target market of holidaymakers rose by 7.5% in the first quarter of 2014, when compared with the same period in 2013. Although spending by overseas visitors remained more or less flat when compared to 2013, this may reflect the fact that Easter fell in the second quarter of 2014 and the first quarter of 2013. In overall terms overseas revenue has increased from under €3.7 billion in 2011 to over €4.1 billion in 2013 – an increase of over 12 per cent.

The buoyancy in the sector is also being reflected in employment numbers. By the end of last year, it was estimated by the CSO that 137,000 people were employed in the accommodation and food service sectors alone. This represented an increase of almost 14% or 17,300 extra jobs since 2012. Fáilte Ireland estimates that total tourism employment is approximately 200,000 and could grow by 6-8,000 this year on current trends.

The most recent CSO Quarterly National Household Survey reported that seasonally adjusted employment in the accommodation and food sector increased by 14,000 from the first quarter of 2014 when compared to the equivalent period in 2013. That is an increase of 11% in the year to Quarter 1 2014. It is also equal to the highest ever employment figure for the sector in the first quarter, which was recorded in Q1 2007.

Pedestrian and cyclist safety on the Swiftway corridor – UCD route – 17th June 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the involvement he has, if any, in the introduction of the new Bus Rapid Transit between Blanchardstown and UCD; his views that the new BRT should be introduced in a way that makes the operation of the service compatible with pedestrian and cyclist safety in order that it does not have a negative impact on residents living in the city centre, particularly in the city’s historic Georgian quarter; and if he will consider the merits of a policy (details supplied).

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar)

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for developing public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects.

The NTA’s Integrated Implementation Plan 2013-2018 has identified that Bus Rapid Transit schemes could play a significant role in the improvement of public transport in the Dublin region and has accordingly proposed three BRT schemes for Dublin, one of which is the Blanchardstown to UCD corridor.

The NTA has advised that work on the identification of a preferred route corridor is ongoing in consultation with relevant bodies including the local authorities. In the light of the NTA’s responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy’s question and attachments to the NTA for consideration and direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.

Click on the links to see the response from the National Transport Authority NTA letter 1 NTA letter 2.

2014 Sports Capital Programme – 15th May 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current position of the 2014 sports capital programme.

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport (Michael Ring)

Applications received under the 2014 Sports Capital Programme are currently being assessed by officials in my Department. Every application will be assessed by one official and reviewed by another. Given the number of applications received and the detail contained therein, this process will take a number of months to complete. I hope to announce allocations later this year.

Applications are first checked to ensure eligibility. All eligible applications are initially assessed against five criteria:

1. Likelihood of increasing participation and/or improving performance and sharing of facilities,

2. Level of socio-economic disadvantage in the area,

3. Technical merits of the project,

4. Level of own funding available,

5. Level of Sports Capital Programme funding received in the past.

These criteria are designed to give higher scores to applications

– that will increase participation,

– where facilities will be shared,

– that are from designated disadvantaged areas,

– that have not received substantial funding in the past and

– are ready to be progressed as soon as possible.

In 2008, Local Authorities were requested to carry out an audit of local sports facilities. Many of these Local Authorities and Local Sports Partnerships around the country have published online directories and/or databases of the sports and recreational facilities in their areas.

In deciding the final allocations within each county, Minister Varadkar and I may have regard to other criteria such as: population; performance during the assessment process; ensuring a geographic spread; a spread of rural and urban projects and a spread of projects among different sports.

LUAS cross city update – 15th May 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the progress being made on the LUAS cross city project.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar)

The National Transport Authority (NTA) which has responsibility for the implementation and development of infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), including the Luas Cross City project, reports regularly to my Department on the progress of this project.

The current position is that the project is progressing to agreed timelines and the essential enabling works are well advanced.

The building condition works and the cellars infill works have been completed and the utilities works are progressing well.

Tender documents for the main infrastructure contract issued in early April. The closing date for receipt of tenders is 31st July and the contract award date is targeted for December following Government approval to proceed.

Work on the main contract is then expected to commence in early 2015 and to be completed by the end of 2016. Following testing, commissioning and trial runs, the line is expected to be operational in Q4 2017.

Electric vehicles and car club parking regulations – 15th May 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 297 of 13 February 2014, when he plans to introduce regulations permitting local authorities to introduce bye-laws that would designate electric vehicle charging points on public roads as electric vehicle parking only, as well as permitting local authorities to assign dedicated public parking spaces as car club only spaces.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar)

I intend to introduce these regulations as soon as possible.

The Office of the Attorney General has been working on a draft of the regulations in question, and I understand that good progress has been made. I would be cautious about predicting a precise date for completion. However, I hope that the process of drafting will be completed very soon, and I can assure the Deputy that I intend to sign the regulations into law as soon as they are ready.

Trial of partial footpath parking in residential areas in Dublin – 8th May 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 1190 of 16 July 2013, if he will introduce a pilot scheme in Dublin City to trial the use of partial footpath parking in residential areas.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar)

As I explained to the Deputy in my response to the Question referred to, there are sound arguments against allowing partial parking on pavements.

The key concerns are that footpaths are provided for the safety of pedestrians and to segregate vulnerable road users from passing or parking traffic on the roadway; that footpaths are not constructed to the same specifications as roads and are not built to bear the weight of vehicles; and that pavement parking, if allowed in some areas, could become a matter of habit for many people and difficult to restrict to the areas where it is legally permitted.

I accept that there are also arguments which can be put on the opposite side, particularly in the case of very narrow streets where on-street parking would block traffic flow.

I am, however, willing to consider this issue further. The matter would need to be examined in some detail in consultation with key stakeholders and interested parties before any decision could be made with regard to the possibility of a pilot scheme. I propose to engage with the National Transport Authority which is the appropriate body to conduct such an examination.

Closure of national monuments, buildings and exhibitions on public and bank holidays – 30th April 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether the policy of closing national monuments, buildings and exhibitions on public and bank holidays is counterproductive to our tourism strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar)

Opening hours at our national monuments, buildings and exhibitions are a matter in the first instance for the boards and management of the Office of Public Works and the National Cultural Institutions. These organisations come within the remit of the Minister of State for Public Service Reform and the Office of Public Works and the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht respectively.

As Minister with responsibility for tourism I am of course keen to see that everything be done that can be, to enhance the experience for visitors, having regard to available resources. The broader issue of how bodies such as those mentioned by the Deputy, as well as other government departments and agencies, can balance their important role in tourism with their other functions, and the priority that should be attached to tourism, is something that is being considered within the tourism policy review that is currently underway.

Update on the sports capital programme – 2nd April 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the sports capital programme.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

I was delighted that Minister Ring was able to launch the 2014 round of the Sports Capital Programme earlier this year. €40 million is available for allocation.

The application period closed on Monday 10 March. A list of all applications, broken down by county, will be published on the Department’s website shortly. In excess of 2,000 applications were received by my Department by the closing date.

The applications will first be checked by officials in the Department to see if they are valid and then assessed against criteria that are designed to give higher scores to applications that will increase participation, where facilities will be shared, that are from designated disadvantaged areas, that have not received funding in the past and are ready to be progressed as soon as possible.

Minister Ring will announce the allocations as soon as possible after the assessment process has been completed later this year.

Extension of the city bikes scheme to Cork, Galway & Limerick – 2nd April 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the extension of the city bikes scheme to counties Cork, Galway and Limerick.

The Minister of State for Public and Commuter Transport (Alan Kelly TD):

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to “look to extend the Dublin Bikes Scheme across the wider Dublin area and to other cities and integrate the scheme much more effectively with public transport links.”

I am pleased to report that my Department along with the National Transport Authority has made significant progress on finalising proposals for the provision of public bikes schemes in Limerick, Cork and Galway. The NTA has recently undertaken a tender competition for the supply, installation, operation and maintenance of bike share schemes in those cities. Tenders sought from five shortlisted candidates were received by the NTA in February of this year. The assessment of the tenders is due to be concluded shortly. It is anticipated that construction of the bike schemes will commence shortly thereafter with the schemes becoming operational later this year.

Funding to meet the capital investment costs of public bikes in other cities has been identified within the 5-year capital allocation for Smarter Travel and Carbon Reduction Measures announced in 2012. The delivery of the Regional Cities Bike Scheme was also dependent on a separate process to explore the potential for a sponsorship contract to defray some of the costs associated with the introduction of the Scheme. I was delighted to be able to report last September that Coca Cola emerged as the successful sponsor for the Scheme.

