Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Apr 2023

Vol. 293 No. 10

Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters

School Transport

Senator Eugene Murphy

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. I want to express mo bhuíochas to An Cathaoirleach for selecting this particular Commencement matter and I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Brien, to the Chamber and thank him for his attendance this morning to deal with this matter also.

This is a school transport matter and I know that the Minister of State has been in County Roscommon but perhaps not the part I am referring to. I am sure, however, he has been in our region at some time. North-east Roscommon is a beautiful area and the two villages and the hinterland around them which we are speaking about today is a fantastic community with lovely scenery, great communities and great families. Our issue at the moment is that we do not have a proper school bus service.

The Minister of State will full understand catchment areas. For someone living in the village of Roosky and the parish of Kilglass, Mohill school in County Leitrim is the nearest school. Termonbarry is on the River Shannon just inside County Roscommon. It is the first place someone comes to when crossing the Shannon. The catchment area for those people is the Longford schools. In those cases, the schools are full or are almost full. The second school option, which has been used by many of the parents and students, is Scoil Mhuire Strokestown.

For some time the parents have been trying to put in place a proper school transport bus system run by Bus Éireann and this has not been successful to date. I was asked yesterday evening to get some figures at somewhat short notice but more than 100 students and dozens of families are affected in north-east Roscommon. This creates all sorts of problems for people going to work in the morning where they have to do school runs first. Some people have engaged a private operator who runs part of the service there. Part of the Bus Éireann service comes to a certain point in the parish of Kilglass, but goes no further, and will not go into Roosky village. We have no Bus Éireann bus going into Termonbarry village. It is way beyond time that this matter was sorted out and for the people of that area to get what they deserve, which is a proper school transport system.

I welcome the fact that the Minister for Education and the Government are dealing with a review of the system. All the indications are that there will be changes in the system. The Minister of State may not be able to give me that kind of information this morning but tomorrow is the deadline in respect of getting everything done for the schoolchildren's passes for September 2023. I hope that by that time we will have something put in place, even if the full review is not published, where the Minister of State may have news as to when this review will be published. We are hopeful that something may be put in place that will be definite and will support the families and parents there because already, most of those students are going to Scoil Mhuire Strokestown. That is my old school and a great secondary school with more than 500 pupils. This is a fantastic school and I know that everybody is happy to attend it. We need, however, to get the transport system put in place so that we can take this burden off the parents and students and give that part of north-east Roscommon what many more areas have, which is a proper school bus service. If that is done, I assure the Minister of State the people will be very happy and appreciative of the Government with regard to this matter.

I know he understands my dilemma as I have had a word or two with them already but I hope we will have some light at the end of the tunnel and that we will be able to get to a point that this service will be put in place. We need to do away with the disenfranchising of the students and parents among my own community in north-east Roscommon where we are not getting that service.

Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development (Deputy Joe O'Brien)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Before I address the specific issue raised, I would like to provide an outline of the extent of the school transport scheme.

The school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, more than 149,000 children, including in excess of 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. There has been an increase of 21% in tickets issued to eligible students and 38% tickets issued to concessionary tickets in the current 2022-23 school year compared to the 202-22 school year.

In addition, the school transport scheme service is being provided in the current school year for more than 5,200 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine. The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338 million.

The school transport scheme is an important service for families and children. The purpose of the Department's school transport scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. A review of the school transport scheme is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and sustainability and to ensure that it serves students and their families adequately. Phase 1 of the review examined the impact of eligibility criteria on mainstream pupils who were eligible for transport to their nearest school but not attending their next nearest school. The report was completed in June 2021.

Following consideration of this report, for the 2021-22 school year, the provision of temporary alleviation measures was approved for transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport, but were attending their second nearest school and had applied and paid on time.

These measures have been continued for the current 2022-23 school year and will again continue in the 2023-24 school year pending completion of the review. For the 2023-24 school year, the measures mean that transport will be provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school, attend their second nearest school, apply for school transport by Friday, 28 April 2023 and pay for a ticket or enter medical card details by 9 June 2023. Phase 2 of the review has progressed significantly and is being completed in tandem with phase 3, which is well under way.

