Written Answers Nos. 1053-1077
1053. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Social Protection the total Covid-19-related spend in 2020 by her Department, agency and budget line item; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16279/21]
View answerCovid-19-related spend by the Department of Social Protection in 2020 was €9,112.7 million made up as follows:
1. €4,978.0m on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment;
2. €2,706.1m on the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS);
3. €1,371.7m on the Employee Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS);
4. €56.9m on Covid-19 Illness Benefit.
These figures are provisional and are subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
1054. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will expand the number of asylum seekers and refugees from Greece that Ireland has committed to relocate from 50 to 400; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15757/21]
View answer1055. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the transfer of families and unaccompanied children from the Moria camp, Greece to Ireland; if the 64 persons that Ireland has committed to admit have arrived here; his views on the call by a group (details supplied) to increase the number being admitted from the camp to 400; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15779/21]
View answer1056. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is pursuing the relocation of the 50 persons (details supplied) from Lesvos, Greece; the date on which the relocation will take place; and his plans to assist the allocation of a further 400 persons to Ireland. [15781/21]
View answer1057. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to accept and welcome refugees to Ireland who are in camps on the Greek island of Lesvos; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15787/21]
View answer1058. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the recent open letter signed by over 300 medical practitioners from across Ireland calling on the Government to commit to accepting and relocating 400 refugees and asylum seekers from the Greek island of Lesvos; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15865/21]
View answer1059. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 588 of 16 October 2020, if a further offer has been made to the Greek authorities to accept into Ireland asylum seekers currently in Lesvos; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15956/21]
View answer1102. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will engage with medics in Lesbos in order to assist to urgently progress the move to Ireland of refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15821/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1055 to 1059, inclusive, and 1102 together.
I am aware of the open letter signed by healthcare professionals in Ireland concerning asylum seekers and refugees on Lesvos.
The Government pledge of last October to resettle up to 50 people from Lesvos was in addition to the commitment that Ireland had already made with the UNHCR to resettle 2,900 refugees to Ireland between 2020 and 2023. No further offer has been made to the Greek authorities.
Families have been accepted by Ireland, subject to any assessment, security or otherwise to be undertaken.
My Department is working with the Greek authorities and other relevant stakeholders to effect their relocation to Ireland as soon as possible, with due regard to Covid-19 protocols and restrictions.
In Budget 2021, I secured an additional €5m to support Tusla in providing dedicated services to accelerate the intake of the remaining unaccompanied refugee children in Greece to whom we have committed. Tusla have developed a range of accommodation options to receive and provide specialist care for the children. Changes at European Union level in the procedures for managing the relocation of unaccompanied minors led to a pause in the transfer of all children.
These changes have been successfully implemented at EU level and Ireland has now received a list of unaccompanied minors who could potentially come here, following appropriate security checking and preparation. Tusla are ready to receive these children as soon as they can travel safely. Tusla and my Department are working with the Greek authorities and the HSE to progress the safest travel and relocation options as soon as possible, within the scope of current travel and quarantine restrictions.
1060. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if details will be provided on Ireland’s UN Universal Periodic Review in November 2021; the reporting stages, public consultations and deadlines for submissions by civil society regarding the cycle 3 review of same; the type of engagement with the public and civil society on Ireland’s upcoming review; the reason no information on the review or consultation is available on his Department’s website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13901/21]
View answerMy Department intends on holding stakeholder consultation sessions ahead of the drafting of Ireland’s National UPR report and the State’s subsequent appearance for review under the third cycle in November 2021. The report is due to be submitted by the 9 August 2021 and drafting of the report is being coordinated by my Department.
My Department has commenced contacting stakeholders to seek input into the national report. Further consultations with civil society organisations and with interested members of the public, including a consultation dedicated to children, will take place in April 2021. The Department will structure these consultations on a thematic basis, seeking views of participants on key areas of the Draft Report.
Details of the consultations will be published shortly on www.gov.ie/en/consultations/.
1061. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider and respond to all aspects contained in correspondence (details supplied) sent to him. [13933/21]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that my officials are currently examining the correspondence in question and a response will issue to the person concerned in due course.
