Written Answers Nos. 173-188
173. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education if she will consider the fact that secondary schools’ two-week Easter holidays run from 15 March 2021 in order that they can begin to reopen a week earlier, this being 29 March 2021 as opposed to 5 April 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10847/21]
View answerThe scheduling of the school holiday periods during the academic years is agreed between the managerial authorities of schools, the teacher unions and my Department for the purposes of standardising breaks at Christmas, Easter and mid-term. This is important to ensure certainty for the school community about the dates of school holidays. There are no plans to change these arrangements.
My Department has provided a suite of guidance materials, agreed with the education partners, to enable schools to facilitate the continuity of learning for all pupils/students in a Covid-19 context during this period of school closure. These are available at www.gov.ie/backtoschool.
My Department has developed a plan with the relevant education stakeholders for the phased return to in-school learning for children in primary, post-primary and special schools. From the 1 March the first four classes at primary level – junior and senior infants, first and second class – and final year Leaving Certificate students will return to school. This phase will also see a return to full attendance for children in special schools. This is in addition to the reopening of special schools on 11 February on a 50% attendance basis and all special classes reopened fully from 22 February.
The full re-opening of our schools for all students in line with public health advice remains a top priority for Government and my Department is focussing on the safe return of all remaining cohorts of pupils and students to school at the earliest opportunity in March, with the last group of post primary students set to return to school after the Easter Break.
174. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education if trainee primary teachers who have completed two years of their degree courses and were due to complete placements in their third-year will be considered to provide July provision in 2021; if she will provide reasons for her decision in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10857/21]
View answerSummer Provision 2020 was a discrete response to Covid-19 providing Education or Care Needs to pupils with complex needs during the summer.
The programme aimed to re-establish the pupils relationships and connections with their schools and their peers as a basis for learning and participation and to help the child to re-engage in learning and social activities.
The programme aimed to ensure, in so far as possible, that the child can reintegrate/transition into their planned education setting for the new school year and help to prevent regression among children with special needs.
As tuition under the home based scheme took place outside the usual school structure it was important that teachers were qualified to provide an educational programme.
Accordingly, it was a condition of the scheme that parents/legal guardians must recruit a teacher who is qualified in the sector in which the tuition is being provided and is registered and vetted with the Teaching Council of Ireland.
My Department is progressing work on proposals for this years Summer Provision scheme which will be influenced by the current public health emergency. These proposals will be developed based on engagement and consultation with the education partners, including teacher unions. The qualification criteria for teachers participating in the scheme will be considered as part of this work.
175. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the number of pupils who have opted into the in-person supplementary programme to support the education and-or care needs of pupils with complex needs scheme; if the number of students availing of the programme is smaller; and the number of teachers and SNAs participating in the scheme. [10946/21]
View answerMy Department put in place a supplementary programme to support the education and/or care needs of the estimated 23,000 pupils with complex needs enrolled in schools.
The pupils who will be eligible include:
- All pupils enrolled in special schools and special classes
- Pupils in mainstream schools who are accessing the highest level of the continuum of support (i.e. School Support Plus/for a Few). This will include pupils with Autism, Down syndrome, sensory impairments, and other disabilities who were identified for the summer programme of 2020.
- Pupils identified by their school as requiring the highest level of support at any given time. This will ensure that pupils presenting with exceptional needs due to the current school closures can participate in the scheme.
Participation in the programme is voluntary for families, teachers and SNAs and must be delivered in accordance with Public Health Advice.
The Department’s approach is intended to be flexible so as to maximise the number of pupils participating.
An allocation of a 5-hour per week home-based teaching or care support programme will be made available to eligible pupils. This allocation is intended to supplement (and not replace) the remote teaching provided by the pupil’s school.
Eligible families may utilise the hours at any time before the 30th of April 2021.
It is not be possible to estimate the numbers participating in the scheme until after the programme has concluded.
176. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if her Department will expedite plans for a new payroll system due to be completed in the latter part of 2021 to reduce the cost to her Department on posting out payslips; if she will commit that spending to support DEIS schools instead; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10947/21]
View answerThe Department is progressing the upgrade of existing payroll systems and the feasibility of introducing self-service functionality and, in particular, online payslips is being assessed as a matter of priority. A range of issues need to be considered in providing such functionality to in excess of 130,000 payees including security and safeguarding of personal information.
177. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education the number and value of procurement contracts for Covid-19-related spending in 2020 and 2021 that took place via negotiated procedure without prior publication in her Department. [11176/21]
View answer178. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education the breakdown of procurement contracts for Covid-19-related spending in 2020 and 2021 that took place via negotiated procedure without prior publication by her Department, by goods and service type in tabular form. [11206/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 178 together.
The information requested by the Deputy is being collated and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
179. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of "It Makes Sense" loans that have been taken over in 2018, 2019 and 2020, in tabular form; if there has been a noted increase since March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10951/21]
View answerThe Personal Micro Credit Scheme (PMC) provides for small scale loans, known as "It Makes Sense" loans, ranging from €100 to €2,000, by Credit Unions to borrowers in receipt of social welfare payments who may have difficulty accessing low cost credit. Currently 107 credit unions at some 281 locations are participating in the Scheme.
An Post facilitates the repayment of these loans for social welfare recipients who receive their payment through a Post Office, by utilising the Department of Social Protection's Household Budgeting Facility. As part of a pilot scheme since Q1 2020, the Department has funded the weekly administrative cost for access to the Household Budgeting Facility.
The Department does not have access to the overall number of It Makes Sense loans. Data from the Household Budgeting Facility is a proxy indicator, although the overall number of borrowers is likely to be greater given that some borrowers repay these loans by direct debit, while others qualify for and receive standard loans. At present, there are just over 6,500 Household Budgeting deductions per week for repayment of It Makes Sense loans. This is comparable to similar weekly figures of between 6,000 and 7,000 throughout 2018, 2019 and 2020.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
180. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an emergency basic social welfare payment will be made in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10644/21]
View answerInvalidity Pension is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
My Department received an application for Invalidity Pension from the person concerned on 19/11/2020. The application was refused on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme were not satisfied. The person was notified on 05/01/2021 of this decision, the reasons for it and of his right of review and appeal.
The person concerned lodged an appeal of the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) and submitted further medical evidence in support of his appeal.
Following a review of all the information available it was decided there was no change to the original decision and the person’s appeal was forwarded to the SWAO on 11/02/2021 for determination. The SWAO will contact the person concerned directly in relation to the progress of his appeal.
The person concerned submitted an application for a Supplementary Welfare Allowance with effect from 02/02/2021 pending the outcome of his Invalidity Pension appeal.
In order to complete the means assessment for this payment, an official of my Department has requested bank statements for his spouses’ overseas account and further information relating to her Irish bank account as well as confirmation as to whether he also holds an overseas account. On receipt of the requested information the application will be assessed and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
181. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, will continue to be paid to a person (details supplied). [10734/21]
View answerThe entitlement to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment of the person concerned was recently reviewed by the Department. One of the qualifying conditions of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment scheme is that a person must have lost their employment as a direct consequence of the pandemic.
As the person concerned has provided the Department with a letter from her employer confirming that she is on unpaid Carer's Leave since March 2020, a Deciding Officer has decided that the person concerned is not entitled to a Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
This decision has been communicated to the person concerned, including her right to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
182. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a carer’s allowance will be approved for a person (details supplied); and if the application will be expedited. [10736/21]
View answerCarer's Benefit (CARB) is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention. An increased payment can be made where full-time care is being provided to two people.
To qualify the carer must satisfy PRSI conditions, employment conditions, show that they are providing full-time care and attention and must show that the care recipient requires full-time care and attention.
One of the conditions for CARB is that one must have been employed in remunerative employment for not less than 16 hours per week/32 hours per fortnight and for at least 8 weeks, whether consecutive or not, in the 26 week period prior to commencing caring/leaving employment to provide full time care.
The person concerned applied for CARB on 25 Nov 2020. The claim was disallowed as she failed to provide information requested by this Department on the 2 Dec 2020.
The person concerned was notified on 12 Jan 2021 of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal.
A review request was received on 14 Jan 2021. The Department has requested further information.
A decision will be made on her application as soon as the Department has all the required information.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
183. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 139 of 25 November 2020, if further details on the one contract in 2019, under Article 20 of Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement which used reserved tendering procedures for companies that promote the integration of disadvantaged persons will be provided, in particular the value of the contract and the number of disabled or disadvantaged persons hired as part of the contract. [10785/21]
View answerThe contract in question awarded in 2019 has a value of €80k per annum (excl. VAT). There are three full time people with disabilities working on the contract with two or three additional staff available to assist during busy periods, if required.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
184. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to extend the right to free travel to all persons with epilepsy who are precluded from holding a driver licence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10808/21]
View answerThe Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx. 990,000 customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2021 is €95 million.