The vision behind the Scheme is to develop an environmentally friendly means of public transport that is healthy, relatively inexpensive and will ensure an improved quality of life in each of the city’s natural and built environment. Public bike schemes have the potential to enhance the city centres and provide a significant boost to the development of a cycling culture. They also add to the tourism offering in those cities.

It has been over 4 years since the launch of Dublin Bikes. It has been a resounding success with over 5 million rentals since its launch and 35,000 long term subscribers. Dublin City Council has reported a 40% increase in numbers cycling in the city over the last four years. I look forward to hearing of similar results when the bike schemes are up and running in Limerick, Cork and Galway.

Iarnrod Éireann policy on operation of trains in residential areas – 18th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details of the policy of Iarnrod Éireann regarding the operation of diesel trains that remain in stations in residential areas; if there is a policy of not allowing such engines to stand idle with engine running for longer than 15 minutes; is this policy observed; the way it is monitored; is it the case that the policy allows for engines to be turned off after 15 minutes, only to be re-started again; and if Iarnrod Éireann is aware that this is a particular problem in Grand Canal Dock.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The issue raised is a matter for Iarnród Éireann and I have forwarded the Deputy’s question to the company for direct reply.

Click on image below to see direct reply:

Latest on Rugby World Cup Bid – 18th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the proposed bid for the Rugby World Cup.

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport (Michael Ring TD):

In November last, the Government considered a Memorandum on the discussions and analysis to date on a potential bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023.

While the Memorandum identified a number of challenges, the great potential of the event is also clear and I believe that hosting the Rugby World Cup on a cross-border basis in 2023 would be a great opportunity for Northern Ireland and Ireland. Aside from the potential economic boost, the tournament would raise our international profile, not just in terms of sport and tourism, but also more widely in terms of business, trade and investment. Attracting major international events is a key element of tourism strategy on both sides of the border and cooperation between north and south can enhance such events.

In response to the Memorandum, the Government expressed strong support for the proposal and for the conduct of further work to get to the stage of making a formal decision to bid.

In order to progress the matter further, Minister Varadkar and I met with Minister Arlene Foster, who is the Minister responsible for tourism in the Northern Ireland Executive, and Minister Carál Ní Chulín, who is responsible for sport in the Executive, in Armagh on 22 January. At that meeting, we agreed to establish a working group to examine some key issues further and to report back to Ministers in the Summer. The working group will hold its first meeting next Tuesday 25 February.

Discretion given to local authorities on road spending – 18th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether local authorities should have greater discretion on spending on local and regional roads.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded from this additional funding is also a matter for the local authority.

Last month, I announced that a total of €331.9 million is being provided to local authorities for the maintenance and improvement of regional and local roads in 2014. I am in fact giving local authorities significantly increased flexibility this year. I have reduced the number of grant categories, increased the amount allocated under the Discretionary grant heading and will facilitate the transfer of funds between key grant categories where local authorities need this. Local authorities can also reprioritise their road strengthening programme where necessary. In addition local authorities can use up to 15% of their Discretionary Grant for the local improvement scheme covering non public roads.

In making adjustments to the regional and local road allocations in 2014, my primary aim has been, as far as is practicable, to strike an important balance. On the one hand, local authorities will have more flexibility than ever before to target funding to appropriate repair and rehabiltiation schemes in local areas. On the other hand, I want to ensure that key programmes that promote preventative maintenance and safety projects on public roads continue to be funded. Given funding constraints, the Government’s priority has to be to protect previous investment in the road network.

It is also particularly important that local authorities do not reduce expenditure from their own resources in respect of roads this year in view of the current difficult situation and that they carefully reassess their planned road programmes for 2014 in the light of the impact of the recent storms on their road networks.

In principle I intend to give local authorities greater, possibly full, discretion over their spending of state grants for roads in 2015. I believe that local authorities and their elected members are best placed to make decisions of where and for what roads funding should be spent in their own county rather than that decision being made by central government. This however will depend on wider government consideration of the funding of local authorities.

Designated electric vehicle charging points & parking spaces for car clubs – 13th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he plans to introduce regulations permitting local authorities to introduce bye-laws that would designate electric vehicle charging points on public roads as electric vehicle parking only, as well as permitting local authorities to assign dedicated public parking spaces as car club only spaces.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

Draft regulations to provide for charging points for electric vehicles and for on-street parking spaces for car clubs are currently being finalised by the Office of the Attorney General. These regulations will deliver largely the same outcomes as those envisaged by the Deputy’s 2011 Private Members Bill. It is my intention to sign the regulations as soon as drafting is complete and I expect to do this within the next two months.

Traffic calming on the N11 as it enters in Donnybrook – 13th February 2014

A) To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will request the National Roads Authority to examine the bend in the road on the N11 as it enters Donnybrook to see what measures can be put in place to reduce the speed of vehicles as they come through this bend and enter Donnybrook village.

B) To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide emergency funding for raised traffic lights on the N11 at the existing pedestrian crossing by Leinster’s Donnybrook rugby grounds in view of the speed at which vehicles approach this pedestrian crossing from the dual carriageway and the high number of pedestrians crossing at this point.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The road mentioned by the Deputy no longer forms part of the N11 but was re-designated as a regional road.

The maintenance of regional and local roads, in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads including the installation, maintenance and operation of traffic lights and the provision of traffic calming installations are a matter for the relevant local authority. In this case the responsible road authority is Dublin City Council.

The default speed limits for different categories of road, including roads in built up urban areas, are specified in the Road Traffic Acts. There is provision in the legislation for local authorities to make bye-laws providing for special speed limits in specific circumstances.

Introduction of a congestion charge for the city centre – 11th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has been consulted in the past 12 months on the introduction of a congestion charge for Dublin city centre.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

No.

Freedom for tolls for electric vehicles? – 11th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is considering introducing any additional incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles, for example freedom from tolls on motorways, tunnels and bridges.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The Government is incentivising the purchase of more energy efficient private cars through the motor tax and VRT systems. Specifically in relation to encouraging people to switch to more sustainable energy sources for private car users, my Department and the Department of Energy, Communications and Natural Resources (as lead Department) are actively promoting electric cars and the ESB is supporting the deployment of these vehicles by expanding the number of publicly accessible charge points.

With regard to making electric vehicles exempt from tolling, the statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll bye-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in the NRA under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Roads Act 2007). There are no plans to make electric vehicles exempt from existing tolling points at present.

Addressing backlogs in National Driving Licence Centres in the Dublin area – 4th Febraury 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to open a National Driving Licence Service office in the city centre to deal with backlogs in the existing Dublin centres.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The subject matter of this question, which is the operation of the National Driver Licensing Service, is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority. I have therefore referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.

Click here to see the response from the Road Safety Authority.

A low-tide walkway from Ringsend to Blackrock – 4th February 2014

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will investigate the possibility of creating a low-tide walkway and mountain-bike trail from Ringsend to Blackrock, along the seashore at low tide.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The National Transport Authority (NTA) is responsible for the provision of public and sustainable transport infrastructure, including walkways, in the Greater Dublin Area.

The NTA provides funding to local authorities for a range of schemes to benefit walkers and cyclists, including the provision of infrastructure, under the Sustainable Transport Management Grants Programme.

Accordingly, I have forwarded your Question to the NTA for direct reply.

Click below to see this reply:

Ireland’s bid to host Rugby World Cup – 19th Decmber 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the proposed bid to host the Rugby World Cup.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

My Department and Fáilte Ireland have been examining the potential benefits and costs that would be associated with supporting the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) in submitting a bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023. I recently brought a Memorandum for the Information of the Government to the Cabinet on the discussions and analysis to date. My colleagues expressed strong support for the proposal and for the conduct of further work to get to the stage of making a formal decision to bid.

Minister of State Ring and I are currently making arrangements to meet with Minister Foster and Minister Ní Chuilín to discuss the matter further and I will be in a position to advise the House further following that meeting.

With regard to the the evaluation of the tourism potential of major sporting events more generally, where a detailed evaluation shows clear benefits, they are opportunities. Such detailed evaluation is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland and I am referring the Deputy’s question to the agency for direct reply.

