Government Progress Overview
Update: Q3 2015
Government Progress Overview
Reform
Progress
Growth & Sustainability have Returned D / Finance GDP rose by 5.2% in 2014, making us the fastest growing economy in Europe. The deficit was over €22bn in 2010, but it will be reduced to €5bn by the end of 2015. We regained ‘investment-grade’ status with Moody’s / S&P / Fitch. And reduced our cost of borrowing from 15% in July 2011 to 1.6% (10 year bond issue, Oct 2014). Budget 2015 reduced income tax & the USC for the first time in 6 years. Budgets 2012-2014 did not increase income tax & maintained core social welfare rates of jobseeker’s benefit, carer’s allowance, & state pension. Restructured the banks and received €5.5bn from recent sales of bank shares.
Investment
Reduced the cost of FF’s bailout of Anglo by getting rid of the promissory notes. Primary home mortgage arrears have decreased by 27% since June 2013; after the Personal Insolvency Bill (Dec 12) & Central Bank’s targets for main banks (Mar 13). The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) has invested over €700m, by the end of 2014, benefiting 79 companies and supporting over 8,300 jobs. The European Investment Bank invested €932m in Ireland in 2014, a 37% increase.
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Employment is Growing 1,300 jobs are being added each week in 2015.
D / Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation
Over 125,000 jobs have been added since the launch of Action Plan for Jobs in 2012. The ‘Action Plan for Jobs’ has delivered over 1,000 job creation measures, in 4 years and been commended by the OECD. Published 2 out of 8 Regional Jobs Plans so far as part of a €250m strategy. Budget 2016 to consider 50c increase in minimum wage, from Low Pay Commission. 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are now supporting 4,000 extra jobs by acting as
Investment
first-stop-shops to support businesses seeking info & support. LEOs combine the resources of Enterprise Ireland, County Enterprise Boards and Local Authorities. ‘Construction 2020’ has 75 actions aimed at tripling housing output and creating 60,000 jobs by 2020. Launched new €500m house-building fund, supported by ISIF. Additional €800m available to Irish SMEs through establishment of Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI). 1,600 customers already benefitted through AIB & BOI. ‘Employment and Investment Incentive’ scheme can now be used to raise €5m p.a.
Progress
The Public Sector & Politics are being Reformed D / Public Expenditure & Reform Public service numbers have been reduced by 31,000 since we came to office, exceeding the 30,000 promise in our 5 point plan. The Exchequer pay bill has decreased by over €3.7bn from €17.5bn in 2009 to €13.9bn in 2014 (net of Pensions Related Deduction).
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Reform
Government Progress Overview
Update: Q3 2015
PeoplePoint, the Civil Service HR and Pensions Shared Services Centre, has been implemented and is now serving over 26,000 employees across 25 organisations. There are now 181 fewer state bodies than when the Government took office. National Revaluation Programme making commercial rates system more responsive.
Investment
Reformed regime so that sports clubs only pay rates on income-generating buildings. Strengthened Freedom of Information Act, established whistleblower framework and introducing a register of lobbying to increase transparency. A new open and fair process for State boards appointments. €3.5bn capital investment in 2015, following €210m in additional capital spending announced in Budget 2015. €320m investment package for the Border, Midland & Western Region (May 2015).
Progress
Restoring our Economic Sovereignty and International Reputation D / Taoiseach We exited the EU/IMF bailout as planned, without a new precautionary credit line. The Govt reduced the cost of the bailout by saving €9bn from reduced interest rates and reducing our borrowing by €20bn via extended maturities on EFSF/EFSM loans. €1.5bn in cash savings on the completion of early repayment of €18bn of IMF loans.
