Written Answers Nos. 175-194
175. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the extraordinarily long time that it is taking to complete and award HAP applications, following approval for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19854/24]
View answerThe administration of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is a matter for the relevant local authority and HAP application processing times may vary across local authorities.
Once a HAP application has been received and confirmed as valid by the relevant local authority, it is entered on the system by the local authority and then submitted for processing and payment by the HAP Shared Service Centre (HAP SSC). Payments are made to landlords on the last Wednesday of each month.
If there are delays at the processing stage within a local authority, payment to the landlord will be backdated to the date on which a complete and valid application form was received by the local authority. The landlord is therefore not penalised for any delay.
The HAP application form comes in two parts, Section A to be completed by the applicant tenant and Section B to be completed by the landlord or agent. An application for HAP will only be accepted by the local authority when both Section A and Section B are completed, signed and returned, along with the required supporting documentation. Any delay in tenants and landlords supplying this information will impact on the processing time of the HAP application.
The latest data available for HAP processing times covers the period up to end Q4 2023 and shows that the average processing time across local authorities is 37 days.
Since 1 March 2024, tenants and landlords can apply for HAP via an online portal www.hap.ie/apply/ . It is expected that the introduction of this online application form will provide efficiencies for tenants, landlords and local authorities. My Department and local authorities are aware of the importance of minimising HAP processing times and the critical need to keep this under review at a local level.
176. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has engaged with Tailte Éireann in respect of valuation reforms for start-ups and established small to medium independent traders in the context of rate setting in the early years of their enterprises when they utilise physical shop spaces in the context of reducing commercial space dereliction in towns and villages across the State. [19888/24]
View answerTailte Éireann is the State agency formed on 1 March 2023 following the merger of Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Property Registration Authority and the Valuation Office. All the functions previously carried out by the Property Registration Authority, the Valuation Office, and Ordnance Survey Ireland are now being performed by Tailte Éireann. Tailte Éireann is independent in the exercise of its valuation functions under the Valuation Act 2001, as amended (the Act), and as Minister, I have no function in decisions in this regard.
The Act provides that all buildings used or developed for any purpose are rateable, unless expressly exempted under Schedule 4 of the Act. The Valuation Acts are very specific about the range of exemptions that can be applied, and Tailte Éireann has no discretionary latitude to grant exemptions not covered by Schedule 4. As a matter of course, Tailte Éireann examines all properties on their individual merits by reference to the relevant statutory provisions governing the operation of the Valuation Acts.
Under Irish law there is a distinct separation of function between the valuation of rateable property and the levying and collection of commercial rates. The amount of rates payable in any calendar year is a product of the valuation set by Tailte Éireann Valuation, multiplied by the Annual Rate on Valuation (ARV) decided annually by the elected members of each local authority as part of its annual budgetary process. The billing and collection of rates is solely a matter for the relevant local authority and Tailte Éireann has no function in that regard.
All valuations are carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Valuation Act 2001, as amended, and in keeping with accepted valuation methodologies, international best practice and valuation principles and case law arising from the independent Valuation Tribunal and the higher courts and reflect, among other things, the use and location of the particular property.
There are a number of avenues of redress for an occupier of rateable property who is dissatisfied with a determination of valuation made under the provisions of the Valuation Act 2001, as amended. Firstly, before a determination is made, there is a right to make representations to Tailte Éireann in relation to a proposed valuation. Later in the process, if the occupier is still dissatisfied with the determination, there is a right of appeal to the Valuation Tribunal which is an independent body set up for the purpose of hearing appeals against determinations of Tailte Éireann. There is a right of appeal to the Higher Courts on a point of law.
Finally, Oireachtas Members may obtain information in relation to specific cases by contacting the dedicated e-mail address in respect of Tailte Éireann at oireachtas@tailte.ie. An organisation itself may contact Tailte Éireann in respect of specific cases at valuationadmin@tailte.ie.
177. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider addressing the inequality that still exists regarding the availability of transport in rural areas by making changes to the free travel scheme whereby pensioners could be given the option of obtaining a lump sum payment to cover the cost of taxis or hackney services in rural communities where there is either no public transport or no frequent public transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19604/24]
View answerThe Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. There are over one million customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2024 is €104 million. The scheme is not intended to provide transport services or to compensate for a lack of transport in rural areas.
Any decision to expand the Free Travel scheme in the manner outlined by the Deputy would radically change the nature of the scheme and result in additional funding requirements and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations and scheme policy.
My Department provides an annual funding contribution of €1.5 million towards the Transport for Ireland Local Links Programme, which is administered by the National Transport Authority. The Transport for Ireland Local Link bus services connect communities throughout rural Ireland as part of the Transport for Ireland Local Public Transport Network. They form a network of affordable bus services for everyone who wants to travel to or from local towns and villages.
Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an essential need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers and include help towards recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the person's own resources and are deemed to be necessary.
A travel supplement may also be paid where a person has a recurring travel expense (for example, where a person has ongoing travel costs for hospital visits).
Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
178. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if the case of a person (details supplied) will be urgently reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19538/24]
View answerThe Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme allows a person in receipt of an invalidity or illness benefit payment to enter employment or self-employment and continue to receive a partial or full payment. The amount of payment is set at 50%, 75% or 100% of their previous payment depending on the extent to which their condition is assessed to impair their capacity to work.
PCB has also been designed so that there are no restrictions or limits on earnings or on the number of hours a person can work. Furthermore, people on the PCB may return to Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension if they find that they cannot continue to work.
The person concerned contacted my Department requesting a review of their initial PCB decision, where their incapacity to work was determined as moderate. A review of their medical condition and entitlement to PCB was conducted by the Medical Assessment and Review Section to determine their incapacity to work. The outcome of this review issued to the person concerned on the 25 April 2024, advising that their incapacity to work has been assessed as 'Severe'. The person concerned will receive 75% of their underlying entitlement Invalidity Pension. All arrears due have issued to the person concerned.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
179. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that staff in the citizens information service have not received a wage increase since 2008; if there are plans to implement a wage increase; if there is a timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19543/24]
View answerThe Citizens Information Service, or CIS, is funded by the Citizens Information Board. I deeply value the important work carried out by employees of the CIS, in providing people with free, quality and independent information, advice and advocacy services across the country.
It is important to point out that employees of the CIS are not employees of my Department, nor are they public servants or employees of CIB. They are employees of independent companies, that provide important services on behalf of CIB, which are delivered under a Service Level Agreement between the companies and CIB. CIB itself is funded by my Department through an agreed estimate as part of the annual budget process.
Last summer, a funding request for an 11% pay increase for employees of the CIS in 2024 was submitted to my Department. The request was also backdated to 2021. This followed a non-binding Workplace Relations Commission process that involved SIPTU and the CIS Employers Group. However, there was no involvement of CIB in the WRC process, nor was my Department aware of this pay request or its scale in advance. Given the scale of the increase, all relevant parties should have been involved in this process from an early stage.
CIB has informed my Department that SIPTU and the CIS Employers Group attended a further WRC process in February, where the matter was referred to the Labour Court, a date for which has recently been set for 14th June. This process is ongoing and my Department is monitoring the situation closely.
If a request for an increased budget provision for a CIS pay increase is formally submitted to my Department by CIB following the Labour Court process, my officials will consider it carefully and engage with colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform on the request with a view to determining if a supplementary estimate can be provided.
180. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection to detail the arrangements in place for where an employee of the Department and each organisation under its aegis, becomes elected or co-opted to a local authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19571/24]
View answerThe Department complies with 'Circular 09/2009: Civil Servants and Political Activity' with regards to where an employee of the Department becomes elected or co-opted to a local authority.