Funding for sport in 2013 compared to recent years – 19th December 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total funding being provided to sports in 2013 and to compare this to recent years.

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport (Michael Ring TD):

The total funding provided to sport by my Department in recent years is €81.9m in 2011, €77.7m in 2012, €72.3m in 2013 and an allocation of €93.4m for 2014.

This total contribution of some €325 million over the four years includes €177m in current funding which is channelled through the Irish Sports Council. This supports the work of the National Governing Bodies of Sport and a wide range of programmes through the Local Sports Partnerships to increase participation rates. Participation in sport can bring benefits in terms of health and well-being which can in turn produce an economic dividend through reducing costs to the health sector.

It also allows the Council to support our elite athletes through the High Performance Programme as they compete on the world stage. The performance of Irish athletes not only boosts the morale of the country but promotes our image internationally and draws tourism to Ireland from around the world.

The balance of the contribution comprises €148m in capital funding which supports the development of sports facilities through the Sports Capital Programme, the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme and funding for the National Sports Campus.

Registering to vote as part of driving license application process – 4th December 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on adding a section in the driving license application process where persons could ask to be added to the electoral register if they so wished.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

On the basis of representations made to me and to the Road Safety Authority (RSA), it appears that there is a view among the public that the current driver licence application form is already confusing and over extensive. Apart from normal information regarding driver issues, the form also provides for matters such as the organ donation wishes of the applicant.

The RSA is examining the possibilities for simplifying the application form at present and I would be reluctant to propose any changes that might further complicate requirements.

Extension of the city bikes scheme outside Dublin – 7th November 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the extension of the city bikes schemes to other cities outside Dublin.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government contains a commitment to “look to extend the Dublin Bikes Scheme across the wider Dublin area and to other cities and integrate the scheme much more effectively with public transport links.”

In that regard, I am pleased to report that, led by my colleague Minister Kelly, work is well advanced within the National Transport Authority on finalising proposals for the provision of public bikes schemes in Limerick, Cork and Galway. Significant progress has been made in relation to the award of the contract for the supply, installation, operation and maintenance of the bike schemes. It is hoped that this contract can be awarded early in 2014 with construction to commence shortly thereafter.

Funding to meet the capital investment costs of public bikes in other cities has been identified within the 5-year capital allocation for Smarter Travel and Carbon Reduction Measures announced in 2012. The delivery of the Regional Cities Bike Scheme was also dependant on a separate process to explore the potential for a sponsorship contract to defray some of the costs associated with the introduction of the Scheme. This process has been completed with the recent announcement that Coca Cola emerged as the successful sponsor for the Scheme.

The vision behind the Scheme is to develop an environmentally friendly means of public transport that is healthy, relatively inexpensive and will ensure an improved quality of life in each of the city’s natural and built environment. Public bike schemes have the potential to enhance the city centres and provide a significant boost to the development of a cycling culture. It also adds to the tourism offering in those cities as well.

It has been 4 years since Dublin bikes launched in Dublin city. It has been a resounding success with over 5 million rentals since its launch and 35,000 long term subscribers. Dublin City Council has reported a 40% increase in numbers cycling in the city over the last four years. I look forward to hearing of similar results when the bike schemes are up and running in Limerick, Cork and Galway.

Building on the Gathering – 7th November 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the work his Department and the agencies under his aegus are carrying out in relation to building on the legacy of the Gathering.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The Gathering Ireland 2013 aimed primarily to generate additional tourist numbers and revenue in 2013. However, it also aimed to have a longer-term impact. We set a target of 325,000 visitors and we are well on the way to meeting that. But The Gathering was never just about visitor numbers and revenues. It is also about community pride and strengthening links with the diaspora.

The Gathering helped to strengthen existing links with Irish communities abroad and create new connections. Tourism Ireland will continue to work with the diaspora networks and will include this global family as part of its future promotional work overseas. The networks and databases created through The Gathering will also remain as a valuable asset to Irish tourism.

A number of Gathering related events and festivals have already been identified as having potential to run again. Similarly, the success of the Emerald Isle Classic college football game, which was a key part of the marketing campaign for the Gathering, is being built on with next year’s game between Penn State – with the largest alumni association in the US – and the University of Central Florida in Croke Park.

The Gathering also made a vital contribution to the local community. The Gathering network provided extensive training to more than 2,500 people and these community engagement skills will endure and be available to support other local events.

The work of the agencies in this regard are operational matters for Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland and I am referring the Deputy’s question to the agencies for their direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

The promotion of safe cycling – 15th October 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to make it compulsory for children to wear bicycle helmets when cycling.

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to make it compulsory for cyclists to have working lights on the front and back of their bicycles.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

I propose to answer questions 445 and 446 together.

It is longstanding Government policy to recommend and promote the wearing of safety helmets by cyclists in general.

However, opinion is divided internationally on whether the wearing of helmets is best achieved through statutory requirements or through other strategies. Making helmets compulsory would raise a number of difficulties. In particular it would be necessary to have an enforcement system, with penalties for cycling without a helmet. The matter was considered during the preparation of the Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020. Although the Strategy strongly favours encouraging the use of helmets, it stopped short of recommending making their wearing compulsory.

Promoting the wearing of cycle helmets is currently achieved by educational and publicity campaigns rather than by a punitive approach to the issue, particularly having regard to the large numbers of children and young people who cycle. Consequently, I have no plans at present to make the wearing of bicycle safety helmets a legal requirement.

In the matter of lights, it is already a requirement to have lights at the front and rear of bicycles. This is set out in Regulation 29 of the Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963 (S.I. No. 189 of 1963). The Regulations require both front and rear lights to be ‘duly lit’, therefore the lights must be in working order, as suggested by the Deputy.

Regulation of the adventure sports industry – 1st October 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on proposals to regulate the adventure sports industry and ensure safety in the sector.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The Adventure Activities Standards Authority Act, 2001 made provision for the establishment by the Minister for Marine and Natural Resources of an Adventure Activities Standards Authority, which would have responsibility for the regulation of adventure centres. However, the Act was not commenced and the body was not subsequently put in place.

Following detailed consideration of the matter it is now considered that the measures outlined in the Adventure Activities Standards Authority Act, 2001 do not represent the most suitable approach to deal with this issue and it is proposed that this legislation will be repealed and the matter will be addressed by incorporating provisions in the forthcoming Sport Ireland Bill. The Sport Ireland Bill will provide for the merger of the Irish Sports Council and the National Sports Campus Development Authority and it is proposed that the new body, Sport Ireland, will be required to maintain a register of all adventure centres. The legislation will make it an offence to operate as an adventure centre if not on the register and allows Sport Ireland to set standards and charges for inclusion on the register.

I hope to bring the Heads of the Sport Ireland Bill to Government in the coming weeks and once the Heads of the Bill have been approved by Government, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications will be invited to consider the matter before the drafting of the Bill itself begins.

Penalties for driving without insurance – 18th September 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is considering increasing the current penalties for a driver caught driving without insurance, such as introducing a minimum fine of €10,000, imposing automatic penalty points and the automatic suspension of a persons driving licence.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

Road Traffic legislation does not provide for minimum fines, as the level of a fine to be imposed following conviction must be at the discretion of the Judge hearing the case.

Furthermore, the fine suggested by the Deputy would mean that such cases could no longer be dealt with summarily in the District Courts. At present, District Court Judges have the discretion to deal with the offence of driving without insurance either as a penalty point offence, with 5 points being endorsed or one attracting a consequential disqualification following conviction. Both attract a maximum fine of €5,000 and/or a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months. I do not have any plans to amend the current legislation.

Penalties for driving without insurance – 17th July 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the minimum and maximum fine or reprimand for a driver caught driving without insurance.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The use of a mechanically propelled vehicle without motor insurance is an offence under Section 56 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 as amended. The maximum fine on summary conviction is €5,000, with the actual amount being at discretion of the Judge hearing the case.

In addition to the fine, where the Judge intends applying a consequential disqualification following conviction, penalty points are not applied. The minimum disqualification is for a period of 1 year. Otherwise, 5 penalty points will be endorsed on the persons licence record following conviction.

Pilot Scheme for Partial Footpath Parking -17th July 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 547 of 10th July 2012, if he will consider introducing a pilot scheme for partial footpath parking in a particular location as a trial.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

As I explained to the Deputy in my response to the Question referred to, there are sound arguments against allowing partial parking on pavements.

