Written Answers Nos. 126-140
126. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the rates that the OPW charges to commercial concert promotors to allow Iveagh Gardens to be used as a concert venue during summer months. [26103/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Iveagh Gardens is in the ownership of the Commissioners of Public Works. Designed by Ninian Niven in 1865 to host the Dublin Exhibition Palace, many of the original landscape features are still in place and have been restored and conserved since 1995.
Each Autumn the Office of Public Works publishes a call for proposals from suitably experienced promoters to present events at the Gardens the following year. Over the years, the Iveagh Gardens has hosted concerts, comedy festivals, food festivals, local community events and art installations. The OPW is open to considering all events which are appropriate to this unique setting.
The fees, as published in the 2024 Iveagh Gardens Operational Policy Framework, are as follows:
• A fee in the sum of €12,000 per event plus 23% VAT payable to OPW.
• An amount of €1,200 plus 23% VAT shall be payable for each day on site from thecommencement of the set-up to the end of takedown and to OPW’s satisfactionthat the site is suitable for handover.
• The Promoter is responsible for any damage and all reinstatement costs
• The Promoter shall arrange lodgement of a refundable bond with theCommissioners for €15,000 to cover the costs of any outstanding damage to theIveagh Gardens arising from the event that the Commissioners may have torectify.
The following penalties shall be payable by the Promoter to the Commissioners in respectof any breach of the Terms & Conditions.
|
Breach of Terms & Conditions |
Penalties |
|
Event end time 23.00 |
€2,500 for each breach of up to 15 minutesduration |
|
Excessive noise levels |
€5,000 for any breach of Decibel levels(DB levels set by DCC) |
|
Litter removal |
€5,000 for failure to remove litter -promptlyper location /per event to the satisfactionof the OPW and DCC. |
|
Inadequate services for the audience, forexample disabled services, sanitary,catering, medical, lighting, drinking wateretc |
€10,000 for each breach. |
|
Any damage to the grounds |
Cost of reinstatement works x2(For example if reinstatement costs are€20,000, a penalty of €20,000 will beimposed plus €20,000 for reinstatementcosts.) |
|
Daily over stay |
1st day - €10,0002nd day - €15,0003rd day - €20,0004th day - €25,000 each day thereafter |
127. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to provide a breakdown of the fines issued against his Department by the Court of Justice of the European Union for the period 2010 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26139/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that there have been no fines of this nature issued against my Department since it was established in 2011.
128. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a decision has been made on an application for an employment permit by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25887/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that a Critical Skills Employment Permit application for the person concerned in the details supplied was received on 5th May 2024. On 7th May 2024 the application was formally accepted and placed in the processing queue.
Applications for employment permits are dealt with in date order. As of 10th June 2024, the Employment Permits Section are processing new applications in respect of standard employers which were received on 2nd May 2024.
It is expected that the application concerned will be considered shortly. However, as the application is in respect of a Critical Skills Employment Permit for a Chef and the rate of pay on offer is €34,000 it is expected that the application concerned will be rejected as the occupation concerned is not on the Critical Skills list for Employment Permits. It would however be eligible for a General Employment Permit once all the necessary criteria are met.
The Employment Permits processing times are updated on a weekly basis at the following link: enterprise.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Current-Application-Processing-Dates/
There is also an Online Status Update Enquiry - where details on a particular application can be found on the following link: enterprise.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Employment-Permit-Status-Form/
129. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline the efforts being made to provide funding and support for small- and medium-sized enterprises in east Cork, especially new businesses which are struggling to turn a profit due to the high cost of setting up a new business. [25928/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocal Enterprise Offices (LEOs) play an extremely important role at local level, as part of a supportive ecosystem, providing their services direct to small businesses and promoting entrepreneurship within towns and communities across the country. LEOs are the first stop shop for every business in the country. Co Cork is represented by 3 offices that cover Cork City, Cork North and West, and Cork South.
The LEO Policy Statement, which I launched on May 23rd last, captures the current level of activity of LEOs nationwide and outlines an agreed approach on how their work will adapt to contribute to the implementation of five of the priorities of the White Paper on Enterprise – decarbonisation, digitalisation, increasing exporters, enabling the locally traded sector to thrive, and stepping up enterprise innovation.
