Patrick Costello
Question:182. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the number of young persons in care who turned 18 years of age between 2016 and 2019 by LHO area. [27388/20]
View answerChildren in Care
Questions (182)
Written answers
The Deputy is asking about an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct reply be provided in due course.
Children in Care
Questions (183)
Patrick Costello
Question:183. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the number of young persons receiving an aftercare allowance by LHO area. [27389/20]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy is asking about an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct reply be provided in due course.
Children in Care
Questions (184)
Patrick Costello
Question:184. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the number of children in care without an allocated social worker by LHO area. [27390/20]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy. In addition, the Deputy may find Tusla's Data Hub a useful resource for information.
https://data.tusla.ie/
Children in Care
Questions (185)
Patrick Costello
Question:185. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the number of children in care placed outside their area of origin by LHO area. [27391/20]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy is asking about an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct reply be provided in due course.
Departmental Contracts
Questions (186)
Matt Carthy
Question:186. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the amount spent on media monitoring services by his Department; if the role is provided by private contract operators or in-house services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27566/20]
View answerWritten answers
To date in 2020, my Department has spent €4,261.05 on media monitoring services. The services are provided by Media Watch Ltd., trading as Kantar Media, a private company. Media monitoring services are not provided in-house.
My Department's overall objective in this regard is to keep costs of this nature to a minimum and media monitoring services are only used when deemed necessary in the course of Departmental activity.
Childcare Services
Questions (187)
Joe Carey
Question:187. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the progress made to establish childcare Ireland; his plans to establish career pathways including professional pay and conditions for childcare educators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27630/20]
View answerWritten answers
The Government has committed to establishing a dedicated agency, Childcare Ireland which was outlined in the 2020 Programme for Government. It is envisaged that Childcare Ireland will assist in expanding high quality childcare, best practice and innovation in community and private childcare settings. Childcare Ireland will also be tasked with developing career paths for childcare staff and for expansion of the Early Years Curriculum, Síolta.
In 'First Five, the Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families', published in November 2018, the Department committed to complete a comprehensive review of the operating model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) in this country.
The review's objective is to ensure that the operating system is equipped to implement the Departmental policy to the scale and standards required in a sector which has seen substantial growth in the past two decades, with the citizens of Ireland at its heart as core beneficiaries.
The final operating system will support high quality, accessible and affordable ELC and SAC services to children and families through the efficient and effective administration of a number of programmes, schemes, quality initiatives, and other functions such a compliance and communications.
This operating model will support service providers, operate transparently and accountably, provide value for money to the Exchequer and demonstrate good governance. The model will also enable appropriate linkages and effective working relationships with all other agencies and Departments charged with delivering better outcomes for children and families.
Preparatory work for the review has been undertaken and the first meeting of the Interdepartmental Group to oversee the review will take place in October. The review will conclude in July 2021. The review will be led by the Department, with appropriate assistance from external bodies, secured by tender. In addition, the Department will engage with all relevant stakeholders during the process.
The review will aim to explore a variety of options in relation to how best the ELC and SAC operating system can be overseen by the DCYA in the coming years. It is envisaged that the analysis carried out through the review will provide a robust evidence base to inform a decision concerning the establishment of Childcare Ireland and the range of functions it may provide and ultimately the role it will play in the Childcare sector.
I acknowledge that low pay and poor working conditions in the sector remain a serious concern and impact on the quality of provision to children through their effect on the recruitment and retention of qualified staff. The lack of consistency of care caused by high staff turnover impacts directly on quality, while low wages are a constraint on plans to upskill and professionalise the workforce. I have met with employee and employer representatives on a number of occasions and have listened to their concerns.
However, as the State is not the employer, my Department does not pay the wages of staff working in early learning and care settings, and cannot set wage levels or determine working conditions for these staff.
In terms of policy approaches, work continues to progress the Workforce Development Plan, which will set out plans to raise the profile of careers in the sector, establishing role profiles, career pathways, qualifications requirements, and associated policy mechanisms along with leadership development opportunities and working towards a more gender-balanced and diverse workforce.
