Written Answers Nos. 234-248
234. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the way in which his Department plans to address high levels of staff turnover in the early years education sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30620/20]
View answerI am acutely aware that many services continue to report difficulties both recruiting and retaining qualified staff. The most recent data, from Pobal’s latest Early Years Sector Profile Report 2018/2019, indicates a staff turnover rate of 23% which, despite an improvement on the previous year, is unsustainably high. I have met with employee and employer representatives on a number of occasions and have listened to their concerns, including on staff turnover.
The key challenge to retaining staff is undoubtedly wages and working conditions. 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 most recent data indicates that the average hourly pay in early learning and care and school-age childcare was €12.55 in mid-2019.
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 to improve levels of staff retention. I am, however, doing all that is in my power to improve wages and working conditions in the sector. Recent measures that have been taken to assist employers to improve the pay and conditions of their staff whilst also addressing administrative demands include: a 7% increase in ECCE capitation in 2018; higher capitation payments for graduates and Inclusion Coordinators; support for school-age childcare which will make it easier to offer full-time, full-year employment contracts; and a pilot measure to fund participation in CPD.
My Department is currently working on a formulating a new funding model for the sector which may assist in improving pay, and therefore staff turnover in the sector. In addition, work is under way to develop a Workforce Development Plan, which will set out plans to raise the profile of careers in the sector and establish 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 on both the new funding model and the Workforce Development Plan on 19 August. The consultation process includes a call for submissions/survey, which ran from August to 2 October. Online consultation events are currently taking place from 12-22 October in evenings with those involved in the sector.
235. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to a cluster of Covid-19 cases in NUI Galway in the past two weeks of September 2020; and if a rise in Covid-19 cases in NUI Galway had any bearing on the decision by his Department in September 2020 to move learning in universities online for two weeks. [30419/20]
View answerOn 18 September the Higher and Further Education system in Dublin committed to minimise on-site teaching and learning, in light of the deteriorating disease situation in the county.
On 25 September the Acting Chief Medical Officer requested that consideration now be given to the introduction of similar measures to those introduced in Dublin for all HEIs nationwide to ensure safe continuation or recommencement of activities across the country.
This reflected concerns in relation to the potential impact of recommencement of campus higher education programmes on the epidemiological situation in light of emerging evidence from the UK where institutions have already re-opened and significant issues in the US when programmes recommenced there during the summer.
My Department is aware of the cluster of cases referred to by the Deputy. I am continuously engaging with my officials on this and am assured the public health guidance developed by the sector was followed. However. the introduction of the enhanced protective measures was not in response to a particular situation in any HEI, but was rather a preventative measure taken in light of the increasing number of cases nationwide.
I am aware of the cluster of cases referred to by the Deputy, but the introduction of the enhanced protective measures was not in response to a particular situation in any HEI, but was rather a preventative measure taken in light of the increasing number of cases nationwide.
This request was accepted by the relevant institutions and the enhanced protective measures are now in place in all Higher Education Institutions in the State.
236. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department is monitoring the debt levels of publicly funded universities and technological universities; the total amount and by each publicly funded university and technological university; the anticipated impact on levels of debt held by universities due to Covid-related disruption to the 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26804/20]
View answerIrish Universities have autonomy to borrow in their own name within a framework to be agreed with the HEA, the Dept of Finance and Dept of Public Expenditure and Reform. Section 38 of the Universities Act, 1997 states that:
(1) A university may borrow money by means of bank overdraft or otherwise and may guarantee or underwrite a loan taken or borrowing undertaken by a person or a body of persons.
(2) Borrowing, guaranteeing and underwriting under subsection (1) shall be in accordance with a framework which shall be agreed from time to time between the universities and An tÚdarás, following consultation by An tÚdarás with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Finance.
The intent of the framework is as follows:
- That a university can engage in borrowing, underwriting and guaranteeing activities provided that they impose no threat to, and do not create any contingent liabilities for, the public purse.
- To ensure that the capacity of a university to function effectively is not endangered.
- That advanced approval by An tÚdarás or the ministers, of individual instances of borrowing, underwriting or guaranteeing by a university would not be required.
University borrowing arising from fully self-financed or tax financed projects approved under the Finance Acts, are not subject to the borrowing limit established under this framework and may take place provided the servicing of those borrowings has no impact on the annual income of the University. Universities are required to submit details of their Framework and non-Framework borrowings to the HEA on an annual basis.
