Written Answers Nos. 30 - 49
30. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the efforts he is making to ensure the professionalisation of child care workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42689/15]
View answerMajor progress has been made in improving qualifications and supporting the professionalisation of the early years sector in the past 5 years. Prior to the introduction of the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) Programme in 2010, there was no minimum qualification for staff working in the early years sector. Under the ECCE programme, all pre-school leaders were required to hold a Level 5 qualification. In addition, ECCE services could qualify for a higher capitation rate where all the pre-school leaders, in the ECCE room, held a Level 7 qualification, and all the pre-school assistants held a Level 5 qualification. This represented a major step forward in improving the quality of early years services.
When the Early Years Quality Agenda was introduced in 2013, in order to further improve quality in pre-school services, one of the items to be progressed was the introduction of a requirement that all staff working with children in early years services should hold a qualification in early childhood care and education at a minimum of Level 5 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) or equivalent and that pre-school leaders in ECCE services would be required to hold a minimum Level 6 qualification, or equivalent. These requirements will be fully introduced in 2016 following the publication of new Childcare Regulations.
In order to support existing staff to achieve these minimum qualifications, the Government introduced a Learner Fund. €3.5m has been provided under this Fund since 2014 and more than 3,000 staff have completed (or are currently completing training) to allow them to meet the minimum requirements.
These initiatives and this investment have resulted in significant increases in the number of ECCE services under contract to deliver the ECCE Programme who now meet higher capitation criteria.
- In 2010, a total of 3,787 ECCE services were under contract to deliver the ECCE Programme. Of these: 82.0% met the basic capitation criteria, and 11.0% met the higher capitation criteria.
- In 2015, a total of 4,371 ECCE services are under contract to deliver the ECCE Programme. Of these: 72.0% meet the basic capitation criteria, and 28.0% met the higher capitation criteria.
Additionally, according to the findings from the Annual Survey of Early Years Services undertaken by Pobal on my Department’s behalf, there have also been significant increases in the number of staff in early years services who hold a qualification equal to or higher than NFQ Level 5 over the same time period:
- In 2010, 71.4% of staff had a qualification equal to or higher than NFQ Level 5, and
- In 2014, 86.8% of staff had a qualification equal to or higher than NFQ Level 5.
Further funding to improve the qualifications and support the professionalisation of the early years sector was secured as part of Budget 2016. This includes:
- €1.5 million, which will be directed towards a Learner Fund in 2016. I will announce details of this Learner Fund shortly.
- €1.5 million, which will fund the delivery of a 'Higher Education Programme for Inclusion Co-ordinators in Early Years Settings' as part of the model of supports I recently announced to ensure children with a disability can access and meaningfully participate in the ECCE Programme. This funding will meet the costs for the first intake of participants (up to 900 early years practitioners) who are expected to commence in this Programme in April 2016. It is envisaged that, over the next four years, at least 80 per cent of ECCE services will avail of this training fund, which will cost €1.5 million per annum.
In 2016, my Department will also continue to provide funding of €13 million for City and County Childcare Committees and National Voluntary Childcare Organisations to support the valuable work of these bodies in supporting early years’ services around the country, through training, continuing professional development programmes, networking and cluster-type support groups.
31. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the level of progress that Tusla - Child and Family Agency is making in the registration and inspection of early years services under the Child and Family Agency Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42686/15]
View answerThe legislative changes to the Child Care Act 1991 which were enacted through the Child and Family Agency Act 2013 include the requirement that every pre-school service must be registered with the Child and Family Agency before being permitted to operate. Every pre-school service that was notified to the Health Service Executive prior to the commencement of the Child and Family Agency Act was deemed to be registered for a period of three years. This requirement has been in place since the Act was commenced in January 2014.
The Child and Family Agency holds a register of all the services deemed registered in accordance with the Act, and new services registered since January 2014 are entered onto this register.
The legislation requires that every pre-school service that was deemed registered under the terms of the Act must be re-registered by 1 January 2017. The Department is working with the Agency to ensure that this task will be completed within the required timeframe.