Section 9. Participation by Civil Servants in Local Elections - the following provisions apply:
a. Civil servants in the craft, state industrial and manual grades and grades below clerical grades may stand for election to local authorities;
b. Civil servants in the clerical grades and non-industrial grades with salary maxima equal to or below the Clerical Officer maximum may stand as candidates at local election, subject to permission to do so being given by their Department. Departments must give such civil servants who are refused permission to take part in political activities, a statement of the reason for the decision;
c. Special advisers and other personal appointees of Ministers, Ministers of State, Parliamentary office holders and the Attorney General, holding temporary unestablished positions may contest local elections;
d. All other civil servants are completely debarred from standing for local elections, unless expressly permitted to do so by the terms of their employment
All staff of the Department must also comply with the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour. This Code forms part of the terms of employment of all civil servants, who are expected to apply it at all times.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
181. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a person's (details supplied) appeal; when a decision is likely to be received, as this has been pending for some time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19578/24]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 15 November 2023. A reply to correspondence issued to the person was received on 26th March. The Appeals Officer will consider this correspondence and make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
182. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware of the anomaly that some people with less contributions are receiving greater State pensions due to the method of calculation (details supplied); if she has assessed this anomaly; if she intends to address it, perhaps by moving away from the ‘first date of contribution’ criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19616/24]
View answerThe Yearly Average method of calculating State Pension (Contributory) payment rates has been used since the introduction of the contributory Old Age Pension (now State Pension (Contributory)) in 1961. Under the Yearly Average approach, anomalies can arise because of the date of entry into insurable employment. A late date of entry into insurable employment can result in an unusually low divisor, and consequently a higher yearly average than would be representative of the number of contributions. Alternately, an early date of entry into insurable employment can result in high divisor, and consequently a lower yearly average if that person has a low contribution rate.
To this end, the National Pensions Framework (2010) proposed that the current Yearly Average system, be replaced with a ‘Total Contributions Approach’ (TCA), which would make the level of pension directly proportionate to the number of social insurance contributions made by a person over his or her working life, with significant pension credits granted to people who have taken time out of the workplace to perform caring duties. An interim TCA was introduced in 2018 that allowed all those who reached State Pension Age from September 2012 to be assessed under both the existing Yearly Average method and the new TCA method, with the person receiving the 'better of' the two rates.
The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund, in fulfilment of a Programme for Government commitment. The Commission’s Report has unambiguously established that the current State Pension system is not sustainable into the future and that changes are needed and set out a wide range of recommendations in this regard - including the full transition to the TCA model and the phasing out of the Yearly Average approach.
Following on from the Pensions Commission's recommendations, a number of State pension reforms were enacted in the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 on the 14th December 2023, which represent the biggest ever structural reform of the Irish State pension system.
Among these reforms, the 2023 Act introduced a ten-year phased transition from the Yearly Average method of calculation of State Pension (Contributory) to TCA as the sole method of calculation. TCA is a fairer and more transparent method for calculating the contributory pension and will remove the existing anomalies. The ten-year transitional arrangements are to avoid a ‘cliff edge’ effect. The first year of phasing-out will begin in January 2025. From 2034 the Yearly Average method of calculation will no longer be used, and all State Pension (Contributory) calculations will be done using the TCA method.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
183. Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on her plans to introduce pay-related social insurance benefits for jobseekers; the estimated cost of same; and the estimated the cost to extending this approach in case to maternity benefit, paternity benefit, parents benefit and illness benefit. [19664/24]
View answerGovernment approved the draft Heads of Bill on 9th January for the introduction of a new Pay-Related Benefit for jobseekers. The Heads of Bill containing the General Scheme for the new scheme are published on my Department's website.
The committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands completed the pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft bill in March and published its report on the Oireachtas website.
I plan to bring a Memorandum and the Bill to Government in the coming weeks. My Department is working on the necessary arrangements to facilitate the introduction of the scheme in Q4 2024.
