Results 43,661-43,680 of 46,267 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Assessments (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: It is a matter for Kerry County Council, in the first instance, to investigate and address flooding issues in the County. The Office of Public Works (OPW) has no assets in Ballylongford and, therefore, has no direct responsibility in maintaining or improving existing flood defences. However, Ballylongford was identified through the national Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment as an area where...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Assessments (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: Mountrath was identified through the national Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA) as a location where flood risk was potentially significant. It is therefore designated as an Area for Further Assessment (AFA) and a detailed assessment is being carried out under the South Eastern Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study. The Office of Public Works is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: The Office of Public Works is continuing to carry out repair works on damaged flood defences on the River Maine Scheme following the serious storms that took place in the region in January and February of this year. Given the extent of works required and the limitations of available resources, works are prioritised and carried out on a planned phased basis. I am advised that OPW engineers...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coastal Protection (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DoECLG) informed Kerry County Council, based on the estimate submitted by the Council to that Department, that up to €1,226,920 is available to the Council via the Office of Public Works (OPW) to undertake the necessary repair works to coastal protection and flood defence infrastructure damaged during the Winter storms....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coastal Protection (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: The Government Decision of 11 February, 2014 specifically addressed the allocation of funding for the repair of existing infrastructure damaged by storms in the period of 13 December to 6 January 2014. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DoECLG) wrote to Kerry County Council indicating, based on the estimate submitted by the Council to that Department, that up...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: I am advised that the flooding problem raised in the Deputy's question is due to problems with the surface water drainage infrastructure at this location. The Office of Public Works has no responsibility in this matter. It is a matter for Fingal County Council in the first instance.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Recruitment (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: All recruitment undertaken by the Office of Public Works is governed by the necessity to remain within the staffing limits directed by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform through the Employment Control Framework (ECF), together with level of funding made available to meet payroll costs. Recruitment of additional permanent staff is subject to the sanction provided via that...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Properties (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: A short stretch of embankment which is the responsibility of the Office of Public Works (OPW) is used as an unofficial slipway at this location and hence the crest is slightly lower than the rest of the embankment. It is envisaged that the OPW will have an excavator in the locality in the near future and will address the matter that the Deputy refers to then. With regard to the sluice...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Assessments (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: It is a matter for Kerry County Council, in the first instance, to investigate and address flooding issues in the County. The Office of Public Works (OPW) has no assets in Ballylongford and, therefore, has no direct responsibility in maintaining or improving existing flood defences. However, Ballylongford was identified through the national Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment as an area where...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coastal Protection (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: Following on the Government Decision of 11 February 2014, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DoECLG) wrote to Kerry County Council indicating that, based on the estimate submitted by the Council to that Department, up to €1,226,920 is available to the Council via the Office of Public Works (OPW) to undertake the necessary repair works to damaged coastal...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coastal Protection (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: The Office of Public Works is responsible only for the approval of programmes of works and the disbursement to local authorities of the funding allocated by Government for repair of damage to public coastal protection infrastructure. The Departments of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Transport, Tourism and Sport and Agriculture, Food and the Marine are responsible for the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Projects (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: The Office of Public Works received an application from Kerry County Council for funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for flood alleviation works at this location. This application is currently being assessed having regard to the eligibility criteria for the Minor Works scheme which requires the proposed works to be cost beneficial and to the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Properties (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: I am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that their primary focus is to protect and conserve the existing buildings and fortifications of the Magazine Fort, which is a protected structure. The Fort is regularly inspected for evidence of any unauthorised access and routine maintenance works are carried out when required. I recently inspected the site myself as part of a more general...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (17 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: Proposals to deal with the flooding issue in Cork City were placed on display in the City Hall on 29 July 2014 at an Information Day undertaken to inform the public of the emerging Scheme for the City. Members of the Design Team were in attendance on the day to explain the proposals and to deal with queries from the public. Over two hundred people attended on the day. The public were invited...

Seanad: National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank the Senator for his amendment and for our exchange this afternoon. The section amends the State Authorities (Public Private Partnerships Arrangements) Act 2002 by adding a section that will allow Ministers to issue guarantees or indemnities in respect of PPP projects, with the consent of the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform. Such indemnities or guarantees have...

Seanad: National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Harris: It is limited by the obligations of the sub-sovereign entity.

Seanad: National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Harris: It depends on the size of the project and the contract.

Seanad: National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Harris: The National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000, which set up the NPRF to pre-fund the burden of pensions on the Exchequer from 2025, was amended in 2009 to allow the Minister for Finance in certain circumstances to direct the NPRF commission to invest in financial institutions. This was the mechanism used to recapitalise the banks following the financial crisis. I acknowledge why the Senator...

Seanad: National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank the Senator for her amendment which I cannot accept, the reasons for which I will outline. I simply do not believe it would work. The assets of the National Pensions Reserve Fund will be transferred to the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund and they will then be invested in Ireland in a manner designed to support economic activity and employment. However, it is clearly not practical...

Seanad: National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2014)

Simon Harris: I understand where the Senator is coming from. While there is no requirement to publish directions to make certain investments, under section 42 directions made will be public knowledge by virtue of the fact that they will be detailed in the NTMA's annual report. Section 49 of the Bill provides that the NTMA will provide a detailed list of the assets of the fund in its report at the end of...