The University Borrowings as at 30-09-2019 are as follows:
|
University |
Framework |
Non-Framework |
Total |
|
UCD |
€13,620,179 |
€43,921,768 |
€57,541,947 |
|
UCC |
€58,274,223 |
€46,560,000 |
€104,834,223 |
|
NUI Galway |
€0 |
€59,133,000 |
€59,133,000 |
|
MU |
€0 |
€73,283,375 |
€73,283,375 |
|
TCD |
€90,694,876 |
€176,541,264 |
€267,236,140 |
|
UL |
€4,849,686 |
€98,595,761 |
€103,445,447 |
|
DCU |
€56,030,000 |
€19,970,000 |
€76,000,000 |
|
Total |
€223,468,964 |
€518,005,168 |
€741,474,132 |
There is no borrowing framework in place for the Technological Universities or Institutes of Technology.
Covid-19
Since the onset of Covid-19 in March, the Department, the Higher Education Authority have collaborated with key stakeholders, including the institutes and representative bodies from the sector, to address the financial impacts of Covid 19 on the sector, including costs associated with the safe commencement of the 2020/21 academic year in line with Public Health advice.
To alleviate the financial impact I have allocated €168 million in funding to support further and higher education institutions in a safe return to education and additional resources to support students. For the Education providers under the remit of my Department, the allocation includes funding towards Support to Front line response; Immediate ICT costs relating to online provision; Health and Safety Costs and Research costs.
Additionally, on 24th July as part of the government’s announcement on the stimulus package an additional funding allocation of €47.5m for higher-education skills-related programmes has been provided.
I will continue to work with further and higher education providers, agencies and key stakeholders to mitigate the additional pressures faced as a result of covid-19.
237. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide details on the process a person (details supplied) could follow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30369/20]
View answerApplications for free fees are assessed by higher education institutions. Under the Free Fees Initiative the Exchequer meets the cost of tuition fees of eligible students pursuing an approved full-time undergraduate course of study in an approved institution in the State. Eligible students must meet the terms of the scheme including the nationality and residency clauses.
Students must hold inter alia Irish/EU/EEA/Swiss/UK nationality or certain permissions to reside in the state as granted by the Minister for Justice in their own right and have been ordinarily resident in Ireland or an EU/EEA/Swiss/UK state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course.
Where undergraduate students do not qualify for free fees funding they must pay the appropriate fee, either EU or Non-EU, as determined by each higher education institution. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and therefore the criteria governing the level of fee payable by students (EU or non-EU) is a matter for the relevant institution to determine in line with its own criteria.
Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
The nationality requirements for the Student Grant Scheme are set out in Section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations 2020. To qualify for a student grant, it is the candidate's nationality or his/her immigration status in the State that determines whether or not he/she meets the nationality requirement outlined in the Act and Regulations.
With regard to the residency criterion, in order to be eligible for a grant, a "student", as defined in Section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011, must demonstrate that he/she has been resident in the State for at least three years out of the five year period ending on the day before the start of his/her approved course of study.
Article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme 2020 provides for a review of eligibility for the award of a grant in the event of a change of circumstances in the academic year, including a change in relation to a student's nationality or immigration status. Where a student acquires Irish citizenship by naturalisation, or is granted one of the permission to remain criterion provided for in the Act or Regulations during the course of their studies, he/she may apply to SUSI to have his/her application re-assessed.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.
SUSI’s online application process for student grant applications for the 2020/21 academic year opened on 23rd April, 2020. The closing date for receipt of late applications by SUSI is 5th November, 2020.
238. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on college fees for the academic year in view of university and college institutions not being fully utilised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30471/20]
View answerUnder 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.
I am very conscious of the impact of the pandemic has had on our students. To ensure the safety of our students and staff in further and higher education, the majority of college will be online for this semester and we will provide financial assistance through a once off €50 million fund. My officials and I are developing the process on how this once-off fund will operate for submission to Government prior to commencement. Once finalized the details will be available for students.
Additionally Budget 2021 will provide further funding to provide enhanced SUSI grant supports for post-grads and increased support for the PATH access initiative to increase participation in Higher Education from the most economically disadvantaged students.
This builds on the specific student supports in response to Covid, which I announced in July including the provision of additional student assistance including a doubling of the Student Assistance Fund, and a €15 million technology fund for devices for students in further and higher education to assist with difficulties in accessing technology to facilitate their course work in a blended capacity. These supports are being distributed through the colleges and further education providers.