1062. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the new national action plan against racism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13959/21]
View answerThe Anti-Racism Committee was appointed in June 2020, with a mandate to review current evidence and practice and make recommendations to Government on how best to strengthen its approach to tackling racism. The Anti-Racism Committee’s purpose is to develop an understanding of the nature and prevalence of racism in Ireland, and to work towards achieving a social consensus on actions required, by State and non-State actors. The Committee has submitted its Interim Report which I intend to bring to government shortly. In addition the Committee is about to commence a series of Public Consultations, in keeping with its Terms of References. The Committee will recommend to Government its National Action Plan Against Racism by the end of 2021.
1063. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to support an organisation (details supplied) during the Covid-19 pandemic; if he will make a grant to the organisation to ensure the continuation of its services to young persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13979/21]
View answerThe ongoing management of the organisation referred to by the Deputy is a matter for their Board, including the challenges being presented due to the recent Covid-19 restrictions.
My Department provides substantial funding to this organisation, which plays an important role in providing young people with opportunities for developmental experiences and informal learning. All of the youth funding provided by my Department has been maintained fully throughout the ongoing period of restrictions. In addition, I secured an increase in 2021 for youth services, including an increase for the organisation referred to by the Deputy. I have no plans to provide additional funding to this organisation.
My officials are in regular contact with youth sector representatives in relation to the impact of the pandemic and associated health restrictions. It is of importance that Exchequer funding to youth services nationally is protected and I am satisfied that Government has been able to continue to support them. My officials will continue to work closely with youth organisations and will actively monitor the situation.
1064. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the guidelines in relation to informal childcare arrangements during the current lockdown for when primary school finishes in the early afternoon and a childminder is available to assist in which parents are working full-time; if these arrangements are permitted during March 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14039/21]
View answerThe well-being, health and safety of children, their families and those working in the sector is a priority for my Department. A dedicated web-page was developed https://first5.gov.ie/guidance to provide guidance during the Covid-19 pandemic for parents and service providers on the reopening, operating and use of early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services including all childminders.
Guidance is based on the latest public health advice available from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) in the HSE, which has been approved by the Expert Advisory Group of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET). The public health advice is subject to ongoing review/updating by the HPSC. If the public health advice changes, the guidance documents on the web-page change accordingly. Every ELC and SAC setting is different and service providers including childminders will need to use their professional judgement in determining how best to comply with the public health advice while ensuring high quality practice to support children’s well-being, learning and development.
Childminders are allowed to remain open for the care of vulnerable children and the children of essential workers until 28 March. From 29 March childminders can operate for all children without restriction of eligibility.
1065. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will provide additional financial assistance to childcare providers who have experienced significant increases in insurance bills in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14055/21]
View answerI understand that there has been some increase in brokerage fees for the majority of childcare providers, but that there has not been a general or significant increase in premiums for childcare providers.
Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Aged Childcare (SAC) services are required to have insurance as part of their registration with Tulsa, the independent regulator of the sector. My Department provides funding to childcare providers under a number of programmes to provide fully or partly subsidised childcare services to families. Childcare providers are private businesses and my Department does not provide funding for specific operational costs such as insurance.
With regard to the cost of insurance, it is important to note that neither the Government, nor the Central Bank of Ireland, can direct the pricing or provision of insurance products, as this is a commercial matter which individual companies assess on a case-by-case basis. This position is reinforced by the EU Single Market framework for insurance (the Solvency II Directive) which expressly prohibits Member States from doing so.
Notwithstanding this, insurance reform is a priority for this Government. The Action Plan for Insurance Reform, which was launched on 8 December 2020, contains a range of deliverables in a number of Government Department policy areas. It is intended that the cumulative effect of the implementation of the actions will be to improve the insurance environment, in particular for businesses. I am a member of the Sub-Group for Insurance Reform, chaired by An Tánaiste, which has been set up within the Cabinet Committee for Economic Recovery and Investment to implement these reforms, and will publish progress reports every six months.