For the 2023-24 school year, it remains that children are eligible for transport at primary level if they reside not less than 3.2 km from and are attending their nearest national school and at post-primary level if they reside not less than 4.8 km from and are attending their nearest post-primary school or education centre as determined by the Department or Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Children who are eligible for school transport and have completed the application process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. In addition, as mentioned, temporary alleviation measures have been continued for the 2023-24 school year, pending completion of the review. Children who are not eligible for school transport but completed the application process on time are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated. Such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

With regard to the specific issue raised by the Senator regarding the lack of transport in the Roosky and Termonbarry area, Bus Éireann has advised that, in general, pupils residing in the Roosky and Termonbarry area are not eligible for transport to Strokestown post-primary centre as they are not attending their nearest school. Officials in the school transport section in the Department of Education have invited the Senator to supply further information so that Bus Éireann can confirm the eligibility status of the students and the relevant distance, which is measured from the student's home to his or her school of attendance. The Senator can submit further information to the relevant email address and officials in the school transport section will be happy to assist.

Senator Eugene Murphy

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. He has clarified a few things regarding the second nearest school, which he clearly set out. He said that the review is progressing, with the second part of the review on the way. He then stated:

With regard to the specific issue raised by the Senator regarding the lack of transport in the Roosky and Termonbarry area, Bus Éireann has advised that, in general, pupils residing in the Roosky and Termonbarry area are not eligible for transport to Strokestown post-primary centre as they are not attending their nearest school.

I know the Minister of State understands this. The local school is full, as are the schools in Longford. Most of these children are attending their second nearest school and the Minister of State clarified that such children can apply for school transport. I take on board the point relating to the information being supplied so that Bus Éireann can confirm eligibility. I got word on that yesterday evening and we are in the process of submitting the information. I hope that, come September, the matter will have been sorted out and there will be a system in place for those students and parents. That would be very much appreciated.

Deputy Joe O'Brien

I again thank the Senator for the opportunity to update the House on school transport for the current school year. I reiterate that all eligible pupils who applied on time this year have now been facilitated on board a service for the 2022-23 school year. In addition, there has been a 40% increase in the number of tickets issued to concessionary pupils for the current school year compared with tickets issued for the 2021-22 school year.

The Senator referred to a section of my response. I questioned the officials on that section. They stated that the words "in general" are important in that context. They can only give a general steer on eligibility because they do not have the specifics.

Senator Eugene Murphy

Fair enough.

Deputy Joe O'Brien

The requirements in respect of distance and eligibility for the temporary alleviation measures are clear but they will be happy to engage with the Senator when he has more specifics. It is a good opportunity to remind people, as the Senator has done, that the closing date for applications is tomorrow. There is that small window and people who have not put in an application should do so as soon as possible.

EU Funding

Acting Chairperson (Senator Eugene Murphy)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Byrne, go dtí an Teach.

Senator Fintan Warfield

Creative Europe is the EU programme supporting the culture and creative sectors. It is the Commission's primary support for the culture and audiovisual sectors, with a budget of €2.4 billion, approximately double the budget of the previous programme. It invests in actions that reinforce cultural diversity and respond to the needs and challenges of the culture and creative sectors. A brief look at Creative Europe funding from 2019 to 2021, inclusive, shows there were more than 3,000 awards for projects throughout the European Union. Importantly, Ireland is performing well in all those projects, featuring in more than 113 awards, with an Irish project being co-ordinator in 56 of those awards and a partner organisation in 57. Of all Creative Europe awards, 3.6% feature Irish organisations. As our population makes up approximately 1% of the EU total population, it follows that we are performing well.

That said, for many years I have been of the view that there is significant potential for us to be drawing down more money from Creative Europe if we look at ways to support organisations that wish to factor EU funding into their medium- and long-term plans. I know of an arts organisation that had a full-time staff member working on a Creative Europe application. Fair play to it. European funding helps to grow and internationalise our creative and cultural organisations. The likes of "Wolfwalkers" received Slate funding. European distributors help Irish films, including "The Breadwinner", to be seen right across Europe. The Galway Film Fleadh and the Cork International Film Festival have also received support. All present are familiar with Europa Cinemas, the film theatre network, which has received support from Creative Europe, including for the Pálás Cinema in Galway, the Irish Film Institute and the Lighthouse Cinema among many examples throughout the country. On the culture strand, one of the many examples was the Murals for Communities project, which is about mural art as a tool for community engagement and involves murals being co-created by local people and mural artists. That was a project run by Waterford City and County Council and the Waterford Walls project. Their co-partners were in Lithuania and the Netherlands. As an aside, I look forward to the Oireachtas joint committee examining the issue of public art, murals and restrictive planning laws at our upcoming meetings on local arts.