Reform
Established the 1st Constitutional Convention, which facilitated citizen involvement. Cost of politics reduced: halved cost of ministerial transport, ended unvouched expenses & significant cuts in politicians’ salaries. Corporate donations have been effectively banned. Dáil sittings are up 33% compared to the previous Dail term under FF/Green govt. Civic society & experts can influence Bills in their infancy at a new pre-legislative
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stage. Committees will play a much stronger role in law-making in future and will be able to scrutinise Departments’ budgets before any money is spent. Established a dedicated Minister of State for Diaspora Affairs, allocating €12.5m towards the Emigrant Support Programme and new diaspora projects and initiatives.
Progress
Beginning the Overdue Reform of our Health System D / Health 95% of breast cancer seen within 2 weeks; BreastCheck screened 60,500 women ytd. Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Fair Deal) waiting list reduced from 11 to 4 weeks. 88% of applications for a Medical/GP Visit Card processed within 15 days.
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Free GP care for under 6s & over 70s, 168,000 children & 29,000 over 70s registered. Introduced Lifetime Community Rating, leading to 80,000 new health ins. customers. Regulation of sunbed use, and introduction of minimum age requirement of 18 years. National Strategy for Suicide Prevention targeting a 10% reduction in suicide. First increase in funding for health services in 2015 since the crisis; a €13bn budget. 2
Government Progress Overview
Update: Q3 2015
estment
Permanent Establishment of the Emergency Aeromedical Support Service. New Children’s Hospital has received funding and design phase underway. Planning permission for National Forensic Mental Health Facilities, replacing Central Mental Hospital. New HSE National Ambulance Service HQ, for more efficient & effective dispatch. 43 new primary care centres have been delivered since May 2011. New Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street.
Investment
Reform
Progress
Making Work Pay & Protecting Supports D / Social Protection The unemployment rate is down to 9.5% from a peak of 15.1% in Feb 2012. The Dept’s Compliance & Anti-Fraud Strategy has seconded 20 Gardaí to investigate social welfare fraud, with 4,300 cases investigated and €68m saved in 2014. New network of Intreo Offices combine access to welfare payments and job supports. Govt has rolled out 1.4m Public Services Cards, allowing people to access a range of public services more efficiently and with a minimum of duplication of effort. FG is making work pay with measures like the Back to Work Family Dividend, allowing jobseekers retain €30/week for each child for first year back in employment. JobBridge has provided 41,000 interns with placements; 61% move on to paid work. 2,200 long-term unemployed people have availed of the Gateway Scheme, run by county councils, with the objective of bridging the gap between the dole and work. Over 5,000 employees are availing of JobsPlus, which provides a subsidy to employers to hire the long-term unemployed.
Progress
Delivering 21st Century Teaching & Learning D / Education & Skills nd Highest ever 2 level education completion rate of 93%, above OECD average (2012). 15% increase in students sitting Higher Lever Maths paper, since 2011. 74% of all Springboard participants have left the Live Register, with 45% entering
Reform
Student Immigration System. Reformed Leaving Certificate grades and CAO points, with a reduction in the number
Investment
employment within 6 months (2011-2014). Improved standards and safeguards for the International Education Sector and
€24m investment for the establishment of 7 new primary schools, providing over
of grades and development of a common points system for universities & ITs. Expansion of apprenticeship offerings to twenty five new programmes. €2.2bn five-year school capital investment plan for the period up to 2016. 27,800 permanent school places and 3,500 jobs (2015). Approval for up to 610 additional Special Needs Assistant posts (2015). €108m for school improvements under the Summer Works Scheme.
Bringing Children's Interests to the Heart of Govt.
D / Children & Youth Affairs 3
Government Progress Overview
Update: Q3 2015
Children’s Rights Referendum gave children explicit constitutional protections. Progress
Publication of Adoption Information and Tracing legislation. Enactment of Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Act 2014 and Children’s Health (Tobacco Smoke in Mechanically Propelled Vehicles) Act 2014. Launch of national strategy to give children a role in making decisions that affect
Reform
their lives, an EU first (Participation Strategy). Established ‘Better Start’, the National Early Years Quality Development Service, for an integrated approach to developing quality in early years care and education. Creation of Child and Family Agency (Tusla), the most comprehensive reform of child
Investment
protection, early intervention and family support services ever undertaken in Ireland. €7m capital funding for Early Years services, providing for upgrades of community and not-for-profit childcare services. €250,000 for children’s play and recreation projects across 21 Local Authorities for new projects and the improvement of existing facilities. €500,000 in Youth Capital Funding Scheme for capital grants to youth projects (2015).
