Written Answers Nos. 587-613
587. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) qualifies for five weeks' non-contributory old age payment in respect of the person's spouse who recently passed away; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1628/21]
View answerWhere a recipient of State Pension (contributory or non-contributory ) dies and their spouse/civil-partner/cohabitant is receiving a State Pension in their own right, the surviving recipient has an entitlement to a six weeks after-death payment.
As the deceased spouse of the person concerned was in receipt of State Pension (non-contributory), the person concerned qualifies for a six weeks after-death payment, and this payment will issue shortly.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
588. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) qualifies for an exceptional needs payment in respect of the person's spouse's funeral expenses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1629/21]
View answerMy officials have advised that an application form for an Emergency Needs Payment (ENP) and a request for information issued to the person concerned on 06/01/2021.
On receipt of the completed application form and any relevant supporting documentation, the ENP application will be assessed and a decision will issue to the person concerned.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
589. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding increasing staff in the social welfare appeals office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1670/21]
View answerMy Department, like all Government departments and agencies, is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget.
The staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed, taking account of workloads, management priorities and the ongoing need to respond to new demands across a wide range of services. This is to ensure that the best use is made of available resources with a view to providing an efficient service to those who rely on the schemes operated by the Department. In this regard, an additional 7 Appeals Officers have been assigned to the Appeals Office since 2018. At the end of December 2020 there were a total of 85 (81.95 FTE) staff assigned to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The figure for full time equivalents (FTE) takes account of staff that avail of work-share options.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
590. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in processing a person's (details supplied) pandemic unemployment payment; and if the payment will be processed and awarded without further delay. [1674/21]
View answerFollowing a review of the application made by the person concerned for a Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) his claim has been awarded with effect from 13/10/2020 at a rate of €203 per week.
A payment will issue to the nominated bank account of the person concerned on Tuesday, 19/01/2021 and any arrears due will issue in the coming weeks.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
591. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a disability allowance for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1691/21]
View answerFollowing a review of the entitlement of the person concerned, her claim was suspended as she failed to supply the information required in order to assess her entitlement.
Following the submission of this information by the person concerned, their case has been reviewed and their disability allowance (DA) has been re-instated with effect from 7 October 2020. The first payment will be made on 13 January 2021.
Arrears of payment due have been calculated and will issue to the person concerned with the first weekly payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
592. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection when further pandemic unemployment payment arrears will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1709/21]
View answerThe person concerned is due Pandemic Unemployment Payment rerate arrears for the periods 26th June 2020 to the 9th of July 2020 and also from the 9th October 2020 to the 5th November 2020.
There has been a technical issue with rerate arrears being paid to customers for dates prior to the 06/11/2020. It is envisaged that these arrears will be paid in January 2021.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
593. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if a contributory pension will be awarded to a person (details supplied). [1716/21]
View answerThe person concerned applied for their State pension (contributory) on 18 September 2020 and will reach pension age on 18 February 2021. They were awarded the maximum rate of pension with effect from their 66th birthday. They were notified in writing of this decision on 8 January 2021.
The legislation confirming pension age as 66 was enacted on 22 December 2020.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
594. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Social Protection the numbers of persons who accessed the pandemic unemployment payment during 2020. [1726/21]
View answerDue to the nature of the public health crisis, the numbers in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) have fluctuated over time. At the end of March, 283,129 people received a PUP; at the end of June, 438,933 people received a PUP; at the end of September 217,142 people received a PUP; and at the end of December, 335,599 people received a PUP.
In total, over the course of the year, some 784,551 people received a PUP on at least one occasion.
595. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is an even distribution of resources and funding supplied to the MABS services nationwide or if there are disparities between counties. [1756/21]
View answerThe Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, (CIB) is the State's money advice service and provides assistance to people, in particular those on low incomes or living on social welfare payments, who are over-indebted. As part of its free services, MABS also provides help and advice to those in mortgage arrears, and administers the Abhaile service.
Since the restructuring of the governance arrangements of the 51 local MABS into eight regional companies in October 2018, funding and resources are distributed on a regional basis. Each MABS regional company is overseen by a voluntary Board, which aims to ensure that the provision of, and access to, MABS is consistent and fair across the entire region.