Seeking to secure a more sustainable and competitive market through deepening and widening the supply of insurance in Ireland remains a key policy priority for this Government. In this regard, it is the Government’s intention to ensure that the implementation of the Action Plan can have a positive impact on the affordability and availability of insurance for individuals, businesses and voluntary groups, including childcare providers.
1066. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many childcare providers have received insurance bills substantially higher in 2021 than previously; the actions he plans to take in response to this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14056/21]
View answerI understand that there has been some increase in brokerage fees for the majority of childcare providers, but that there has not been a general increase in premiums for childcare providers.
It is important to note that neither the Government, nor the Central Bank of Ireland, can direct the pricing or provision of insurance products, as this is a commercial matter which individual companies assess on a case-by-case basis. This position is reinforced by the EU Single Market framework for insurance (the Solvency II Directive) which expressly prohibits Member States from doing so.
Notwithstanding this, insurance reform is a priority for this Government. The Action Plan for Insurance Reform, which was launched on 8 December 2020, contains a range of deliverables in a number of Government Department policy areas. It is intended that the cumulative effect of the implementation of the actions will be to improve the insurance environment, in particular for businesses. I am a member of the Sub-Group for Insurance Reform, chaired by An Tánaiste, which has been set up within the Cabinet Committee for Economic Recovery and Investment to implement these reforms, and will publish progress reports every six months. The Plan is ambitious, with 95% of actions due to be completed by the end of 2021. Work is already underway in relation to certain areas, including:
- increasing market transparency through the National Claims Information Database (NCID), including for employer and public liability insurance;
- making proposals on increasing competition in the Irish insurance market;
- working to remove dual pricing from the insurance market, following the publication of the Central Bank’s final report on the matter;
- reviewing the duty of care to strengthen waivers and notices to increase protections for consumers, businesses, sporting clubs and community groups; and
- looking at how to further enhance the role of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB).
As the Deputy may be aware, the recent publication of the Personal Injuries Guidelines by the Judicial Council also represents another key element of the Action Plan. The Guidelines, which will be used by both PIAB and the judiciary, significantly reduce award levels for many categories of common injuries, and should provide greater certainty to insurers and claimants. It is therefore expected that, in time, the new Guidelines will also help to reduce the overall cost of insurance and will see many claims settled more quickly and with lower associated legal costs.
Seeking to secure a more sustainable and competitive market through deepening and widening the supply of insurance in Ireland remains a key policy priority for this Government. In this regard, it is the Government’s intention to ensure that the implementation of the Action Plan can have a positive impact on the affordability and availability of insurance for individuals, businesses and voluntary groups, including childcare providers.
1067. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress of plans to remove Article 41.2 of Bunreacht na hÉireann by way of a referendum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14129/21]
View answerThe Government has committed in the Programme for Government 'Our Shared Future' to consider whether there should be a referendum on Article 41.2 of the Constitution, informed by the work of the Citizens’ Assembly on gender equality. The work of the Citizens’ Assembly on gender equality was interrupted in 2020 and delayed by the impact of Covid-19. The Assembly has adapted its methods to comply with public health guidelines and resumed its work with online meetings with the aim of reporting by June 2021. The Government has committed to respond to the Citizen's Assembly's recommendations.
1068. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a directory will be compiled of access officers for local authorities and Departments. [14139/21]
View answerUnder Section 26(2) of the Disability Act 2005 each Public Body is required to have at least one officer authorised to act in the capacity of "access officer". That officer is responsible, where appropriate, in providing or arranging for and co-ordinating assistance and guidance to persons with disabilities in accessing the services provided by that body.
In accordance with Section 30 of the Act, the National Disability Authority (NDA) prepared the "Code of Practice on Accessibility of Public Services and Information provided by Public Bodies". In accordance with this Code, details for contacting my Department's access officer is available on the Department website, so that the general public is made aware of who they can contact to avail of assistance in accessing the services of the Department.
Neither the Disability Act nor the Code of Practice provides for the compilation of a directory of access officers for local authorities and Departments.
1069. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports and guidance in place for providers of early years services to facilitate the safe reopening and operation during the Covid-19 period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14178/21]
View answerIn January, early learning and childcare services were restricted to children of essential workers and vulnerable children only, and the ECCE Programme was suspended. As part of a careful and cautious reopening of priority sectors of society and the economy, these services have now begun to open for other groups of children throughout March on a phased basis.