In general, access to a free travel pass for those aged under 66 is linked to a person being in receipt of certain primary Social Protection payments such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Carer’s Allowance, Blind Pension and Partial Capacity Benefit.
Any possible extension to the eligibility criteria for free travel to include those with long-term health conditions such as epilepsy, who are not allowed to drive due to their diagnosis, regardless of whether they receive a qualifying payment, would have significant implications for the free travel scheme. It would be expected that any such decision would immediately lead to calls for all people who had a disability and/or significant health issues to be eligible for a free travel pass.
If the Free Travel scheme were to be extended to all people who had a disability and/or significant health issues, regardless of whether they receive a qualifying payment, a medical assessment process would be required for all such applications, significantly changing the nature of the scheme and requiring additional administrative processes to be put in place in order to adjudicate eligibility. Significant extra funding would also be required and accordingly, it could only be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department may award a travel supplement, where the circumstances of the particular case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the individual case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
185. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of formal and informal Council of the European Union meetings that have been held since 27 June 2020 under the remit of her Department; and the number of formal and informal meetings, respectively held virtually. [10823/21]
View answerThe Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) had an informal meeting on 17th July 2020 at which Ireland was represented by Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English T.D.
On 13th October 2020 responsibility for EPSCO transferred to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment under the Departmental transfer of function order S.I. No. 438/2020.
I am informed that the following meetings have taken place since then -
- 13th October 2020 - Formal meeting (virtual)
- 3rd December 2020 - Formal meeting (virtual)
- 22nd February 2021 - Informal meeting (virtual)
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
186. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider supporting a project (details supplied). [10832/21]
View answerThe company referred to is currently providing services to the Department under Local Employment Services (LES) and Jobs Club contracts. These services are engaged to supplement the provision of employment services to those most distant from the labour market.
This year, the company in question is one of 22 different contractors providing Local Employment Services (LES) in a network of offices and outreach clinics in designated areas to provide career/vocational guidance and support to job seeking clients. The value of this contract this year is almost €967,000 to that LES. In addition, the company is also one of 37 contractors who provides Job Club services to clients in its local catchment to assist job-ready jobseekers to obtain employment in the open labour market, to facilitate the exploration and follow-up of employment opportunities as well as meeting the labour market requirements of employers. The company provides this service locally to nearly 700 clients at a value of over €100,000 this year.
The new proposal is seeking significant additional funds towards the development of simulated IT work experience for unemployed young people. While 60% of the costs are being met by a private company as part of their commitment to corporate social responsibility, significant additional funding is being requested from this Department for a programme which will last 30 months. While the Department is appreciative of the innovation involved, there is no scope to fund this programme at this stage at the level requested.
The Government is investing significantly in a range of new measures under the July Jobs Stimulus. This encompasses a commitment of €200m investment in training, education, skill development, work placement schemes, recruitment subsidies and jobs search and assistance measures aimed to help those who have lost their jobs find a new one, retrain or develop new skills, in particular for emerging growth sectors.
Included in this is provision of €135.7m for a funded work placement scheme to provide work experience for jobseekers who have been unemployed for more than six months, regardless of age. A particular objective is to provide a mechanism for those with recent work experience or with sector specific skills to pivot into new employment/jobs through additional learning with new and relevant work experience.
The Department would be willing to consider whether there are options for the retention of jobseekers payments for the 20 weeks of the programme under the Education, Training and Development Option for short duration training. However, more information on the proposal will be required and even if approved, it will not cover all the costs being sought from this Department.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
187. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a carer’s payment appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10930/21]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
I confirm that my department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 10 August 2020.
It is a condition for CA that the applicant be considered habitually resident in this State. A Deciding Officer (DO), based on the evidence submitted, decided the person concerned is not habitually resident in the State and therefore does not have an entitlement to CA.
The person concerned was notified on 16 October 2020 of the decision, the reason for it and of his right of review and appeal.
The Department was notified on 30 November 2020 that the person concerned had appealed this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). A submission in support of the decision was prepared and has been forwarded to the SWAO for determination.
The independent SWAO will be in contact directly with the person concerned as soon as the appeal has been finalised.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
188. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the lack of banks in the Irish market that accept carer’s allowance income as income for the purposes of loans, mortgages and other financial products following the withdrawal of a bank (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10950/21]
View answerThe issues raised by the Deputy in relation to the withdrawal of a bank from the Irish market and income sources for the purposes of financial products are within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Finance.