Full year costs will not arise until 2026 as people who are in receipt of Jobseeker's Benefit when the new scheme commences will remain on that scheme until their claim is exhausted. Based on 2019 data, pre the impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic, it is estimated that the new Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit for fully unemployed jobseekers will cost approximately €130 million in a full year.
Under the Programme for Government, the Government has committed to considering increasing all classes of PRSI over time to replenish the Social Insurance Fund to help pay for measures and changes to be agreed including, inter alia, to the state pension system, improvements to short-term sick pay benefits, parental leave benefits, pay-related jobseekers benefit and treatment benefits.
The Strawman consultation paper for Pay-Related Jobseeker's Benefit stated that feedback received will also help to inform the consideration of potential changes to other short-term income supports for workers who have to temporarily cease work, such as Parental Leave Benefit, Maternity Benefit, and Illness Benefit. However, estimating the cost of extending a pay-related approach to these schemes would require a detailed analysis based on the parameters of these schemes and the proposed model or models which may be considered. For that reason it is not possible to provide a costing at this time.
184. Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Social Protection when she received the review of the Gender Recognition Act 2015; whether it has been presented to Cabinet or to a Cabinet Sub-Committee; when she will make a recommendation to Government on the matter; and the process that is being followed to aid her to do so. [19665/24]
View answerSection 7 of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 (GRA 2015) required the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to commence a review of the Act within 2 years of its coming into operation, and to report to the Oireachtas within 12 months of the commencement of the review.
A review commenced in November 2017 and the review group report was published in July 2018.
The then Minister presented her report on the review to Cabinet in November 2019. The Minister received Government approval for her report in November 2019.
The report set out the Minister’s response to the recommendations of the Review Group. These responses have formed part of the drafting of the general scheme of a Gender Recognition Amendment Bill and recommendations also form part of the Programme for Government: Our Shared Future and will be progressed in that context.
185. Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to make provision for people who are medically determined to be intersex due to their chromosomes or characteristics to be recognised in law. [19666/24]
View answerThe Gender Recognition Act 2015 was commenced in September 2015. The legislation enables a person to apply to my Department for a gender recognition certificate. When a gender recognition certificate is granted to a person, the person is formally recognised in their preferred gender for all purposes by the State. For the purposes of the Act, a person who applies for a gender recognition certificate must be either male or female.
Intersex is an umbrella term for persons that have differences of sex characteristics including such features as chromosomes, genitalia, gonads etc. There should be no need for an intersex person to apply for legal gender recognition from their registered sex to either male or female. This can be addressed, at any age, directly through the civil registration system, with supporting medical evidence.
For such persons, a correction of the facts, based on submission of medical evidence, can be made from male to female or from female to male, as well as from indeterminate to either male or female. This is provided for in legislation under section 63 of the Civil Registration Act 2004.
186. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will engage with members of the Citizen Information Board regarding pay equality concerns; if she will outline the engagement her Department has had to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19683/24]
View answerThe Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body under the aegis of my Department with responsibility for supporting the provision of information, advice and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services.
CIB delivers these functions primarily through a range of 22 Service Delivery Companies. These Service Delivery Companies are independent Companies Limited By Guarantee that are governed by voluntary Boards of Directors, which are responsible for all company matters, including pay and terms and conditions of employment. Queries in relation to pay equality for employees within each Service Delivery Company is therefore a matter that is best addressed with the relevant Service Delivery Company.
It is also important to point out that there are different types of Service Delivery Companies as they deliver a wide range of different services. The Service Delivery Companies therefore differ from each other in terms of structure, services provided, number and type of roles, and salary grades.
187. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the section of the regulations outlining the penalties that can be given to post masters (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19742/24]
View answerCash welfare payments are governed by the Department’s Cash Payment Services Contract with An Post which was signed in December 2019 following an open public procurement process. This contract came into effect on 1 January 2020.