Our higher education sector is continuing to operate through intensified protective measures which were announced on 25th September in line with public health advice. This has meant that on-site activity will be minimised so long as these measures are in place. While I appreciate that this may be disappointing for students who had hoped to have as much time on campus as possible, these measures are necessary if the spread of the Coronavirus is to be halted.
These measures will be reviewed as the public health situation evolves, and I, my Department, and the Higher Education Institutions will continue to act in the best interests of students and staff.
Furthermore, the delivery of further and higher education in the context of Covid-19 will cost the providers more not less. The Government has provided additional funding in the amount of €168m to support the return of students to further and higher education and the additional funding provided for student supports will be of assistance to many students particularly those with the least financial resources.
The Programme for Government undertakes to provide a long term sustainable funding model for higher education. In addition the range of student supports operated by SUSI will be subject to review as announced in Budget 2021. An important objective will be to ensure access to and continued participation in higher education by students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
I will continue to work with further and higher education providers, agencies and key stakeholders including student representatives to mitigate the additional pressures faced as a result of covid-19.
239. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice if Store Street and Mountjoy Garda stations are open 24 hours per] day seven days per week in view of the rise in antisocial behaviour in the north inner city area of Dublin. [30375/20]
View answer240. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice if the number of gardaí has been increased in the north inner city area of Dublin in view of the increase in antisocial behaviour and crime in the area. [30376/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 240 together.
The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and deployment of resources. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use.
The resources provided by Government to An Garda Síochána have reached unprecedented levels, with an allocation of €1.88 billion for 2020 and of €1.952 billion in Budget 2021. This level of investment is enabling sustained, ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff. There are now over 14,600 Gardaí nationwide, supported by over 3,000 Garda staff. Taken together, this number of Garda members and staff is delivering a significant growth in operational policing hours nationwide.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of Gardaí stationed in the North Inner City/DMR North Central area as of 30 September 2020 is 681. This is an increase of 70 since the end of December 2017, or 11.5%. I am further informed that both Store Street and Mountjoy Stations are open on a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week basis. Local Garda management are satisfied that there are sufficient resources available in the North Inner City area to efficiently address the rise in anti-social behaviour.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Covid-19 crisis has shown how proactive and collaborative community engagement by community services and An Garda Síochána can improve the condition of peoples’ lives. For example, since the onset of the Covid-19 restrictions, Gardaí attached to Store Street Garda Station have increased engagement with the more vulnerable members of society in the North East Inner City area of Dublin, through volunteer services, service providers and on an individual basis.
As part of the implementation of the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, my Department is devising a policy on a whole-of-Government approach to community safety which aims to help foster local communities that are safer for families, residents and businesses and that feel more secure.
The Deputy may wish to know that detailed information in relation to Garda numbers is available on my Department’s website. This information is updated every month with the latest data provided by An Garda Síochána, at the following link:
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/002_Garda_Numbers_by_Division_District_and_Station_2009_to_August_2020.xlsx/Files/002_Garda_Numbers_by_Division_District_and_Station_2009_to_August_2020.xlsx
Additional information on Garda staff, the Garda Workforce and other relevant statistics are available at the following link:
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/An_Garda_Siochana_facts_and_figures .
241. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice the full-year cost of recruiting three additional full-time accountants for the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30431/20]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including the training of its members and Garda staff. The Commissioner is also responsible for the effective and efficient use of the resources available to An Garda Síochána, in light of identified operational demands. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.
However, in order to be of assistance, I have contacted Garda authorities and been informed that the estimated full year cost of recruiting three additional full-time accountants for the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau would be approximately €210,801 (€70,267 per person).
I am further advised by the Garda authorities that this estimated costing relies on the assumption of three full-time accountants being placed on the first point of the relevant salary scale and includes employer's PRSI at a rate of 11.05%.
242. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Justice if a scheme of grants will be reintroduced for community alert schemes to erect cameras. [30472/20]
View answerSince 2017, my Department has administered a grant aid scheme supporting groups wishing to establish a community-based CCTV system in their area. To date, 29 applications have been approved under the scheme, involving approved grants awarded totalling more than €752,000. Eligible groups, including community groups and local authorities nationwide, can apply for grant aid of up to 60% of the total capital cost of a proposed CCTV system, up to a maximum total of €40,000.
As the Deputy may be aware, last year the grant aid scheme was extended to cover not only new CCTV systems but also to allow funding applications for extension or upgrade of existing Community CCTV systems which are incomplete or obsolete. Applicants can now also seek a once-off grant of up to €5,000 for minor maintenance costs.
