Written answers
Thursday, 17 December 2009
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Departmental Agencies
6:00 pm
Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 35: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the agencies under her remit who process entitlement payments; the number of staff who process entitlement payments broken down by agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48011/09]
Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 36: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of agencies under her remit that have a role in carrying out inspections; the number of staff involved in the carrying out of inspections broken down by agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48025/09]
Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 37: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of agencies under her remit who have a role in the collection of payments; the number of staff involved in the collection of payments broken down by agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48039/09]
Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 38: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of agencies under her remit who have a role in the issuing of licences; the number of staff involved in the issuing of licences broken down by agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48055/09]
Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 to 38, inclusive, together.
The position in relation to Agencies under my remit is set out in the tables below. Entitlement Payments:
| Agency | |
| FÁS | Training Allowances for Job-Seekers attending FÁS training courses and for apprentices when attending off-the-job training |
Carrying out of Inspections:
| Agency | |
| IDA Ireland | Inspections linked to assessment of certain applications |
| Forfas | Accreditation (Irish National Accreditation Board, operating as a Committee of Forfas) |
| National Standards Authority of Ireland | Measuring instruments used in trade and quantities of goods (pre-packaged and loose from bulk) |
| National Consumer Agency | Enforcement of the Consumer Protection Act 2007 and other consumer legislation. |
| Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority | Periodic inspections of each of the nine prescribed Accountancy Bodies in Ireland |
| Health and Safety Authority | Routine and proactive inspections of workplaces. |
| FÁS | Monitoring a range of Schemes including Community Employment, Job Initiative, Local Training Initiative, and Community Training Centres. |
Collection of Payments:
| Agency | |
| Forfas | Accreditation Fees |
| Health and Safety Authority | On the spot fines under the EU Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road Legislation |
| Competition Authority | Statutory fees to accompany merger notifications. |
| National Consumer Agency | Credit Intermediaries Authorisation Fees and Pawnbroker licences, fixed payments notices |
| FÁS | FÁS / Enterprise Ireland National Register of Trainers (NRT), Safe Pass Card fee |
Issuing of Licences:
| Agency | |
| National Consumer Agency | Credit Intermediaries and Pawnbroker Licences |
| FAS | Safe Pass, Construction Skills Certification Scheme, Quarrying Skills Certification Scheme |
In relation to the collection of payments, I have limited the response to where I see the collection as linked to one of the primary functions of the agency, rather an ancillary, or consequential receipt of fees income. So, for example, I have not detailed the fact that IDA collects rents or receives grant refunds, nor that FÁS collects fees in respect of a range of training courses that it runs. This is not a clear division, but I would draw a distinction between the collection of payments, and say, receipt of income.
The issue of staff numbers is a day-to-day matter for the Agencies concerned, for which I have no function.
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