I secured additional funding of €1.1m in budget 2016 to support the Agency expand its Early Years Inspectorate. This funding will be used by the Agency to recruit 17 additional staff, including additional Early Years Inspectors and a Registration Manager who will run a dedicated Registration Office where all the administrative tasks associated with registration will be carried out.
The Deputy may wish to note that the Early Years Inspectorate had inspected 1,659 services by 30 September this year, an increase of 68% on the same period in 2014.
32. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of funding to be allocated to County Donegal and the number of children to benefit from the recently announced new programme which will provide supports for children with disabilities attending the free pre-school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42674/15]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme provides for free pre-school education for children before they commence primary school.
I have been conscious for some time of the difficulty experienced by some children with a disability in accessing and benefiting fully from this Programme. With this in mind, I requested that an Inter-Departmental Group, led by my Department be established, with a brief to bring forward recommendations to address this issue.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Group concluded its work and the recommendations of this Group were fully accepted and funded by Government. I announced, as part of Budget 2016, the necessary funding to implement the new model of supports for children with a disability with costs for these supports estimated to be €15m in 2016 and with full year costs estimated to be €33m from 2017 onwards. This funding will be allocated on the basis of the needs of children and not on the basis of geographic location. Therefore, the proportion of this funding, which will be allocated to Donegal in any given Programme year cannot be determined.
I believe that this Group has identified a practical, workable model for meeting the needs of children with a disability and the allocation of funding is clear evidence of the Government's commitment to supporting such children.
Moving forward from funding to implementation, I am very pleased to say that, on 18 November last, the model of supports was launched by myself, together with my Government colleagues, Jan O’Sullivan, TD, Minister for Education and Skills and Kathleen Lynch, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Health.
When established, the new model will focus on the developmental level of children with disabilities, their functional ability and their needs. It will not focus on diagnosis, recognising that many children may not have a formal diagnosis at the time of presenting to pre-school.
The model, when fully operational, will deliver seven levels of support to enable the full inclusion and meaningful participation of children with disabilities in the ECCE Programme. These supports move from universal (which will benefit all children), to highly targeted supports (which will benefit 1%-1.5% of children estimated to have very complex needs). Supports include: enhanced continuing professional development for early years practitioners; grants for equipment, appliances and minor alterations, increased capitation for certain children with very complex needs, as well as access to therapeutic intervention.
The new model will take some time to be fully established as capacity needs to be built in the early years sector, but the planned front-loading and on-going investment will result in all children with a disability having their pre-school needs met. The implementation of all seven levels of supports is the next step in the process and in that regard, two groups have been established to oversee and implement the new model.
The first group, the Cross Sectoral Implementation Group, will oversee and monitor implementation, while the second group, the Project Group, will implement the model for roll-out by September 2016, recognising that some elements will take somewhat longer to fully implement as capacity needs to be built into the system.
In the meantime, the Deputy should be aware that currently the ECCE Programme makes special provision for children with a disability to access the ECCE programme. Measures include an exemption from the upper age limit for qualification where a child is developmentally delayed and would benefit from starting primary school at a later age. In addition, children with special needs can apply to have the pre-school year split over two years on a pro-rata basis, for example availing of the Programme for 2 days a week in the first year and for 3 days a week in the second year and this will continue to be an option for parents.
33. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 12 of 21 October 2015, his progress in resolving the issue of funding of Cuan Álainn women's refuge in Tallaght, Dublin 24. [42650/15]
View answerI facilitated a meeting with Respond on 3 November, at its request, to get an account of the nature of the service provided, the reasons behind the decision to close Cuan Álainn, and to get a better understanding of Respond’s previous interaction with state bodies in relation to the Centre.
Cuan Álainn, in the main, provides second stage residential accommodation for persons whose emergency needs arising from domestic violence have been met.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, in discharging its statutory responsibility, funds emergency refuge services for adults and children fleeing domestic violence, as well as providing a range of ongoing community supports. Tusla will continue to provide such supports in the future.