I launched an extensive consultation with the sector on the Workforce Development Plan on 19 August. The consultation process includes a call for submissions/survey which is available to anyone who wishes to provide feedback. On 22 September, I addressed an online information webinar on the consultation process, which was very well attended. This event provided an update to the sector on the consultation process and how those working in the sector can take part.
Early Childhood Care and Education
Questions (188)
Kathleen Funchion
Question:188. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if he is satisfied there is sufficient capacity in the early years and school-age childcare system in view of the impact that Covid-19 has had on settings; the details of notifications of closures issued to Tusla for early years settings by service type and county since January 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27633/20]
View answerWritten answers
The reopening of the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector and the resumption of services has been positive to date.
Undoubtedly, the stimulus package provided by my Department has been critical to sustain capacity in their sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme, which operated from April to June, enabled participating providers to retain almost 23,000 staff. A funding package to support the reopening of services from 29 June enabled the majority (approximately 95%) of services the ordinarily operate during the summer months to do so. There is strong evidence to suggest that further supports secured in August for the sector have ensured that capacity in the sector has been retained.
So far in this new programme year, 4,331 (95% of all services) have signed a funding agreement with my Department to operate at least one of the ELC and SAC funding schemes and child registrations for ECCE, NCS, CCS and TEC are higher than the same period last year. There have also been 4,044 applications for the capital grant and 3,832 applications for the reopening support payment with a combined payment to services of almost €26 million.
While some of these settings may reduce capacity depending on their layout to implement public health guidance, there is no required capacity reduction owing to COVID-19. The Regulations in relation to the adult-child ratios and the floor-space requirements for ELC or SAC services have not been amended. This decision was based on advice provided by the HPSC. Most services should be able to comply with the public health advice with no or little reduction in numbers of places.
In respect of closures, where a registered early learning and care service decides to close, they are obliged, in line with the requirements of the Child Care Act 1991 (as amended by Part 12 of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013) to notify the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate of their planned closure. This data is collated and verified by Tusla on a rolling monthly basis. On this basis, 130 services that were on the Early Years Register reported permanent closure to Tusla between January and end of August 2020 (see Tables below for breakdown). This compares to 133 for the same period last year.
Separately, Tusla have also reported that 9 standalone school-age childcare services have closed this year, though there is no comparable data for 2019 as registrations for School Age Services only began during 2019.
Looking further at capacity, additional data from Tusla indicates that 53 new services have opened this year to date, compared to 56 by the same time last year. It is also known that overall capacity has grown by approximately 60% over the last 5 years and the average service size has grown from 33 in 2014, to 47 in 2019.
Closure Tables:
|
Cessations by County: January – August 2020 |
|
|
County |
Number of Cessations |
|
Clare |
1 |
|
Cork |
17 |
|
Donegal |
1 |
|
Dublin |
43 |
|
Galway |
5 |
|
Kerry |
2 |
|
Kildare |
13 |
|
Kilkenny |
4 |
|
Laois |
1 |
|
Leitrim |
1 |
|
Limerick |
3 |
|
Louth |
2 |
|
Mayo |
3 |
|
Meath |
9 |
|
Monaghan |
1 |
|
Offaly |
2 |
|
Roscommon |
2 |
|
Sligo |
1 |
|
Tipperary |
1 |
|
Waterford |
3 |
|
Westmeath |
5 |
|
Wexford |
3 |
|
Wicklow |
7 |
|
Grand Total |
130 |
|
Cessations by Service Type: January – August 2020 |
|
|
Service Type |
Number of Cessations |
|
Childminder |
4 |
|
Drop-In |
2 |
|
Full Day |
25 |
|
Part Time |
14 |
|
Sessional |
85 |
|
Grand Total |
130 |
Departmental Expenditure
Questions (189)
Catherine Murphy
Question:189. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the amount expended on access to online and hard-copy media publications since May 2020 to date; and the breakdown of online and hard-copy subscriptions, including the publications to which his Department subscribes. [27635/20]
