Results 42,921-42,940 of 46,456 for speaker:Simon Harris

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: That is a very good question. There are a number of reforms. I have to say this sincerely. In this role over the past seven or eight months I have had the opportunity to travel to an awful lot of OPW sites, many of which I had never been at before. The dedication and commitment of the staff, who, like so many right across the public service, have had to deal with fewer colleagues in the...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: This goes back to the whole-of-Government approach to property asset management and the fact outlined in my opening statement that we are putting together the property asset management delivery plan which the OPW has been charged with leading. There has been a scenario in the past where the left hand did not necessarily know what the right hand was doing. For the first time, we are trying...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: The last part of Deputy Fleming's question is if that refers to commercial rental of the likes of any of the public buildings-----

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: Yes, it is commercial. In respect of the figure he raised, I do not wish to mislead the Deputy and have not misled him in the sense that the maintenance budget has transferred. The issue does not arise now because the budget is here since 2013. However, there is an issue regarding the recovery of funds from the Social Insurance Fund and an agency fee. Regarding recoveries for services...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: Yes. Where we rent a property for the Department of Social Welfare, the OPW pays half of it back.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: Yes. Well spotted.

Other Questions: Garda Stations (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: The Office of Public Works' disposal policy with regard to non-operational or vacant Garda stations is first to identify if the property is required or suitable for alternate State use by both Departments or the wider public sector. If there is no other State use identified for a property, the OPW will then consider disposing of it on the open market, if and when conditions prevail, to...

Other Questions: Garda Stations (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: The proceeds from the sale of these former Garda stations went into general Exchequer funds. However, we have made a number available to community groups. There are not any problems with regard to titles of which I am aware but I will forward a note to the Deputy on that matter. I will also send him further details on the guardianship situation. For the Deputy's information, there are 139...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Decentralisation Programme Data (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: At present, there are three decentralised locations in Portlaoise leased for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in Portlaoise. The National Council for Curriculum Assessment (NCCA) is also accommodated in Portlaoise. These leases are set out in the following tables. Name and address of Building Annual Rent Unit 11 Clonminham Industrial Estate, Portlaoise (primarily...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Offices (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: A site was acquired in Portlaoise for the provision of a building for the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine under the decentralisation programme. As the Deputy will be aware this building was not constructed due to the Government decision not to proceed with further decentralisation. To accommodate the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine staff, OPW took seven leases...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: The River Suck, which is the main tributary of the River Shannon, forms part of the River Suck Joint Drainage District. Responsibility for maintenance of the channel rests jointly with Galway County Council and Roscommon County Council. The Councils have heretofore discharged their responsibility through the River Suck Joint Drainage District Committee. The most recent formal report submitted...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Monuments (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: Kilmainham Gaol is a National Monument site in the care of the Office of Public Works (OPW) and is - with 328,886 visitors in 2014 - one of the most popular and heavily-visited tourist sites in Ireland. Visitor numbers have been increasing year on year and have now reached a point where the Monument cannot accommodate increased demand with the existing entrance / layout arrangements....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: The July 2012 Report of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht on Shannon flooding dealt with and included recommendations on a number of issues across a range of Government Departments and State Bodies. The Office of Public Works responded to the Committee by way of a written reply in September 2012, in relation to the specific matters within the OPW's area of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Local Authority Funding (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: Mayo County Council did not apply to the Office of Public Works (OPW) in 2013 for any funding for the purposes of coastal defences and addressing coastal erosion. With regard to 2014, the Government Decision of 11 February 2014 that allocated funding for repair of public infrastructure that was damaged in the period 13 December 2013 to 6 January 2014 included a sum of up to €19.6m...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Heritage Sites (11 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 58 together. The information requested in relation to the visitor admissions for each site in OPW care where Guide services are provided is shown below. It should be noted that the 2014 figures have not been fully audited as yet and are therefore provisional. Site Name Provisional 2014 2013 Difference % Altamont 58,023 53,541 4,482 8.37%...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Publications (10 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: There is no minimum point size used in printed State publications. The readability of Acts; Statutory Instruments and Reports published by Government Departments; Offices and Agencies is enhanced by the use of twelve point font or greater.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes (10 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: A flood relief scheme which included works in the local authority areas of Dublin City, Fingal and Meath County Councils was carried out on the River Tolka over the period 2003 to 2012. Works in the City area were completed by 2009 with approximately €7.5m expended in the City area out of a total of €19.3m. In general, the works were carried out directly by the Office of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Status (10 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: The Office of Public Works assessment of the application from Clare County Council for funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme to carry out works at this location has been ongoing and I am advised that the OPW expects to be in a position to notify the Council of its decision very shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Projects (10 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: The Government Decision of 11 February 2014 allocated total funding of up to €69.5 million for clean-up, repair and restoration works in relation to public infrastructure that was damaged in the period 13 December 2013 to 6 January 2014. Of this sum of €69.5 million, up to €19.6 million was allocated for repair of existing coastal protection and flood defences based on...

Topical Issue Debate: Tax Exemptions (5 Feb 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I note his comments on the Central Bank's decisions on mortgages. The Central Bank is independent and it, not the Government, has decided on these regulations. The Government accepts them. During the consultation period, the Central Bank took on the concerns of many people, including first-time buyers. The deposit required does not...