This contract is exclusively with An Post. There is no contractual relationship between my Department and post masters. The working arrangements of the postmasters are entirely a matter for An Post. It would be inappropriate for my Department to involve itself in those matters.
The Cash Payment Services Contract contains agreed minimum service standards for the delivery of social welfare payments at post offices. Where these minimum standards are not adhered to, as per the terms of the Cash Payment Services Contract, the Department may impose service performances re-credits on An Post.
188. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the evidence submitted to an Oireachtas Committee by a person (details supplied) concerning activities in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19856/24]
View answerMy Department has not received any recommendations from the Public Accounts Committee in the context of the details supplied, therefore I am unable to provide any further information.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
189. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a State pension (non-contributory) will be approved immediately for a person (details supplied); if pension benefit is being paid to their husband is respect of the person; and if the application will be expedited. [19892/24]
View answerState pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over who have a legal right of residence and habitually reside in the state, and who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or only qualify for a reduced-rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record.
An application for state pension non-contributory was received from the person concerned on 5 January 2024.
On 17 January 2024, a Deciding Officer issued a request for further information from the person concerned. On 13 February 2024, following receipt of the requested information, the Deciding Officer referred the case to a Social Welfare Inspector for their assistance in establishing the weekly means of the person, for pension eligibility purposes.
The inspector has arranged to meet the person concerned on 30 April 2024, with a view to gathering the necessary information in order to establish their state pension entitlement.
On return of the Inspector's report, a Deciding Officer will, without delay, make a determination on the eligibility of the person concerned for state pension non-contributory and the person will be notified of the outcome in writing.
The spouse of the person concerned is not in receipt of an increase in their pension in respect of the person concerned.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
190. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Justice the reason for the delay in issuing minor citizenship certificates; when the minor citizenship certification will be issued for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19681/24]
View answerI recognise that the delay in receiving a Naturalisation Certificate is frustrating for people and my Department is examining on how to speed up the delivery of Certificates for future Ceremonies to be held this year and for minor applicants.
I can advise the Deputy that a Certificate of Naturalisation issued to the person referred to on 27 April 2024 via registered post.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
191. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice to detail the arrangements in place for where an employee of the Department, and each organisation under its aegis, becomes elected or co-opted to a local authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19570/24]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, employees of my Department and bodies under its aegis are expected to adhere to the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour at all times. The Code forms part of the terms of employment of all civil servants. This Code states that civil servants above clerical level cannot stand for local election. Civil servants in clerical grades and certain non-industrial civil servants are free to engage in politics and may stand for local election.
Before standing in a local election, eligible civil servants are required to apply to their Department/Office for permission to engage in politics and may, at the discretion of their Department/Office, have their application refused where a conflict of interest is identified.
In addition, my Department complies with Circular 9/2009 ‘Civil Servants and Political Activity’ brings together and elaborates on the rules that apply to civil servants in relation to politics and political activity including local elections.
I am also informed that the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) is bound by further regulations, as set out in the Legal Services Regulation Act (2015).
192. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if a new agency (details supplied) will also deal with the issue of sexual abuse of young males and how that affects them, and by implication their partners, in later life, and the need for support for such survivors and their partners; if the agencies board members will undergo specific training about sexual abuse of young males.. [19591/24]
View answerSexual violence disproportionately affects women but we also know that men are victims too and that they too need to know if they reach out for help they will get it.
Men also need to be encouraged and supported to come forward to seek help and to report their abuser.
The Third National Strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence recognises and acknowledges the need to provide support for all victim/survivors and it contains actions aimed at identifying the best models of practice in helping male victims.
Combatting domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is an absolute priority for this Government.
This type of crime can have devastating consequences for victims and I am continuing to work to make sure that those who have suffered abuse have access to the full range of supports and services they need, as well as to ensuring that we have a criminal justice system that supports them. Reforming our criminal justice system to make it more victim-centered was the focus of our work to implement the recommendation of the O'Malley review as set out in Supporting A Victims Journey and now our Zero Tolerance Strategy builds on the reforms already introduced.
