Government Achievements Overview
Update: Q2 2015
Government Achievements Overview ReformAchievements
Growth & Sustainability have Returned D / Finance GDP rose by 4.8% 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 now received €5.5bn from recent sales of bank shares.
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Reduced the cost of FF’s bailout of Anglo by getting rid of the promissory notes. Primary home mortgage arrears have decreased by 22% 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) is evaluating over 100 investment proposals in Ireland and expects to commit between €500m and €1bn in 2015. The European Investment Bank invested €932m in Ireland in 2014, a 37% increase.
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Employment is Growing D / Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation Over 104,000 jobs have been created since the launch of the Action Plan for Jobs in 2012; and 41,300 jobs in the last 12 months.
The ‘Action Plan for Jobs’ has delivered over 1,000 job creation measures, in 4 years and been commended by the OECD. Developing a Regional Enterprise Strategy with local stakeholders for each region. Established a Low Pay Commission to advise on the National Minimum Wage. 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are now supporting 4,000 extra jobs by acting as
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first-stop-shops to support businesses seeking info & support. LEOs combine the resources of Enterprise Ireland, County Enterprise Boards and Local Authorities. Construction 2020 is a cross-government strategy with 75 actions aimed at tripling housing output and creating 60,000 jobs by 2020. Additional €800m available to Irish SMEs through establishment of Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI). 1,300 customers already benefitted through AIB’s fund. ‘Employment and Investment Incentive’ scheme can now be used to raise €5m p.a.
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 1
ReformAchievements
Government Achievements Overview
Update: Q2 2015
€13.9bn in 2014 (net of Pensions Related Deduction).
PeoplePoint, the Civil Service HR and Pensions Shared Services Centre, has been implemented and is now serving over 26,000 employees across 21 organisations. There are now 181 fewer state bodies than when the Government took office. National Revaluation Programme making commercial rates system more responsive.
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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)
Achievements
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: halving cost of ministerial transport, ended unvouched expenses & significant cuts in politicians’ salaries. Corporate donations have been effectively banned. Dáil sittings are up 30% compared to the first 3 years of the previous 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.
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Beginning the Overdue Reform of our Health System D / Health 94% of hospitals have complied with the maximum 24 hour shift for doctors. Launch of Action Plan to implement Tobacco Free Ireland. Agreement with IMO on Free GP Care for Under-6s.
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Government Achievements Overview
Update: Q2 2015
Investment
Reformments
Exceeded breast cancer referral targets under National Cancer Control Programme. Introduced Lifetime Community Rating, and it was followed by 80,000 new health insurance customers. Regulation of sunbed use, and introduction of minimum age requirement of 18 years. Steering Group established to develop National Cancer Strategy 2016-2025. First increase in funding for health services in 2015 since the crisis; a €13bn budget. European Investment Bank to invest €70m in 14 Primary Care Centres. New Children’s Hospital has received funding and design phase underway. Commitment to progress new mental health campus, national maternity hospital, development of primary care centres and community nursing homes. 43 new primary care centres have been delivered since May 2011. New Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street.
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Making Work Pay & Protecting Supports D / Social Protection The unemployment rate is down to 9.8% from a peak of 15.1% in Feb 2012. The Live Register (welfare claimants) is below 350,000, from a high of 450,000. 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 One-Stop-Shop Intreo Offices combine access to welfare payments and employment supports. 47 offices now open and work progressing on a further 15. FG is making work pay with measures like the Back to Work Family Dividend, allowing
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jobseekers retain €30/week for each child for first year back in employment. JobBridge has provided 38,500 interns with placements since its launch (July 2011). Independent research has shown 61% of participants progress into paid employment. 2,100 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. Approx. 3,500 employers are availing of JobsPlus, which provides a subsidy to employers to hire long-term unemployed.
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Delivering 21st Century Teaching & Learning D / Education & Skills nd Highest ever 2 level education completion rate of 93%, above OECD average (2012). 11% increase in the proportion of Leaving Certificate students taking Higher Level Maths between 2011 and 2014. 18,300 jobseekers & 2,100 businesses used the ‘Skills To Work’ website, in 1 st year. Improved standards and safeguards of the International Education Sector and Student Immigration System. Reformed Leaving Certificate grades and CAO points, with a reduction in the number of grades and development of a common points system for universities & ITs. Established an Early Education Advisory Group, to advise the Minister for Education 3
Government Achievements Overview
Update: Q2 2015
Investment
on matters across the education sector, covering children 0-6 years. €2.2bn five-year school capital investment plan for the period up to 2016. €24m investment for the establishment of 7 new primary schools, providing over 27,800 permanent school places and 3,500 jobs. €7m to 450 post-primary schools supporting Design & Communication Graphics €108m for school improvements under the Summer Works Scheme.