One of the principal obstacles facing Ireland's arts and cultural organisations is the research and development costs relating to Creative Europe funding, including the costs of the networking and travelling that are essential to the development of these projects. For many years, I and others have called for a research and development fund to support cultural organisations and give them a leg-up when applying for EU funding. The Arts Council has a co-funding award for organisations that have secured funding under Creative Europe but that only applies to artistic organisations rather than to the wider creative and cultural sector. We should aim to ensure that greater amounts of Creative Europe funding are channelled towards Ireland. There is significant potential in that regard. Such a fund would allow Irish-based companies, organisations and charities to devise and effectively prepare large-scale projects with European partners and increase our ability to access EU funding.

Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Deputy Thomas Byrne)

I thank Senator Warfield for raising the matter of the Creative Europe programme and for highlighting this important EU funding stream which is available to the Irish creative and cultural sectors. The Minister, Deputy Martin gives her apologies. She was not available to come at short notice. Creative Europe is the European Union's funding programme to support the culture and audiovisual sectors. The second Creative Europe programme for the period 2021 to 2027 was launched in May 2021 with a budget of € 2.44 billion. This is a welcome 50% increase on the previous programme budget. From this, €10.7 million has been awarded to Irish organisations in 2021 and 2022.

Creative Europe Desk Ireland is the designated national contact point for the Creative Europe programme. The desk is a key interface between our cultural and creative sectors and the EU Commission. It works to inform the sector on funding opportunities and support it to navigate the application process for schemes under the programme. The national co-ordinator for the desk is Screen Ireland, which is delegated by the Department. The remit of the desk is to promote the Creative Europe programme at local, regional and national level, and to facilitate Irish participation in the programme by providing expert advice and help to the Irish cultural, creative and audiovisual sectors. This includes advice on accessing Creative Europe funding, thereby ensuring the submission of high-quality funding applications. The Minister's Department works with the desk to help promote the programme, raising awareness of the funding supports available to the cultural and creative sectors. The Department also represents Ireland on the Creative Europe programme committee comprised of representatives of the member states who review the proposed annual work programme and raise any issues with implementation at EU level.

The Creative Europe programme comprises three strands: media, culture and cross-sectoral. The media strand supports the European film and audiovisual industries to develop, distribute and promote European works. It also funds markets, networking and training opportunities. To date in the programme, more than €5 million has been awarded to Irish companies across the film, documentary, animation, TV and video games sectors through the media funding strand in 2021 and 2022.

The culture strand supports a wide range of cultural and creative sectors and encourages co-operation and exchange among cultural organisations and artists at European level. Through the culture funding strand to date, €5.16 million has been awarded in 2021 and 2022 to Irish organisations involved in projects and activities. Successful projects featuring Irish partners cover a range of art forms, including visual arts, music, theatre, opera, literature, design and craft, and architecture.

In regard to the cross-cultural strand, more than half a million euro has been invested in Irish companies in 2021 and 2022. This funding builds on allocations under the previous Creative Europe programme, which ran from 2014 to 2020. In that period, €13 million was awarded under the media strand to more than 80 Irish companies. Of this, in excess of €1.8 million was awarded to the audiovisual and video games sector in the west, with €500,000 invested in Gaeltacht companies. Beneficiaries include the Cork International Film Festival, the Galway Film Fair, Cartoon Saloon's Oscar-nominated animated features, Element Pictures's Oscar-winner "The Favourite", which received a best actress Oscar for Olivia Coleman, alongside projects from more than 80 Irish companies.

Through the culture strand, 98 Irish organisations were involved in projects and activities, with in excess of €6.3 million in funding coming directly to these organisations. Some notable and interesting Irish projects include CraftHub EU led by Carlow County Council; Cultural Adaptations, a greening project with Axis Ballymun and Codema; and Keychange, which is about gender equality in the music industry, with First Music Contact and sponsored by the Irish Music Rights Organisation, IMRO.

