Written Answers Nos. 108-127
108. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education when payment of the remote area school transport grant for the school year 2019-20 will issue to a group of parents in a school (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16217/21]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 113,100 children, including over 14,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
An eligible child for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements. This grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.
Bus Éireann has advised that the pupils referred to by the Deputy are entitled to the remote area grant. However, due to a systems issue parents were unable to apply for transport within the application process timeline for the 2019/2020 school year.
In light of this, the School Transport Section of my Department is currently in the process of contacting eligible families who applied to the school referred to by the Deputy before the commencement of the 2019/20 school year with regard to payment of the remote area grant.
110. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if she will provide clarity to home school community liaison officers as to when they can expect to receive the Covid-19 vaccine following reports of Tulsa-employed staff such as education officers, welfare officers and staff in schools having already received the vaccine; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16228/21]
View answerThe vaccine protocol devised by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC), is endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) and signed up to by Government.
In the context of the recent planning for the return of schools the Department of Education has engaged with The Department of Health who have confirmed that those essential to Education are estimated at this time to be in the first one third of the population captured by the Vaccine Allocation Strategy.
My Department has further engaged with the Department of Health requesting that consideration is given to school community as the vaccination programme is rolled out in order to accommodate school staff within the vaccination programme at the earliest possible opportunity.
111. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 245 of 5 March 2020, the progress made to date in developing a purpose-built school for the pupils of the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16235/21]
View answerThe acquisition of a site to accommodate a permanent school building for the school to which the Deputy refers is at a very advanced stage.
Due to the commercially sensitive nature of site acquisitions generally, it is not possible to comment further at this time. I can, however, assure you that the acquisition of a new site for the school is a priority for the Department.
112. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education the progress made to date on the development of a new school further to correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16236/21]
View answerThe major building project for Scoil an Chroi Naofa Ballinasloe is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2(b) which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. Planning permission was secured for this project in 2011. In October 2016 an extension to planning was secured which expires in November, 2021. While planning permission is in place, there have been a number of delays associated with this project and it is likely at this stage that a new planning application will be necessary.
My Department met with representatives of the school on 25th February, 2021, at their request, to discuss the options available to the School to progress this project. My Department advised the School of the options available to them and the School Authorities are to consider the options and revert to the Department.
At the meeting my officials also requested the School Authorities to send the revised Stage 2(b) Report, which has been forwarded to them by their Design Team for sign off in November 2020 to the Department with the School’s comments for the Department’s consideration. This revised Stage 2(b) Report has since been received by the Department. My officials will proceed to review the revised Stage 2(b) report and will revert to the school with its comments shortly.
113. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason rural social scheme supervisors are being requested to gather personal information from scheme participants as part of the annual review of means of participants in the scheme; if discussions have taken place with the Data Protection Commissioner on whether such an arrangement is satisfactory under the GDPR; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16197/21]
View answerThe Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support initiative which provides part-time employment opportunities in community and voluntary organisations for farmers or fishers who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are underemployed in their primary occupation. It is a supplementary income support scheme designed specifically for those participants whose income falls below a certain level.
To remain eligible to participate on the scheme an RSS participant must be actively farming or fishing and have an underlying entitlement to a qualifying social welfare payment, as determined by a means test.
In order to confirm a RSS participant's continuing eligibility for the scheme and issue an employment contract for the coming year, the RSS Supervisor must complete an online renewal form provided by the contracted payroll provider Pobal, on behalf of the RSS participant and the implementing body (IB) with which they are employed. This process identifies any changes in an RSS participant's circumstances which may affect their rate of payment and their continuing eligibility to remain on the RSS.
In line with current public health advice to mitigate the spread of Covid-19, RSS participants have been asked to make a self-declaration of their continued eligibility to participate on RSS for the year 2021-2022. This requires the completion of a form and the return of same to their RSS supervisor. This form assists the RSS supervisor in identifying specific changes to an RSS participant's circumstances, which may affect their continued eligibility to participate on RSS. It should be noted that there is no change to the information that was previously required as part of the RSS participant renewal process in previous years.
In considering the changes to the RSS participant renewal process for the 2021-2022 year, a Pre-Data Protection Impact Assessment evaluation template was completed by the Department and it was confirmed that a full Data Protection Impact Assessment would not be required. There was no requirement to notify the Data Protection Commissioner as there was no additional RSS participant information being gathered and there were no changes to existing data processing or data sharing practices.
