April 20, 2016

Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of members of An Garda Síochána stationed in Co. Waterford; the number who retired in each of the past five years; their rank on leaving the force; and the number of officers of each rank of Garda, Detective Garda, Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Inspector and Superintendent currently deployed in the Waterford division compared to five years ago.

REPLY (Minister Frances Fitzgerald)
As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and Districts and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources.

I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the number of members stationed in the Waterford Garda Division on the 29 February 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available was 280.  This compares with 302 on the 28 February 2011.  The table below sets out the breakdown by rank.  The information supplied by the Garda Commissioner does not distinguish between Sergeant and Detective Sergeant.
​
With regard to the number of members and their ranks who have retired from this Division, the information is not at hand in the Department and I have asked the Commissioner to supply this information which will be forwarded to the Deputy on receipt.

April 14, 2016
Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide a breakdown of the increase in overseas visitor numbers to those counties covered by the Wild Atlantic Way Initiative since it started; and of the increase in overseas visitor numbers to those counties covered by the Ireland’s Ancient East Initiative since it commenced.

REPLY (Minister Paschal Donohoe)
Figures published by the CSO show that overseas visits to Ireland have risen for each of the past five years. In fact, 2015 broke all previous records with a total number of overseas visits of 8,643,100 which represented an increase of 13.7% on the 2014 total. 

Although the CSO does not compile any visitor numbers on a county by county basis, I understand Fáilte Ireland does generate some estimates and this information is available in the research section of the Fáilte Ireland website www.failteireland.ie.

​In relation to the estimated number of visitors to the counties covered by the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East, I have asked Fáilte Ireland to provide the Deputy with whatever relevant information they may have. (see below).

January 13, 2016
Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Health the number of patients under 18 years of age awaiting an operation for Scoliosis, the length of time they have spent on a waiting list; the number of these patients who have been listed as urgent, if there is a definite time period in place for when these operations will be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
  
REPLY (Minister Leo Varadkar)
Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin is the largest provider of scoliosis surgery for children and young people.  Funding was allocated in 2015 for additional consultant posts including two consultant orthopaedic surgeons, anaesthetist and support staff at Crumlin  while capital funding was also provided for a new theatre on site to expand theatre capacity further. The 2016 Service Plan specifically provides for support for the new theatre capacity and the continued development of paediatric scoliosis services to address ongoing capacity deficits.

In order to address waiting times in the interim, patients from Crumlin have been transferred to other hospitals where capacity is available and where that is clinically appropriate.  These include Temple Street, Cappagh, Tallaght and the Blackrock Clinic.

​External capacity has also been identified at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital at Stanmore in the UK. The HSE is continuing to work with the Children’s Hospital Group and the individual hospitals to identify all options to increase capacity further to improve access times for surgery.

As the specific issues raised are a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.

December 17, 2015
Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the provision of a 24/7 cath lab at University Hospital Waterford.

REPLY (Minister Leo Varadkar):
Services at the Regional Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory (cath lab) at University Hospital Waterford are led by three Consultant Interventional Cardiologists and their teams. This service is developing in line with best practice and the national clinical programme for acute coronary care. 

The cath lab in UHW performs approximately 40 invasive cardiovascular procedures each week and offers a comprehensive range of invasive and non-invasive diagnostic services. This includes the insertion of stents, pacemakers and implantable defibrillators. 

Primary PCI is undertaken with STEMI heart attacks which are about 20% of all heart attacks. It is done in a cath lab by an experienced cardiologist. The cath lab in UHW is open five days a week from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

​Patients who require Primary PCI outside these hours are transferred to Cork University Hospital or to a Dublin hospital. However it is important to note that 24 hour, 7 day a week consultant medical cover for cardiac patients is provided in UHW. 

I am aware that UHW is committed to the progressive extension of the current PPCI service. However, the reality is that any extension to the service will require significant investment, both capital and revenue. 24 hour emergency PPCI cover requires, as a minimum, two cath labs on site. It also requires a minimum of 6 interventional cardiologists.

