Written Answers Nos. 581-600
581. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children currently awaiting fostering and emergency fostering; the length of time they have been waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24359/21]
View answerThe Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.
582. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the non-governmental organisations in receipt of funding from his Department; the amount of funding allocated to same in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24368/21]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that a large number of organisations funded by my Department may be classified as non-governmental organisations (NGOs). In the absence of a formal definition of NGO, my officials are preparing a response which takes account of community-based/voluntary bodies with charitable tax status funded by this Department in 2020 and in the current year.
Information sought by the Deputy is currently being collated and the response will issue as soon as possible.
583. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons employed by his Department; and the collective total salary received by employees of his Department. [24434/21]
View answerThe table below shows the number of staff employed in my Department and the collective total annual salaries as of 30th April 2021.
|
Headcount |
Collective Annual Salaries |
|
430 |
€23.37 million |
584. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he or his Department employ persons or firms to deal with public relations; if so, the number of persons employed by his Department to deal with public relations; the names of any firms involved; and the total amount spent on public relations by his Department. [24435/21]
View answerThe Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth does not employ persons or firms to deal with public relations. Accordingly, the Department has a zero spend on public relations.
585. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the cases of workers in the childcare sector who are currently pregnant; the guidelines that are in place to protect them from Covid-19 infection in view of the fact that there are protocols for teachers and special needs assistants who are pregnant to work from home presently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24539/21]
View answerPublic health advice in relation to Covid-19 and pregnancy is provided by the HSE at https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus-and-pregnancy.html. This advice is based on the latest evidence available and is kept under review.
It is important to note that, at this point in time, the HSE has not categorised pregnant women as falling within the High Risk or Very High Risk groups in relation to Covid-19 (https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/people-at-higher-risk.html).
My Department does not have an employer role in relation to the staff in Early Learning and Care (ELC) or School-Age Childcare (SAC) services and so it cannot provide occupational health advice or services. It is a matter for individual employers to work with pregnant employees (as they do with all vulnerable employees) to assess their work environment and make relevant adjustments, as appropriate to their circumstances. In doing so they should take the HSE advice on high risk, very high risk and pregnancy into consideration.
ELC and SAC practitioners are advised to speak with their GP if they have particular concerns about their own situation.
586. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timeline for the completion of a pathway to eliminate the practice of accommodating young persons in nursing homes. [24586/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that I am not in a position to provide an answer on this matter. This is a matter appropriate to my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Health.
587. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the decongregation programme to move persons with disabilities from congregated settings to homes in the community with necessary supports. [24587/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that I am not in a position to provide an answer on this matter. This is a matter appropriate to my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Health.
588. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider funding a pilot outreach youth service in Dublin 12 through the CDETB (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24704/21]
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 €41.8m 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 funding and 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 proposed service in the Dublin 12 area wishing to apply for funding should liaise with the City of Dublin ETB in the first instance.
589. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is satisfied that the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 is being properly applied and adhered to within all third-level institutions. [23496/21]
View answerAs independent corporate entities higher education institutions are required in their own right to comply with the provisions of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. As legally autonomous institutions, it is a matter for each institution to ensure the provisions of the Protected Disclosures Act are fully implemented and adhered to within their own institution.
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has responsibility for the effective governance and regulation of the higher education institutions and my Department supports the HEA in its role. If the Deputy has any concerns in this regard, I would be happy to meet with him to discuss this.
590. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has acted on the Labour Court recommendation on regularisation of the terms and conditions for adult literacy teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23609/21]
View answer607. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the adult literacy strategy will include plans to improve the terms of employment of adult literacy tutors that have an outstanding Labour Court recommendation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24163/21]
View answerThe 10 year adult literacy, numeracy and digital literacy strategy will take a whole-of-government approach and provide a framework to support individuals to improve their literacy, numeracy and digital literacy. This new strategy will provide a framework to build on and streamline the substantial work that is already being done across a range of Government departments, state agencies and wider stakeholder groups, to increase awareness of services for the public and to capture the contribution that can be made right across Government to deliver better literacy, numeracy and digital literacy in the adult population.
The Labour Court has made a recommendation in relation to a claim brought by SIPTU and TUI in respect of regularising the terms and conditions of Adult Education Tutors employed by Education and Training Boards which has been under consideration by officials in my Department, the Department of Education and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
The recently ratified Public Service Agreement, Building Momentum, contains a mechanism to address outstanding adjudications, commitments, recommendations awards and claims within the terms of the quantum of the Sectoral Bargaining Fund available for agreed Sectoral Bargaining Units. My Department and officials from the Department of Education are engaging with the relevant unions to establish their sectoral bargaining priorities.
591. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason for the decision to cut graduation ceremonies for third-level institutions so far in advance of the ceremonies. [23706/21]
View answerHigher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Under this legislation the HEIs are independent and are entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes, including in relation to graduations. The manner in which graduations take place is a matter for each individual institution, and it is not within my remit to intervene.
592. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 91 of 29 April 2021, the details of the specific strategic or important purposes that were identified since 2018; the corresponding amount of top-sliced or ring-fenced funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23724/21]
View answerMy Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to HEA designated higher education institutions.
The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions via the recurrent funding model. Top sliced and ring fenced funding for specific Departmental or Sectoral strategic purposes is a component of the funding model in addition to the block grant and performance funding.
Details of the top slice allocations for the years 2018 to 2020 are outlined in the table.
Separately, as announced in July, Government provided additional and re-prioritised funding in the amount of €168m to enable providers to facilitate the safe return of students to further and higher education in 2020, in the context of public health advice. This funding included provision for PPE and equipment, online learning costs, student supports and research costs. Of the additional funding €131m was allocated via the HEA under the B4 subhead.
|
DFHERIS Directed Top Slices |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Student Wellbeing* |
€3,000,000 |
||
|
Killybegs |
€750,000 |
€750,000 |
€750,000 |
|
TU Transformation Fund (formerly Landscape Reform Allocation) (including MEND) |
€11,764,869 |
€14,250,000 |
€29,889,059 |
|
Strategic Skills |
€4,050,609 |
€3,769,379 |
€4,495,434 |
|
DRI |
€300,000 |
€300,000 |
€300,000 |
|
Transfer of Former Church of Ireland College of Education to DCU |
€1,900,000 |
€1,900,000 |
€1,900,000 |
|
National Youth Orchestra |
€96,000 |
€96,000 |
€96,000 |
|
Transfer Froebel to MU |
€2,500,000 |
€1,800,000 |
€500,000 |
|
Gaeltacht Strategy** |
€210,000 |
€396,000 |
€382,800 |
|
Innovation and Transformation Fund |
€6,200,000 |
€2,716,721 |
€4,730,000 |
|
Performance fund and capacity building |
€5,000,000 |
||
|
Multi Campus |
€800,000 |
€900,000 |
€900,000 |
|
GMIT campus |
€750,000 |
€750,000 |
€750,000 |
|
IReL post in MU |
€22,000 |
€59,542 |
|
|
Academic Medical Consultants Payments |
€9,000,000 |
€1,746,000 |
|
|
Gender Equality Initiatives |
€294,000 |
€760,078 |
|
|
Management and Leadership |
€250,000 |
€380,000 |
|
|
Teaching and Learning Capacity |
€5,570,000 |
€5,000,000 |
|
|
Research Fund for Technological Sector |
€5,000,000 |
€5,000,000 |
|
|
Additional Student Places |
€5,000,000 |
||
|
Teacher Education |
€500,000 |
||
|
Strategic System Top Slices |
|||
|
Nursing |
€42,502,223 |
€45,029,687 |
€48,655,427 |
|
National Forum for Teaching and Learning |
€2,250,000 |
€1,680,000 |
€2,250,000 |
|
Shared Services - Irish Survey of Student Engagement |
€360,000 |
€360,000 |
€274,000 |
|
Shared Services - Other |
€339,173 |
€340,766 |
€181,958 |
|
University Top-slices |
|||
|
Literacy and Numeracy Strategy |
€5,806,000 |
€5,806,000 |
€5,806,000 |
|
Medical Education |
€20,000,000 |
€20,000,000 |
€19,500,000 |
|
Veterinary and Dentistry Provision |
€4,350,000 |
€4,275,000 |
€4,275,000 |
|
Skills, Therapies, |
€646,000 |
€646,000 |
€646,000 |
|
Acadamh (NUI Galway) |
€1,766,000 |
€1,766,000 |
€1,766,000 |
|
Edward Kennedy Centre for Conflict Resolution (MU) |
€250,000 |
€250,000 |
€250,000 |
|
Irish Strategic Initiative |
€850,000 |
€850,000 |
€900,000 |
|
MIC St Patrick's Thurles |
€700,000 |
€350,000 |
€350,000 |
|
E Journals |
€4,145,000 |
€4,250,000 |
€4,310,000 |
|
Former ITE Staff |
€468,000 |
€477,894 |
€370,400 |
|
Former St. Catherine's Staff Transfer**** |
€411,765 |
€422,217 |
€435,673 |
|
National University of Ireland |
€12,697 |
€12,697 |
€12,697 |
|
IT Investment Fund (included with Skills from 2019) |
€1,405,681 |
||
|
Technological Sector Specific Top-slices |
|||
|
HEAnet**** |
€2,683,000 |
€2,812,000 |
|
|
Educampus**** |
€8,346,000 |
€8,436,000 |
|
|
E Journals |
€220,521 |
€250,000 |
€160,000 |
|
Literacy and Numeracy Strategy |
€80,000 |
€80,000 |
€80,000 |
|
Technological Sector - Sectoral Compact |
€100,000 |
€200,000 |
* In addition to €2m provided through the RGAM in 2020 for Student Wellbeing
** Funded directly by the Department of Education and Skills for 2021
*** Pension element for these staff members is now paid from a different subhead
**** Funded directly by the Department of Education since 2020
593. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the percentage of the higher education student population receiving a SUSI maintenance grant since 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23725/21]
View answerThe principal support provided by the Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the terms of the Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
The information requested by the Deputy is provided in the tables below.