View answerWritten answers
The amount expended by the Department on access to online and hardcopy media publications since May 2020 is €10,793.25, and is broken down as follows:
|
- |
Title |
Spend (€) Since May 2020 |
|
Hardcopy |
Officedrop Ltd |
41.58 |
|
Digital |
National Licensing Authority |
6935.11 |
|
|
Reach Ltd |
59.97 |
|
|
Independent Ltd |
277.98 |
|
|
Industrial Relations News |
719.40 |
|
|
Kantar |
2759.21 |
|
Total |
|
10,793.25 |
Departmental Contracts
Questions (190)
Catherine Murphy
Question:190. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if he has engaged a third-party company in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020 to conduct media monitoring and-or provide reports on media coverage of his Department; and if so, the costs of same and the companies engaged. [27653/20]
View answerWritten answers
The Department has had a contract in place with Media Watch Ltd., trading as Kantar Media, for the years 2017 to-date. The contract is for the monitoring of print, online, social and broadcast media and covers all issues that are relevant to the duties and responsibilities of the Department. The majority of the costs, as set out below, and borne under the contract are for the provision of daily press cuttings from national newspapers.
|
Year |
Cost (€) |
|
2017 |
5990.38 |
|
2018 |
4297.58 |
|
2019 |
3814.58 |
|
2020 (up to 28/09/2020) |
4261.05 |
National Childcare Scheme
Questions (191)
Cathal Crowe
Question:191. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the reason many parents are experiencing delays in drawing down financial assistance under the national childcare scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27680/20]
View answerWritten answers
The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) was first launched in November 2019. There are currently over 30,200 children who are subject to a claim by childcare providers. This is the highest number of child registrations on NCS to date and in comparative terms more children are registered for my Department’s schemes overall than were registered at the same time last year.
The online application process for the NCS has been designed to be accessible, intuitive and user-friendly. The flexibility of the NCS means that the Scheme is designed to recognise that childcare needs are different for each family. As such, depending on the particular application type and family circumstances of an applicant, the process flow and processing time can vary between applicants.
The NCS offers a flexible application process, with a variety of assessment options for parents. For income-based applications, the quickest way for a parent to have their income assessed is to use the 'Fast Track' option online. Fast Track assessment will gather information from Revenue and DEASP for the most recent year that full income information is available. In general this is either last year or the year before. This requires a verified MyGovID account and families can apply directly at www.ncs.gov.ie.
A parent can choose not to Fast Track their assessment if their income has decreased significantly from the previous tax year or if they want to opt out of an automatic assessment. This will require the parent to upload documents to support the application. The NCS advises parents choosing this option the assessment will take longer to process than Fast Track assessments.
Parents who do not wish or are unable to submit an online application for the NCS may submit a paper application instead. Parents can apply offline by requesting a postal application form by contacting the NCS Parent Support Centre on 01-9068530.
An application will take longer to process where the Scheme Administrator is awaiting further documents to be submitted by the applicant. The system allows for a partially completed application to remain active for some time.
Following the application process, a parent will receive a ‘CHICK’. Parents must bring this CHICK to their childcare provider in order for their child to be registered for the NCS. NCS subsidies can only be paid once a CHICK has been registered by a childcare provider, and the parent has confirmed on the NCS system that all details are correct.
My Department is not aware of any significant technical issues with the registration of children on the NCS system by childcare providers which would impact the payment of NCS subsidies for parents. A small number of issues have arisen which have been quickly resolved. Such issues are normal within any new system and are being ironed out as they arise.
Pobal as Scheme Administrator, under the oversight of my Department, will continue to monitor the service delivery times and take appropriate measures to speed up processing times where necessary and bring efficiencies to bear on what is still a relatively new scheme.