The ECCE Programme resumed for all participating children from 8 March. Subject to public health advice, other restrictions on access to ELC/SAC services, will be lifted on 29 March so that all other children can return to services.
My Department is committed to supporting services to operate safely. The current advice from the HSE is that no change is required to the Infection Prevention and Control guidance for services providing ELC during the pandemic. Services have been following this guidance effectively and it has helped to minimise risk of spread of infection within services. This will be kept under review and the impact of the return of services and schools will be monitored closely over the coming weeks.
A package of funding measures are in place to support the phased reopening. From 8 March, there was a return to normal funding arrangements for Department schemes. A COVID-19 Operating Support Payment (COSP) introduced in February has been extended until 26 March for eligible services. This will help to offset loss of parental fees for services which are highly reliant on private income. Services will continue to be eligible for the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) at enhanced rates and are exempt from the turnover rule. The EWSS has been extended until the end of June.
In addition, a COVID-19 Impact Support has been introduced as part of the DCEDIY Sustainability Fund. Where a service has sustainability concerns as a result of the current restrictions, additional supports may be made available under this fund.
All measures taken in response to COVID-19 are under ongoing review by my Department, and should the public health advice change, our response will reflect that.
Detailed guidance for services, including FAQs can be found at: https://first5.gov.ie/guidance
1070. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider developing a community childcare facility at a site (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14221/21]
View answerMy Department has, since 2015, administered an annual capital funding programme, under which early learning and care and school aged childcare services which are registered with Tulsa can access capital funding.
The purpose or target of the funding is determined on an annual basis having regard to the needs of children, families and service providers and Departmental priorities.
There is no specific capital funding available for development works in 2021.
However there are a number of supports which childcare providers, and intending childcare providers, can access.
My Department funds City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) who offer a wide variety of supports to parents and childcare providers, including advice on setting up a childcare business, information on grants and low cost local enterprise loans which may be available to services, as well as commercial borrowing. The CCC’s also offer support on applying for the various funding schemes administered by my Department. Contact details for all of the CCCs are available at myccc.ie.
1071. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to extend carer’s leave as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; if not, if the proposal will be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14236/21]
View answerSection 6 of the Carer's Leave Act 2001 provides that employees with at least one year's continuous service are entitled to take up to 104 weeks of carer's leave to enable them to provide full-time care and attention to a person who is in need of such care.
Carer's Leave is unpaid but an employee may also qualify for Carer's Benefit or Carer's Allowance, the payment of which is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection.
There are no plans to amend the Carer's Leave Act at present.
1072. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking in relation to birth certificates which are known to be falsified; the way in which he is engaging with the persons affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14338/21]
View answerThere are 151 individuals to date in respect of whom illegal birth registrations have been confirmed, from the files of Saint Patrick's Guild. I am aware of the complexity of the issues that are arising for them as a consequence of their birth registration, and it is a priority for me to address it, in conjunction with my ministerial colleagues.
I have established an Interdepartmental Working Group to identify the issues that have arisen for these individuals and to propose solutions, including legislative solutions if required. I have asked the group to report back to me with an integrated set of proposals within two months. I intend to then consult with the individuals themselves on the proposals.
I have already extended an invitation to meet with some of the individuals affected, who made contact with me. I want to hear directly from them on their stories, their concerns and what they want to happen next. I am committed to engaging with them on addressing the consequences of their birth registration.
1073. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on the stalled building of the new premises at a location (details supplied) which needs a two-month lead in for inspections by Tusla before beginning operations in the new location; his plans to ensure that there is no delay of these vital services while this matter is being resolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14364/21]
View answerI am aware of the concerns of the organisation to which the Deputy refers, and have been contacted in this regard by the organisation itself and by public representatives on its behalf. Tusla has advised of its support of the project.
The Department of the Taoiseach leads the Government response to COVID-19, and has issued guidelines for construction work during the current Level 5 restrictions, published on
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/c9158-essential-services/#construction-and-development
It is a matter for the organisation in question to consider the relevant public health guidance including Level 5 restrictions on construction and take whatever course of action is appropriate.