Under this model, all clients in a region have access to all the resources of the entire region and can contact any money advisor in that region about their case by phone, email, online chat or through video conferencing.
In relation to funding and resources, the table below sets out the budget allocation for each of the eight regional MABS companies in 2021. Approximately 90% of each budget allocation corresponds to approved staffing allocations and premises footprints, which varies from each regional company to another, based on their size and demographic reach. The remainder (10%) consists of administrative costs that are common to all regional companies, for example, travel and subsistence, professional fees and training and these are consistent across all services and regions.
|
MABS Regional Company |
Budget Allocation 2021 € |
|
MABS Operating Grants - North Dublin |
2,679,553 |
|
MABS Operating Grants - Dublin South |
2,882,701 |
|
MABS Operating Grants - North Connacht & Ulster |
1,875,000 |
|
MABS Operating Grants - South Connacht |
1,454,607 |
|
MABS Operating Grants - South Munster |
2,006,037 |
|
MABS Operating Grants - North Munster |
2,280,275 |
|
MABS Operating Grants - North Leinster |
1,852,887 |
|
MABS Operating Grants - South Leinster |
2,102,037 |
|
Total Allocation |
€17,133,097 |
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
596. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a widow's pension could made available to a long-time partner of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1757/21]
View answerI am advised that the Department has no record of receiving an application from the person concerned for a Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension. Therefore, the Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on this particular case.
However, in general terms, the following are important points to note.
The Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) pension is paid to the husband, wife or surviving civil partner of a deceased person and is available to those who satisfy the necessary PRSI contribution conditions, either on their own record or on that of the deceased spouse or civil partner, provided the applicant is not cohabiting.
The legal context governing relationships such as marriage or civil partnership is regulated by the Minister for Justice. Entering into a marriage or civil partnership is a legal act, which confers both rights and obligations on both parties that do not exist in law between cohabiting couples. Widows, widowers and surviving civil partners, who become bereaved, therefore, lose someone who had legal duties towards them, and the social welfare code recognises this by providing a pension to them, subject to certain conditions.
It was for these reasons that the social welfare supports for widows and widowers were extended to surviving civil partners from 1 January 2011, when the provisions of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 came into force.
Awarding widows pensions, or a similar benefit, to people who are not legally widows, widowers or surviving civil partners would involve a significant income support policy change and could also be very costly. The basis on which a person would become entitled to such a pension, would require significant consideration and raise complex challenges. Accordingly, any changes to eligibility criteria for widow's pension would need to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
597. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the details for her Department for outsourcing to consultancies of specifically Covid-19-related work, services or advice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1799/21]
View answerThe Department has not used outsourcing to consultancies for specifically Covid-related work, services or advice.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
598. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection when pandemic unemployment payment arrears will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1875/21]
View answerThe Pandemic Unemployment Payment received by the person concerned on the 20th October 2020 was in respect of the period 9th October 2020 to the 15th October 2020.
I am advised that when PUP arrears were being calculated in respect of the person concerned, a payment in respect of the period from 2nd to the 8th October was processed but these arrears were nullified by an earlier PUP overpayment for the period from 24th to 30th July 2020.
In practical terms, while the person concerned was awarded PUP with effect from 2 October, the arrears due went towards the overpayment from earlier in the year.
I am advised that the person concerned is consequently not due any payment from the Department at this stage.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
599. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if the pandemic unemployment payment will be extended to those who cannot secure childcare and therefore cannot work during the current restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1877/21]
View answerTo date over €5 billion has been paid in relation to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment since its introduction in March 2020 in response to the effects of the Covid-19 virus. On 5th August the payment was introduced as a statutory scheme to continue to mitigate the severe social and economic effects of the Covid-19 virus. To be eligible for the payment a person must have lost their employment as a direct consequence of Covid-19 and no longer be in receipt of pay from their employer.
From the outset of Covid-19, many employers will have taken the initiative, in line with requests from the Government, to be as flexible as possible in giving staff time off and working patterns that enable them to look after their children who are not attending school or crèche, such as allowing employees to work from home, altering shifts or allowing employees to rearrange holidays or parental leave.
In view of the current circumstances where schools and childcare facilities are closed, where a person who cannot secure childcare is not able to work from home or avail of other flexible work options and they are not being paid by their employer, they are advised to apply for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
I trust this clarifies the position at this time.
600. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to explore introducing legislation to ensure a right to personal assistance to ensure disabled persons who need supports to live independent lives can do so as per Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44797/20]
View answerThe area of disability services is a priority area for this Government. The HSE provides a range of assisted living services, including Personal Assistant (PA) services to support individuals to live independent lives. Significant resources have been invested by the health sector in disability services, and the Government has ensured that an additional €100 million is being provided for new disability measures this year under Budget 2021. These measures will include an additional 80,000 personal assistant hours. The 2020 national service plan committed the HSE to deliver 1.67m hours of Personal Assistant Hours to over 2,550 people.
The Programme for Government agreed to deliver further Personal Assistance hours to people with disabilities..
The Programme for Government also commits to the development of an implementation plan to co-ordinate implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This would include examining how best to ensure that people with disabilities can access the support services, including personal assistance, that they require to participate in their community.
There are no plans for additional legislation governing the rights, entitlements and operations associated with the PA service at this time.
601. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of Syrian family members reunited under the Irish refugee protection humanitarian admission programme of the Irish refugee protection programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45168/20]
View answerThe Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was established in 2015 to deliver upon Government commitments to bring to Ireland refugees located in Lebanon and Jordan who had been forced to flee their homes due to the war in Syria.
The Deputy will note that persons granted permission to travel to Ireland under the Irish Refugee Protection Humanitarian Admission Programme (IHAP) make their own arrangements for travel, the exact timing of which is not known to the Department. I can confirm however that, to date, 107 persons of Syrian nationality have informed the IRPP Unit of my Department of their arrival under the IHAP arrangement.
602. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of action 24.1 of the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021 to research the banning of LGBT conversion therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45173/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government contains a commitment to legislate to end the practice of conversion therapy and work is due to commence on the necessary preliminary measures shortly.
The National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021 commits to ensuring that the practice of conversion therapy in Ireland is investigated and followed up with appropriate counter measures.
In support of these commitments, research will shortly be commissioned to establish the extent to which the practice is occurring in Ireland, and to review international best practice in responding, which will also include legislative responses in other countries; and developing an appropriate package of measures for implementation based on the findings of the research.
The LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy 2018-2020 also contains a commitment to prohibit the promotion or practice of conversion therapy by health professionals in Ireland. The Department of Health is responsible for implementing this commitment.
603. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will bring forward primary legislation to amend the Maternity Protection Acts 1994 to 2004 in order to provide that women who had already started or completed their maternity period would be entitled to take a further 13 weeks leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1040/21]
View answerThe Maternity Protection Acts provide for up to 26 weeks paid maternity leave, and a further 16 weeks unpaid leave. Where a child is born prematurely, additional weeks may be available.
There have been a number of developments in terms of leave for working parents in recent years, notably, in 2019, the extension of parental leave up to 26 weeks for a child under 12 years and the introduction of two weeks paid Parent's Leave and Benefit for each parent in the first year of a child's life.
In order to support parents of children born during the strict lockdown measures, the Government intends to extend Parents' Leave from two weeks to five weeks for each parent of all children born or adopted on or after 1 November 2019.
The Government also intends to extend the period in which Parents' Leave can be taken up until that child turns two years or, in the case of an adoption, two years after the adoption placement date of the child. This extension will apply to parents who may have already availed of their existing entitlements.
Heads of a Bill to effect these changes were approved by the Government in 2020 and it is anticipated that legislation will be introduced in the coming months.
Payment of Parents' Benefit is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection, and I understand that it will take time for the relevant IT system changes to be made. As a result, the estimated timescale for the necessary updates being put in place is April 2021.
However, I am examining whether it may be possible for Parents' Leave to be taken in advance of these changes and the benefit claimed retrospectively, once the legislation has been enacted. I will take advice from Parliamentary Counsel to ensure that it is possible to draft the legislation in this way. I will ensure that parents are fully informed of their entitlements in this regard as soon as possible.
604. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide funding to implement the recommendation from the Workplace Relations Commission to upgrade the pay scale of county childcare managers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1169/21]
View answer629. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of progress relating to the implementation of the recommendation from the Workplace Relations Commission to amend the pay scale for county childcare managers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1170/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 604 and 629 together.
