Results 3,221-3,240 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (30 Sep 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I assume that the Deputy is referring to the scheme of performance-related awards for posts at the level of Deputy Secretary and Assistant Secretary. Under this scheme, operated by the Department of Finance, the Central Committee for Performance Awards considers recommendations made by Secretaries General. The table sets out the payments made to relevant staff in my Department under this...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (30 Sep 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 434 and 439 together. The budget announcement in December 2003 stated that my Department would relocate 140 posts to Knock Airport and 10 to Na Forbacha. It also stipulated that ADM Ltd (now Pobal) would relocate 40 posts to Clifden and that 30 Foras na Gaeilge posts would transfer to Gaoth Dobhair. Planning permission was later refused for a proposed...

Written Answers — Compulsory Purchase Orders: Compulsory Purchase Orders (30 Sep 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am informed that Waterways Ireland is the only body/agency under the remit of my Department with the power to issue Compulsory Purchase Orders. The number, purpose and outcome of each CPO issued is as outlined in the table below: CPOs Issued by Waterways Ireland No of CPOs Purpose Outcome 2005 2006 2007 2008 to date 6 Lands acquired at Ballymahon, Co. Longford to facilitate the...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (30 Sep 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As the deputy is aware one of the more successful aspects of the CLÁR programme has been the level of funding provided to the various Water and Sewerage measures over the years. Funding approved under those measures has risen from approximately €2.4m in 2002 to more than €10m to date in 2008. In total almost €39m has been approved to date for water and sewerage schemes since the...

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (30 Sep 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: My Department does not have a published policy regarding the security of portable electronic devices. The issue of the security of these devices is under review. To date no security breaches in relation to any Departmental equipment has been reported. Laptop computers are not encrypted at present but it is expected that encryption will be in place by the end of 2008, in addition to the...

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (30 Sep 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am informed that no such devices were reported lost, missing or stolen to date in 2008.

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (1 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: At present, there are eight Government Departments involved in the disbursement of grants from the DAF. While my Department has an overall management and administrative role in relation to the Dormant Accounts Fund, the management of individual priority measures and disbursement of funds to beneficiaries of these measures is a matter for the relevant lead Department. In relation to the...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (2 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Decisions in relation to the advertising and appointment of positions in LEADER and Partnership Groups are matters for the boards of the companies concerned with reference to all relevant legislation including the European Communities (Protection of Employees on Transfer of Undertakings) Regulations 2003 (SI No. 131 of 2003). My Department has no role or authority in such processes. In...

Departmental Agencies. (7 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As the Deputy will be aware, there are a number of public bodies that are funded by or come within the ambit of my Department. These bodies are subject to relevant employment legislation and general Government policy on terms and remuneration of public service employees as detailed in various Department of Finance circulars. In the case of the North-South bodies under my Department, An Foras...

Departmental Agencies. (7 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Contrary to what has been alleged publicly, I am satisfied that Waterways Ireland is delivering competently on the targets in its business plan and is an effective organisation. I am happy the body has a written policy on recruitment and promotions and on best practice principles, including fairness and transparency. I am assured the best public service practice is followed in all its...

Departmental Agencies. (7 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Of course posts should be subject to open competition but as I pointed out, when the body was set up the people in the previous organisations had the right of transfer into the new body. I presume the Deputy does not query that. On the matter of standards, there are clearly written policies with regard to recruitment, promotions and best principles. These have been laid down by the two...

Departmental Agencies. (7 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Following the independent process recommendations were made and followed.

Rural Development Schemes. (7 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: My Department operates a range of initiatives, schemes and programmes that support the social and economic development of rural areas and the growth of rural business and enterprise. Relevant schemes include the rural development programme, the CLÁR programme, the rural social scheme, the enterprise scheme for non-Gaeltacht offshore islands and the community services programme and rural...

Rural Development Schemes. (7 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Although the Deputy's supplementary inquiry on decentralisation is at a remove from his original question, I will be benign and supply him with the information he sought. The Deputy will possibly be aware that 101 of the projected 140 staff have already relocated to Tubercurry. I understand the OPW is pursuing matters in regard to the purchase of the site and, when these negotiations are...

Rural Development Schemes. (7 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Deputy's last question pertained to this programme, which represents a significant fillip. The investment by my Department in rural recreation is also creating jobs. A lot is happening and more is planned. The project introduced under the CLÁR programme to provide three phase electricity to small businesses was a major step in the right direction because many businesses in rural areas...

Rural Development Schemes. (7 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am answering Minister's questions, not questions for the Government. I can only speak about my Department's programmes and, as I explained to the Deputy, we have implemented the rural development programme. We have been closely engaged with the decentralisation programme and have transferred ten out of ten staff to Furbo, 101 out of 140 to Tubercurry, 25 out of 40 to Clifden and, despite...

Rural Development Schemes. (7 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Deputy may be aware that the process for selecting local action groups to deliver the Leader elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-13 is at an advanced stage. I expect to announce the selection of the groups to implement the programme and the allocation of funding later this month. I anticipate the programme will be open to applications from the local action groups for...

Rural Development Schemes. (7 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: These are all independent companies. They are not semi-State agencies. Their boards are appointed in a certain way but the employees of these companies are not employed by the State. At the end of the day, these are private companies and, therefore, it is incumbent on them to comply with both EU and national law in regard to employment policy. They raised issues with regard to the...

Rural Development Schemes. (7 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I concur with the Deputy. I will not go back over what happened. As the Deputy knows, the cohesion process, which is a rationalisation process that in time will pay dividends, was difficult. There were delays and an issue was raised in Brussels, on which the European Union, thankfully, upheld the Department's position. I then found that some of the companies, despite all the time they had...

Care of the Elderly. (7 Oct 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has a mandate in relation to communities, be they urban, rural, Gaeltacht or island communities. Many of our programmes and schemes focus on communities, particularly on those that are vulnerable, disadvantages or under threat. As well as communities that can be defined in terms of geographic location, the Department supports those that are defined...