Respond informed me that it is not accepting any new referrals to the Cuan Álainn. At the time of the meeting there were five families in residence at Cuan Álainn. Permanent accommodation had been secured for two of the families. The remaining three families residing at the Centre required to be housed. The local housing authorities are best placed to address such needs. It was reassuring to hear that should the Centre close, Respond will be in a position to ensure that they find accommodation elsewhere.
At the meeting, Respond outlined how it decided to build the facility on foot of its own needs analysis, which determined that the area did not need another domestic violence refuge, but there was a need for move-on accommodation for those using emergency refuges.
In general, Cuan Álainn provides transitional housing for survivors of domestic violence after their emergency needs have been met. The majority of referrals to the Centre are from existing domestic violence refuges already funded by Tusla.
Each of the families at the Centre has housing needs, and these are best provided through mainstream housing supports via local authorities.
I advised Respond that I would contact my colleague, the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to establish what can be done to assist the families involved, particularly in light of the housing needs of the families who reside at the Centre. I have done that and also asked Minister Kelly to ensure that there is further engagement by the relevant local authorities with Respond regarding the future of the service.
I would also like to assure the Deputy that Tusla will continue to work closely with these families by providing appropriate community supports.
34. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the actions he is taking in response to the most recent Health Information and Quality Authority inspection report which highlights the lack of suitable placements to meet the needs of some young persons in care due to the closure of high-support units, which has meant that many young persons with complex needs are currently in mainstream and adult residential care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42685/15]
View answerI welcome the fact that, over the past two years, the Health Information & Quality Authority (HIQA) has looked at Tusla's children's residential centres work with children whose behaviour is very challenging. HIQA's findings are mixed, by and large showing a committed staff dealing with young people, some of whom have serious emotional and behavioural difficulties. The age profile of children in residential centres has risen over the last number of years, and now approximately half the young people resident are aged 16 and 17 years. Some of these young people will have come into care recently, while others will have experienced the breakdown of other care placements, including foster care. In some instances the young person's behaviour will have triggered the breakdown, in other instances it may be a response to repeated disrupted relationships and poor self esteem. I want to emphasise that unlike Special Care, children are not detained in residential centres, nor were they detained in High Support Centres either.
The majority of children's residential centres are, de facto, providing high support care. Across the country there are 160 centres, including private and community based caring for 337 children. There are, at a minimum, two staff on duty and, when needed, this number is increased. This shows an average of 2 young people per centre, although of course the number of children in a centre will range from 1 to approximately 4. 98% of children in residential care have an allocated social worker (329). Young people placed in community based centres who have serious emotional and behavioural problems, and who are being considered for special care, are linked with the Assessment, Consultation and Therapy Service (ACTS) multidisciplinary therapeutic team. Further specialist supports are also routinely made available as needed and many centres have specialist skill-sets, therapeutic modalities, or links with same, in their local communities to meet the varying need of the young people in their care. Tusla managers and staff are fully aware of the emotional and mental health needs of children in care. While the term High Support is not currently used, high support care is provided, through Tusla placements and also, privately commissioned residential and foster placements, with access to specialist psychological and psychotherapeutic play opportunities.
I believe the Deputy's question refers to the inspection report published by HIQA on the 5th of November 2015, where a focused inspection was carried out on a children’s residential centre in the Dublin Mid-Leinster region. This unannounced, themed inspection, focused solely on how the needs of children who display challenging behaviour are met. The HIQA inspection report found that of the seven standards inspected in the centre, only one was fully met, five required some aspect of improvement and significant risk was identified in one standard. This latter standard outlined the risk to the safety of the young people due to their behaviour when outside the centre.
Inspectors found that staff worked in partnership with the social work department, parents and other professionals to try to manage these risks; however their interventions did not have the desired effect, at the time of the inspection, to stop dangerous behaviour by the young people. The report outlines how the staff and management of the centre demonstrated a real commitment to the young people in their care, despite their challenging behaviour. However, HIQA determined that the risk taking behaviour of the young people was such that other interventions should have been put in place.