Central to delivering on this government's 'Zero Tolerance' was the establishment of Cuan, the statutory domestic, sexual and gender-based violence agency which I was delighted to formally open in February of this year.The Agency has a mandate to drive the implementation of the strategy across Government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social issue.
As such, I have referred the Deputy's question to Cuan for direct response.
193. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if her Department has received a copy of the recently published report by Mental Health Reform "Mental health services & supports in prisons: Service Mapping and Reflections from Lived Experiences"; and if she will make an itemised response to each of the recommendations included. [19611/24]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that the Mental Health Reform report ‘’Mental Health Services and Supports in Prisons: Service Mapping and Reflections from Lived Experiences’’ was published on Tuesday 23rd April 2024. I welcome this report as does the Irish Prison Service, particularly considering its focus on broader mental health services and supports in prisons.
The Deputy will be aware that our prisons support a large population of people who may not have a psychiatric diagnosis but who nonetheless are significantly impacted by their mental health difficulties, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety related disorders, depression, eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, amongst others.
The Irish Prison Service will review this report in the coming months, and as part of the process examine the recommendations made.
As the Deputy may already be aware, there are a number of reports in relation to health and mental health in prisons which have been published relatively recently, including the Irish Prison Service Strategy 2023 – 2027, the Irish Prison Service Drugs Strategy 2023 – 2026, the 2020 Report from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the High Level Taskforce on the mental health and addiction challenges of persons interacting with the criminal justice system (2022), the Health Needs Analysis (2022), Sharing the Vision: A Mental Health Policy for Everyone (2020 – 2030), the Inspector of Prisons Thematic Inspection Report on the Provision of Psychiatric Care in the Irish Prison System (2023), Connecting for Life: Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015 – 2024, the HSE Model of Care for People with Mental Disorder and Co-existing Substance Use Disorder (Dual Diagnosis; 2023) and the National Drug Strategy.
Some of the recommendations arising from these reports overlap. Some of the recommendations made are already in the process of being implemented, others will be advanced in due course and it may not be possible to accept or advance others for a variety of reasons. The research by Mental Health Reform will be considered alongside this existing body of reports.
The Irish Prison Service are creating an overall action plan which will take account of recommendations from the various reports outlined above. This action plan will be the roadmap over the course of the Irish Prison Service Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
194. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice if consideration could be given to having an emergency humanitarian visa scheme for Sudan to allow Sudanese people living and working in Ireland to apply to have family members join them here, even on a temporary basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19617/24]
View answerMy Department has assisted the Department of Foreign Affairs in their work to evacuate Irish citizens and their families from Sudan.
At this time there are no plans to establish specific programme in respect of Sudan, however, all existing immigration arrangements and programmes are open to the persons affected by the conflict.
I can advised the Deputy that since 1 April 2023, over 260 long stay visas have been granted to Sudanese nationals to join family members in Ireland. My Department is working closely with colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs and emergency visa applications are being dealt with on a case by case basis but are, wherever possible, processed speedily and sympathetically.
Due to the unrest in Khartoum the office of Ireland’s Honorary Consul is currently inaccessible. Where possible visa applicants should engage with the nearest available Irish Embassy who can assistance. However, more specifically, the Embassy of Ireland in the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi Visa Office) is the main point of contact for queries in relation to Irish visa applications by Sudanese citizens or residents. The Abu Dhabi Visa Office team can be contacted here: www.ireland.ie/en/uae/abudhabi/
Information on visas and how to travel to Ireland is available on the Immigration website here: www.irishimmigration.ie. Long Stay Join Family visa applications are processed in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification. This policy document may be accessed at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Policy-document-on-Non-EEA-family-reunification.pdf.