I reiterate that the budget for the second Creative Europe programme for the period 2021 to 2027 includes a welcome 50% increase on the previous programme budget. I encourage engagement with Creative Europe Desk Ireland for those seeking funding under the current programme to make the most of this opportunity. It is heartening to see the increased level of allocations to date compared with the previous programme and it is hoped this will continue.

Senator Fintan Warfield

I thank the Minister of State for his response. However, I am disappointed the Minister and the Department will not recognise the potential multiplier effect any Government intervention would have in supporting organisations applying for EU funding. The Minister says it is heartening to see the increased level of allocations to date compared with the previous programme and hopes this will continue. While I am sure it will continue, the great potential that exists is being missed by the Department. I encourage the Minister to engage with The Wheel, which has done important work around matched funding proposals, and with Creative Europe Desk Ireland, as the Oireachtas joint committee recently did. I am disappointed the Government will not realise the potential for an intervention here.

Deputy Thomas Byrne

I am not disappointed; I am actually delighted. This is the first time in the Oireachtas I have ever heard positive words about the EU from Sinn Féin. I am really glad to hear that and I mean it. The money the Senator is talking about is from the EU budget. At the time the EU budget was agreed in July 2020, there was significant criticism from Sinn Féin about increased contributions for defence and all these other things they talk about. This is real, practical support.

The Senator asked me to engage with The Wheel. In fact, I worked with The Wheel on the Access Europe programme which is under the Department of Foreign Affairs and which The Wheel organises. Its purpose is to ensure organisations within the community space, some of which are probably in the arts, can access European funding. We work very closely with The Wheel.

I am glad to hear the Senator's positive comments about the European Union. When we talk about the EU budget and hear all these scare stories all the time, particularly at referendum times, there is actually a lot of funding like this and the Senator is right to highlight it. We need Irish organisations to be drawing down and working with the desk----

Senator Fintan Warfield

So support them.

Deputy Thomas Byrne

----to fund these and to get money from the European Union. That is a really strong priority of this Government and we are supporting them to do that. That funding is highly significant.

Sports Funding

Senator Barry Ward

Nobody in this House doubts the importance of sport, especially of non-professional sport as it benefits households and individuals throughout the country. I also acknowledge the funding the Government has put at the disposal of sports clubs, be they GAA, other team sports such as rugby or soccer, or tennis, through pitches, facilities and so on. That is tremendously important because it builds communities and facilities for local communities and individuals. I also acknowledge how much of that funding comes from the good causes fund and moneys raised through the sale of national lottery tickets.

The main point of this Commencement matter is to talk about targeted funding. In acknowledging the amount of funding that is made available to voluntary organisations and sports clubs around the country, I would also like the Government to look at targeting that funding in a way that gets the biggest bang for the buck, as it were. The Minister of State will note I refer to para-sports, particularly the provision of sporting facilities for people either with physical disabilities or who cannot compete either in the way they might have been able to in the past before an accident or something like that or from birth. I say that as somebody who grew up a stone's throw from the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Rochestown Avenue in Dún Laoghaire. A particular number of people go through that hospital and we see the devastating injuries some of them have suffered as a result of accidents. Also in Dún Laoghaire, Sailing Ireland has a fantastic facility through an organisation it supports called Sailability Ireland, which provides sailing facilities for people with disabilities in Dún Laoghaire and throughout the country. These are just two examples.

We are 489 days away from the Paralympic Games in Paris in August 2024. Unfortunately, para-sailing has been taken out of the Paralympic spectrum. I hope Ireland will support the reintroduction of para-sailing. We rely on Paralympics Ireland to help organisations and sporting bodies to get their people together and facilitate their entry into the Paralympics. That is welcome. They support 21 national sporting bodies in that regard. However, there is a massive difference between one body and the other in terms of how they properly encourage people who partake in their particular sport, whatever that might be.

In the context of the funding that has been provided for non-professional sports, is there room for targeted funding for those involved in Paralympics? We have seen other countries, including our nearest neighbour, targeting funding into those sports and towards success in particular areas. Success is not the main aim of any Paralympic or Olympic Games, participation is. Getting people to qualify to be in the games is very important. Some of those 21 national sporting bodies that are supported by Paralympics Ireland are not providing the guidance and support for some of their sportspeople. I am wondering if there is room in the funding scheme put forward by the Department to give dedicated expertise to them in helping ensure Irish para-sportspeople qualify in their discipline. Sometimes it is a lack of expertise and sometimes it is a lack of will within sporting organisations, being perfectly honest, but it must never be a lack of funding.