I have asked Tusla to respond directly to the Deputy with regard to the operational elements of your question.
1074. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are financial supports either for the service providers directly or for the adults with disabilities that attend day services or who live in residential homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14399/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that I am not in a position to comment on this matter. This is more appropriate for the attention of my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Health.
1075. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of the process through which his Department drafts and produces legislation; if his Department outsources the drafting of legislation; if so, the Bills for which the drafting was outsourced since he took office; and the costs associated with the drafting of each Bill. [14414/21]
View answerMy Department follows the guidance for preparing legislation as set in the Cabinet Handbook. Following approval of a legislative proposal by Government, the Department prepares the General Scheme and Heads of Bill for submission to Government for approval. The draft text of the Bill is then prepared by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel with input from Department officials. The draft Bill is submitted to Government for approval prior to its publication.
Since I took office, the Department has been provided with external legal assistance in relation to the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another matter, Act 2020 (No. 20 of 2020) at a cost of €2,800. This entailed working with officials to identify options and legislative solutions to protect the Commission’s database and ensure it could be made available for information and tracing purposes. As part of this work, the external legal expert engaged with officials on the development of an initial draft Heads of Bill.
My Department is currently preparing draft legislation in relation to birth information and tracing, with assistance from legal experts nominated by the Attorney General. In this case, officials of my Department have been working intensively on the policy and practical details relating to the legislation, with a view to having Heads of Bill available shortly. In order to assist matters, the Attorney General has assigned a number of legal experts on various aspects of the legislation to assist in drafting the Heads of Bill. They are working closely with my Department in accordance with the policy instructions prepared by my Department. This approach brings the benefit of valuable inputs from leading legal experts in the field, while my Department still retains responsibility for leading on and taking responsibility for the overall legislative proposals.
1076. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to address the lack of provision of childcare services for babies aged six to 12 months of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14482/21]
View answerA key policy objective of my Department is to improve affordability, accessibility and quality of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC). A 141% increase in investment over the last number of years has led to a doubling in the number of children receiving free or subsidised early learning and care and school-age childcare. It has also supported the sector to increase the number of places available.
First 5, the ten-year whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young children and their families pledges to build on this progress. Among key strategic actions in First 5 is a commitment to 'maintain and extend the supply of high-quality publicly subsidised ELC and SAC to best serve the developmental needs of babies and young children, ensuring that it also reflects the needs and preferences of parents and families'.
To deliver on this strategic action, a range of actions are under way, including an update of the National Planning Guidelines for the development of early learning and care and school-age childcare settings, the extension of regulation to all paid, non-relative childminders on a phased basis and the development of a strategic capital investment plan to deliver large-scale capital investment under Project 2040. The development of a new funding model for ELC and SAC also seeks to address issues of accessibility.
Each year Pobal conducts research on behalf of my Department to examine a number of factors related to childcare services in Ireland, including the monitoring of capacity. The most recently available Early Years Sector Profile report, which was published in November 2019 indicates that existing childcare provision, in general, meets current needs nationwide in terms of capacity, whilst recognising that small pockets of under supply may exist within this. My Department also funds 30 City and County Childcare Committees across the country. Part of their role is to advise my Department on capacity issues.
My Department actively monitors supply and demand, and will continue to build on the progress achieved over the past decade in order to ensure that ELC services are accessible, affordable and high-quality.
1077. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied). [14485/21]
View answerThe Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid Parents' Leave for each parent to be taken in the first year after the birth or adoptive placement of a child.
In December 2020, the Government approved the drafting of a Parents' Leave Bill to provide an additional three weeks of paid Parents' Leave to each parent, and to extend the period in which the leave can be taken to the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child.
The Government published the Family Leave Bill 2021 on 9 March 2021 which provides for these amendments and the Bill passed Committee and Report Stages in the Seanad on 22 March 2021. The Bill is being considered by the Dáil today. The aim is that this legislation will be enacted by the beginning of April 2021 and that parents will be able to apply for Parents' Leave immediately thereafter.