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Bringing Children's Interests to the Heart of Govt. D / Children & Youth Affairs Children’s Rights Referendum gave children explicit constitutional protections. Commission of Inquiry into Mother and Baby Homes -- terms of reference published and chairperson appointed. Enactment of Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Act 2014 and Children’s Health (Tobacco Smoke in Mechanically Propelled Vehicles) Act 2014. 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
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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 2015 for capital grants to youth projects.
Introduced citizenship ceremonies, holding 104 ceremonies with 85,000 people receiving citiz
Enactment of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 modernising and reforming outd Powers of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) enhanced. Enactment of new criminal terrorist legislation ensuring Ireland fully meets its international ob 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 between September 2014 and 2015. €27.5m invested in new Garda vehicles since 2012. €27m for Prison Building & Refurbishment in 2015.
Investing in Transport & Growing Tourism
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A Citizen-centred Approach to Justice & Equality D / Justice & Equality Passed ‘Marriage Equality’ the thirty fourth amendment to the constitution.
D / Transport, Tourism & Sport
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Government Achievements Overview
Update: Q2 2015
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Achievements
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. Priory Hall Resolution Framework agreed in 2013. 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.
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New Infrastructure for Jobs & Growth D / Communications, Energy & Natural Resources Successful sale of Bord Gais Energy in Dec 2013, generating €1.1bn. The Trading Online Voucher Scheme has already got 900 small and micro businesses trading online, with a target of 2,000 by the end of this year. Preparing a new Inland Fisheries Bill to modernise old and complicated regulation. Established ‘GeoScience Ireland’, a business cluster involving the public and private 5
Government Achievements Overview
Update: Q2 2015
Investment
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. Online national map identifying all homes in Ireland published under Nat Broadband Plan. All homes will have high speed broadband by 2020 with State intervention. ‘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.
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Reform
Achievements
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. Opening of new €1.4bn Agri-Environment Scheme GLAS, benefiting 35,000 farmers. State Aid approval for new Forestry Programme covering the period 2014-2020. Launch of €241m development programme for the seafood sector up to 2020. Abolition of Milk Quotas, with the potential for 15,000 new jobs over the next 5 yrs. New rules to provide for country of origin labelling on packaged meat products. Introduction of new Areas of Natural Constraints scheme, including special payment for farmers of island land. €9m investment in the expansion of the seafood processing industry. €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.
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Achievements
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 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. Working Group established to consider burning and hedgecutting controls.
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175 jobs created and €15m invested in historic buildings through Built Heritage Jobs Leverage Scheme in 2014. Protected arts funding in a difficult climate; more than €2.3m was invested in arts, culture and film in every week of 2014. €4m to be invested in an integrated plan to commemorate 2016, in addition to the €22m capital plan for the Commemorations.
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Government Achievements Overview
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Promoting Ireland's Peace & Security Role 443 new recruits to the Irish Defence Forces.
Update: Q2 2015
D / Defence
420 Permanent Defence Force (PDF) personnel in 14 different overseas missions. Le Eithne assists with the Mediterranean migrant crisis Ongoing participation by Irish contingent in Golan Heights, the 46th Infantry Group, operating in the role of a Quick Reaction Force, to assist with on-going operations
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within the UNDOF Area of Responsibility. 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. Commencement of consultations with stakeholders on White Paper on Defence to provide a policy framework for Defence for next decade. Commissioning of L.E. Samuel Beckett in 2014. L.E. James Joyce expected in 2015, with a further vessel expected in 2016.
Achievements
Restoring Ireland's International Reputation D / Foreign Affairs Minister for F.A. co-chaired talks resulting in the Stormont House Agreement. Launch of Ireland’s Diaspora Policy, first clear statement of Ireland policy on the diaspora, to foster and support diaspora engagement. Establishment of National Export Hub, together with, Irish Exporters Association (IEA) to assist Irish companies to export for the first time, enter new markets and grow. 256 deployments of Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps to humanitarian emergencies in
Reform
45 countries. Establishment of Local Diaspora Engagement Fund to promote diaspora engagement. Launch of Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World. Agreement on diplomatic visa waiver between Ireland and China.
Investment
€1.5m in humanitarian support in response to earthquake in Nepal. €3m for vaccines to reduce the number of children dying of preventable diseases. €41m provided to support humanitarian work as a result of the conflict in Syria. Among the top 20 governments contributing to international humanitarian assistance providing nearly €600m in overseas development assistance.
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