I am hoping that the Department will commit to increasing the funding generally for sports, but specifically for para-sports, in Ireland. As part of that, I hope it will include a stream that will allow sporting organisations throughout this country to target qualification for the Paralympics - realistically, at this stage, the Los Angeles games in 2028 - on an ongoing basis so that we can see increasing numbers of Irish people competing at the highest possible level and, hopefully, winning medals.

Deputy Thomas Byrne

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir as an ábhar tábhachtach seo a ardú. Ba mhaith liom a dheimhniú leis an Teach go dtuigim go rímhaith an tábhacht a bhaineann le breis maoinithe agus tacaíochta a chur ar fáil don spórt agus do na heagraíochtaí spóirt a thugann deis do dhaoine páirt a ghlacadh ag an leibhéal neamhphroifisiúnta, ina measc daoine atá faoi mhíchumas. Tá méadú ar an leibhéal rannpháirtíochta mar chroílár ár bpolasaí náisiúnta spóirt, agus é mar chuspóir againn go mbeidh 60% de dhaoine fásta na tíre ag glacadh páirte i spórt faoi 2027. Chun an aidhm seo a bhaint amach, tá mé tiomanta chun tacú leis na heagrais náisiúnta rialaithe don spórt, agus leis na comhpháirtíochta áitiúil spóirt, chun a chinntiú go mbeidh neart deiseanna ag gach duine a bhfuil suim acu páirt a ghlacadh sa spórt.

We are on track to achieve our ambition of doubling the State's investment in sport to €220 million by 2027. This year, we will be investing €175 million. Five years ago, the corresponding figure was €110 million. As the Senator has alluded to, there have been significant increases in sports funding. In February, Sport Ireland announced an investment of €26 million in core grant funding for national governing bodies and local sports partnerships for this year. This significant investment is key to supporting the delivery of sport throughout the country. There is €16 million being invested in national governing bodies, NGBs, this year, up from €15 million last year. This will help NGBs to develop and expand their participation programmes so that increasing numbers of people can enjoy the benefits of sport.

Disability-focused NGBs play a strong role in working with the broader sports sector to increase opportunities for people with disabilities to be more active. Funding for Irish wheelchair sport, Vision Sports Ireland, Deaf Sports Ireland and Special Olympics Ireland have all increased this year compared to 2022. The network of 29 local sports partnerships around the country also plays a crucial role in promoting and increasing participation in sport and physical activity at local level and in engaging groups that are under-represented in sporting activity. There is €10 million being allocated to the local sports partnerships this year.

Sport Ireland is continuing its support for the network of 29 sport inclusion disability officers around the country again this year. There is €910,000 being invested in the network to assist with the work being done to encourage and facilitate more people with disabilities to participate in sport and physical activity. The disability officers are also playing an important role in helping people with a disability to re-engage with sport and physical activity after Covid-19. We are committed to a sport-for-all approach aimed at ensuring all persons have the opportunity to partake equally in sport and physical activity, regardless of age, socioeconomic status, disability or membership of the LGBTI+ community, the Traveller community or other ethnic minorities. State funding programmes for people with a disability and those experiencing disadvantage have more than doubled in recent years under funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund.

With regard to capital funding, the Government has also been steadfast in its support for non-professional sports of all codes, including para-sports. Is é an clár caipitil agus trealaimh spóirt an príomh-mhodh tacaíochta Rialtais maidir le háiseanna spóirt agus áineasa a fhorbairt agus maidir le trealamh spóirt neamhphearsanta a cheannach ar fud na tíre. Tá leas bainte ag breis is 13,000 tionscadal as an maoiniú caipitil ó 1998, agus is ionann leithdháiltí iomlán i gcaitheamh na tréimhse sin agus €1.1 billiún.