Officials of my Department are currently reviewing the Workplace Relations Commission's consideration of the pay rates of the managers of the City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs).
The CCCs are one of the key support mechanisms of my Department, and I want to acknowledge the important role they play in providing vital support and guidance to early learning and care and school age childcare providers, and to parents. CCCs act as the local agent of my Department in the coordination and delivery of the national early education and childcare programmes and the implementation of Government policy at a local level, and in facilitating and supporting the development of quality, accessible ELC and SAC services for the overall benefit of children and their parents.
In 2005 the Minister for Finance sanctioned the rates payable to CCC managers as comparable to the rates applicable in the Local Authorities for Grade 6. Officials from my Department have been engaging with representatives from the CCCs, including both manager and Board of Management representatives, in relation to a proposal for a review of the grading of CCC managers.
Officials from my Department will continue to engage with all parties on this matter as appropriate. A submission has recently been received from a CCC Board of Management on this issue and is being reviewed. It is important to note in this regard that although my Department provides annual funding to the CCCs in respect of all areas of expenditure, including salaries, it is not the employer of CCC staff, and the staff are not public sector employees.
605. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the arrangements being made to ensure childcare for preschool and school-age children is available to front-line staff in the health services and other essential services while schools remain closed and many childcare centres are not in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1666/21]
View answerMy Department issued detailed guidance to all early learning and care and school age childcare services on Friday 8 January regarding the provision of services for children of essential workers and for vulnerable children during Level 5 Restrictions until 1 February 2021.
All early learning and care and school age childcare services, with the exception of services which provide the ECCE programme only, are expected to be open for parents who are essential workers and for vulnerable children from Monday, 11 January, unless the service has been instructed to close by public health authorities or has been given force majeure permission to close.
Information for parents is also available on my Department's website in a document entitled 'FAQs for Parents of Children in Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Services'.
If any parents with eligible children are having difficulty accessing a childcare place they should contact their local County Childcare Committee (CCC) who will be able to advise them. Parents can find the contract details for their local CCC on the website myccc.ie.
606. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider the establishment of a working group within his Department to examine the impact of the motherhood gap in the workplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1769/21]
View answerEnsuring that women can fully participate in the workplace is central to developing a gender equal society. Addressing barriers to this forms part of Government policy on gender equality and requires a range of policy solutions.
We know that the burden of childcare in working families falls predominantly on women, and can be a barrier to their full participation in the workforce. The Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced 2 weeks' paid, non-transferrable leave to both parents in the first year of their child's life to ensure that fathers as well as mothers are supported in spending time with their child in his or her earliest years. I will introduce a Bill early in 2021 which will extend Parent's Leave and Benefit to five weeks for each parent, and the period in which it can be taken to two years.
I will also bring forward Government amendments to progress the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019. This Bill, when passed, will oblige companies over a certain size to publish information on their gender pay gap. It is hoped that transparency around this important subject will build awareness within companies and the wider public of the gender pay gap and to take steps to address the gender pay parity.
The National Strategy for Women and Girls includes a series of actions to promote equality for women, including mothers, in the workplace. These Strategy is a whole-of-Government strategy which involves actions by relevant Government Departments to advance women's equality, including in the workplace.
607. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if essential workers who work from home can avail of childcare services under the current level 5 restrictions, given the possible ambiguity in two separate sources (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1811/21]
View answerEssential workers who work from home can avail of childcare services under the current level 5 restrictions.
There was previously an ambiguity in information from the two separate sources provided but this has now been rectified.
As per the updated information on gov.ie "childcare services are open for vulnerable children and children of essential workers. Essential workers who are eligible to access childcare services include those who are working from home".
Further information for parents about accessing childcare services during the 11th-31st January period is available on a Parent FAQ which can be accessed via this link: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/8fdc1-faqs-for-parents-of-children-in-early-learning-and-care-and-school-age-childcare-services-07-january/.
608. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the process for a community centre to apply for funding for a youth service worker to be employed directly by it. [44683/20]
View answerFunding for the provision of targeted youth services is administered on behalf of my Department by the Education and Training Boards, which allocate funding via applications to the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme. This scheme is aimed at young people between the ages of 10 and 24 who are, or are at risk of becoming, disadvantaged, marginalised or vulnerable. Targeted annual youth funding of €38.7m is allocated under the scheme.