The key concerns are: that footpaths are provided for the safety of pedestrians and to segregate vulnerable road users from passing or parking traffic on the roadway; that footpaths are not constructed to the same specifications as roads and are not built to bear the weight of vehicles; and that pavement parking, if allowed in some areas, could become a matter of habit for many people and difficult to restrict to the areas where it is legally permitted.

As all of these concerns would still apply, whether or not a pilot scheme was carried out, I do not have any plans to carry out such a scheme in the foreseeable future.

Allowing bikes on the Luas – 8th July 2013

The Programme for Government commits my Department to invest in the National Cycling Policy Framework. Objective 8 of this policy framework is to ensure proper integration between cycling and public transport, with a specific action to provide for the carriage of bicycles on LUAS when services are of a frequency and at a capacity that allows for it, that is when they do not interfere with the capacity for passengers.

The Railway Procurement Authority considered the carriage of bicycles in 2012 as part of a review of all Luas operations. They concluded that bicycles could not be carried on Luas trams, because, for the most part, bicycles would interfere with the capacity for passengers, particularly those who are mobility impaired.

Folded bicycles may be carried on the trams at all times.

My Department is currently reviewing the National Cycling Policy Framework and as part of this exercise has re-opened the issue of the carriage of bicycles on LUAS with the RPA. Consultation with the RPA on this matter is on-going.

It should be noted that while the RPA has not permitted the carriage of bicycles on trams they have provided over 750 secure bike parking places along the LUAS routes to enable LUAS passengers to ‘bike and ride’.

With regard to carriage of bicycles on other public transport modes, Irish Rail allows bicycles to be carried on intercity trains at all times and on DART and other commuter services during the off-peak period.

Merging the Leap Card with DublinBikes – 1st July 2013

The National Transport Authority is working with Dublin City Council and their supplier to develop links between the Leap card and Dublin Bikes schemes. The technologies deployed by the two schemes are not the same so there is a technical development required to enable smart cards issued by one scheme being read by the infrastructure of the other scheme. The two technical teams are discussing the best way to achieve integration.

Ireland’s bid to host the Rugby World Cup – 28th June 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the possibility of Ireland bidding to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023 or 2027.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

I am fully supportive of the concept of hosting the Rugby World Cup in Ireland but it is, of course, a matter for the IRFU to prepare and submit a bid. The IRFU recently presented to Minister Varadkar and myself a feasibility study which they commissioned on the potential for hosting the tournament. The findings of that report are being considered.

The support of other sporting organisations would be an important element in the bid process and I am pleased to note that on 23 March delegates at the GAA Congress approved a motion which would allow the inclusion of Croke Park and other GAA grounds in the list of venues that would be used for matches if Ireland was selected as the host country for the tournament.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment that event tourism will be prioritised in order to continue to bring major events to Ireland. As well as the primary purpose of bringing spectators to our shores, the hosting of sports events can provide a great showcase for Ireland. Fáilte Ireland continues to support the holding of sports and other events that can boost tourism and, where appropriate, will provide advice and assistance to the sporting body which is seeking to secure an international event. I understand that Fáilte Ireland has engaged with the IRFU in this regard and are considering the likely tourism impact of hosting the tournament.

The bid has also been discussed with the Northern Ireland Minister for Tourism, Arlene Foster MLA, and Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Carál Ní Chuilín MLA. They have met with the IRFU and have also indicated their support for a bid.

The Luas Cross City – 28th June 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress being achieved in the development of the LUAS cross city project.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), including the proposed Luas Cross City project.

Luas Cross City Line is a priority project under the Government’s 5-year capital plan – Infrastructure & Capital Investment Programme 2012-2016 – Medium Term Exchequer Framework. In November 2012, following consideration by Government, I asked the NTA and the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) to proceed with the procurement and contractual arrangements so that the enabling works for the project would commence mid-2013.

I understand that a building survey contract is now underway. Following the recent award of the two Cellars Infill and Investigation Contracts, works commenced this week which will locate, and where necessary infill, cellars which may be under footpaths and road ways along the route. The contract for the Heritage Works Contract is scheduled for award shortly and initial works are planned for September 2013. Works on the Utility Diversions Contract are also planned to commence in September 2013. Procurement for the main contract will commence in mid-2014 with main construction works due to start in early 2015. The target date for commencement of services is end-2017.

The NTA are consulting with business representatives in the Dawson Street area with regard to the re-instatement of a northbound stop on Dawson Street. A report on possible locations for a proposed stop is expected to be available in late-July 2013.

The new project will create up to 800 jobs during the construction phase with a further 60 permanent jobs on completion. A breakdown by year is not available.

There are no plans in the current Capital Programme to further extend the Luas lines. However, the NTA is currently preparing an Integrated Implementation Plan for investment to 2018 in the GDA as required under the DTA Act 2008. This plan will address the investment needs of the Area to 2018 based on available funding and will be subject to public consultation later this year.

The Fee for the Driving Licence Application form– 26th June 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason note 9 on the D401 application form for driving licences does not indicate the fee associated with renewing a driving licence (details supplied).

“My current driving licence has been lost and I have reported it to my local Garda station. Today I took a day off work in order to renew/replace my driving licence so that I can insure my car. I also went to an post yesterday and got a postal draft for e55 as per note 9 on the D401 application form, understanding that cash or cards could not be accepted in the motor tax office. Today I waited over an hour to have my application processed. I asked if I could just renew my licence seeing as my current one is due to expire next year and I didn’t think it was fair to pay e55 twice within a year for a driving licence. This was refused – I would have thought in this instance a bit more flexibility could have been offered. Not only that, the lady refused to process my application because I didn’t have what she described as valid ID (my passport is with the passport office as it’s currently up for renewal) and my only other ID is a Garda iD which she said wasn’t acceptable as they can be altered. Why are the guards continuing to issue IDs that they know can be altered? She also said that my postal draft should be for e35 for a renewal (which is not detailed on the application form). I’m now left with a postal draft that can’t be used and I probably can’t get a refund on. I feel extremely frustrated and let down by the service I received and the lack of common sense by the motor tax office. I’ve wasted an entire day off work and I’m still without a driving licence.”

Reply:

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar)

Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 477 of 2006) the Road Safety Authority has responsibility for the issuing of driving licences. Noting this I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Road Safety Authority for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.

Local Authorities Expenditure on Local Roads – 21st June 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has estimates of the own resource expenditure by local authorities on regional and local roads over the past three years.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

Details of local authority own resources expenditure on regional and local roads over the past three years are outlined here.

The Top 10 Tourist Sites in Ireland – 30th May 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the Office of Public Works will list the top 10 tourist sites here; the pricing structure for each site and the number of visitors that each site receives per annum.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

Fáilte Ireland compiles figures annually on the visitor numbers to free and fee-paying visitor attractions. These figures are published on the Fáilte Ireland website. I have provided a web link to the relevant document below. As the matter raised is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland, I am referring the Deputy’s question to Fáilte Ireland for further details. Please contact my private office if a reply is not received within ten working days.

http://www.failteireland.ie/FailteIreland/media/WebsiteStructure/Documents/3_Research_Insights/1_Sectoral_SurveysReports/Visitors_to_Tourist_Attractions_2007-2011-(Revised-Oct-2012).pdf?ext=.pdf

The Harmonisation of the Penalty Points Regime on an All-Island basis – 15th May 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on measures to harmonise the penalty points regime on an all-island basis.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The work on the mutual recognition of penalty points is focused on the four road traffic offences of speeding, drink/drug driving, non – wearing of seatbelts and using a mobile phone while driving. A detailed timetable for the process was agreed last October at a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council. It includes the key milestones for the drafting, passage and enactment of the required parallel primary legislation in both jurisdictions by the 31 December 2014 to allow for the introduction of the process across the island of Ireland. Although widely accepted as challenging, officials on both sides are committed to the agreed timetable.

Steering and working groups comprising representatives of the relevant stakeholders in both jurisdictions are continuing to meet to bring the required work forward and decide on how the necessary key deliverables will be achieved legislatively and operationally.

Both groups are confident that, despite the fact that disqualifications arising from the accumulation of penalty points are dealt with differently in both jurisdictions, provision can be made in the required primary legislation to deal with such disqualifications.