Anuraidh, fógraíodh pacáiste de €166.6 milliún i ndeontais nua chaipitil faoin mbabhta is déanaí den chlár caipitil agus trealaimh spóirt. Ba é seo an leibhéal is mó maoinithe a fógraíodh riamh faoin scéim. Tá sé geallta i gclár an Rialtais go leanfar ag tacú leis an clár caipitil agus trealaimh spóirt agus tá mé tiomanta chun leanúint leis an méadú suntasach infheistíochta san earnáil seo sna blianta amach romhainn.

The Senator raised a number of unspecified issues that certain sports may not be giving proper support to athletes with a disability. I would certainly be willing to hear from the Senator after this debate about that matter, and from national governing bodies. I certainly will not tolerate that. I can assure the Senator it is not an issue of funding. The funding is there. We are increasing the funding every year but if there are particular governing bodies that are not treating para-sports equally or taking inclusion seriously, I certainly want to hear about it and will take whatever action is necessary.

Senator Barry Ward

I acknowledge the extensive rundown the Minister of State has given of the contributions and the commitment that the Government has made to sport. I welcome that and acknowledge it.

I am particularly grateful for what the Minister of State said in relation to the issue I raised and I am happy to engage with him after this debate. I do not want to name any organisations on the record but it is important that we recognise that many national sporting bodies have a huge amount of work to do to marry their commitment to mainstream sports with their commitment to para-sports. The Minister of State mentioned Special Olympics Ireland as well. There are many sporting bodies involved in this stream of sporting activity. Within some of them, sometimes there is a disconnect between their publicly stated commitment to para-sports, and the commitment they give to applications, qualification criteria and helping paralympians, potential paralympians or para-sports people to meet those criteria, whatever the qualification criteria might be. I very much welcome what the Minister of State has said and I am happy to engage with him.

I also welcome what the Minister of State said about there not being a lack of funding. I wonder if, in that regard, we could help Paralympics Ireland to put in place a person whose job is to specifically target the qualification process for paralympians.

Deputy Thomas Byrne

Paralympics is important for us. It is an important target for the country, as well as the Olympics. Indeed, a number of sporting organisations that I have met recently have been talking about Paralympics. I attended a qualifications process for the Olympics and the Paralympics together in a particular sport as well. I can see a lot of work happening. Where there are gaps, I certainly want to be of help. Of course, I am more than happy to engage - I have done so informally - with Paralympics Ireland and its sister organisation, the Olympic Federation of Ireland, at any time and to hear more from the Senator as well.

Acting Chairperson (Senator Eugene Murphy)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit agus leis an Seanadóir. I thank the Minister of State for taking the second and third Commencement matters. I know he has to go off to some other business. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Richmond.

Employment Support Services

Senator Erin McGreehan

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is our first time in the Chamber together since he took up his new position. It is nice to have the Minister of State here.

In my Commencement matter, I am asking the Minister of State to outline the supports specifically for self-employed persons with disabilities. It is clear from speaking to self-employed persons with disabilities in my county of Louth and, indeed, in my engagement with people throughout the country that supports are not effectively supporting self-employed entrepreneurs who have a disability. It is a pressing matter and it affects a significant portion of society.

People with disabilities are no different from the rest of us in their entrepreneurial spirit and ambition. Often self-employment can be a viable employment option as it offers the flexibility and independence that is required in order to work around a condition. However, for these entrepreneurs to thrive, adequate supports and resources are paramount. That is why I hope the Minister of State and the Department can engage with disabled entrepreneurs in order to bring about the creation of a new innovation and equity fund for entrepreneurs and self-employed persons with disabilities.

While there are Government programmes available to support entrepreneurs and small businesses, they often come with strict criteria and are not specifically tailored to the specific needs of persons with disabilities. This fund would provide resources and supports catering for the unique challenges and opportunities that entrepreneurs and people with disabilities may face.

The Department should also work with the Department of Social Protection to ensure that in light of the cost of disabilities and the greater barrier to business start-up, there is a situation where persons with disabilities can maintain equitable supports while setting up a business. There also needs to be an easy pathway into income support systems when start-ups are not successful, such as a bridging allowance that provides income.

We need to adjust the delivery of entrepreneurial support schemes for the needs of individual participants by offering more individual supports. We also need to collect data, including measuring the impact of these dedicated entrepreneurial schemes. Entrepreneurship is a vehicle not only to foster economic development but also to promote inclusion and diversity.