As for any complex acute hospital service, a key criterion for deciding whether a 24 hour PPCI service should be provided, is whether there is sufficient volume of appropriate patient activity to ensure the safe provision of the service. Without sufficient volume of service, staff will not be in a position to maintain their skills and in those circumstances, it will not be possible to provide a safe service. 

Funding for new developments is limited and it is of critical importance that the available funds are targeted appropriately. UHW is a constituent hospital of the South South West Hospital Group.

The priority to be afforded to the expansion of the PPCI service in Waterford must first be considered from a hospital group perspective and in relation to the planning for the cardiology needs of the Group population.  The development must then be considered in a national context, and in the light of competing demands for scarce resources.  

This proposal remains to be considered and prioritised by the HSE.  (Further reply to issue directly from HSE.)

December 17, 2015
Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the provision of a primary care centre in Dungarvan in County Waterford.

REPLY (Minister of State Kathleen Lynch):
The Dungarvan Primary Care Centre is one of 14 to be delivered as a single PPP project.  Following a detailed tender evaluation process the National Development Finance Agency announced the Prime-Balfour Beatty consortium as the preferred tenderer in May 2015.  Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2016 and it is expected that the primary care centres will be delivered by early 2017. In the meantime work is continuing on the financial and legal provisions of the project contract. 

December 17, 2015
Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the discussions his Department has had with the management of the Port of Waterford Company regarding accessing funding through European Union regional development funding, or any State-sponsored capital infrastructural funding.

REPLY (Minister Pascahl Donohoe):
The Port of Waterford  is recognised as a Port of National Significance (Tier 2) in National Ports Policy. While there is no exchequer funding provided to ports, ports are encouraged to explore all other avenues of funding available to them.

As the Deputy is aware, at a European level, the Port fulfilled the criteria for recognition as a 'comprehensive Port'  in the comprehensive network of the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) -  a planned set of road, rail, air and water transport networks in the European Union.

Waterford Port  is eligible to apply for funding through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), a key EU funding instrument to promote growth, jobs and competitiveness through targeted infrastructure investment at European level.

Officials from my Department have met recently with Waterford Port Company to advise and encourage them to explore projects that might qualify for CEF funding.

In December, the Department facilitated a meeting between the port and officials from the Commission, the European Investment Bank and INEA (the Executive agency for CEF). In addition, the port attended a recent information session on Motorways of the Sea (MOS), a horizontal priority of the Connecting Europe Facility, hosted jointly by the Department and the European Coordinator for Motorways of the Sea.

Once again, an individual meeting was facilitated between the port and the European Co-ordinator. My Department is aware that the Port of Waterford is actively exploring a joint venture with a number of partners in preparation for an application for Motorways of the Sea funding.​

Waterford Port is within the South East Region for EU Structural Funding purposes and the managing authority for the Regional Operational Programme is the Southern Regional Assembly.

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) co-financed Regional Operational Programmes (2014-2020) approved by the Irish Government and agreed with the European Commission in December 2014 were formally signed in Brussels in Februaury 2015.

The regional programmes focus on five thematic areas: research and innovation, enterprise development, broadband infrastructure, energy efficiency and integrated urban development.

​Port infrastructure was not identified as a thematic priority for co-funding under the 2014-2020 programmes. However, the Southern Regional Assembly have advised that they are available to provide additional information and advice to the port in relation to potential future funding through the regional programmes.

December 17, 2015
Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the discussions his Department has had with the management at Waterford Regional Airport regarding accessing State or European Union funding to extend the runway at the airport.

REPLY (Minister Paschal Donohue):
Funding support for capital expenditure under my Department's Regional Airports Programme is confined to safety and security related projects.

The projects being funded at Waterford airport under the Programme include the runway end safety area (RESA) as required by the IAA and safety standards. This project involved the purchase of land to facilitate the work. 

