Written answers
Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Department of Finance
Health and Safety Regulations
Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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85. To ask the Minister for Finance to outline the health and safety framework of each commercial and non-commercial State agencies; when the health and safety policy of each was last reviewed; when the safety statement of each was last reviewed; if each body has a health and safety committee and when this was last elected; if each has a health and safety representative and when this person was last elected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29550/16]
Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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In response to the Deputy's question, I am advised by the Bodies under the Aegis of the Department of Finance of their approach, under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, about this important matter. Due to the variety of bodies, in terms of the nature and range of their activities, the situation may differ between them with regard to health and safety policies and frameworks. Therefore, the answer to the Deputy's question is set out in tabular form.
| Name of body | Is there a Health and Safety framework/ policy in existence? | When was the Health and Safety Framework / Policy last reviewed? | Is there a Health and Safety Committee? | When was it last elected? | Is there a Health and Safety Rep? | When was this person last elected? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Comptroller & Auditor General | Yes | March 2016 | Health and safety issues are within the remit of the Office's Security Forum. A Director of the Office chairs the Security Forum. The Office also has an Accommodation Forum which considers, general issues related to accommodation. | Membership is by a process of appointment | No. A Partnership Committee operates which considers from time to time Health and Safety matters where they arise. | N/A |
| 2 Central Bank | Yes | March 2016 | Yes | Members reviewed annually | Yes (an EHS manager) | Appointed in March 2016 |
| 3 Credit Review Office | As the Credit Review Office is located in Enterprise Ireland (EI) premises all Health and Safety policies and procedures are determined by EI. Enterprise Ireland has both a Health and Safety Policy and Safety Statement. | Enterprise Ireland's Health and Safety Policy was last updated in November 2013 and the Safety Statement in May 2016. | Enterprise Ireland has a Health and Safety Committee which includes health and safety representatives. | The last elected official onto the Health and Safety Committee was an Enterprise Ireland staff member representing the Union in April 2016. | In addition to being a Committee member, this appointment is a health and safety representative. | April 2016 |
| 4 Credit Union Advisory Committee (CUAC) | N/A CUAC has neither premises nor staff | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 5 Credit Union Restructuring Board (ReBo) | yes | 01/07/16 | no | N/A | yes | May 2015 |
| 6 Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal | The DDMBA operates within the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH), and therefore follows the hospital's Health and Safety policy | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 7 Financial Services Ombudsman Bureau | Yes | 2015 | Yes | 2015 | Yes | 2015 |
| 8 Financial Services Ombudsman Council | n/aThe Financial Servcies Ombudsman Council has no staff. | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 9 Investor Compensation Company Ltd | The ICCL staff are Central Bank of Ireland employees in Central Bank of Ireland premises and as such subject to the Central Bank of Ireland Health and Safety Framework and related policies. | |||||
| 10 Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (in SL) | Yes | Formally in September 2014 but individual elements have been reviewed in the interim | No. Prior to and during its liquidation, IBRC always had a full-time health and safety officer, however, due to decreases in staff numbers the full-time health and safety officer is no longer required | N/A | Yes | Due to decreases in staff numbers a health and safety officer is no longer required and a health and safety representative has been in place since Q1 2016 |
| 11 Irish Financial Services Appeals Tribunal (IFSAT) | N/AIFSAT has no staff. | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 12 Irish Fiscal Advisory Council | Because of the size and nature of IFAC, no formal H&S Committee is in place. IFAC operate on the basis of shared services with the ESRI and adheres to the Institute's Health and Safety procedures and policies. | |||||
| 13 National Asset Management Agency (see answer from NTMA below) | Yes | September 2016 | Yes | November 2015 | Yes | 2010 |
| 14 National Treasury Management Agency (answer is inclusive of NAMA and the SBCI) | Yes | September 2016 | Yes | November 2015 | Yes | 2010 |
| 15 Tax Appeals Commission | Under a service level agreement, the Tax Appeals Commission (TAC) currently operates a Health and Safety framework with support and advice from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. This is a legacy arrangement which pre-dates the establishment of the TAC. The intention is that as part of the reform of its governance and compliance arrangements, which is underway, the TAC will examine the advisability of developing its own Health & Safety policy and operating its own Health and Safety Framework. Having regard to the small size of the organisation to date, it has not been practical to have a Health & Safety Committee nor to have election processes in place. However there is a Health and Safety representative and the person in question has been fulfilling the duties of the role for over 10 years | No | Yes | See note left | ||
| 16 Office of the Revenue Commissioners (see note below) | Yes (safety policy) | Sept 2015 | Safety Committees are organised and operate at local level. At partnership level there is a sub-committee with reps from staff and official sides | At the partnership level sub-committee Members are elected as the need arises | N/A | N/A |
| 17 Social Finance Foundation | Yes | 2008 | No but risks including Health and Safety Risks are reviewed regularly by the Audit and Risk Committee | Audit and Risk Committee has been in existence since 2007 and meets regularly | Given the small number of employees (4), there is no need for a Health and Safety Rep | Not Applicable |
| 18 Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (see answer on NTMA above) | Yes | September 2016 | Yes | November 2015 | Yes | 2010 |
The Revenue Board and MAC have ultimate responsibility for health and safety within Revenue as laid out in the Safety Policy. They are supported by a network of Safety Managers (Principal Officer level) and Safety Coordinators (AP/HEO level) who manage day to day health and safety matters in all Revenue buildings. The Safety Policy was last reviewed in September 2015 and is signed by the current Chairman Mr. Niall Cody.
All Revenue buildings are required to review and submit an updated Safety Statement on an annual basis. These are reviewed by Revenue's Health & Safety team.
Safety Committees are organised and operate at a local level between management and staff. Health and Safety representatives volunteer to participate with the Safety Committees at local level. At Partnership level there is a sub-committee with representatives from both the Staff side and the Official side. Members are elected to this sub-committee as the need arises.
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