I am fully aware of the serious challenge faced by the Department and Tusla in working with this group of young people. Reports from the National Review Panel provide sufficient evidence of the tragic outcome for some young people who take risks with their own lives and safety. In order to improve outcomes, Tusla has established a working group to reviewing strategy for alternative care, and two of my officials are members of the group. Separately, senior managers in Tusla and officials in my Department are in discussions about how best to meet the needs of some of these young people to secure their safety and future.
35. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on a refuge centre (details supplied) in Dublin 24 that has housed 71 women and 96 children fleeing domestic violence since 2012; if he has met with Respond Housing Association, as he stated; his plans to prevent this crucial refuge from closing on 12 December 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42642/15]
View answerI facilitated a meeting with Respond on 3 November, at its request, to get an account of the nature of the service provided, the reasons behind the decision to close the service, and to get a better understanding of Respond’s previous interaction with state bodies in relation to the Centre referred to by the Deputy.
The Centre, in the main, provides second stage residential accommodation for persons whose emergency needs arising from domestic violence have been met.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, in discharging its statutory responsibility, funds emergency refuge services for adults and children fleeing domestic violence, as well as providing a range of ongoing community supports. Tusla will continue to provide such supports in the future.
Respond informed me that it is not accepting any new referrals to the Centre. At the time of the meeting there were five families in residence at the Centre. Permanent accommodation had been secured for two of the families. The remaining three families residing at the Centre required to be housed. The local housing authorities are best placed to address such needs. It was reassuring to hear that should the Centre close, Respond will be in a position to ensure that they find accommodation elsewhere.
At the meeting, Respond outlined how it decided to build the Cuan Álainn Centre on foot of its own needs analysis, which determined that the area did not need another domestic violence refuge, but there was a need for move-on accommodation for those using emergency refuges.
In general, the Centre provides transitional housing for survivors of domestic violence after their emergency needs have been met. The majority of referrals to the Centre are from existing domestic violence refuges already funded by Tusla.
Each of the families at the Centre has housing needs, and these are best provided through mainstream housing supports via local authorities.
I advised Respond that I would contact my colleague, the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to establish what can be done to assist the families involved, particularly in light of the housing needs of the families who reside at the Cuan Álainn Centre. I have done that and also asked Minister Kelly to ensure that there is further engagement by the relevant local authorities with Respond regarding the future of the service.
I would also like to assure the Deputy that Tusla will continue to work closely with these families by providing appropriate community supports.
36. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to a Topical Issue debate (details supplied) on 12 November 2015, for an update on his efforts to provide equal access to pre-school for all children, including children with a disability or disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42502/15]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme provides for free pre-school education for children before they commence primary school.
I have been conscious for some time of the difficulty experienced by some children with a disability in accessing and benefiting fully from this Programme. With this in mind, I requested that an Inter-Departmental Group, led by my Department be established, with a brief to bring forward recommendations to address this issue.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Group concluded its work and the recommendations of this Group were fully accepted and funded by Government. I announced, as part of Budget 2016, the necessary funding to implement the new model of supports for children with a disability with costs for these supports estimated to be €15m in 2016 and with full year costs estimated to be €33m from 2017 onwards.
I believe that this Group has identified a practical, workable model for meeting the needs of children with a disability and the allocation of funding is clear evidence of the Government's commitment to supporting such children.
Moving forward from funding to implementation, I am very pleased to say that, on 18 November last, the model of supports was launched by myself, together with my Government colleagues, Jan O’Sullivan, TD, Minister for Education and Skills and Kathleen Lynch, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Health.
When established, the new model will focus on the developmental level of children with disabilities, their functional ability and their needs. It will not focus on diagnosis, recognising that many children may not have a formal diagnosis at the time of presenting to pre-school.
The model, when fully operational, will deliver seven levels of support to enable the full inclusion and meaningful participation of children with disabilities in the ECCE Programme. These supports, which move from universal to highly targeted supports based on the needs of the child, include: enhanced continuing professional development for early years practitioners; grants for equipment, appliances and minor alterations, increased capitation for certain children with very complex needs, as well as access to therapeutic intervention.