If the Deputy is aware of specific issues being experienced by individual parents I would encourage him to refer them to the NCS Parent Support Centre on 01 906 8530. Childcare providers experiencing difficulties in registering children on the NCS can be referred to Pobal’s Early Years Provider Centre by contacting eypc@pobal.ie or calling 01 511 7222.
Third Level Costs
Questions (192)
John McGuinness
Question:192. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide funding to those taking up private third-level courses who are on very limited incomes and who are upskilling to seek alternative employment due to changes to their employment circumstances caused by Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27475/20]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Department's student grant scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme. The definition of an approved institution is set out in Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 3 of the Student Support Regulations 2020.
In the context of scarce resources, the Department prioritises grants to students attending recognised colleges ahead of private fee paying colleges. It is open to higher education institutions that operate on a 'for profit' basis to use their own resources to provide financial supports to any of their students that they consider to be in particular need.
In the context of a person re-educating, Springboard is a specific initiative that strategically targets funding of free part-time higher education courses to enable unemployed people, returners (formerly referred to as homemakers) and those in employment to upskill or reskill in areas where there are identified labour market skills shortages or employment opportunities. The courses, which are at Level 6 (Higher Certificate) to Level 9 (Master's Degree) on the National Framework of Qualifications, are being delivered in public and private higher education providers around the country. Further information may be obtained from the website https://springboardcourses.ie/.
Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student's local Tax office or from the Revenue Commissioners website, www.revenue.ie.
Third Level Education
Questions (193)
Jennifer Whitmore
Question:193. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of persons who have achieved a QQI level 5 qualification or higher in childcare, early childhood education and care or Montessori in each of the years 2000 to 2010 and in each of the years 2010 to 2019 and to date in 2020, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27505/20]
View answerWritten answers
The information as requested by the Deputy is not readily available within the Department.
My Department is in the process of working with agencies to collect and collate the data in question and will revert with a reply to the Deputy directly as soon as it is received.
Student Support Schemes
Questions (194)
Brendan Griffin
Question:194. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the laptop scheme for third-level students will be extended to Teagasc students; if the estimated cost of the measure will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27620/20]
View answerWritten answers
Requests for funding for Teagasc students is a matter for the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.
I have been in contact with my colleague the Minister for Agriculture on this matter and I will refer your query to him for direct response.
Student Support Schemes
Questions (195)
Rose Conway-Walsh
Question:195. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the eligibility criteria for applying for laptops funded by his Department in response to the Covid-19 pandemic (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27510/20]
View answerWritten answers
As part of a package of COVID supports for the higher and further education sector approved by Government on 22 July 2020, my Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has allocated €15 million of capital funding for a once-off Covid-19 Grant to support disadvantaged students in accessing ICT devices. This grant is being made available to further and higher education institutions. The institutions are using the grant funding to purchase devices to support disadvantaged students who are encountering challenges in accessing devices for online and blended learning. The distribution of the devices will be via appropriate lending schemes, and the associated terms and conditions, will be a matter for each individual further or higher education provider.
Students should contact the access office of the institution they attend for further information.
Student Universal Support Ireland
Questions (196)
Rose Conway-Walsh
Question:196. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost of taking account for the interaction between increasing the income threshold for SUSI grants by 10%, increasing the SUSI maintenance grant by 10% and reducing student contribution charges by €500, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27511/20]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy will be aware that there are various income thresholds used depending on the type of grant, family size etc. While SUSI has statistics on those students who have applied for grant support and can estimate with some degree of certainty, what impact changes to the thresholds might have for those students on lower income levels, the accuracy of its estimates become less reliable at the higher income levels. Prospective applicants on higher incomes may not have applied for support as their income was above the relevant threshold. As such, it is not possible to accurately cost the number of additional students who may qualify for support, if the thresholds are increased.
Allowing for the limitations regarding the accuracy of the costings, it is estimated that a 10% increase would cost in the region of €20m.
The above figures do not include any changes to the income thresholds for the special rate of maintenance grants which are linked to long-term social welfare payments nor do they include any changes to the post-graduate income thresholds.