We all understand the important role entrepreneurship plays in creating jobs, boosting innovation and generating economic growth. However, it can be a challenge for entrepreneurs with disabilities to access capital and resources, leaving them excluded from the benefits that entrepreneurial activity brings. The establishment of a special fund for entrepreneurs and self-employed persons with disabilities can provide a vital lifeline to such individuals, enabling them to access funding and resources to start, develop and grow their businesses. For instance, this fund could provide grants to cover start-up costs, purchase equipment and-or improve accessibility in their workplace. A flexibility in some of the current grants could be adapted to ensure that they work for the self-employed disabled persons.

In this country, people with disabilities have lower levels of labour activation, which causes a big trap for many. Often, when a disabled person becomes an entrepreneur or self-employed, he or she can lose his or her benefits. One way, for instance, to support disabled entrepreneurs is to allow them to retain their medical cards. I ask that the Government supports disabled entrepreneurs and ensures that they do not end up in a poverty trap. A special fund for entrepreneurs with disabilities will not only promote economic growth it will also bring us closer to creating a more inclusive society.

Acting Chairperson (Senator Eugene Murphy)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Tá ceithre nóiméad aige anois.

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Deputy Neale Richmond)

Go raibh maith agat an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach agus Seanadóir McGreehan. I appreciate her kind words and it is lovely to know that I am still considered new.

Senator Erin McGreehan

Even a little bit.

Senator Victor Boyhan

And the Minister of State is one of ours.

Deputy Neale Richmond

Yes, Senator, and in more than ways than one.

I thank Senator McGreehan for tabling a Commencement matter on this important issue. I hope I will be able to convey to my colleagues the Minister and the three Ministers of State how passionate I am about this issue not just, like the Senator, from the whole idea of equality and inclusion but also as a person who loves business, loves to see entrepreneurs and loves to see an entrepreneurial spirit. This issue has arisen a couple of times. Yesterday, Senator Ahearn mentioned this issue at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment. We had a good meeting with Senator Conway and a deputation from the National Council for the Blind in Ireland a matter of weeks ago. We have to frame this issue. This economy has reached full employment, effectively, with 2.57 million people at work and an unemployment rate of just 4.2%. What does that say to us and what is the requirement we need? Obviously we need to bring in more talent from abroad to address the very clear issues in the labour market but we really need to activate and work within a more dedicated manner, with the long-term unemployed or those people who have not been in a position to either secure the role or job that they want or, in this case in particular, to start their own business, and thrive in that strong ecosystem we have for entrepreneurs and creating new enterprises.

As Senator McGreehan knows well, the local enterprise offices, LEOs, are the first-stop-shop, like the LEO office located just up the road from her in Dundalk. I visited that lovely office two months ago. I think it was my first constituency visit that I made after I took up office. It was brilliant to see the amount of entrepreneurs in north County Louth, and in particular, out on the Cooley peninsula, which is located near the Senator's home place. Those entrepreneurs are doing so well. I saw an amazing signposting service of all relevant State supports available through agencies as well as through the Department of Social Protection, with which we work very closely, as the Senator mentioned, but also the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Revenue Commissioners, education and training board,s the Credit Review office, and Microfinance Ireland.

The LEO grant supports are available to all entrepreneurs provided their business meets the eligibility criteria of the support for which they are applying. Direct financial grant aid, such as the priming grant and the business expansion grant, are intended for businesses in the manufacturing and internationally traded services. In addition, all entrepreneurs can avail of LEO training, mentoring and management development programmes. Furthermore, LEO offices can provide additional support to entrepreneurs such as one-to-one mentoring or accommodations to assist with the completion of grant application forms, which is a relevant issue. Senator McGreehan and I probably do not think too much of form filling but we all have instances where people come to our clinics because they are daunted by having to fill out a 12-page form. People with disabilities, and people for lots of other reasons, find forms intimidating. I wish to mention a course that that the LEO mentors are providing, in conjunction with Technological University Dublin, and perhaps this is something that Dundalk Institute of Technology, DkIT, could accept. It is a course opened to anyone who self-identifies as having a disability and has a business idea that they wish to evaluate as a sustainable enterprise. It is a great course located at the Grangegorman campus of Technological University Dublin, TUD. More particularly, there is a huge opportunity for this at all of our technological universities and institutes of technology.