The new model will take some time to be fully established as capacity needs to be built in the early years sector, but the planned front-loading and on-going investment will result in all children with a disability having their pre-school needs met. The implementation of all seven levels of supports is the next step in the process and in that regard, two groups have been established to oversee and implement the new model.
The first group, the Cross Sectoral Implementation Group, will oversee and monitor implementation, while the second group, the Project Group, will implement the model for roll-out by September 2016, recognising that some elements will take somewhat longer to fully implement as capacity needs to be built into the system.
In the meantime, the Deputy should be aware that currently the ECCE Programme makes special provision for children with a disability to access the ECCE programme. Measures include an exemption from the upper age limit for qualification where a child is developmentally delayed and would benefit from starting primary school at a later age. In addition, children with special needs can apply to have the pre-school year split over two years on a pro-rata basis, for example availing of the Programme for 2 days a week in the first year and for 3 days a week in the second year and this will continue to be an option for parents.
37. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will make prioritise the restoration of funding that was cut to domestic abuse and violence services, given the increase in Tusla - Child and Family Agency services for 2016. [42683/15]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual or gender based violence whether in the context of the family or otherwise.
This year, Tusla provided over €19 million euro in funding for the provision of domestic and sexual violence services. This funding is allocated to specialist organisations responding to sexual and domestic violence and includes funding for 60 domestic and sexual violence services throughout the country comprising:
- Over €15m for 44 organisations providing domestic violence support services, including 20 emergency refuges.
- €4m for 16 rape crisis centres.
Future planning for domestic violence and sexual violence services will seek to address gaps, avoid duplication and support effective delivery of frontline services nationally. Developments for domestic and sexual violence services in Ireland will be considered as part of Tusla’s future commissioning processes.
As the Deputy will be aware, I announced a significant increase in the funding allocation to Tusla for next year. Tusla will have available to it some €676 million in funding, representing an increase of €38 million over 2015. The precise level of funding to be provided to services for victims of domestic violence will be considered by Tusla in developing its Business Plan for 2016, which will be sent to me for consideration.
Tusla will communicate with individual funded organisations about funding arrangements for 2016 at the earliest opportunity.
The Government, since its establishment, has attached particular priority to supporting vulnerable children and families and the significant increase in funding being made available to Tusla next year represents further evidence of our delivery on this ambition.
I would like to assure the Deputy that I and Tusla will continue to support the provision of services for victims of domestic violence. Developing stronger, more effective and responsive services will continue to be a key priority for me as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.
38. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when he will publish revised child care regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42649/15]
View answerIn order to provide for the implementation of the legislative changes to the Child Care Act 1991, which were enacted through the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, it was necessary to carry out a root and branch re-examination of the 2006 Child Care Regulations, including a re-structuring of the Regulations in line with the latest drafting practices. This exercise has proven to be more time-consuming than originally envisaged, and my Department is continuing to work closely with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to finalise the text of the new Regulations. I hope to be in a position to publish the new Regulations shortly.
39. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is satisfied with the role he and Túsla - Child and Family Agency have played in the welfare of children in direct provision and if any measures are under way to improve the provision of care; the measures he is taking to ensure that any refugee children will be given the care they need upon arrival; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42543/15]
View answerMy colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality has primary responsibility in the areas of asylum and immigration including the direct provision system.
With regard to the welfare of children in Direct Provision centres, there are a range of supports available to families resident within the centres facilitated by several Government Departments and Agencies. The needs of children in Direct Provision include education, child care such as preschool, medical and health issues. Tusla provides support services directly to families as well as advice on aspects of child raising in this country.
Children living in Direct Provision are in the care of their parent(s). The Protection Process Working Group reported to the Minister for Justice and Equality recently. There were key findings and recommendations concerned with the development, welfare, protection and education of children. I continue to support the Minister for Justice and Equality in her drive to implement change in this area and improve the lives of those who need to avail of the protection process.
Where there are concerns about the welfare, safety or well-being of a child in Direct Provision, these are reported to Tusla in accordance with Children First guidelines. Tusla has been working closely with the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of the Department of Justice and Equality, which has responsibility for accommodation in the Direct Provision system, and on information sharing protocols. Tusla provides additional supports in some centres such as preschool, family support and advice.