It should be noted that the renewal process for RSS participants for the 2021-2022 year is in place in light of the current COVID operational environment and related public health advice.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
114. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection the dedicated email addresses for Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas to contact her Department and bodies under its aegis as outlined in circular 25/2016. [16012/21]
View answerI can confirm that my Department and agencies/bodies under the aegis of my Department have dedicated contacts in place for members of the Houses of the Oireachtas.
The Deputy will be aware that my Department provides members of the Oireachtas with a list of dedicated e-mail addresses for the various scheme areas in order to facilitate a rapid response to specific queries for their constituents directly with the relevant scheme area. These mailboxes are monitored every day and operate quickly, efficiently and effectively.
I am arranging to have this list updated and to have it re-circulated to Oireachtas members. The updated list will include the dedicated e-mail addresses for the bodies under the aegis of my Department.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
115. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of protected disclosures received by her Department in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021; the number that were accepted as a protected disclosure; the number that were in part or fully examined by a third party or consultancy; the number of protected disclosures under investigation over this period; and the number that were finalised and the contents accepted and acted on. [16038/21]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table beneath. For completeness, information is provided for the period from 2014 to date.
DSP - Submissions under protected Disclosure procedures
|
Year |
Rec’d |
Accepted, Assessed & Finalised |
Comment |
|
2014 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
2015 |
1 |
2 |
All examined and finalised |
|
2016 |
1 |
0 |
All examined and finalised |
|
2017 |
10 |
7 |
All examined and finalised |
|
2018 |
16 |
20 |
All examined and finalised |
|
2019 |
9 |
9 |
All examined and finalised |
|
2020 |
1 |
1 |
All examined and finalised |
|
2021 to Mar |
3 |
1 |
One examined and finalised; Assessment in progress in two cases |
Of the cases received since 2017, four were examined by a third party or consultancy.
Of the cases received since 2017, four were either partially or fully acted on.
116. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of protected disclosures received by her Department in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021 from officials within her Department; the number of officials who made protected disclosures over the period and who are now not working in her Department; and the number of protected disclosures received from retired officials of her Department over the period. [16056/21]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy is set out in the table below.
Number of Submissions to DSP under Protected Disclosures
|
|
From Officials within Department |
From Officials that made protected disclosures that are now not working in DSP* |
From Officials retired / left |
|
2017 |
12 (2 officials) |
11 (1 official) |
1 |
|
2018 |
8 (2 officials) |
8 (1 official) |
3 (1 official) |
|
2019 |
6 (1 official) |
6 (1 official) |
1 |
|
2020 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
2021(to 22/3) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
* NOTE: Number of submissions made by officials who were in the Department when they made their submissions and retired or left subsequently. Therefore, all of these are already counted in Column 1 as made by officials within the Department.
117. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if supports are available for a person working full-time and taking up a professional master's course in education online with a college (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16093/21]
View answerThe back to education allowance scheme (BTEA) provides people with a second chance education that will improve their prospects of securing employment. It enables eligible people to pursue approved education courses and to continue to receive income support for the duration of a course of study, subject to meeting certain conditions.
The BTEA is not intended to provide a basis for a long-duration participation in extended education. This approach is informed by research evidence. Evidence from econometric studies shows that the 'lock-in' effect of long duration return to education programmes can exceed the progression effect and reduce employment prospects.
In limited cases post-graduate courses can be supported under this scheme. BTEA can be approved where the applicant intends to undertake studies leading to a Higher Diploma (H.Dip) in any discipline or the Professional Masters in Education. Additionally BTEA support may be awarded for a Master’s degree based solely on life experience where the applicant holds no other third level qualification.
The specifics provided by the Deputy are considered as distance learning or online courses and therefore do not qualify for the purposes of the BTEA.
The BTEA was never intended to be an alternative form of funding for people pursuing third level education. The student universal support Ireland (SUSI) grant represents the primary support for persons pursuing education, including those in full time employment.
I trust this clarifies the position.
118. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if the back to work enterprise allowance can be repurposed to include self-employed persons in the tourism and arts sectors given that restrictions are likely to continue for some time; and, if not, if there is scope to set up a targeted scheme for such persons who are missing out on such payments. [16095/21]
View answerThe Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme offers support for people who are long-term unemployed and who are interested in self-employment as a route to entering the labour market. The BTWEA is not an income support for individuals already in self-employment. The scheme plays a vital role in supporting the development of new enterprises for the long term unemployed.
Those in self-employment have a range of other income support options available to them from the Department. The individuals referred to by the Deputy may be entitled to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), Jobseeker's Benefit or the means-tested Jobseeker’s Allowance payment depending on their situation.
As part of Budget 2021, self-employed can engage in limited levels of self-employment and can earn up to €960 over a rolling eight week period and continue to maintain entitlement to PUP. Where a self-employed person exceeds this threshold they may apply for the Part Time Job Incentive for the self- employed scheme which enables a self-employed person who has been in receipt of the PUP to engage in self-employment for up to 24 hours per week and receive a personal weekly rate of payment of €128.60. No income threshold is applied under this support.
The Enterprise Support Grant (ESG) is available to eligible self-employed recipients who close their PUP and re-start their business. A once-off grant of up to €1,000, to assist with the costs associated with reopening, is available under this measure. The grant, is payable to self-employed individuals who employ fewer than 10 people, have an annual turnover of less than €1 million and who are not eligible for support from similar business reopening grants from other Departments.
I trust this clarifies the position.
119. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection when the child maintenance review group will conclude and issue its findings; the timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16128/21]
View answerThe Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland. The Group is chaired by former Circuit Court Judge Catherine Murphy and includes legal, policy and academic professionals as well as officials from my Department and the Department of Justice.
The Group's Terms of Reference are to consider and make recommendations on: (i) the current treatment of child maintenance payments in my Department; (ii) the current provisions regarding liable relatives managed by my Department; and (iii) the establishment of a Child Maintenance Agency in Ireland.
The work of the Group is well underway. To date the Group has held five meetings and there are a number of other meetings scheduled on a regular basis over the coming months.
A consultation process is ongoing to facilitate feedback from stakeholder groups and members of the public in order to inform the Group's work. This process will close for submissions on 26 March.
The Group's report is expected later this year.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
120. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the engagement she has had on the policy of progressing disability services; and if she has contacted other Ministers regarding the policy. [16178/21]
View answerMy Department develops its services for people with disabilities in conjunction with other Departments and agencies under a number of key national strategies and plans. These include:
National Disability Inclusion Strategy (2017 – 2021)
The National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS) is a coordinated and planned approach, across Government Departments, to promote greater inclusion by people with disabilities in Irish society. The Strategy takes a whole of Government approach to improving the lives of people with disabilities both in a practical sense, and also in creating the best possible opportunities for people with disabilities to fulfil their potential.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) are the lead department with regards to the strategy.
Implementation of the Strategy is overseen by a Steering Group (NDIS-SG), comprised of representatives of departments, agencies and of disability stakeholder representative bodies.
The Steering Group meets on a quarterly basis and is chaired by Minister of State Anne Rabbitte.
Comprehensive Employment Strategy (2015 – 2024)
The Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) for People with Disabilities was published in 2015. The CES provides a framework within which departments and agencies work together and set out agreed actions to improve the employment prospects of persons with a disability.
The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities Implementation Group (CES-IG) meets four times a year to monitor progress against actions.
The CES-IG is independently chaired by Mr Fergus Finlay and consists of representatives of Departments, agencies and disability stakeholder representative bodies.
Make Work Pay (MWP) Report
The Make Work Pay report was published in April 2017 following a commitment in the CES 2015 -2024, and was undertaken in order to better identify how people with disabilities could be supported to achieve their employment ambitions.
While work is on-going, in line with recommendations of the Make Work Pay report a number of changes have been implemented by Departments. These include:
- the requirement that work be of a ‘rehabilitative’ nature, where a person in receipt of Disability Allowance wishes to undertake employment, has been removed.
- people with a long-term disability who take up employment retain their Free Travel Pass for a period of five years (recommendation was for three years in MWP report);
- a 'fast-track return to disability allowance' protocol has been put in place should a particular employment opportunity prove unsuitable;
- a protocol is in place in Intreo, that an enquiry from a person on a long-term disability payment about taking up or returning to work will not result in a review of their current entitlements.