Key to achieving the aims of the scheme is the development of the Area Profile and Needs Assessment Tool. The purpose of this tool is to allow each ETB to avail of quantitative and qualitative information to objectively identify the needs of young people within their functional area. This analysis leads to the development of a Service Requirement which is then used as the basis for discussion between ETBs and service providers in terms of service delivery to meet the needs of young people in the area. The approach ensures that we can target supports to the young people most in need of intervention and that funding is allocated on the basis of evidence-informed need.
I advise that any service wishing to apply for funding liaise with the relevant ETB in the first instance.
609. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of school-aged children given standard hours and enhanced hours, respectively, since September 2020 under the national childcare scheme. [44707/20]
View answerThe National Childcare Scheme provides financial support to help parents to meet the cost of childcare and to support better outcomes for children. The schemes objectives are to promote (i) a reduction in child poverty, (ii) positive child development outcomes, (iii) labour market activation and (iv) improved quality.
The NCS is designed to be highly inclusive and to meet the needs of those families who need it the most. The NCS is based on the principle of progressive universalism and has regard to the best interests of children.
By making this fundamental shift away from the legacy schemes where subsidies are grounded in medical card and social protection entitlements, and by tangibly reducing the cost of quality childcare for thousands of families, the NCS aims to improve children's outcomes, improve labour market participation and reduce child poverty. It is a central policy component of the NCS to poverty proof and assist people in exiting the poverty trap.
Within this framework, an income-related subsidy is payable for children up to 15 years of age. The subsidy level is determined by the family's income and the child's age. The number of hours subsidised is determined by the parent's employment or education arrangements.
The standard hours available are up to a maximum of 20 hours per week and children are eligible if at least one parent or guardian is not in work, education or training.
The enhanced hours available are up to a maximum of 45 hours per week where both of a child's parents or guardians are in work, education or training.
The NCS acknowledges that childcare needs differ widely across families and offering subsidies at an hourly rate allows for flexible childcare arrangements to be made based on parental needs.
With regard to the specific questions raised:
- 568 school age children have received the NCS standard hours award since September 2020.
- 12,080 school age children have received NCS enhanced hours since September 2020.
610. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of school-aged children registered under community childcare subvention plus from September 2020 to December 2020; and the number of school-aged children registered for the period September 2019 to December 2019. [44708/20]
View answerMy Department does not have information on the number of children attending school aged childcare as childcare providers are not required to provide data on the number of children who attend early learning and care or school aged childcare on a private fee paying basis.
My Department does have data on the number of children attending services based on age who are receiving subsidies under various funding programmes run by my Department. It is not possible to readily identify children who are attending school as well as childcare, so the purpose of this query, the number of children over 4 is used as a proxy for school aged children, as this is the age from which children are able to start school.
In relation to Community Childcare Subvention Plus (CCSP), 21,754 children over 4 were registered from September 2019 to December 2019 and 10,554 children over 4 were subject to a renewed CCSP application from September 2020 to December 2020.
It should be noted that the take up of school aged childcare between September 2019 and September 2020 are dropped sharply, due to the impact of Covid-19.
611. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children referred under the national childcare scheme via the HSE, Tusla and so on from September to December 2020; and the number of children referred via Community Childcare Subvention Plus for the same period in 2019. [44709/20]
View answer612. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of referrals for the national childcare scheme from September to December 2020 and the number of community childcare subvention plus referrals for September to December 2019, by county. [44710/20]
View answer613. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of referrals under the national childcare scheme by each sponsor body nationally and by county. [44711/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 611 to 613, inclusive, together.
Sponsorship arrangements within the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and under the legacy schemes play an important role in making additional supports available for families with complex and challenging needs that Early Learning and Care can help to address.
My Department has undertaken a series of measures to raise awareness of the Sponsor Program of the NCS including:
- working directly with the Sponsor Bodies to build their capacity and support the new relationships being built between the Sponsor Bodies, the Parents, the Provider and the Scheme Administrator.
- working with the CCCs to assist them with queries, in the case of CCCs DCEDIY is following up on specific cases in addition to any policy, information or training questions CCCs have.
- working with the National Co-ordinator for the Teen Parents Support Programme (TPSP) to ensure teen parents are aware of their right to access child care under the NCS.