I reiterate how closely my Department works with the Department of Social Protection to provide grants to individuals with disabilities to assist them in their employment. This includes the reasonable accommodation fund, which consists of the workplace equipment and adaptation grant, the job interview interpreter grant, the personal reader grant and the employee retention grant. Both the disability allowance and the blind pension have been designed to support recipients to pursue employment opportunities, be that self-employment or insurable employment. When a person enters insurable employment, an income disregard of €165 per week is applied. In addition, 50% of earnings between €165 and €375 are disregarded for the purpose of the means test. Anyone in receipt of either the disability allowance or the blind pension is also eligible for the Department’s back-to-work enterprise allowance scheme, which has been designed to support persons to take up self-employment opportunities. The scheme operates over two years and allows a person to become self-employed yet retain 100% of their current payment in year one and 75% in year two.

I know that I am over time, Acting Chairperson, but I wish to make two key points that will address the specific request made by the Senator. I acknowledge what she said about the potential for a new innovation and equity fund. That is a suggestion that I will take back to my Department to investigate. I have outlined a plethora of supports that exist but the key issue, which is where we should work together, is that these supports are perhaps not flexible enough to meet the very unique demands of those with disabilities. I acknowledge that here today. I fundamentally think that we can do a lot more in that space, and I am open, ready, willing and able to do so. I appreciate the Acting Chairperson's indulgence.

Senator Erin McGreehan

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I am in no doubt about his good faith and he is a huge advocate for people with disabilities in the workforce but there is a big difference between equality and equity, which is the problem. Everyone can access the grants but built-in equity in the system creates an inclusive society. People start at different levels as we have acknowledged on numerous occasions in this House. The Cost of Disability In Ireland Report, which was compiled by the Department of Social Protection, highlights the cost of disability that everyone else does not have to take into consideration. Every grant needs to be equitable but they are not at the minute.

The Minister of State quite rightly talked about the workplace equipment adaptation grant. These are not individualised grants. A person is labour to his or her employer and he or she cannot bring those things with him or her. They are not individualised but they need to be for real equity. The employee retention grant is wonderful for someone who employs a person with a disability but the person with a disability does not receive it. Therefore, a lot of work needs to be done. The Department must engage with disability organisations or disabled people's organisations because a lot of work needs to be done. I am grateful for the Minister of State's openness about this matter.

Deputy Neale Richmond

We absolutely are engaging with disability organisations. I was very grateful to Senator Conway for arranging a meeting with a deputation from the National Council for the Blind in Ireland. One of the key things that the NCBI is doing is a new retail apprenticeship scheme.

Senator Erin McGreehan

I have mentioned that.

Deputy Neale Richmond

Yes, the Senator tabled a Commencement matter on the issue so I do not need to tell her about it. I really appreciate her advocacy across this area but particularly in that regard and this one. She hit the nail on the head when she mentioned the difference between equality and equity. Of course, there is absolute equality to access in terms of the grants available but it requires a level of modification. When I visit each LEO, they are all brilliant and unique in their own way but there is not that uniformity in dealing with people who want to set up their own business, particularly those with disabilities. We need to examine the LEOs that have cracked this and have really looked to take that grants that they have, and expand and adapt them, which is key.

I appreciate the Senator tabling this Commencement matter. Her suggestion is an excellent initiative. I assure her that her comments and advocacy she has demonstrated in this Chamber, and in her home community, will be taken on board, will be acted upon and, crucially, will be delivered by those entrepreneurs with disabilities in County Louth and around the country.

Senator Erin McGreehan

I thank the Minister of State.

Acting Chairperson (Senator Eugene Murphy)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit agus leis na hAirí Stáit, na Teachtaí Byrne agus O'Brien, as bheith anseo ar maidin le haghaidh díospóireachta ar na rudaí seo. I also wish to express my thanks to Senator McGreehan for tabling a very important matter. Lastly, I thank Senators Warfield and Ward for tabling such important Commencement matters.

Before suspending the House, I wish to express my thanks to all of the Ministers of State, Seanadóirí, officials, ushers and even Senator Boyhan for joining us even though he had not tabled a Commencement matter.

Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 10.20 a.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 10.30 a.m.

Sitting suspended at 10.20 a.m. and resumed at 10.30 a.m.