Investment
Reform
Progress
A Citizen-centred Approach to Justice & Equality D / Justice & Equality th Passed ‘Marriage Equality’ referendum, the 34 amendment to the constitution. Introduced citizenship ceremonies, holding 104 ceremonies for 85,000 people. Start of Redress for Magdalen Women providing medical and support services.
Enactment of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 modernising and reforming outd Reform of civil debt procedures including measures safeguarding debtors who can’t pay and a New criminal terrorist legislation & introduction of new offences to combat terrorism. Successful passage of Referendum proposal to establish new Court of Civil Appeal. Civilianisation of Garda duties at Dublin Airport. Establishment of Charities Regulatory Authority. 550 new Gardaí recruited by this Government this year (Sept 2014 to Sept 2015). €27.5m invested in new Garda vehicles since 2012. Announcement of new or upgraded works to 7 Courthouses.
Investing in Transport & Growing Tourism
D / Transport, Tourism & Sport
A special 9% Progress
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Government Progress Overview
Update: Q3 2015
Opened the Investment
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allocated in 2 €13.7 million
Progress
Putting People First: a New Model of Local Govt D / Environ, Comm & Local Govt. Resolving Ghost Estates: a 65% decrease in the no. of unfinished developments and a 75% decrease in vacant units in remaining unfinished developments (since 2010). Creation of Pyrite Remediation Scheme (incl. a Pyrite Resolution Board). Extended to Dun-Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin in February 2015. Construction Sector employment up by 18.5% in last 12 months. Approx. 2,000 vacant homes returned to social housing use during 2014. ‘Putting People First’ is the most far-reaching Local Govt reform since the 1890s.
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Reform
Reduction of over 650 councillors (from 1,627), with 114 local authorities replaced with 31 integrated authorities. More powers for councillors in planning, roads, traffic, housing, environmental services, recreation, amenity and community development. Introduction of gender quotas for the next General Election: a minimum of 30% of candidates have to be women or political parties lose 50% of their State funding. New Homelessness Strategy: €55.5m for accommodation in 2015, a 20% increase. Consultation Paper launched to establish an Independent Electoral Commission. Housing Funding up by 40% to €800m in Budget 2015. €4bn social housing strategy launched to deliver 35,000 housing units by 2020 and to reduce the housing waiting lists by 25% nationally by 2017.
Progress
Established ‘GeoScience Ireland’, a business cluster involving the public and private
Investment
Over 1,000 SMEs and micro enterprises have availed of the Govt’s Trading Online
Reform
New Infrastructure for Jobs & Growth D / Communications, Energy & Natural Resources Successful sale of Bord Gais Energy in Dec 2013, generating €1.1bn. Voucher Scheme which offers a grant to help businesses tap into the digital economy All residences and businesses in Ireland received unique Eircodes in July 2015.
sectors, to win work overseas and develop natural resources in a sustainable way. Every secondary school in the country now has world class (100Mbps) broadband following a three-year €30m investment. Primary school programme to follow. Intervention strategy for National Broadband Plan published in July. 85% of premises will have access to high speed broadband in 2018, increasing to 100% by 2020. ‘Better Energy Homes’ grants were increased by between 25-50% in March 2015 and householders receive a €300 bonus if they complete three or more improvements. 5
Government Progress Overview
Update: Q3 2015
Progress
Creating a Sustainable Future for Agri-Food & the Marine D / Agriculture, F & M Food and beverage exports have exceeded €10.45bn, growth of 45% since 2009. Lifting of Chinese ban on Irish beef and opening up of US market to Irish beef. Launch of ‘Food Wise 2025’, ten year strategic roadmap for the Irish agri food sector targeting an increase in exports to €19bn and 23,000 additional jobs by 2025. State Aid approval for new Forestry Programme covering the period 2014-2020.