- a “Benefits of Work” calculator for persons with a disability is now available on the Department's website to help people calculate the net benefit of entering or returning to work;
- Review the Disability Allowance earnings disregard at regular intervals taking into account developments in the wider economy. A Budget 2021 measure will see increases of €20 to both the Disability Allowance and Blind Pension income disregards from €120 to €140 from June 2021.
In addition, as per a MWP recommendation, the Department of Health has introduced a significant increase to the medical card assessment process which will enable persons in receipt of a Disability Allowance payment to have a greater earnings capacity and still retain their medical card. The medical card earnings disregard has increased from €120 to €427 per week.
There are an number of other strategies and programmes that provide a framework for cross departmental working and the development of services. These include the "Pathways to Work" and the "Roadmap for Social Inclusion".
Finally my Department regularly consults with a wide range of organisations and bodies who represent people with disabilities and who have experience and knowledge of disability issues through various fora. These include the quarterly Disability Consultative Forum, the Annual Carers Forum, the Pre-Budget Forum and the Community and Voluntary Pillar.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
121. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to review the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16192/21]
View answerSince its enactment, the Civil Registration Act 2004 has been subject to regular revision and amendment, including mostly recently through the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Act 2018 and the Civil Registration Act 2019. My Department keeps the statutory provisions regarding civil registration under regular review and new proposals are brought forward to address emerging issues as necessary.
While I do not propose to carry out a formal review of the Civil Registration Act 2004 at this stage, I will continue to examine the need to bring forward new proposals to ensure that the legislative provisions continue to keep pace with new developments in our society.
122. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consideration will be given to extending the number of asylum seekers accepted by Ireland from the Greek islands to beyond the proposed 50 persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16020/21]
View answer123. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to correspondence (details supplied) regarding persons in Lesbos, Greece; and if he will give the contents urgent consideration. [16064/21]
View answer124. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it is planned to give consideration to accepting up to 400 refugees into Ireland from the up to 12,000 persons who have been trapped on the Greek islands, particularly Lesbos (details supplied), in view of the humanitarian tragedy there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16150/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 122 to 124, inclusive, together.
I am aware of the open letter signed by healthcare professional 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. It is not planned to consider accepting any additional refugees from Greece.
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 may make the journey 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.
125. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the leave entitlements of a person who has become a parent through surrogacy; if it is planned to make provisions for a person who becomes a parent through surrogacy to take leave, including maternity, paternity, parental and-or adoptive leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16449/21]
View answerPolicy on surrogacy rests with the Minister for Health while policy on parentage rests with the Minister for Justice. Legislation on family leaves must be developed in the context of the legal situation concerning parentage, including in relation to surrogacy. Any changes in the legal situation with regard to parentage and surrogacy are matters for the Minister for Justice and Minister for Health.
Some forms of family leaves may be available to commissioning surrogate parents. These include parental leave and parent's leave and benefit.
126. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the dedicated email addresses for Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas to contact his Department and bodies under its aegis as outlined in circular 25/2016. [15999/21]
View answerMy Department is currently compiling the information requested by the Deputy and a response will be issued directly as soon as possible.
127. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of protected disclosures received by his Department in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021; the number that were accepted as a protected disclosure; the number that were in part or fully examined by a third party or consultancy; the number of protected disclosures under investigation over this period; and the number that were finalised and the contents accepted and acted on. [16025/21]
View answerIn the period 2017 to 2020 two Protected Disclosures were received by the Department, one in 2017 and one in 2019. No Protected Disclosures have been received in 2021 to date. One additional disclosure was received in late 2016 and has been the subject of examination in the period referred to.
In relation to the 2017 disclosure the Department responded at the time and the person who made the disclosure did not follow up to correspondence. It is open to the discloser to further engage with the Department if they so wish.
In relation to the 2019 disclosure there is ongoing correspondence with the person concerned. A full investigation was not deemed necessary as preliminary enquiries established sufficient information to show that the substantive issues being disclosed were known and were being addressed. I have received further correspondence in recent months from the person who made the 2019 disclosure and I am aware that the Deputy has separately raised a number of questions with regard to that matter.
In relation to the late 2016 disclosure, the details were referred to the relevant body for examination and a final report of is still awaited by the Department. An external consultancy examination of the correspondence was separately commissioned by the Department.