To achieve the December 2014 deadline, a significant volume of work is required, including putting in place the necessary administrative arrangements and IT systems and agreement on data sharing protocols and procedures. Complex issues will also have to be addressed in both jurisdictions with a view to establishing a workable system which is perceived as proportionate and equitable and which attracts widespread public support throughout Ireland

Ireland’s bid to host the Rugby World Cup – 15th May 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update in relation to the possibility of Ireland bidding to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023 or 2027.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

I am fully supportive of the bid to host the Rugby World Cup in Ireland. It is a matter for the IRFU to prepare and submit a bid. A feasibility study commissioned by the IRFU on the potential for hosting the tournament was recently presented to me by them and the findings of the report are being considered.

I am pleased to note that the GAA has given its support for the bid by allowing the inclusion of Croke Park and other GAA grounds in the list of venues that would be used for matches if Ireland was selected as the host country for the tournament.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment that event tourism will be prioritised in order to continue to bring major events to Ireland. As well as bringing spectators to our shores, the hosting of sports events can provide a great showcase for Ireland. Fáilte Ireland continues to support the holding of sports and other events that can boost tourism and, where appropriate, will provide advice and assistance to the sporting body which is seeking to secure an international event. I understand that Fáilte Ireland has engaged with the IRFU in this regard.

Tourism and Dublin – 13 March 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason Dublin is not more prominent in tourist advertising information, with Dublin not even featuring in the official website of Tourism Ireland website (www.ireland.com) in the first 13 Places to go and if he plans to rectify this.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The matter raised is an operational one for Tourism Ireland Limited as the body responsible for promoting the island of Ireland as a visitor destination overseas. I have referred the Deputy’s Question to Tourism Ireland for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

To view Tourism Ireland’s response please click here.

Spending by Tourism Ireland in Dublin – 13th March 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason there is a disparity in the spending of Tourism Ireland in Dublin with only 6% of all advertising spend in 2009 spent in Dublin, compared to the 32% of national tourism revenues that are generated in Dublin and the future potential in Dublin to expand the tourism market.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

Clamping companies – 7th March 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to examine the operation of clamping companies and the practice of clamping by local authorities.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

Section 101B of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, (inserted by Section 9 of the Dublin Transport Authority (Dissolution) Act, 1987) provides for the clamping and/or towing of vehicles illegally parked on a public road or in local authority car parks by either a member of the Gárda Siochána, a person appointed in writing by a local authority for said purposes, or a traffic warden. There is currently no regulation of clamping companies nor of the activity of clamping on private land.

In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to regulate the vehicle clamping industry, I presented a discussion document to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht in which I outlined the principal issues to be addressed in regulating the industry, my proposals on the shape of appropriate legislation and invited their views. The Committee responded to me in a comprehensive report which contained a number of recommendations, many of which I hope to include in the resulting legislation.

Preparation of the General Scheme of the Bill is at an advanced stage in my Department and I hope to be in a position to bring legislation before the Oireachtas in 2013.

Taxi regulation – 19th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there is any inequality in the application procedures applied to persons applying for a taxi PSV licence based on whether or not they were born in this country.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The regulation of the taxi industry is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009. The skills development programme, including the area knowledge test, for the purposes of SPSV driver licensing is administered by the NTA. The NTA also administers the SPSV vehicle licensing application process with regard to SPSVs including taxis, wheelchair accessible taxis, hackneys, wheelchair accessible hackneys and limousines.

An Garda Síochána is currently the authority responsible for the licensing of drivers of Small Public Service Vehicles (SPSVs) in accordance with Regulations prescribed by the NTA. In order to maintain high standards in the industry and encourage the general public to use SPSV services, the SPSV driver licence is granted only to people who meet set criteria. All applicants for the SPSV driver licence are vetted by the Gardai to ensure that they are a fit and proper person to hold an SPSV driver licence. In order to qualify for an SPSV driver licence, a person must hold an Irish driving licence or a driving licence from another EU, EEA or other recognised State, and the person must hold a current tax clearance certificate.

The regulatory framework is in accordance with EU internal market requirements relating to the provison of services and mutual recognitionarrangements are long established in relation to driving licences.

I am not aware of any conditions under the current SPSV licensing system that would give rise to inequality purely by virtue of a person’s place of birth.

Update on the Smarter Transport Bill 2011 – 19th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide information on the status of the Smarter Transport Bill 2011 and any forthcoming legislation from his Department that might include elements of it.

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to further encourage the use of more sustainable transport solutions by allowing local authorities to create bye-laws to regulate the use of electric vehicles, car clubs and so on.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

I propose to answer questions 139 and 165 together.

I strongly support measures to promote sustainable travel. In this context I am keen to facilitate both growth in the use of electric cars and the development of car clubs.

As the law currently stands, there is no provision for on-street charging points for electric cars, and no provision for car clubs. Last December the Government approved my proposals for a new Road Traffic Bill, which is now being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. Among other measures, I have included in this Bill a provision to allow for the making of regulations in relation to electric parking bays and car clubs. This will be in the form of an amendment to the existing powers under which I, as Minister, am enabled to make regulations in relation to parking in public places.

The effect of this amendment will be that regulations can be made regarding the allocation of on-street parking spaces as recharging spaces for electric vehicles and as spaces for car clubs. Local authorities will then be able to make resolutions providing for such spaces in conformity with the regulations. It is proposed that the making of resolutions by local authorities pursuant to these regulations will be a reserved function.

Public Service Obligations – 19th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way costs are apportioned by the National Transport Authority to companies operating Public Service Obligation routes such as Dublin Bus and CIE, and the process used to decide the amount of money that goes to each company.

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way financial performance of the CIE companies are monitored to ensure that they are able to deliver on their Public Service Obligation requirements for the duration of their contracts.

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a private operator were to propose to operate a fully commercial service where an existing Public Sector Obligation subvention service is operated, if the National Transport Authority will consider withdrawing the PSO support for the existing service.

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a breakdown of the amount of the subvention paid to each of the publicly financed transport companies by the service they offer for example how much of the Public Service Obligation goes to each of the routes in each company and the way this is determined.

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of times CIE companies have not met the quality benchmarks in their Public Service Obligation contracts.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

I propose to answer Question Nos. 759, 8229, 8230, 8231 and 8232 together.

The issues raised are matters for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy’s questions to NTA for direct reply:

Authority responsible for N11 in Donnybrook Village – 7th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will confirm which authority is responsible for the maintenance of the N11 as it passes through Donnybrook Village, including traffic sequencing of lights on the road at this section and speed levels.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The road mentioned by the Deputy no longer forms part of the N11 but was redesignated as a regional road. The maintenance of regional and local roads, in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. In this case the responsible road authority is Dublin City Council.

Employment practices in the civil service – 6th February 2013

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there are any retired public sector workers from his Department, or any other part of the public sector, currently on his Department’s payroll, for example, for sitting on a committee or preparing a report, but not exclusively these two areas; the number on the payroll; the cost to his Department; the services being delivered for this money; and the way that the positions were originally advertised.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

There is one retired civil servant on the payroll of my Department. The Department has reengaged a former Principal Officer of this Department in connection with the preparation and attendance at the State’s defence of High Court proceedings that are due to come to court hearing in 2013. The individual is being paid a ‘per diem’ rate of €260 under the pension abatement principle. The position was not advertised as the officer was appointed specifically for his extensive knowledge and involvement in the development of the legislative regime relating to the regulation of the area subject to challenge in the case.

Advertising promoting safe cycling – 5th December 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the Road Safety Authority will consider using some of its safety advertising budget on a campaign that encouraged cyclists to follow the rules of the road and to cycle safely.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The subject matter of this particular question, i.e. how the Road Safety Authority spends its budget, is a matter for that Authority and I have referred the question to them for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply has not been received within ten days.

Events confirmed for the Gathering – 27th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an outline of the events confirmed for the Gathering in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The full list of committed or pledged events for the Gathering Ireland 2013 is on the www.gatheringireland.com website and has already exceeded 1,300 events and activities. An announcement of the key headline events will be made in the coming week.

On the Gathering Ireland 2013 generally, there has been a fantastic response to the initiative across the board, from local communities, voluntary bodies, public bodies, businesses and Government. For example, a special fund of €2million has been made available to support local Gathering events by IPB Insurance Ltd matching a contribution from my Department via the Gathering team. The funds will be distributed via the 34 city and county councils and the applications process is open until 30 November. The key qualifying criterion is the ability of the event to attract overseas visitors.

