Peadar Tóibín
Question:12. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach the number of staff employed in his Department’s press office in each of the past 24 months, in tabular form. [29261/24]
View answerDepartmental Staff
Questions (12)
Written answers
The staffing complement of the Government Press Office at the Department of the Taoiseach over the past twenty four months is outlined in the below table:
|
Timeframe: |
Team composition: |
|
From July 2022 to November 2022 |
One Assistant Principal Officer (Press Office Manager) and four Higher Executive Officers (Government Press Officers) |
|
From November 2022 to present |
One Assistant Principal Officer (Press Office Manager) and five Higher Executive Officers (Government Press Officers) |
Government Press Officers are rostered to work Monday to Friday between 06:30 and 19:00 as standard. In addition to this, Government Press Officers operate a 24/7 duty service 365 days a year and are called upon to provide press office services to the Taoiseach, the Government and the Department at various locations around the country, often at short notice.
Commissions of Inquiry
Questions (13)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:13. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach the timeline for the investigation into the Government’s handling of the covid-19 pandemic. [29231/24]
View answerWritten answers
A comprehensive evaluation of how the country managed COVID-19 will provide an opportunity to learn lessons from our experiences in dealing with a pandemic.
It will include a review of the whole-of-government response to the pandemic and how we might do better and be in a stronger position if another pandemic or other similar type event were to occur.
It will include a consideration of the health service response covering hospitals, the community and nursing homes, along with the wider economic and social response.
It is intended to have a public element to hear the lived experiences of all society. The review should be undertaken by those independent of the national response and with relevant expertise.
A consultation with opposition parties and stakeholders has taken place on draft terms of reference. It is intended to bring the terms of reference to Government shortly.
State Apologies
Questions (14)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:14. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach if he will list the State apologies issued by Taoisigh in the past 20 years. [29562/24]
View answerWritten answers
In the last twenty years apologies have been issued in the Dáil, by the Taoiseach on behalf of the State.
In May 1999, the then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern T.D., made an unreserved apology on behalf of the Irish state to the victims of child abuse who had spent their childhoods in residential institutions run by 18 religious congregations.
In his apology, Mr Ahern noted that abuse had ruined their childhoods and was since, an ever present part of their adults lives reminding them of a time when they were helpless.
Mr Ahern also announced the establishment of a Commission of Enquiry into Childhood Abuse with the primary focus of providing victims with an opportunity to tell their stories of the abuse they suffered. The Commission was tasked with establishing a complete picture of the causes and extent of physical and sexual abuse of children.
He also announced that a redress board would be established that would compensate former residents for any abuse they suffered.
In June 2009, on foot of the publication of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, known as the Ryan Report, the then Taoiseach, Brian Cowen T.D., made a further apology to the victims of childhood abuse, having accepted the conclusions of the Commission’s work.
In February 2013, the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, T.D., issued an apology on behalf of the Irish Government in Dáil Éireann to women who were resident in Magdalen Laundries for hurt done to them and any stigma and trauma experienced by reason of their residence in those institutions.
The Government has honoured its commitments to the Magdalen women through the establishment of the Magdalen Ex-Gratia Scheme, as recommended by Mr Justice John Quirke, and by ensuring that the recommendations of the Ombudsman’s report of November 2017 on the operation of this Scheme are fully implemented.
On 22 October 2019 the then Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar T.D., issued an apology in the Dáil on behalf of the State to the women and their loved ones affected by issues relating to the Cervical Check Screening Programme. While screening will not prevent all cases of cervical cancer, the failures experienced by the women concerned were acknowledged.
The apology came on foot of Dr Gabriel Scally’s Scoping Inquiry into Cervical Check.
Since then, the Government has been committed to learning lessons and positive progress has been made in this regard. All 170 actions in the Implementation Plan arising from the Scoping Inquiry are now completed.
This work included developing an updated reporting structure for the National Screening Services within the HSE.
Efforts arising from Dr Scally’s Inquiry have enabled improved governance, strengthened reporting lines, and most importantly helped to create a more patient-centred environment within the Cervical Check Programme. In his final progress report published in November, 2022, Dr Scally acknowledges the progress achieved.
The Government is acutely aware that the issues in CervicalCheck in 2018 led to a loss of trust in our screening services, but we are working to rebuild trust by working with patients and advocates to improve and develop services across all screening programmes, including Cervical Check.
In addition, in June 2018, on the 25th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality, Taoiseach Varadkar. moved an historic all-party motion in the Dail.
As part of this, a sincere apology was offered to those individuals affected by the criminalisation of homosexual acts in Ireland and the hurt and the harm caused by this legislation was acknowledged.
The Government continues to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland and to advance rights for those most at risk of being marginalised, including through a review of the functioning and effectiveness of the Equality Acts currently under way.
On 13 January 2022, the then Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, T.D., issued a formal apology for the hurt experienced by many former residents of Mother and Baby Institutions and County Homes. He apologised for the profound generational wrong visited upon Irish mothers and their children who ended up in a Mother and Baby Home or a County Home and for the shame and stigma which they were subjected to.
As part of that apology it was acknowledged that the State had failed in its duty of care to the mothers and children who spent time in these institutions.
Since January 2021, work has been advanced by Minister O’Gorman on restorative action for survivors and former residents of these institutions through the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby Homes and County Home Institutions, which commits to 22 Actions.
On 24th April 2024 I apologised on behalf of the State to the families of the victims who died in the Dublin Stardust nightclub fire tragedy in 1981. After a more than 40 year campaign for justice, an inquest found that the 48 victims had been unlawfully killed. In my apology, I acknowledged that every victim of the Stardust tragedy was innocent and that they were unlawfully killed in the tragedy.
Export Controls
Questions (15)
Marian Harkin
Question:15. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Taoiseach if he will provide assistance on an issue with regard to exports (details supplied); [30274/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Central Statistics Office publishes aggregate data on the number and type of enterprises who export goods to Germany. The CSO does not provide information on individual companies.
In 2022 there were 1,446 enterprises recorded as exporting goods to Germany.
Table A: Number of enterprises exporting goods to Germany by NACE sector.
|
Year |
Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing, Construction and Services, excluding Retail & Wholesale |
Industry |
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles |
Total number of enterprises |
|
2020 |
456 |
754 |
707 |
1,917 |
|
2021 |
200 |
665 |
502 |
1,367 |
|
2022 |
231 |
668 |
547 |
1,446 |
Table B: Number of enterprises exporting goods to Germany by number of employees.
|
Year |
Number of enterprises with < 10 employees |
Number of enterprises with 10 – 49 employees |
Number of enterprises with 50 – 249 employees |
Number of enterprises with 250 and over employees |
Total number of enterprises |
|
2020 |
906 |
546 |
342 |
123 |
1,917 |
|
2021 |
503 |
401 |
325 |
138 |
1,367 |
|
2022 |
565 |
411 |
339 |
131 |
1,446 |
Covid-19 Pandemic
Questions (16)
Catherine Murphy
Question:16. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Taoiseach the totality of the funds requested and drawn down by his Department from EU sources in respect of covid-19 in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form (details supplied). [30231/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of the Taoiseach has not requested nor drawn down funds from any EU sources in respect of Covid-19.