Recognising the value of these schemes in helping in the detection of crime in local areas, €1m in funding has been provided for the continuation of this scheme in Budget 2021.
My Department also provides funding to Muintir na Tíre for purposes including Text Alert/Community Alert groups nationwide.
243. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Justice the status of citizenship applications by persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30511/20]
View answerThe application for a certificate of naturalisation from one of the persons referred to by the Deputy has been approved. The certificate fee and final documents have been requested by the Citizenship Division of the Immigration Service of my Department in correspondence dated 5 October 2020. The processing of the second application remains ongoing at this time.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. The nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the Immigration Service of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
244. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice if she had discussions or engagements with palliative care consultants or medical professionals prior to the Dáil Éireann votes on the Dying with Dignity Bill 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30514/20]
View answerThe issue of assisted dying is a very complex issue which gives rise to medical, ethical and moral issues, as well as criminal justice and constitutional issues.
It was for this reason that I, along with my colleague the Minister for Health, Mr. Stephen Donnelly T.D., tabled a timed amendment to the Dying with Dignity Bill seeking to refer it to a special committee to allow for the complex issues arising to be considered in detail and for hearings to be convened by an Oireachtas Committee which would ensure that expert witnesses could be called to give evidence. However, this amendment was not adopted, and the Bill then passed second stage.
The Bill as originally proposed will now proceed to pre-committee scrutiny where it will be examined section by section. The detailed process at pre-committee will afford an opportunity for the provisions of the proposed PMB to be fully debated.
While the Bill as proposed does provide a number of safeguards, including that the process is medically led and that the person must be terminally ill, there are still important issues that will need to be considered as the Bill progresses through the legislative process. Of utmost importance will be ensuring that the competing interests of the individual are balanced with the wider public interest in safeguarding people who are nearing the end of their lives and who might be vulnerable and at risk of abuse.
There is a vital public interest in protecting vulnerable people, which we want to ensure, and it is important that the Oireachtas takes its time to consider the proposed law in its entirety, including all of the necessary procedures and safeguards that should be provided if the Bill is to be adopted. The views of all stakeholders, and in particular of medical professionals and palliative care consultants, will be an important part of the considerations that feed into this process.
I can inform the Deputy that I did not have any discussions or engagements with palliative care consultants or medical professionals prior to the Dáil Éireann votes on the Dying with Dignity Bill 2020. I can confirm that a number of submissions were sent into my Department in relation to the Private Members Bill prior to the vote, a small number of which were from palliative care consultants and medical professionals.
245. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice her plans to extend visitor visas to Ireland again due to the continued worldwide Covid-19 crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30531/20]
View answerOn 18 September 2020, I announced a further temporary extension of immigration and international protection permissions. This applies to immigration, including Short Stay Visitor Visas, and international protection permissions to reside in the State that are due to expire between 20 September 2020 and 20 January 2021, and supplements all previous extension notices.
While the Extension Notices are specifically intended to cover people with permission to reside in Ireland, if a visitor has permission to be in the State and this is due to expire between 20 September 2020 and 20 January 2021, then their permission is renewed until 20 January 2021 on the same conditions given to them upon arrival, i.e. if they currently hold a visitors’ permission, they may not take up employment in the State.
Any applications for visitor (short stay) visas from persons outside of the State are not being accepted currently except in specific circumstances. This is in line with public health advice and the approach adopted in other EU Member States during the pandemic.
Further details are available in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document located on the Immigration Service website at: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Immigration-Service-Delivery-Covid-19-FAQ4.pdf/Files/Immigration-Service-Delivery-Covid-19-FAQ4.pdf
246. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice if information pertaining to the rights associated with community rights of way will be provided. [30540/20]
View answerThe Property Registration Authority (PRA) is responsible for registering ownership of land in the State, including appurtenant rights attaching to land such as rights of access and rights of way. This statutory function is conferred on the PRA under the Registration of Deeds and Title Acts 1964 and 2006. These Acts make provision for the making of more detailed statutory rules setting out the procedures to be followed when registering land, including the ownership proofs that the PRA requires in order to complete the registration process. These statutory rules are set out collectively in the Land Registration Rules and are accessible on the PRA website (www.prai.ie).
Statutory responsibility for the PRA, and land registration policy, now rests with the Minister and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
247. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of schools nationally that have had outbreaks of Covid-19 among students since the schools reopened in September 2020. [30420/20]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
248. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the options available to a person (details supplied) to cover the cost of a nursing home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30370/20]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
