Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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78. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the details of each body or organisation that is scheduled to receive in excess of €1 million from her Department's Vote of expenditure or the group of Votes of expenditure connected with her Department in 2017 for the provision of services by the body or the organisation concerned; the amount involved in each case; if there is a signed service level agreement in place in respect of the services to be carried out by these bodies or organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36160/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The table outlines the 2017 allocations across the respective subheads of my Department’s Vote where this year’s funding to the Office, Agency or organisation concerned exceeds €1 million.

The 2017 Oversight and Performance Delivery Agreements (OPDA) have been finalised and signed by the Department and each of the following Agencies.

- Competition & Consumer Protection Commission

- Health & Safety Authority

- Irish Auditing & Accounting Supervisory Authority

- IDA Ireland

- National Standards Authority of Ireland

- Science Foundation Ireland

The OPDA in respect of Enterprise Ireland for 2017 will be finalised shortly.

In respect of InterTrade IreIand, due to the unique nature of that organisation, as one of the Good Friday Implementation bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement and its unique co-funding model, with grants from  both the Northern Irish and Irish administrations, and the oversight role undertaken by the North South Ministerial Council, a different set of governance arrangements are in place, involving Annual Business Plans, 3 year Corporate Plans and an overarching Financial Memorandum.  In addition, the two Finance Departments, North and South also have a significant role relating to relevant financial issues. These arrangements mean that an annual Service Level Agreement is not appropriate.

A Memorandum of Understanding for 2017 has been finalised and signed off by the Department and each of its Offices. These include:

- Companies Registration Office (including the Registry of Friendly Societies)

- Employment Appeals Tribunal

- Labour Court

- Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement

- Patents Office

- Workplace Relations Commission

Ireland’s membership of various international organisations are underpinned by signed international agreements. For the annual memberships in excess of €1 million these include:

- European Space Agency

- European Molecular Biology Laboratory

- International Labour Organisation

- World Trade Organisation

The 31 Local Enterprise Offices operate under the auspices of the Local Authorities across the country. My Department’s funding provision to the Local Enterprise Offices is administered through Enterprise Ireland and is subject to annual Service Level Agreements with each Local Enterprise Office.

The annual provision to the Tyndall National Institute via my Department’s Vote is underpinned by a signed agreement between the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, University College Cork and the Tyndall National Institute.

The funding provision to support the Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI) is provided to the Higher Education Authority (HEA), an agency under the auspices of the Department of Education and Skills. The current Cycle 5 of the PRTLI was the subject of the comprehensive agreement between that Department and the HEA.  

Since the transfer of the PRTLI functions to my Department, since May 2010 the HEA has administered the PRTLI programme of behalf of the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.  The annual funding provision relates to payment on outstanding Exchequer commitments relating to Cycle 5 awards which were initiated in 2011. There is an annual communication from my Department to the HEA regarding the annual PRTLI funding provision. The PRTLI funding forms part of my Department’s annual Quality Assurance checks as required under the Public Spending Code.

In respect of the new INTERREG Programme, payments  in respect of which will commence this year, the text of a  new Service Level Agreement  setting out  arrangements to apply between this Department and the EU Managing Authority, is currently being finalised and is likely to be formally in place shortly.