Tusla also has a role in providing care and protection for children seeking asylum who present without their parent or customary care giver under Tusla's Equity of Care Policy. These children are placed in the care of the State, with Tusla, and following a short period of residential assessment, are placed in foster care and, in a small number of cases, in residential care. Tusla has a dedicated Social Work team to deal with this vulnerable cohort and the State is duty bound by international and domestic law to protect and provide for separated children in the same way as it does for children normally resident in the State.
40. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) has sufficient social protection contributions to qualify for a disability benefit or an invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43047/15]
View answerIllness benefit is a payment for people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. One of the PRSI conditions is that a person must have a minimum of 39 reckonable contributions paid or credited in the governing contribution year. Claims made in 2015 are governed by the 2013 tax year, and only PRSI Classes A, E, H, and P are reckonable for illness benefit purposes. According to the Department’s records, it appears that the person concerned does not satisfy the PRSI contribution criteria for illness benefit.
Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. To qualify for IP claimants must, inter-alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last complete contribution year before the date of their claim. Only PRSI classes A, E or H contributions are reckonable for IP purposes.
According to the Department’s records, it appears that the person concerned does not satisfy the PRSI contribution criteria for IP. However entitlement to illness benefit and invalidity pension can only be definitively determined on receipt of the completed claim forms.
42. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when arrears of a payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare under the disability allowance scheme. [43055/15]
View answerArrears of disability allowance for the person concerned have been calculated. However the person in question has an outstanding debt owed to the department which must be addressed. The Department will be in contact with her shortly to discuss ongoing arrangements to recover the debt which may include with-holding of some of the arrears.
43. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why illness benefit and family income supplement are not included in the 2015 Christmas bonus scheme. [43056/15]
View answerOn Budget Day, I was pleased to announce a 75% Christmas bonus, which is being paid this week to over 1.2 million beneficiaries of all schemes to which the bonus previously applied. Illness Benefit and Family Income Supplement (FIS) were never eligible for the bonus in the past and similar arrangements apply this year.
While the short-term Illness Benefit scheme is not eligible for the bonus, long-term illness/disability payments are eligible. In this regard, persons who are permanently incapable of work may be eligible for the non-means tested Invalidity Pension (subject to satisfying the relevant medical criteria). Persons who are substantially restricted in undertaking suitable employment arising from a medical condition may be eligible for the means tested Disability Allowance (subject to the relevant medical criteria). All recipients of both of these payments are eligible for the Christmas Bonus.
As a result of Budget 2016, FIS recipients will benefit from the income thresholds increasing by €5 for families with one child and by €10 for families with two or more children from January. For a person in receipt of Family Income Supplement with two children, this will result in an increase in income of €6 per week, which is worth €312 over the course of the year.
FIS recipients will also benefit from the increase in Child Benefit by €5, from €135 to €140 per month.
Finally, FIS recipients may also benefit from the USC changes introduced by my colleague, the Minister for Finance.
44. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the qualifying criteria for the part-time job incentive scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43058/15]
View answerThe part-time job incentive scheme is a non-statutory scheme, which allows people who are long-term unemployed to take up part-time employment for less than 24 hours per week and receive a special weekly income supplement. Participants on the scheme are expected to continue to make efforts to find full-time work. There are currently 381 participants on the scheme with a budget of just under €2 million for 2015.
To qualify for the part-time job incentive scheme a person must be in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for at least 390 days. In addition, a person must have been in receipt of a higher jobseeker's payment rate than the appropriate part-time job incentive supplement payable. The part-time job incentive supplement rate is €119 per week for a single person and €193.90 per week where an individual was getting an increase for a qualified adult. There is no increase for qualified children.
I recently sought and received special sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to extend the part time job incentive scheme to customers who have exited the one parent family payment due to the scheme reforms. This sanction is specifically for former one-parent family payment recipients whose youngest child is aged 14 or over, who are working more than 3 days out of 7 and, as such would not be entitled to jobseeker’s allowance. This particular extension to the scheme will be available to participants for one year giving them time to increase their hours to 19 per week and qualify for the family income supplement.
