Written Answers Nos. 264-281
264. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a county update on the number of closed Garda stations that have been sold since 2011; the total revenue raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38869/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that the following 37 former Garda stations have been sold since 2011 with a total value of €2,895,100 raised for the Exchequer.
Garda Stations
|
Cavan |
Finea former Garda station |
|
Cavan |
Tullyvin former Garda station |
|
Clare |
Carrigaholt former Garda station |
|
Clare |
Labasheeda former Garda station |
|
Cork |
Inchigeela former Garda station |
|
Cork |
Mallow Road former Garda station |
|
Cork |
Meelin former Garda station |
|
Donegal |
Churchill former Garda station |
|
Galway |
Lettermore former Garda station |
|
Kerry |
Lauragh former Garda station |
|
Kildare |
Carbury former Garda station |
|
Kilkenny |
Inistioge former Garda station |
|
Kilkenny |
Johnstown former Garda station |
|
Kilkenny |
Ballyragget former Garda station |
|
Laois |
Ballinakill former Garda station |
|
Laois |
Ballacolla former Garda station |
|
Leitrim |
Cloone former Garda station |
|
Leitrim |
Kiltyclogher former Garda station |
|
Leitrim |
Dromod former Garda station |
|
Limerick |
Doon former Garda station |
|
Longford |
Newtowncashel former Garda station |
|
Mayo |
Lahardane former Garda station |
|
Meath |
Kilmessan former Garda station |
|
Meath |
Longwood former Garda station |
|
Meath |
Crossakiel former Garda station |
|
Offaly |
Geashill former Garda station |
|
Sligo |
Aclare former Garda station |
|
Sligo |
Easkey former Garda station |
|
Tipperary |
Grangemockler former Garda station |
|
Tipperary |
Ballinure former Garda station |
|
Tipperary |
Dundrum former Garda station |
|
Westmeath |
Ballymore former Garda station |
|
Westmeath |
Rathowen former Garda station |
|
Westmeath |
Ballinahowen former Garda station |
|
Wexford |
Baldwinstown former Garda station |
|
Wexford |
Ballywilliam former Garda station |
|
Wexford |
Kiltealy former Garda station |
265. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the annual cost of security and maintenance on closed Garda stations that have not been sold by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38870/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe full annual cost of security and maintenance on closed Garda stations in 2015 was €172,468.33. A breakdown of this figure on a county by county basis is not readily available in the time available.
266. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a breakdown of the monthly rental costs including penalties incurred on An Garda Síochána's regional headquarters at Harcourt Square, Dublin 2, from January 2011 to date in 2016. [38354/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe monthly rental costs incurred in respect of the accommodation provided to An Garda Síochána in Harcourt Square have not varied since 2011 and amount to €411,129 per month. There is no provision for rental penalties under the terms of the leases for the Harcourt Square complex.
267. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the different set of circumstances that the Labour Court recommendation on Garda pay has created for expenditure but also for limiting the pay improvements in 2017 to €290 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38364/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra268. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he or his Department are considering bringing forward the €1,000 State employee payment as reported in a newspaper (details supplied) on 28 November 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38365/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 267 and 268 together.
The Government has accepted the recommendations from the Labour Court as the basis for resolving the dispute over Garda pay. The cost of the proposed settlement, should it be accepted by the relevant Associations, will be met through agreed budgetary parameters.
The wider implications of the recommendation in relation to the continued operation of the Lansdowne Road Agreement as it applies to all public servants across the public service have received careful consideration and assessment by the Government. On foot of those considerations, the Public Services Committee of ICTU has accepted my invitation to discussions under Section 6 (oversight and governance arrangements) of the Lansdowne Road Agreement. These discussions, which are expected to conclude before the end of January next, will seek to address the anomalies arising for other parties to the Lansdowne Road Agreement from the recent recommendations issued by the Labour Court in relation to the Industrial Relations disputes with members of An Garda Síochána.
The priorities for Government in upcoming discussions will be to:
- secure the continued implementation of the Lansdowne Road Agreement;
- maintain the productivity, industrial peace and stability provided by the Agreement, which are of critical importance to the country and its international reputation; and
- ensure that issues of mutual concern to the parties are addressed in a fair and reasonable way but, above all, in a manner that safeguards existing government expenditure commitments and the broader fiscal position.
I am not going to speculate on any outcome to such discussions.
269. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 152 of 24 November 2016 the name of the appointed consultant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38369/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe River Feale Certified Drainage Scheme was constructed by the Commissioners of Public Works between 1951 and 1957. The scheme included the dredging of the Cashen Estuary and comprises of 295kms of river channels, 144 kms of flood defence embankments, 338 bridges/culverts, 193 sluice structures and 1 pumping station located on the River Brick, which was constructed in more recent years. The objective of this scheme was to protect agricultural land from inundation by high tides and to provide drainage outfall to the benefitting area of the scheme. In accordance with Section 37 of the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act, it is incumbent on this Office to maintain the scheme in proper repair and effective condition. The scheme is maintained by a direct labour workforce
On 26 October of this year, following an open procurement process on E-Tenders, the Government’s procurement portal, and also published on OJEU - the Official Journal of the European Union - this Office accepted a tender from Black and Veatch Ltd., Redhill, Surrey, England, in partnership with Nicholas O’Dwyer Ltd., Nutgrove Office Park, Dublin, for the provision of consultancy services for the Cashen Estuary Drainage Project.
Stage 1 of this project will consist of identifying the key environmental issues in the study area, which may impact upon possible options and/or which may impose constraints on the viability and/or design of these options; assessing options for, and then develop and design, viable, cost-effective and sustainable options for the Study Area to return the Feale Catchment Drainage Scheme (CDS) to proper repair and effective condition; carrying out an Appropriate Assessment (AA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening and preparing an Analysis Report for each viable option and Optioneering Report detailing modelling outputs of agreed options and outline design of viable options.
270. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will review the area of public procurement in which it is impossible for small businesses in the locality of a Government institution or facility to participate in the tendering process to be awarded the contract to provide goods and services. [38404/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraPublic Procurement is governed by EU and National rules. The aim of these 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 EU rules for a public body to discriminate against or favour particular candidates on grounds such as locality, nationality, organisation size, etc. and there are legal remedies which may be used against any public body infringing these rules.
However, there is a recognition at EU Level of the need to promote and facilitate SME participation in public procurement. The new EU Directives on Procurement, transposed into Irish law last May, are intended to make it easier for businesses and SMEs to tender for public sector procurement contracts. Measures specifically designed to improve access for SMEs and start-ups include:
- financial capacity criterion is now less demanding; it is generally limited to twice contract value;
- eprocurement;
- the discretion to divide public contracts into lots, with the proviso that opting not to divide a contract into lots must be explained in the procurement documents; and
- provision for "consortia bidding" to encourage SME involvement.
A number of these measures had been accelerated into policy in 2014 in advance of the transposition of the new Directives by Circular 10/14, issued by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). The reform of public procurement across the public service is on-going and will continue to provide opportunities to the SME sector to win business. The OGP works with industry to ensure that winning government business is done in a fair, transparent and accessible way and to ensure that government procurement policies are business friendly. It does this by facilitating quarterly meetings of an SME Advisory Group, chaired by my colleague, Minister of State Eoghan Murphy who has responsibility for public procurement, so that the voice of Irish SMEs (including ISME, IBEC, SFA, Chambers Ireland, and CIF) can be heard by Government. SMEs are also encouraged to register of the Government's etenders portal so that they can be notified of upcoming tendering opportunities.
The OGP works with the SME industry representative bodies as well as the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, InterTrade Ireland and Enterprise Ireland to promote the engagement of SMEs in public procurement. Evidence of the work and co-operation in the area can be seen in some of the following events organised by InterTrade Ireland and supported by the OGP in 2016:
- thirteen "Go-2-Tender" workshops attended by 179 businesses; and
- two "Meet the Buyer" events were held in 2016, one in Belfast and a new Regional/Opportunity driven approach was piloted in Cork. These events were attended by over 900 businesses and buyers from across the public sector, North and South, which focused on the opportunities for SMEs with major public sector buyers across the island
Similar events took place in 2015 and more are planned for 2017.
Minister of State Murphy launched the OGPs Public Service Spend and Tendering Analysis for 2014 Report in September. The data analysed indicates that 95% of the State's expenditure is with firms within the State and the majority of the spend analysed is with SMEs. Equally important, in terms of SME access to government business, is the report's highlighting that, in the majority of spend areas, the typical tender value is less €100,000. The OGP has also conducted an analysis of the 94 Framework Agreements it has concluded to date. The data shows that 68% of Framework members are SMEs and 63% of the Frameworks had multiple lots, facilitating SME access. These findings show that SMEs are successful in Public Procurement competitions in Ireland and the initiatives outlined will ensure they continue to compete and be successful in future Public Tendering opportunities.
271. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Office of Public Works will improve toilet facilities at the Phoenix Park for families using the park; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38554/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Commissioners of Public Works provide public toilet facilities at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre. These toilets are well maintained and hygiene standards are checked and recorded regularly by the incumbent concessionaire of the café. It will, in time, be necessary to provide greater toilet capacity to deal with the steadily increasing visitor numbers to the Phoenix Park.
272. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be reimbursed for remedial works they had to carry out on their lands following the construction of a roadway by the Office of Public Works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38650/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe location referred to by the Deputy forms part of the Maine Catchment Drainage Scheme (CDS) which was carried out by the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945. The River Maine CDS consists of 228 km of channel, 96 km of embankment, 130 bridges and 210 sluice outfall structures. The OPW has a statutory responsibility for the maintenance of this scheme.
OPW constructed a haul road to facilitate access to repair a breached flood defence embankment on this scheme. At the time, this Office also undertook some remedial works (including placing top soil on the haul road) to restore the land in question. OPW is not aware of works that the land owner had to undertake himself, nor is it aware of any payments that were withheld. If the land owner has a specific claim for reimbursement or compensation from this Office, he should submit it and it will be given consideration under the terms of the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995.
273. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the processes he has in place to ensure his Department's approval is given before the commencement of any administrative process for internal promotion competitions within any Department or agency of the Government; if these processes have been reviewed in view of events at Horse Racing Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38799/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraGovernment Departments have been working under delegated sanction arrangements for their recruitment and staffing issues since 2015. Under these arrangements, which are in place for most central Government departments and offices, there are multi-annual pay ceilings agreed and set and thereafter decisions about recruitment and promotion and overall grade composition up to and including Principal Officer level are devolved. Departments and offices are required to honour the pay ceilings and comply with workforce planning obligations.
As the Deputy will be aware, in general, selection competitions within the Irish Civil Service take place by way of:
- competitions confined to particular Departments (Internal promotion) or
- from competitions open to candidates from all Departments (Interdepartmental promotion) or
- from open competitions to all eligible candidates including members of the public
Candidates who are successful at a competition are ranked in order of merit and are placed on panels to await appointment when and if a vacancy arises. Recruitment and promotions are made on the basis of an agreed method of sequence. Within the civil service, sequences vary for each grade and usually involve a combination of open, interdepartmental and internal panels. Qualification and placement on a panel is not a guarantee of appointment to a position.
I understand that sections 21 and 22 of the Irish Horseracing Industry Act, 1994 set out the manner in which both the CEO and staff can be appointed to Horse Racing Ireland. In the case of the CEO, the appointment is approved by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with my consent. However, I have no responsibility in respect of the internal administrative processes of Horse Racing Ireland.
274. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the interactions, including dates of contact, dates of meetings and so on, which his Department has had with the Department of Defence or with the Defence Forces in regard to the possible future appointment of a captain NS in the Naval Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38800/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has recently received correspondence from the Department of Defence on this matter and will respond to that Department in due course.
275. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if her attention has been drawn to an incident on 26 November 2016 (details supplied) during which a number of dogs were put down after breaking into the club compound and killing a number of hares; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38358/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is aware of the occurrence of a recent incident relating to hares captured and in captivity for the meeting in question. It is understood that the meeting was scheduled to take place on 10 and 11 December but that, following the incident, the coursing club has proposed that it be rescheduled for next January.
While full details are not clear at this stage, I have asked for a comprehensive report on the incident from the Irish Coursing Club (ICC) from both the perspective of the ICC and of the local coursing club. Officials of my Department are separately investigating the matter locally and have visited the club on several occasions over recent days.
In the meantime, pending completion of investigations and full consideration of the matter, I have directed the ICC, without prejudice, that the rescheduled meeting should be suspended and that no further hares should be captured for the meeting.
276. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the status of proposals to give the motor tax renewal scheme to post offices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38361/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Post Office Network Business Development Group, chaired by Mr. Bobby Kerr, was established in late 2014 to examine the potential for new and existing Government and commercial business that could be transacted through the post office network, and to identify new business opportunities for the network. The final report of the Business Development Group, which was published in January of this year, made a number of recommendations to support the future sustainability of post offices. The provision of an additional payment option for motor tax through the Post Office Network is one of the key recommendations suggested by the Group.
My officials are currently working with officials from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government on the potential for a motor tax renewal service to be offered through the post office network. A number of options are currently under active consideration.
I intend to report to Government on this matter in the coming weeks, along with progress made on other recommendations from the final report of the Business Development Group.
277. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cad iad na céimeanna atá tógtha aici lena chinntiú go n-úsáidfear an t-airgead breise a cuireadh ar fáil d’Údarás na Gaeltachta don bhliain 2017 le haghaidh comharchumainn agus eagraíochtaí pobalbhunaithe eile chun cur leis an mbundeontas reáchtála do na heagraíochtaí seo seachas aon ghníomhaíocht eile; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [38578/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraÓs rud é gur eagraíocht neamhspleách reachtúil é Údarás na Gaeltachta, tuigfidh an Teachta gur faoin eagraíocht féin atá sé breithniú a dhéanamh ar chonas an chistíocht a chuirtear ar fáil dó go bliantúil a chur chun fónaimh i gcomhthéacs na gcúramaí atá sainithe dó, lena n-áirítear na cúramaí a bhaineann leis an bpróiseas pleanála teanga agus forbairt pobail araon. Ar ndóigh, i gcomhthéacs fheidhm mo Roinne mar a bhaineann sé le rialú corparáideach an Údaráis de, leagtar amach, ar bhonn bliantúil, sa litir cheadúcháin agus i bhfoirm Comhaontaithe Leibhéil Seirbhíse, an clár oibre don bhliain, na táscairí feidhmíochta a bhaineann leis, de réir mar is cuí, agus an t-allúntas airgeadais atá á chur ar fáil ón Státchiste ina leith, chomh maith le coinníollacha ábhartha an mhaoinithe sin.
278. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the efforts being made to keep a document (details supplied) within the ownership of the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38598/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere exist a number of historically important original documents in the possession of the State written by the individual, referred to by the Deputy. Following consultation with the relevant institutions under the aegis of my Department, it is a shared view that the amount being sought for this document – between €1m and €1.5m - was not justifiable in terms of expenditure of public moneys and in the context of historical material already held.
279. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cén fáth go bhfuil gearradh siar breis agus €41,000 déanta ar dheontas Muintearas (Iarthar\Iar-Thuaisceart agus Contae na Mí) i leith Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga don scoilbhliain 2016/2017 ach, ag an am céanna, go bhfuil moladh déanta aici 13 scoil bhreise a bheith i gceist faoin scéim (4 cinn i nDún na nGall ); an ndéanfaidh sí cur síos ar an gclár ama do na poist úra seo atá geallta ag an Aire Stáit agus ar cathain a bheidh siad ar fáil; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [38671/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMar is eol don Teachta, tá deontas de bhreis ar €548,600 in iomlán ceadaithe agam do Mhuintearas Teo don scoilbhlian 2016/17 le cumasú dóibh beartais Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga a chur i bhfeidhm thar ceann mo Roinne i nDún na nGall, i gceantar an Iarthair agus i gCo na Mí. Níl aon ghearradh siar déanta ar an mhaoiniú ó 2015/2016 ná ar na scoileanna atá páirteach.
Mar atá ráite agam cheana, tá mé sásta i bprionsabal cúnamh a chur ar fáil i gcás scoileanna agus cúntóirí breise áirithe ach gach cás ar leith a bheith pléite le mo Roinnse agus aontaithe i gcomhar leis an Roinn Oideachais agus Scoileanna. Ina thaobh sin, tá iarrtha agam ar oifigigh mo Roinne anailís a dhéanamh ar riachtanais na scoileanna breise i nDún na nGall agus moltaí ina thaobh sin a chur faoi mo bhráid go luath.
Ar ndóigh ní miste a mheabhrú don Teachta go bhfuil sé aontaithe leis an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna go ndéanfar athbhreithniú iomlán ar Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga mar chuid den Pholasaí don Oideachas Gaeltachta 2017-2022 a foilsíodh le déanaí.
280. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the provision of transport to a person (details supplied) and other day services for adults with learning difficulties who lose their transport once they turn 18 years of age; if he will extend this transport provision above 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38292/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of transport to adults with a disability attending HSE-funded day services is not a core health service, and the HSE endeavours to ensure that all service users access public transport, including rural transport services, if possible. In recognition of the challenges which some service users experience in relation to accessible transport, some transport is provided by disability service providers on a case by case basis as resources allow. Service providers are continuously reviewing their transport arrangements to ensure that they are used as effectively and equitably as possible within available resources, and will continue to keep the matter under review.
As the Deputy's question relates to a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
281. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the policy of the HSE on the services provided by chiropractors privately; if there is any equivalent service from the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38282/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraChiropractors are not a regulated health profession and are not employed in the public health sector. Neuromuscular and musculoskeletal services are provided in the public health service by physiotherapists in both hospital and community care settings. Neither the Minister nor the HSE has any role in the provision of services by chiropractors in the private sector.