LEOs offer direct grant assistance to small businesses, particularly to those who are starting up. The Feasibility Grant provides funding to help with the cost of researching new business ideas, to see if it could be viable and sustainable, and the Priming Grant, helps businesses with the associated costs of start-up, and can be used to help fund capital costs, salaries, specialist consultancy and general overheads. In 2023, 630 small businesses received a total of €2.325m in direct grant aid from LEOs, which helped them to support 3,268 jobs in Co. Cork.
LEOs also provide consultancy and grants to small businesses of all sectors, in the areas of Green, Digital and Lean. These grants are focused on providing capital to assist in implementation of recommendations to digitalise or decarbonise a business. These grants also enhance the productivity and improve the competitiveness of small businesses.
Enterprise Ireland (EI) plays a pivotal role in fostering the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in east Cork and around Ireland. Recognizing the challenges faced by new businesses, particularly the financial strain of initial setup costs, EI offers a comprehensive suite of supports designed to aid these companies in achieving scale and realizing their global ambitions. For SMEs, this includes access to expert advice from development and market advisors, digital marketers, and technologists, all aimed at enhancing business capabilities and competitiveness.
Financial support is a cornerstone of EI’s strategy, with a range of grants and investments tailored to the needs of businesses at different stages of their growth journey. These funding options are crafted to support various aspects of business development, from market strategy formulation to expansion and job creation. For instance, the Strategic Consultancy Assignment grant enables SMEs to hire external consultants to improve efficiency and growth, while the Enterprise Emissions Reduction Investment Fund provides significant funding for decarbonisation processes, reflecting a commitment to sustainable business practices.
As the Deputy will be aware, last month, Government agreed a range of measures to assist small and medium size businesses to reduce their costs. Some of the key measures by my Department include increasing the maximum amount available under the Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme to €10,000 and reducing the business contribution rate from 50% to 25%. We are widening eligibility for the Trading Online Voucher, extending it to all sectors up to 50 employees, while also modernising the eligible expenditure and doubling the grant to €5,000. We are increasing the lending limit for Microfinance Ireland loans to €50,000 and we reopened the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) Scheme for a further 14 days and introduced a second payment of ICOB for businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors. To date 4,191 businesses based in Co. Cork have received €10.13m through the ICOB scheme.
130. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when he intends to bring forward legislation transposing EU Directive 2022/2041 on adequate minimum wages in the European; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26008/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages in the European Union was published on 19th October 2022 and must be transposed by 15th November 2024. The Directive aims to ensure that workers across the European Union are protected by adequate minimum wages allowing for a decent living wherever they work.
The Directive includes three sets of measures:
1. One of the goals of the Directive is to increase the number of workers who are covered by collective bargaining on wage setting. It will require Ireland to develop an action plan to enhance collective bargaining coverage by the end of 2025.
2. To ensure minimum wages are set at adequate levels, the Directive also requires countries with statutory minimum wages, as in Ireland, to put in place clear and stable criteria for minimum wage setting, indicative reference values to guide the assessment of adequacy, and to involve social partners in the regular and timely updates of minimum wages.
3. The Directive provides for improved enforcement and monitoring of the minimum wage protection established in each country. The Directive introduces reporting by Member States on its minimum wage protection data to the European Commission.
My Department has received legal advice on the minimum wage elements of the Directive and work is underway to ensure transposition by the deadline of November 2024. Legal advice is that Ireland’s current minimum wage setting framework, namely the Low Pay Commission, is largely already in compliance with the provisions of the Directive.
A technical group has been established with Department officials and the social partners to examine what is required to implement the collective bargaining elements of the Directive. My Department has also requested legal advice as to whether any legislative change is required in order to transpose these elements into Irish legislation by the transposition deadline at the end of the year.
Appropriate legislation to transpose the Directive will be brought forward in due course, following receipt of the aforementioned legal advice and further consultation with the social partners.
131. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of WTE solicitors employed by IDA Ireland in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [26086/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe below table outlines the number of WTE solicitors with practising certificates in employment with the IDA 2022-2024.
|
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
|
Number of Solicitors |
4 |
6* |
6* |
*The sixth person is a maternity leave cover.
I'm informed that of the number of solicitors outlined, 3 handle property transactions with the balance involved in cross-organisational legal matters.
132. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide a breakdown of the fines issued against his Department by the Court of Justice of the European Union for the period 2010 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26131/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has not been levied with any fines by the Court of Justice since 2010.
133. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) will be completed. [25891/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding for a large scale major building project. The project is devolved for delivery to Cavan & Monaghan Educational Training Board (CMETB).
I am pleased to advise that this project is currently onsite. Construction commenced onsite in June 2023 and pending no delays or issues, it is expected to reach substantial completion in quarter one, 2025.
CMETB will continue to engage and communicate directly with the school authority in relation to the progression of the project.
134. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when refurbishment works will move to construction stage at a school (details supplied); and the estimated timeframe for which these works will be completed. [25892/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Large Scale Capital Project at the school referred to by the Deputy, is included in the Department of Education’s construction programme which will be delivered under the National Development Plan (NDP) as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework.
The project is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. The tender report review is nearing completion and the next steps for the project will be the issuing of a Letter of Intent, completion of the tender process and progression to Stage 4 – Construction.
The project brief for the large scale capital project, involves the amalgamation of two schools with a total post-contract accommodation of 24 classrooms comprised of a new school to include 12 classrooms and a GP Hall with a floor area of 2,180m², together with the refurbishment and 4 classroom extension of the second school.
The large scale capital project at the school remains a priority for delivery, in line with the accommodation issues present at the school.
The Department want to reassure the school community that the school building project will be progressed and delivered. The Department will update the school authorities when there is a further update on the progression of the major project.
135. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) will be completed; and the estimated cost of these works. [25893/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe project referred to by the Deputy is devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects. The project will deliver a new 24 classroom school with a 2 class SEN base, including a GP Hall and other ancillary accommodation.
The project commenced on site in October 2023 and pending no issues or delays, it is estimated to be completed in Q1 2026. It is not possible to disclose costs at this time due to commercial sensitivity.
The NDFA are engaging directly with the school authority to keep it informed of progress.
136. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of full-time educational welfare officers based in Limerick in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [25894/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with the arrangements set out as part of the current Government formation, since January 2021 Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is under the remit of my Department.
TESS has three strands namely the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS) and the two school support services, the Home School Community Liaison Scheme and the School Completion Programme. The three TESS strands work together collaboratively with schools, families and other relevant services to achieve the best educational outcomes for children and young people.
The EWS operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. This is a statutory service and its primary role is to ensure that every child either attends school regularly or otherwise receives a certain minimum education; to ensure and secure every child’s entitlement to education. Educational Welfare Officers (EWO's) work with families and children in a child-centered way to overcome barriers to their school attendance, participation and retention. They also work closely with schools, educational support services and other agencies to support school attendance and resolve attendance problems for the benefit of children and families.
The information sought by the Deputy is contained in the table below.
|
Limerick |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Senior EWO |
1 WTE |
1 WTE |
|
EWO |
4 WTE |
5 WTE |
137. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when the next round of tender offers will issue for school building projects in the Donegal area. [25895/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 2020, my department has invested in the region of €4.8 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 800 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 30 new school buildings. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2bn.
I also recently announced that close to 90 projects, including 28 new school buildings, would be authorised to proceed from tender stage to construction over the course of 2024 and early 2025. In total, around €800 million will be invested in these projects under the department’s Large Scale Capital Programme and Additional Accommodation Scheme for essential classroom accommodation.
Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in this latest phase, investments by the Department of Education are adding over 550,000 square metres of new and modernised capacity to our school estate.
This is a record level of investment in school buildings. It will expand the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure. The impact of this will be felt in communities right around the country.