Although the part-time job incentive scheme is a small non statutory scheme, it can provide assistance to long term unemployed who can only find part-time work and who fail the ‘4 in 7’ jobseeker’s rule or do not qualify for FIS.
Any change to the qualifying criteria for the part-time job incentive scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
45. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a disability allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43062/15]
View answerThe disability allowance (DA) application from the person in question was disallowed on 23 October 2015 because a deciding officer decided that he did not satisfy the medical conditions for DA purposes.
The person concerned was advised of the option to submit further medical evidence and/or lodge an appeal directly to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The Department has no record of receiving additional evidence is this case, however that may be because it has been very recently received.
46. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a disability allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43070/15]
View answerFollowing a successful appeal, the person in question has been awarded a disability allowance payment with effect from 9 October 2013. First payment was on 26 August 2015. Arrears issued to the person in question by their chosen payment method on 30 November 2015.
47. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will review cases where maintenance orders have been awarded by the courts and where these orders were not complied with; if she is aware that social protection payments have been reduced because of these orders and arrears of thousands of euros remain outstanding on unpaid maintenance; and if there are procedures in place where a social protection application can be reviewed because of non-payment of maintenance orders. [43083/15]
View answerThe issue of maintenance payments is first and foremost a private matter for the person concerned, and if the matter cannot be resolved, for the courts through family law provisions.
If a court order for maintenance is not being complied with, it is possible to apply to the Court for an enforcement order. In the interim, if a social welfare payment is reduced on foot of a court order for maintenance and the Department subsequently receives proof of non– payment of this order, the rate of the social welfare payment can be reviewed and increased accordingly.
Under family law, it is possible to apply to the court for an Attachment of Earnings Order. Such an Order can be sought if the person is in employment, on a social welfare payment or on a private pension, resulting in the maintenance being deducted at the source. Under the Family Law Act 1995, it is possible to apply for this attachment at the initial maintenance hearing, if the person applying to court fears that there will be a default of maintenance.
48. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimate and actual expenditure on the wage subsidy scheme, the workplace equipment and adaptation grant, the employee retention grant and the disability awareness support scheme from 2011 to 2015 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43090/15]
View answerThe data sought by the Deputy, where available, is set out in the following tables with the latest figures.
The work place equipment adaptation grant scheme, the employee retention grant scheme and the disability awareness training scheme are demand led schemes that form part of the reasonable accommodation fund for the employment of people with disabilities. Given the small size of each of these grants, a separate estimate for each of these schemes is not set out in the revised estimates volume and only actual expenditure from 2012 onwards is available.
Table 1: Wage Subsidy Scheme
|
Year |
Estimated Budgetary expenditure (€ million) |
Actual expenditure (€ million) |
|
2011 |
11.25 |
10.06 |
|
2012 |
10.85 |
10.57 |
|
2013 |
10.85 |
11.04 |
|
2014 |
10.85 |
12.59 |
|
2015 |
10.85 |
13.84* |
* End October Figure
Table 2: Expenditure: Other Grants/Schemes
|
Year |
Employee retention grant scheme |
Workplace equipment adaptation grant scheme |
Disability Awareness Training Scheme |
|
2012 |
€4,320 |
€71,176 |
€2,430 |
|
2013 |
€0 |
€81,724 |
€834 |
|
2014 |
€0 |
€61,776 |
€3,760 |
|
2015* |
€0 |
€46,558 |
€6,214 |
* End October Figure
49. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who are availing of the internship programme in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43109/15]
View answerJobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, was introduced in July 2011 in response to the unprecedented collapse in the economy – particularly the sharp increase in unemployment and a high level of involuntary emigration and negative growth.
The scheme aims to provide unemployed people with the opportunity to secure work experience and to prove their competence to prospective employers, thereby breaking the vicious cycle of “no work, no experience; no experience, no work”.
Since the inception of JobBridge, a total of 44,551 internships have started, of which 8,192 of those internships commenced in 2015. As at 26 November, 2015, there were 4,844 individuals on an internship.