Post graduate students in receipt of fee grant only
Under graduate students in receipt of SUSI fee grant only
Post graduate students in receipt of Maintenance and Fee grants
Post Graduate Maintenance and Fees
Under graduate students in receipt of SUSI maintenance and fee grants
Undergraduate students in receipt of SUSI maintenance and fee grants
The data provided in the tables attached is in respect of students who were awarded a grant from the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI, which has just entered its tenth year of operation. It does not encompass data relating to the 66 awarding authorities who had continued to process renewal applications on a transitory basis.
At present, postgraduate students from low-income households who meet the qualifying criteria for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme 2020 may be eligible to have their tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit of €6,270 as well as receiving the special rate of maintenance grant of up to €5,915. All other postgraduate students undertaking approved courses may apply for a Postgraduate Fee Contribution in the amount of €2,000 towards tuition fees. The income threshold for this payment was €31,500 for the 2020/21 academic year, increasing relative to the number of family dependents.
As the Deputy may be aware For 2021/22 I have expanded the income threshold from €31,500 to €54,250 and the fee grant contribution has increased from €2,000 to €3,500. This will enable more students to take part in those courses.
The Deputy will be aware that in Budget 2021, I secured a commitment to commence a review of the Student Grant Scheme and an independent review is currently underway. It anticipated that the findings will be presented to me in the autumn and will inform future considerations regarding the development of student grant policy.
594. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the higher education expenditure as a percentage of GDP, GNI and modified GNI in each year since 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23726/21]
View answerThe provision of funding for Higher Education on an annual basis is part of overall expenditure management and budgetary policy. Since 2016, as represented in the table below, there has been a significant programme of investment in higher education. Funding and policy developments taken in recent Budgets have taken significant steps to meet the funding needs of the sector including Covid-19 related financial support provided for in 2020. As Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, I am committed to continuing the process of investing in our higher education system and to the development and implementation of a sustainable funding model for the sector.
The tables below summarise Higher Education sector funding since 2016, and indicative figures showing this funding as a proportion of GDP, GNP and modified GNI (GNI*). No indicators are yet available from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on GNI and GNI* for 2020.
|
Higher Education Funding (€million) |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Voted Higher Education Funding * |
1,515 |
1,585 |
1,606 |
1,734 |
1,899 |
|
Non-voted Higher Education Funding (National Training Fund) |
27 |
37 |
99 |
192 |
317 |
|
Total Higher Education Funding |
1,542 |
1,622 |
1,705 |
1,926 |
2,215 |
|
Higher Education Funding as % of National Indicators ** |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) |
0.6% |
0.5% |
0.5% |
0.5% |
0.6% |
|
Gross National Income (GNI) |
0.7% |
0.7% |
0.7% |
0.7% |
n/a |
|
Modified Gross National Income (GNI*) |
0.9% |
0.9% |
0.9% |
0.9% |
n/a |
*Voted Higher Education expenditure is from latest published Estimates: i) 2020 Vote 45 (Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science), ii) 2016 to 2019 Vote 26 (Department for Education and Skills).
**National indicators used in calculations are: i) 2016 to 2019 indicators at current market prices from the CSO National Income and Expenditure 2019 report, ii) 2020 GDP figure at constant market price from the CSO 2020 Q4 National Accounts.
595. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 1315 of 21 April 2021, if he will provide further detail on apprenticeship salary costs which are distinct from apprenticeship training allowances as shown in the expenditure breakdown provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23727/21]
View answer596. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 1315 of 21 April 2021, if he will provide further detail on the expenditure item non-allowance referred to in the expenditure breakdown provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23728/21]
View answer597. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 1315 of 21 April 2021, if the cost of a craft apprentice provided contains the expenditure on off-the-job training provided through further education; the location within which this is contained in the cost breakdown provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23729/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 595, 596 and 597 together.
The cost of delivering an apprenticeship within an Institute of Technology/Technological University/Education and Training Board includes administrative, quality assurance and programme support for apprentices while they are on the job as well as off-the-job training phases. For example staff such as Authorised Officers conduct employer assessments for authorisation to recruit apprentices as well as awareness building and quality assurance. As such the cost of programme delivery is not broken down into off-the-job training and other elements.
The figures provided in the 2019 Expenditure Review were based on the total average annual cost per apprentice, including training allowance where relevant for craft apprentices. Given the location of craft apprentice off-the-job training across further and higher education institutions, the average annual figure includes off-the-job training delivery costs across the full tertiary education system.
In relation to the specific questions raised by the Deputy in relation to the explanation of the line items provided:
- Apprenticeship training allowances are the payments made to craft apprentices who attend off-the-job training (Phases 2,4 and 6).
- Apprenticeship salary costs refer to the staffing costs within the ETB for the delivery of apprenticeship programmes.
- Non-allowance expenditure is the cost to the ETB of delivering apprenticeship programmes (excluding salary costs).
598. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the role he foresees for the roll-out of antigen testing to support the sustained reopening of third-level educational facilities in 2021-22; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23779/21]
View answerThe Government has confirmed that there will be a significant increase in on-site third level activity in September, and in June I will publish a plan for reopening in a significant way for the next academic year. The potential role of rapid antigen testing as one part of a package of surveillance measures to support this greater on-site provision is recognised, but the plan will not wholly depend upon this given the range of precautionary measures and other actions that can help ensure the safe wider re-opening of campuses and other educational settings and substantial on-site activity.
Plans for a multi-site pilot study to develop a COVID-19 surveillance system for third level students and staff in Ireland are at an advanced stage, and it is expected that the study will provide learning on the potential role rapid antigen testing can play. It is expected this will be rolled out across four universities this month.
599. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Breisoideachais agus Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta agus Eolaíochta an bhfuil sé ar an eolas faoin bhfeachtas atá ann le déanaí, curtha chun cinn ag an tOllamh Caoimhín De Barra, chun Gaelollscoil a bhunú sa Ghaeltacht agus an bhfuil aon obair nó taighde déanta ag an rialtas ar cé chomh indéanta is atá an moladh nó cé mhéad a chosnódh sé ollscoil nua a bhunú. [23811/21]
View answerTá mo Roinn tiomanta do chur chun cinn na Gaeilge. Is colún lárnach de chur chuige an rialtais é an Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030 chun a chinntiú go ndéantar an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn agus a chothú ar fud an stáit. Mar is dócha gur eol don Teachta, tá tacaíocht shonrach tugtha d’fhorbairt Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge (OÉG). D’aontaigh mo Roinn leithdháileadh €900,000 a sholáthar don Acadamh do na blianta acadúla 2019/20 agus 2020/21.
Níl sé ar intinn agam, faoi láthair, Gaelollscoil a bhunú sa Gaeltacht, agus níl taighde déanta ag mo Roinn faoin abháir.
600. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding and supports that have been provided for maritime and ocean research in each of the past five years at third level or to assist the private sector. [23820/21]
View answerFor the purposes of my reply, I will focus on projects funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), the national foundation for investment in scientific and engineering research. There may be other work funded through other Government Departments.
SFI funds research in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Every year the agency has a range of funding programmes open to researchers to apply for research grants. The vast majority of SFI funding calls are not theme specific and so researchers may propose research projects in any areas once they are within the SFI STEM remit.
I have asked SFI to summarise their investment in all marine, ocean, coastal, offshore wind, tidal energy, aquaculture, blue economy and related research. This is summarized on the following table.
|
SFI Investments in Marine/Ocean Research by year |
€ |
|
2016 |
€38,832,897 |
|
2017 |
€37,247,927 |
|
2018 |
€36,708,273 |
|
2019 |
€63,823,270 |
|
2020 |
€62,017,335 |
A large number of SFI awards are made on a multiannual basis. The figures reflected in this table include the full portfolio of commitments in a given year, i.e., the full award amount of one award will contribute to the figure across multiple years. These investment figures include investments in large scale SFI Research Centres. Due to their multidisciplinary nature not all research activities will be directly relevant to the area of marine research but the full Centre investment is reflected in these figures.