The key drivers of capital investment in the schools' sector include:
• demographic growth, particularly at post primary level
• increased demand for special educational needs provision
• alignment of school place provision with new housing development
• climate action objectives including deep energy retrofit.?
Since 2020, my department has delivered significant expanded capacity in Donegal, including a new 24 classroom school plus 2 classroom SEN base for Scoil Mhuire, Stranorlar, Co. Donegal and an 8-classroom extension for Scoil Cholmcille, Letterkenny.
There are also a large number of building projects currently in construction across Donegal including a new school building for Little Angels Special School, Knocknamona which will provide 2 early intervention/preschool rooms, 6 mild moderate classrooms, 10 ASD Classrooms and 3 severe and profound classrooms. An 8-classroom new school building plus 2 classroom SEN base is also in construction for Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí, Donegal Town. Currently, there are also 19 other smaller school extension projects plus 5 modular accommodation projects in construction across Co. Donegal.
A number of other new school building projects and extension projects providing additional school accommodation are at various stages of planning and delivery across Co. Donegal.
The status of all projects in the pipeline, including those at tender stage, is set out at www.gov.ie and is updated on a regular basis.
138. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) will be completed; and the estimated cost of these works. [25896/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe major project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural planning Stage 4 – Construction.
It is estimated that the refurbishment works will be completed in early quarter 3, 2024 and as this is an integral part of the overall tender and the Contract awarded, it is not appropriate at this stage to provide the detailed cost information requested by the Deputy.
139. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education if she considers it best practice for post-primary schools to provide for feeder primary schools in their admissions policies to ensure that pupils can obtain a secondary school place locally; if her Department has a role to play in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25916/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. All schools have admissions policies, which were approved by the patron, following consultation with staff and parents of children who are attending the school. It is a key requirement of the act that all school admission policies are fair and transparent.
Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will be necessary. It is a matter for each individual school to determine the criteria for their admissions policy. 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.
All schools must clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. Schools have discretion in relation to their admission criteria and how they are applied. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves. My Department does not seek to intervene in the selection criterion that is applied by schools.
In the event of there being more applications to the school year concerned than places available, schools must compile a waiting list of students whose applications for admission to the school were unsuccessful due to the school being oversubscribed. This list remains valid for the school year in which admission is sought.
Placement on the waiting list of the school is in the order of priority assigned to the students’ applications after the school has applied the selection criteria in accordance with the schools own admission policy. Offers of any subsequent places that become available for and during the school year in relation to which admission is being sought will be made to those students on the waiting list, in accordance with the order of priority in relation to which the students have been placed on the list.
Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal where a board of management, or a person acting on behalf of the board of management (normally the school principal) refuses to admit a student to a school. Where the decision to refuse admission is due to the school being oversubscribed, a review of the decision by the board of management must be sought in the first instance. Following a review it is open to the parent to appeal to the independent appeals committee.
Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is the agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. TESS can be contacted at 01-7718500 (tessinfo@tusla.ie) for assistance. More information is available on their website on the following link: www.tusla.ie/tess/tess-ews/ .
140. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education when the SNA allocations for the academic year beginning September 2024 will be made known; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25917/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraCircular 0049/2024 was published on the department's website on 29 May 2024 and it confirmed to schools their special needs assistant (SNA) allocation for the 2024/25 school year. The circular is available on gov.ie.
This circular outlines that in relation to the allocation of SNA support for students in mainstream classes for 2024/25 the following arrangements will apply:
a) The SNA allocations for mainstream classes in schools on 31st May 2024 will be the initial allocation for the 2024/2025 school year.
b) Where a school identifies a significant increase in care needs, additional resources can be provided to support the school, following a request for review by the school with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
c) A process for schools where they consider their SNA allocation to be in excess of the required care needs will be administered through the NCSE. Schools should contact their local NCSE special educational needs organiser (SENO) to commence this process.
Following the publication of the circular the NCSE undertook to inform each school individually of their SNA allocation for the 2024/25 school year. When this process is complete the NCSE will update their website with the list of SNA allocations for the 2024/25 school year.
Schools can apply to the NCSE for a review of its SNA allocation if it is insufficient to meet the needs of its students. Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