Meanwhile, Tourism Ireland has commenced a major promotional drive for the Gathering in markets across the world and has worked with business networks, clans, cultural and sporting associations, Irish Clubs and societies, encouraging them to promote The Gathering to their networks and to mobilize members to organise events in Ireland during 2013. The second stage of Tourism Ireland’s strategy commenced in autumn and will continue into 2013 with a major consumer campaign to promote The Gathering Ireland 2013 in key markets including Britain, the US, Canada and Australia. Minister Ring, the Tánaiste, the Taoiseach and I have attended events during the year to promote the initiative overseas. I saw myself in Australia last week the tremendous response to the call to come and join in the celebrations, from those with Irish roots and those with none.

Tourism is a valuable service export. Encouraging those from overseas, whether Irish or not, to sample our tourism offering is not a shakedown – any more than exporting other goods and services. With the hotel and accommodation sector already generating additional employment since this Government came into office, tourism can offer jobs to those who might otherwise face a choice between emigration and unemployment and I apologise to nobody for seeking to increase that employment still further by investing in the Gathering . There is also a parallel aim to further strengthen our connections to all of those overseas who have a kinship with Ireland and I saw myself in Australia how much our diaspora values that objective.

Finally, as well as regular briefings from the project team, the Gathering is on the agenda in many, indeed most, of my meetings, with the tourism industry, transport operators, sporting bodies, other Ministers and indeed overseas representatives. Even if some are carping, I am determined to continue to promote this unique opportunity for us to show the world all that is best about Ireland and I know the vast majority of Irish people, at home and abroad, will do so.

A museum for Irish sport? – 27th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the establishment of a museum for Irish sport; the efforts he is taking to establish such a body; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

I believe that a sports museum would be an excellent addition to Ireland’s sporting and cultural experience and has the potential to attract widespread public interest.

A committee, which is being chaired by Minister of State Michael Ring, has been established to examine the feasibility of developing a Museum of Irish Sport. The first meeting of the committee took place on 24th October.

Who is responsible for clean up if there is an oil spill – 22nd November 2012,

To ask the Minister for the Transport , Tourism and Sport the agency that would be responsible for the management and clean-up of any oil spill in Dublin Bay that resulted from drilling by a company or any other such entity; the persons who would pay for this and the way it would be done.

The the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The oil exploration site off Dalkey is the subject of an exploration licence awarded by the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources. The exploration company is required to comply with all the Rules and Procedures of the Petroleum Affairs Division of that Department prior to commencing operations at the site. These provide for the recovery of clean-up costs by individual or Unified Claims.

Part of the conditions on the development of the site is the requirement to have in place an Oil Spill Contingency Plan approved by the Irish Coast Guard which would include measures put in place by the Company to avert or deal with an Oil Spill incident. The Irish Coast Guard is reponsible for the “At Sea Response” while the Local Authority / Port Authority have responsibility for the clean up in their areas, the Coast Guard also have an oversight role in this regard.

The requirements of the Contingency Plan are outlined in Section 2.2 of the Sea Pollution Amendment Act 1999 and addresses issues such as the responsibilities of personnel reporting arrangements including on site operational control, time criteria for cessation of production and shut off of pressure, risk assessment and prediction of various pollution causes, consequences and areas under threat, taking into account the maximum volume of pollutant that could be released and the composition and properties of the pollutant, response to worst case and most credible likely emergency, clean-up facilities, for first strike response and back up equipment, disposal of recovered oil, training of personnel, surveillance of and reporting on oil slick extent and movement, contact lists and site data.

Subvention to Iarnrod Eireann for travel passes – 6th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way subvention to Iarnrod Eireann for free travel passes is calculated and determined.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The issue raised is a matter for Iarnród Éireann in conjunction, as appropriate, with the Department of Social Protection, who administer the free travel pass scheme. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Changes in train speeds over the last 30 years – 6th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide information detailing changes in train speeds and times over the past 30 years, for example, the average journey time by train from Dublin to Cork; the average speed of trains on this line; and the power of engines used by trains on this line; his views on whether the current work practices are an impediment to achieving greater improvements in journey times on this or any other line.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The issue raised is a matter for Iarnród Éireann in conjunction, as appropriate, with the National Transport Authority. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Retired buses – 6th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the average age of a bus that is retired from the Dublin Bus fleet and if buses retired from the Dublin Bus fleet are made available for purchase by private operators in the Irish market.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The issued raised is an operational matter for Dublin Bus and I have referred the Deputy’s question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Dublin Bus Reply:

Currently buses retired are 12 and 13 years old and yes they are offered for sale by open tender.

Public Sector Rostering – 6th November 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the sectors of the public sector that are currently employed on a roster basis and if there are any plans to remove employees from the rostering system.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

Construction of the Luas BXD – 18th October 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he expects construction on LUAS BXD to commence; when he expects the project to be concluded; the measures he will take to ensure that the impact on traders is minimised to the greatest extent possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Minister for Tranpsort, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

Luas BXD to Broombridge was designed to be a key element in an overall integrated transport network for Dublin. It will create a Luas network by joining the Luas Red and Green Lines and will also link with rail services from Maynooth and Dunboyne and with existing Quality Bus schemes which enter or cross Dublin City Centre. It will also, in time, interchange with future key projects such as Dart Underground and Metro North.

The project has been prioritised under the Governments’s 5-year capital plan – Infrastructure & Capital Investment Programme 2012-2016 – Medium Term Exchequer Framework – which was published in November 2011. Funding has been included in my Department’s capital allocation to 2016 to cover the cost of commencing the main construction works in 2015 and for pre-construction enabling works in 2013 and 2014. Construction is expected to take 4 years.

An Bórd Pleanála gave approval to the project on 2nd August 2012 and, following the statutory 8-week appeal period, the railway order (RO) is now operational. I understand that the business case for the project is now being updated by the RPA having regard to conditions attached to the RO and other information updates.

There has been extensive engagement between the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) and both Dublin City Council (DCC) and Dublin Bus aimed at minimising the construction impacts of Luas BXD on all road users, including pedestrians, and on businesses in the city centre area. The ongoing engagement between the relevant agencies on these important issues, which now also includes the NTA, will intensify both prior to and during the construction of the project.

The harmonisation of penalty points – 18th October 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeframe for the harmonisation of penalty points with Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The mutual recognition of penalty points between Ireland and Northern Ireland is being dealt with under the auspices of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC). This work involves the mutual recognition, rather than harmonisation, of certain road traffic offences, along with the penalty points associated with those offences in each jurisdiction. Harmonisation would be a much more complex issue to address and is not envisaged at this time.

It was agreed at the NSMC Transport Sectoral meeting on 21 October 2011 that officials would work together to bring forward proposals for the introduction of the mutual recognition of penalty points for speeding, drink/drug driving, non-wearing of seatbelts and using a mobile phone while driving.

The detailed timetable agreed at the North South Ministerial Council Meeting held on 5 October 2012 includes the key milestones for the drafting, passage and enactment of parallel legislation, North and South, by 31 December 2014 to allow for the mutual recognition of penalty points across the island of Ireland.

Steering and working groups, comprising of representatives of the relevant stakeholders in both jurisdictions, have been established to bring the required work forward and decide on how the necessary key deliverables will be achieved legislatively and operationally. Both groups have met on a number of occasions to date.

To achieve the December 2014 deadline, a significant volume of work will be required, including putting in place the necessary administrative arrangements and IT systems and agreement on data sharing protocols and procedures. In taking the work forward, complex issues need to be addressed by the two jurisdictions with a view to establishing a workable system which is perceived as proportionate and equitable and which attracts widespread public support throughout the island.

Indenting footpaths for parking – 18th September 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 33353/12, if he will consider the possibility of indenting footpaths where practicable to allow more space for cars to park, without disrupting the traffic flow on a road, and still allowing the use of footpaths.

Reply

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

Local authorities currently have the power to indent pavements to allow for parking. In correspondence I have had with local authorities, including Dublin City Council, in regard to the issue of partial parking on pavements, I have pointed out that this option exists.

Partial footpath parking –10th July 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to make it possible for local authorities to introduce partial footpath parking in urban areas.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

I corresponded with Dublin City Council on this matter on a number of occasions in the past year. In essence, the argument for allowing partial parking is that it would alleviate certain parking difficulties in the city, while the arguments against relate to safety. I believe the arguments against a change substantially outweigh those in favour of change.