Development projects, however, such as any capacity expansions, are a commercial matter for the airports themselves and should only be contemplated if they can be financed commercially. In the case of the proposed runway extension at Waterford, the airport authorities are fully aware of this position and I understand that they are pursuing local interests in relation to that project.

My Department invited all airports and other transport bodies to an Information Seminar earlier this month on the financing options under the European Union's European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI), the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and the EIB.

The seminar was organised by the European Commission, the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency  and the European Investment Bank. A representative from Waterford Airport attended that Seminar and also met separately with the agencies.

December 17, 2015
Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation how many technical feasibility grants have been awarded to companies based in County Waterford.

REPLY (Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton):
Enterprise Ireland’s mission is to partner with entrepreneurs, Irish businesses, and the research and investment communities to develop Ireland’s international trade, innovation, leadership, and competitiveness. The ultimate objective is increased employment and prosperity in Ireland.

Enterprise Ireland offers financial support to help companies investigate the viability of a new export oriented business or proposition or to develop a new product, process, technology or service offering.

This is offered through a feasibility grant. In many cases, if the feasibility grant is successful, many companies go on to carry out a larger business development project (such as an Innovative HSPU package) or an R&D project with the assistance of Enterprise Ireland.  Typical elements of a feasibility study include market research, business plan development, technical research and prototyping.

Table 1 below identifies the number of technical feasibility payment transactions to companies in County Waterford by Enterprise Ireland between 2010 and 2015.

Technical Feasibility studies are a subset of the feasibility grant offer. Table 2 below identifies the number of feasibility study payment transactions to companies in County Waterford by Enterprise Ireland over the period, 2010 to 2015.

Feasibility study grant offers include technical feasibilities, R&D stimulation grants, CORD grants, HPSU feasibility, Food Works Feasibility grants, Competitive feasibility Fund and Going Global grants. 

December 17, 2015
Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation how many innovation vouchers have been awarded to companies based in County Waterford.

REPLY (Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton):
The Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher Initiative was introduced in 2007 in order to drive an on-going innovation culture shift within small enterprise by promoting and encouraging knowledge transfer between Ireland’s public knowledge providers and the small business community and creating greater synergies between the two.

Under the initiative, vouchers worth €5,000 are allocated to small business whose proposals, to work with public knowledge providers on specific innovation issues, meet certain criteria. The Innovation Voucher Programme has been running successfully since its inception and it continues to meet an important need in the small business sector. 

Enterprise Ireland recognises that an important source of knowledge, expertise and competitive advantage which is available to Irish companies is to be found in the Research Departments of our Institutes of Technology and Universities.

​The Innovation Voucher scheme gives small companies access to this vast source of innovative acumen and in so doing acts as an important facet of knowledge transfer from these Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) to industry. These Vouchers can be used by the companies to purchase advice and knowledge that is new to the company.

Since the programme’s launch, in 2007, 464 Vouchers, with a total combined value of €2.3 million have been awarded to companies based in county Waterford, as detailed in the table below:

November 3, 2015
Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details of the rent allowances that are paid to public servants and officials of his Department if placed on overseas assignment in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe; and the way in which these rates for living accommodation are calculated or benchmarked.

REPLY (Minister Charlie Flanagan):
Officials serving the State abroad are assigned a rent allowance to enable them to rent suitable accommodation in which to live.

The Department uses an independent advisory service to provide information on the setting of suitable rent ceilings in all Mission locations, including in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe.

In setting rent ceilings, the Department also takes into account the size of the officer’s family. The choice of accommodation is subject to inspection and vetting with regard to its suitability, adequacy, and value for money and to the officer’s and their families’ security needs.

These rent ceilings are normally fixed for the duration of the Officer’s assignment abroad, apart from increases such as consumer price index increases which are provided for in the original lease.

Officers are personally responsible for all payments in respect of beneficial services such as heating, water, lighting, gas, telephone, TV, refuse collection, maintenance of central heating and any other such charges that would normally be paid by an officer resident in Ireland.

Details of the total rent paid in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe in 2014 are included below.