- DCEDIY has reached out to Children and Young People's Services Committees to provide them with information on Sponsor Children on the National Childcare Scheme.
- an article on the Sponsorship on the NCS in the Early Years Sectoral e-bulletin December edition, that provided information and details of the contacts needed to access additional information.
At the request of my Department Pobal have undertaken a review of the Sponsorship scheme administration and processes with a view to introducing changes that will make the process easier to engage with, more efficient and a positive experience for all stakeholders involved. This review has been completed and the rollout of recommendations is in process.
The figures provided in table 1 is the figure of sponsored children that have taken up a childcare place with a childcare provider from September to December 2020.
Table 1. Figures from September to December 2020
|
County |
Health Services Executive (HSE) |
Minister for Education (DE) |
Minister for Justice (DJ) |
National Homeless Authorities (for Sponsored NCS) |
TUSLA Child and Family Agency |
Total |
|
Carlow |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
35 |
36 |
|
Cavan |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
18 |
19 |
|
Clare |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
3 |
|
Cork |
3 |
1 |
- |
3 |
16 |
23 |
|
Donegal |
- |
- |
4 |
- |
12 |
16 |
|
Dublin |
54 |
2 |
- |
93 |
128 |
277 |
|
Galway |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
13 |
16 |
|
Kerry |
1 |
- |
- |
2 |
8 |
11 |
|
Kildare |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
- |
3 |
|
Kilkenny |
- |
- |
3 |
- |
21 |
24 |
|
Laois |
- |
- |
2 |
- |
9 |
11 |
|
Leitrim |
- |
- |
- |
- |
4 |
4 |
|
Limerick |
1 |
- |
- |
6 |
26 |
33 |
|
Longford |
- |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
3 |
|
Louth |
4 |
1 |
- |
2 |
8 |
15 |
|
Mayo |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
2 |
|
Meath |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
4 |
|
Monaghan |
- |
- |
- |
- |
6 |
6 |
|
Offaly |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
1 |
|
Roscommon |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
1 |
|
Sligo |
- |
- |
- |
- |
4 |
4 |
|
Tipperary |
- |
- |
5 |
- |
29 |
34 |
|
Waterford |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
4 |
5 |
|
Westmeath |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
2 |
3 |
|
Wexford |
- |
- |
- |
- |
8 |
8 |
|
Wicklow |
- |
- |
22 |
- |
66 |
88 |
Table 2. Figures from September to December 2020
|
Sponsor Body |
Health Services Executive (HSE) |
Minister for Education (DE) |
Minister for Justice (DJ) |
National Homeless Authorities (for Sponsored NCS) |
TUSLA Child and Family Agency |
Total |
|
Total |
65 |
5 |
39 |
114 |
426 |
649 |
Please note that a child could have attended in more than one county, but will only appear once in the total. This is why the county total does not match the total sum which you would get if you added up each county in turn.
Information provided in table 3 is the number of children that were referred from each sponsored body nationally from September to December 2020. As not all are in childcare provision a county-by-county is not available.
Table 3. Figures from September to December 2020
|
Sponsor |
Total |
|
Health Services Executive (HSE) |
99 |
|
Minister for Education (DE) |
6 |
|
Minister for Justice (DJ) |
94 |
|
National Homeless Authorities (for Sponsored NCS) |
193 |
|
TUSLA Child and Family Agency |
586 |
Sponsor referrals since programme launch:
The figures provided in table 4 are the figures for sponsored children that have taken up a childcare place with a childcare provider since programme launch.