Footpaths are provided for the safety of pedestrians and to segregate vulnerable road users from passing or parking traffic on the roadway. Footpaths are not constructed to the same specifications as roads and are not built to bear the weight of vehicles. Local authorities could face problems such as potential damage to kerbs, paths and utility access covers. Finally, if pavement parking is allowed in some areas, it could become a matter of habit for many people and difficult to restrict to the areas where it is legally permitted.

In the absence of any new evidence or arguments for allowing partial parking on pavements, I have no plans to change the law in this regard.

The Smarter Transport Bill – 3rd July 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider incorporating the Smarter Transport Bill 2011 into upcoming legislation.

Reply

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

This question relates to the Smarter Travel Bill which was introduced last year by Deputy Murphy as a Private Members Bill and the related matters of electric vehicles and car clubs.

The purpose of the Smarter Travel Bill is twofold. First, it aims to promote electric car use by allowing local authorities to make bye-laws for the provision and use of charging bays on public roads. Second, it aims to promote the development of car clubs by allowing road authorities make bye-laws for the control and regulation of parking by car club vehicles on public roads.

I support the promotion of electric and hybrid vehicles as one of the ways to reduce pollution and improve our environment. With the current state of technology – which is advancing all the time – there are limits on the distance electric cars can travel before recharging. The provision of recharging points is, therefore, an important component in encouraging the use of electric cars.

Car clubs have proven very successful in other jurisdictions, particularly in Germany and the UK. A particular benefit is that families often find that by joining a car club they can avoid the need for a second family car, especially in cases where they might need a second vehicle only occasionally. As with electric cars, I am also in favour of car clubs as a way of reducing the number of vehicles on our roads. I am, therefore, very happy to support appropriate measures to promote electric cars and car clubs.

I have met with the Deputy on the subject, and conveyed my support from the principle of promoting electric cars and car clubs set out in his Private Members Bill.

My Department is now engaged in work on the development of the next Road Traffic Bill, which I hope to publish at the end of 2012. This Bill will address a number of issues, and will provide an opportunity to consider proposals for facilitating electric cars and car clubs. As far as is possible, I intend to include the proposed measures from the Smarter Travel Bill in the Road Traffic Bill.

The Luas BXD project – 3rd July 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the LUAS BXD project.

Reply

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

Following the establishment of the National Transport Authority (NTA) on 1st December 2009, the provision of infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), such as LUAS BXD, now comes under the remit of the NTA. Luas BXD to Broombridge was designed to be a key element in an overall integrated transport network for Dublin. It will create a Luas network by joining the Luas Red and Green Lines and will also link with rail services from Maynooth and Dunboyne and with existing Quality Bus schemes which enter or cross Dublin City Centre. It will also in time interchange with future key projects such as Dart Underground and Metro North. The project has been prioritised under the Governments’s 5-year capital plan – Infrastructure & Capital Investment Programme 2012-2016 – Medium Term Exchequer Framework – which was published in November 2011. Funding has been included in my Department’s capital allocation to 2016 to cover the cost of commencing the main construction works in 2015 and for pre-construction enabling works in 2013 and 2014. Construction is expected to take 4 years. However, key decisions and actions which will determine the precise construction start date must await the outcome of the planning process which is currently ongoing. Pending the outcome of the planning process there has been extensive engagement with key stakeholders such as Dublin City Council , Dublin Bus, taxi representatives and the business community in relation to such issues as traffic management during construction. Subject to the grant of the railway order this engagement will intensify both prior to and during construction.

The advertising contract for Tourism Ireland – 12th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the person that holds the marketing and or advertising contract for Tourism Ireland; the location of the office; the number of staff in the office; the amount of funding the agency receives from Tourism Ireland; and where the advertising or marketing production work is subsequently contracted out to and by whom.

Reply

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

Contract for Tourism Ireland – 12th June 2012,

Reply

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The number of overseas visitors to Ireland – 12th June 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the number of overseas visitors to Ireland in 2011; and his targets for 2012.

Reply

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The target for overseas visits in 2012, set out in the Marketing Plan of Tourism Ireland, the agency with responsibility for marketing Ireland as a holiday destination overseas, is to increase visit numbers to Ireland by a further 4.5%. This will build on the growth in visits achieved in 2011, for the first time since 2007. While final statistics in relation to overseas visits to Ireland in 2011 are still being compiled by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), figures for the first 11 months of 2011 were published by the CSO on Monday 9 January.

These show that there were just over 6 million overseas visits to Ireland in that period, an increase of 6.8% compared to the corresponding period of 2010. Numbers of visits to Ireland grew from all our main market areas, including Great Britain, our largest and most important tourism market.

To help achieve the targeted growth, I have allocated over €39 million this year for overseas tourism marketing which allows Tourism Ireland to implement its Plan, as well as funding Fáilte Ireland’s enterprise supports and product development. Prioritising tourism marketing investment, along with continued implementation of other measures in the Programme for Government and the Jobs Initiative to support levels of access and enhance competitiveness, such as the Visa Waiver Scheme, the lower VAT rate for tourism services, and continued investment in tourism infrastructure and product, will provide the platform on which the tourism industry, working in partnership with the tourism agencies, can deliver this growth.

Our targets for 2012 will in turn be built on by The Gathering 2013, the largest ever tourism initiative for Ireland, which aims to deliver an additional 325,000 visitors to Ireland in 2013.

Essential driver training legislation – 31st January 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on legislation regarding essential driver training introduced in April 2011; and if consultation was undertaken in advance of introducing this piece of legislation.

Reply

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

Essential Driver Training (EDT), which I introduced last April, requires learner car drivers to undertake a course of compulsory lessons before taking the driving test. EDT is one of nine components in the development of a Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system for Ireland. Taken together, these components will contribute significantly to the quality of driving on our roads, and so to road safety.

The development of detailed proposals for the GDL was undertaken by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), and the process included extensive consultation during 2009. EDT was one of the specific proposals to be developed following this exercise.

I understand from the RSA that it engaged extensively with Approved Driving Instructors during the development process for the EDT programme itself.

Minister’s opinion on replace clamping with fines – 9th February 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to investigate the possibility of replacing the local authority car clamping system that currently exists in Dublin with a fine and emergency clamping removal system as has recently happened in Cork City.

Reply

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

While current legislation permits local authorities such as Dublin City Council to clamp vehicles in public places, either directly or by contract with a clamping company, there is no legislation covering clamping on private property.

In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to regulate the vehicle clamping industry, I recently presented a discussion document to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht, outlining the issues involved in regulating the industry, my proposals on the shape of appropriate legislation and inviting their views.

When the Committee’s views have been received, I anticipate that appropriate legislation will be brought before the Oireachtas.

Standards in the tour guide sector – 7th February 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the Government body for educating tour guides is going to continue in this role and if not if it is proposed that some other body will take its place; and his views of the possibility of introducing a diploma for tour guides.

Reply

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

There are no legislative provisions governing operations and standards in the tour guiding sector in Ireland. Like the provision of any other service, the consumer is protected by consumer protection legislation.

Fáilte Ireland operates a number of Tour Guide Training Programmes – A National Tour Guide Training programme certified by HETAC at Level 7 and a Dublin and Environs Tour Guide Training Programme certified by FETAC at Level 6. Tour Guides who successfuly complete one of these programmes as well as completing a specified number of tours, which must be evaluated by a tour operator or employer, and who hold a current Occupational First Aid Certificate can become a Fáilte Ireland Approved Guide and apply for a Fáilte Ireland Tour Guide Badge.

I am satisfied that these programmes and the qualifications awarded are sufficient not only to provide participants with the communication and information skills necessary to offer a quality tourist guiding service, but also to reassure the tourist as to the quality of the service on offer.

The operation of these training programmes is a day-to-day matter for Fáilte Ireland. I have asked the agency to advise the Deputy of its future plans for these programmes. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Turning off public lighting at night as a cost saving measure – 14th February 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has considered a proposal (details supplied) to request local authorities to turn off specific public lighting at night time in rural locations as a cost saving measure which he estimates could save the State somewhere in the region of €10 to 11 million annually, and as is the current practice in some European cities.