Reform
Abolition of Milk Quotas, with the potential for 15,000 new jobs over the next 5 yrs. Agreement on fish discards, first steps to implementation of full landing obligations. Geographical recognition under EU law for Irish Whiskey, Irish Poitín and Irish Cream. Opening up of TAMS II Schemes: €17m Pig and Poultry Investment, €175m Animal
Investment
Launch of €241m development programme for the seafood sector up to 2020.
Welfare & Low Emission Slurry Spreading Scheme, €50m dairy expansion scheme. €250m secured towards the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme. €17.8m Capital Investment Package development publicly owned fishery harbours and local harbour network.
Progress
Investing in our Culture D / Arts, Heritage & Gaeltacht The Philanthropy Initiative provides an incentive to Arts NGOs to seek funding from sponsors. Exceeded all targets & generated over €4 for every €1 from taxpayer. Established National City of Culture initiative; €6m allocated to Limerick in 2014, allowing over 100 grants to be made to local arts, culture and heritage groups. The new ‘Living City Initiative’: property tax incentives which apply in certain ‘Special
Investment
Reform
Regeneration Areas’ (SRAs) in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford & Kilkenny. Expanded ‘one stop shop’ genealogy portal, www.irishgenealogy.ie, allowing users to search through digital census data, land records, military archives, Ellis island records. ‘Culture 2025’ discussion document launched, for first ever national cultural policy. National Cultural Institutions Bill 2015 placed National Concert Hall (NCH) on a statutory footing. 175 jobs created and €15m invested in historic buildings through Built Heritage Jobs Leverage Scheme in 2014. Protected arts funding: over €2.3m in arts, culture and film in every week of 2014. €4m for integrated 2016 Commemorations plan, in addition to a €22m capital plan.
Progress
Promoting Ireland's Peace & Security Role 443 new recruits to the Irish Defence Forces.
D / Defence
Commencement of Recruitment campaign for General Service Recruits for the Army. 420 Permanent Defence Force (PDF) personnel in 14 different overseas missions. Launch of White Paper on Defence setting out policy framework for next 10 years. Deployment of Irish Naval Vessels to assist in Mediterranean humanitarian crisis. 6
Investment ormRef
Government Progress Overview
Update: Q3 2015
Major re-organisation of the Defence Force (a new 2 Brigade structure) enabling the re-deployment of personnel from admin & support functions to operational units. Commissioning of L.E. Samuel Beckett in 2014; L.E. James Joyce expected in 2015; 3rd new ship LÉ William Butler Yeats scheduled for delivery in July 2016. Permanent Establishment of the Emergency Aeromedical Support Service (EAS).
Restoring Ireland's International Reputation D / Foreign Affairs Minister for F.A. co-chaired talks resulting in the Stormont House Agreement.
Progress
Launch of Ireland’s Diaspora Policy, first clear statement of Ireland’s policy on the diaspora, to foster and support diaspora engagement. Ireland’s led negotiations on new UN Agreement on a Sustainable Development Agenda: Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Goods exports reach €8.8 billion in May 2015, 8% increase on May 2014. DFA hosts first Irish Humanitarian Summit bringing together over 200 leaders from
Reform
organisations in Ireland involved in humanitarian assistance. Establishment of Local Diaspora Engagement Fund to promote diaspora engagement. Launch of Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World. New Passport Application Guide detailing clear and concise instructions to greatly
Investment
reduce errors and speed up processing times. €2.75 million in humanitarian assistance to the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) assisting the coordination of relief operations to assist victims of disasters. Trade mission to South Africa resulting in initial contracts worth over €12 million to Irish companies. €41m provided to support humanitarian work as a result of the conflict in Syria. Ireland is among the top 20 contributors to international humanitarian assistance, providing nearly €600m in overseas development assistance.
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