Table 4. Figures since programme launch
|
County |
Health Services Executive (HSE) |
Minister for Education (DE) |
Minister for Justice (DJ) |
National Homeless Authorities (for Sponsored NCS) |
TUSLA Child and Family Agency |
Total |
|
Carlow |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
47 |
49 |
|
Cavan |
- |
- |
15 |
- |
20 |
35 |
|
Clare |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
4 |
|
Cork |
3 |
1 |
- |
4 |
17 |
25 |
|
Donegal |
- |
- |
6 |
- |
13 |
19 |
|
Dublin |
67 |
2 |
- |
171 |
144 |
384 |
|
Galway |
- |
- |
- |
17 |
22 |
39 |
|
Kerry |
1 |
- |
- |
2 |
8 |
11 |
|
Kildare |
- |
- |
- |
5 |
- |
5 |
|
Kilkenny |
- |
- |
8 |
- |
24 |
32 |
|
Laois |
- |
- |
5 |
- |
20 |
25 |
|
Leitrim |
- |
- |
- |
- |
4 |
4 |
|
Limerick |
1 |
- |
- |
18 |
36 |
55 |
|
Longford |
- |
- |
5 |
- |
4 |
9 |
|
Louth |
4 |
1 |
- |
3 |
8 |
16 |
|
Mayo |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
2 |
|
Meath |
1 |
- |
- |
3 |
4 |
8 |
|
Monaghan |
- |
- |
- |
- |
9 |
9 |
|
Offaly |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
2 |
|
Roscommon |
- |
- |
29 |
- |
1 |
30 |
|
Sligo |
- |
- |
- |
- |
5 |
5 |
|
Tipperary |
- |
- |
11 |
- |
41 |
52 |
|
Waterford |
- |
- |
12 |
2 |
7 |
21 |
|
Westmeath |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
2 |
3 |
|
Wexford |
- |
- |
- |
- |
8 |
8 |
|
Wicklow |
- |
- |
25 |
3 |
66 |
94 |
Table 5. Figures since programme launch
|
Sponsor Body |
Health Services Executive (HSE) |
Minister for Education (DE) |
Minister for Justice (DJ) |
National Homeless Authorities (for Sponsored NCS) |
TUSLA Child and Family Agency |
Total |
|
Total |
78 |
5 |
105 |
230 |
515 |
933 |
Please note that a child could have attended in more than one county, but will only appear once in the total. This is why the county total does not match the total sum which you would get if you added up each county in turn.
Information provided in table 6 is the number of children that were referred from each sponsored body nationally since programme launch. Children are identified by unique PPSN.
Table 6. Figures since programme launch
|
Sponsor |
Total |
|
Health Services Executive (HSE) |
116 |
|
Minister for Education (DE) |
6 |
|
Minister for Justice (DJ) |
184 |
|
National Homeless Authorities (for Sponsored NCS) |
384 |
|
TUSLA Child and Family Agency |
678 |
CCSP sponsorship:
Provided in the tables below are the breakdown of children that were registered for Community Childcare Subvention Transitional (CCST) for children in families experiencing homelessness and Community Childcare Subvention Resettlement (CCSR) for programme refugees both nationally and on a county level under CCSP from September 2019 to 31 December 2019.
The below table does not include all children who were referred from each sponsored body. While CCSR and CCST have a unique identifier, Public Health Nurse (PHN) referrals, Tusla Referrals and Secondary school students are automatically granted the maximum subsidy allowable under CCSP which is identical to other non-sponsored claimants entitled to this subsidy level and therefore we are unable to extract these referrals from other CCSP registrations.
Please note that a child could have attended in more than one county, but will only appear once in the total.
In addition it should be noted that CCSP requires an annual re-registration which runs from late August to late October. As such the registration activity in the table below do not necessarily represent new registrations. This fixed annual cycle does not apply to NCS registrations.
Table 7. CCSP figures from September 2019 to 31 December 2019
|
County |
CCS Resettlement |
CCS Transitional |
|
Cork County |
2 |
2 |
|
Clare |
0 |
4 |
|
Carlow |
8 |
1 |
|
Cork City |
4 |
12 |
|
Donegal |
4 |
0 |
|
Dun Laoghaire |
1 |
3 |
|
Dublin South |
1 |
20 |
|
Dublin City |
30 |
179 |
|
Fingal |
3 |
17 |
|
Galway |
6 |
23 |
|
Kildare |
2 |
11 |
|
Kilkenny |
14 |
0 |
|
Kerry |
3 |
5 |
|
Longford |
2 |
0 |
|
Louth |
1 |
11 |
|
Limerick |
2 |
17 |
|
Laois |
7 |
0 |
|
Meath |
10 |
0 |
|
Offaly |
4 |
3 |
|
Roscommon |
28 |
0 |
|
Sligo |
2 |
0 |
|
Tipperary |
1 |
1 |
|
Waterford |
17 |
2 |
|
Westmeath |
6 |
0 |
|
Wexford |
4 |
1 |
|
Total Unique Children |
154 |
312 |