The estimated cost of increasing the student maintenance grant rates by 10% would cost in the region of €17m.
Under the Department’s free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate Higher Education students with students paying the student contribution.
The student contribution fee is currently set at €3,000 per annum and can be paid in instalments. The State pays the contribution in full or part, through SUSI, for approximately 44% of students eligible for free fees funding.
Based on data in relation to 19/20 and expected demographic increase the estimated additional cost to the Exchequer for reducing the student contribution at the rate of €500 for the 2020/21 academic year is €40.3m.
The above figures are the estimated net cost to the Exchequer factoring in the subsequent estimated reduction in the SUSI Student Grant budget.
The costs for the Exchequer of reducing the student contribution would increase in line with the demographic increases expected in the coming years up to 2030.
My Department is undertaking a comprehensive economic review currently which is progressing under the European Commission DG Reform’s Structural Reform Support Programme. This review is focussed on Increasing the Future Sustainability of Higher and Further Education Provision in Ireland. The review encompasses an assessment of the funding options for higher education included in the 2016 (Cassells) Report of the Expert Group on Future Funding of Higher Education which includes the student contribution charge. The study is scheduled to be substantially complete in Q4 2020.
Institutes of Technology
Questions (197)
Alan Kelly
Question:197. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the construction of the Limerick Institute of Technology Coonagh site in Limerick City; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27512/20]
View answerWritten answers
The development of the LIT Coonagh facility includes two phases of works, an enabling works package and the fit-out works of the former retail development on the site.
The enabling works package reached substantial completion in September 2020. The final design and the tender package for the fit-out phase has been completed by LIT and is currently under review by the Higher Education Authority.
Departmental Expenditure
Questions (198)
Matt Carthy
Question:198. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount spent on media monitoring services by his Department; if the role is provided by private contract operators or in-house services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27567/20]
View answerWritten answers
There has been no expenditure to date on media monitoring services / private contract operators / in-house services by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
Departmental Expenditure
Questions (199)
Catherine Murphy
Question:199. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount expended on access to online and hard-copy media publications since May 2020 to date; and the breakdown of online and hard-copy subscriptions, including the publications to which his Department subscribes. [27643/20]
View answerWritten answers
There has been no expenditure to date on media monitoring services, online or hard copy subscriptions since May 2020 by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science”.
Departmental Contracts
Questions (200)
Catherine Murphy
Question:200. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has engaged a third-party company in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020 to conduct media monitoring and-or provide reports on media coverage of his Department; and if so, the costs of same and the companies engaged. [27661/20]
View answerWritten answers
There has been no expenditure to date on third party companies to conduct media monitoring or on services to provide reports on media coverage by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in the periods in question.
Coroners Service
Questions (201, 202)
Brendan Howlin
Question:201. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice the status of section 60 of the Coroners Act 1962 (as amended) and applications by family members to coroners under the section (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27432/20]
View answerBrendan Howlin
Question:202. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice the status of section 60 of the Coroners Act 1962 (as amended) and the need for procedures (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27433/20]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 201 and 202 together.
The Coroners Act 1962, Section 60 (inserted by Section 24(b) of the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013) sets out the procedure for the application for legal aid and advice by a family member at an inquest.
Section 60(1) requires a coroner to determine a request for legal aid or advice made to them by a family member of the deceased. The section does not specify any particular family member as defined under section 2 of the Coroner Acts 1962.
The range of matters that the coroner is required to take into account in their determination is set out in section 60(5). That determination does not include a requirement to determine the financial eligibility of the applicant family member by the Coroner. Information relating to the scheme is available on the Legal Aid Board website.
I have supplied details of applications granted by the Legal Aid Board and the assistance provided in my response to Question No. 24471/20 on 17th September, 2020. The additional data sought by the Deputy is not provided by Coroners to my Department, and is therefore not available.
The Deputy will be aware that the coroner is independent in the conduct of his or her statutory functions and I have no role in that regard, including in the process set out in section 60 of the Coroners Act 1962.