(Every night with most people in bed there are approximately 20,000 sets of individual stand alone pedestrian traffic lights consuming expensive electricity for no purpose. The majority of these are in rural locations, one or two sets per village. I estimate such lights(six bulbs and relays) use one unit of electricity per hour – about 20 cents + VAT. Say these lights were timed to turn off between 22.00 and 6.00 hours when not needed. Savings would be :- 20 cents by 8 hours by 365 days by 20,000 sets of lights which comes to 11,680,000 Euros in a full year. The actual figure would be a bit lower as local authorities probably get a good discount from ESB, Bord Gais, Airtricity etc. However it would not be far off 10 million. I would urge yourselves to look into modification to such sets of lights – inclusion of a mains timer in control box would cost about a tenner per installation at most. Such thinking could be applied to larger complex sets of lights during the dead of night(say 2.00 to 5.00 hours). While the time period here is much shorter the savings would also be considerable as power consumption on more elaborate sets is much higher than a stand alone pedestrian traffic light set.)

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

As Minister for Transport, I have responsiblity for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual national roads projects are matters for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is a statutory function of each road authority within its area, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads including the installation, maintenance and operation of traffic lights are a matter for the relevant local authority. The safe operation of traffic lights and the potential for energy savings are also a matter for each local authority

Regarding the potential for energy savings on national roads, I have referred the Deputy’s question to the NRA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.

The Gathering launch – 16th february 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the gathering will be formally launched; the mechanisms for community groups; and members of the public to get involved.

Reply

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

I presented proposals for “The Gathering 2013” at the Global Irish Economic Forum last October. Fáilte Ireland is the lead agency for the implementation of the initiative while Tourism Ireland Limited will have specific responsibility for promoting “The Gathering 2013” in overseas markets.

The event is intended to be the biggest tourism initiative ever staged in Ireland and will consist of a year-long programme of festivals, events and other gatherings throughout the country, all of which will aim to attract overseas visitors.

The initiative is being overseen by a small, tightly-focused Project Board. This project board brings together representatives of the tourism bodies and my Department and includes other members with relevant expertise. The Chair of the Board is Ann Riordan (formerly Chair of Tourism Ireland and of Dublin Tourism, as well as previously working as Country Manager for Microsoft in Ireland) and the Board will oversee planning and delivery of the Gathering, supported by a small executive team drawn mainly from the tourism agencies alongside graduates under the JobsBridge programme.

They will be supported by a Council of Champions, which will act as a forum to engage the wider community at home and abroad. Tim O’Connor, former Secretary-General to the President, will act as Chair of the Council of Champions and is also a member of the Project Board. The Project Board is currently finalising the Business Plan for “The Gathering 2013” which will cover the scope of the event and detail how interested parties can participate in it. It is planned that the event will be formally launched internationally over the course of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities next month. It will be launched domestically in April at which point a mechanism will be put in place to allow communities and members of the public to contribute to The Gathering.

An additional €5m is being provided to Fáilte Ireland this year and is being ring-fenced for preparations for The Gathering. This additional allocation will more than reverse the original planned cut in Fáilte Ireland’s current expenditure budget for 2012.

The national speed limit audit – 19th February 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide further details about proposals for a national audit of speed limits; the way the audit will be conducted; and the way he plans to implement its proposals.

Reply

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

My Department will shortly engage with the National Roads Authority and local authorities throughout the country with a view to ensuring that a nationwide audit of speed limits takes place. The aim of this audit is to examine and improve, where appropriate, the application by local authorities of speed limits and speed limit signage throughout the country, in accordance with my Department’s “Guidelines for the Application of Special Speed Limits” issued last year.

As this work will involve extensive input from and engagement with the NRA and road authorities to reduce inconsistencies and the potential for driver confusion, it will take some time, but it is my intention to complete this project during the course of this year. I am determined that the necessary improvements should be implemented as soon as possible so as to further enhance road safety, saving lives and reducing serious injuries.

Electric vehicle access to bus lanes – 18th April 2012,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider granting access to bus lanes for electric vehicles, as has happened in Norway, as a means of effectively promoting the purchase and use of electric vehicles on Irish roads.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The primary purpose of providing bus lanes is to facilitate and promote bus based public transport. The regulations generally limit the use of bus lanes to buses and, in the case of with-flow bus lanes, to cyclists. Having regard to the role of taxis in providing on-street immediate hire services, an exemption is allowed in respect of taxis when they are being used in the course of business.

There have over the years been a number of requests to my Department to consider amending the legislation to allow other categories of vehicle to use bus lanes. These include hackneys, limousines, multi-occupancy cars, and motorbikes, among others. I have received a number of such requests since becoming Minister. The overriding concern in considering these applications is the carrying capacity of bus lanes, and the potential that their primary role to provide bus priority could be undermined if other vehicles were allowed access. As a result, I have taken the view that the current restrictions on use of bus lanes should be maintained. These lanes were introduced at some expense to the taxpayer in order to provide priority on our roads for public transport. This is in line with our aim of making public transport more efficient and attractive, and so reducing congestion and pollution.

I do, of course, support the development and promotion of electric cars as an environmentally friendly means of transport, a policy which is within the remit of my colleague the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. However, changes to the bus lane legislation in regard to electric cars, or other modes of transport, are not in my view the appropriate way to promote them.

The Minister’s views on The Smarter Transport Bill – 19th November 2011,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views regarding the Smarter Transport Bill 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

I welcome the Smarter Transport Bill 2011 which the Deputy recently published. The Bill makes provision for local authorities to make bye laws for the provision and use of charging bays on public roads for electrically powered and plug-in hybrid vehicles and for the control and regulation of parking by car club vehicles on public roads.

I believe the Deputy’s bill is important as it will, if enacted, provide the legislative basis to encourage greater and more widespread use of electric cars as well as making car clubs a more viable option for members of the public. Therefore, I look forward to the Bill being debated in the House in the coming months, and giving general support to the proposals contained within the Bill.

How much will the department spend on consultancy fees – 6th October 2011,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount the Government intends to spend on consultancy fees in 2011, in particular those contracted to identify value for money in Government Departments.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The latest estimate of expenditure by my Departement on consultancy fees for 2011 is €463,000. Much of the expenditure is related to policy reviews which are broadly oriented towards the objective of achieving improved economic outcomes in the transport, tourism and sport sectors. Expenditure on specific studies under the value for money review programme for the year is €2,800.

A safe place to park bikes – 6th October 2011,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has considered opening bike parks in the city centre to provide commuters with a safe place to leave their bikes, thus encouraging more persons to cycle to work.

The Minister of State for Public and Commuter Transport (Alan Kelly):

The provision of public bike parking is a matter in the first instance for the local authority concerned utilising either their own resources or financial assistance that may be available from either my Department or the National Transport Authority. A good example of local authority provided city centre bike parking is the secure bike parking made available by Dublin City Council on the ground floor of Drury Street multi-story car park in Dublin 2.

Airport bus services stops at midnight – 19th July 2011

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that public bus services operating to and from Dublin airport terminate at midnight, hence there is no public mode of transport available after that time for those with bus passes depending on a public service.

The Minister of State for Public and Commuter Transport (Alan Kelly):

The issues raised are operational matters for Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann. I have referred the Deputy’s question to them for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Reappointment of the DAA board – 7th July 2011,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will be reappointing the board of the Dublin Airport Authority after it expires in 2011.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

I appoint directors to the board of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the State Airports Act 2004 and Section 22 of the Air Navigation and Transport (Amendment) Act 1998, as amended by paragraph 9 of the Schedule to the Act of 2004, as the need arises.

There are thirteen director positions on the board of the DAA, four of whom are Worker Directors. Currently the position of Chairperson is vacant and six director posts fall due to be filled before the end of the year. I will be appointing a new Chairperson in the near future and will make the other appointments as the vacancies arise.

The Olympics and the effect on tourism in Ireland – 21st April 2011,

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will expand on plans by the tourism agencies to target tourists from London who may wish to leave the city during the Olympic games in 2012; the amount of money being invested in these plans including marketing campaigns and, the expected tourist numbers and revenue.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Leo Varadkar):

The matter raised is an operational one for Tourism Ireland Limited, in the first instance, as the body responsible for promoting the island of Ireland as a visitor destination overseas, working together with Fáilte Ireland where appropriate. I have referred the Deputy’s Question to Tourism Ireland for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

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