Written Answers Nos. 192-211
192. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the actions his Department will take to support greater participation of young women and other under-represented groups on apprenticeship programmes arising from the Apprenticeship Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30140/21]
View answerThe Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 sets out a number of structural reforms to ensure that the apprenticeship system of the future is enabled to deliver a more responsive and visible offering to learners and employers.
A National Apprenticeship Alliance (NAA) will be established to provide stakeholder oversight of the delivery of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship in collaboration with a new National Apprenticeship office (NAO). Central to the NAA will be an Equity of Access Subcommittee which will include representation that ensures that links with second level, community education, youth justice programmes, broader FET provision and higher education are represented.
Targets for participation by under-represented groups, and additional specific actions to support those target groups will be set in conjunction with the Equity of Access Subcommittee and will be monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure that interventions are effective in supporting increased diversity of the apprentice population.
Specific immediate actions set out in the plan include:-
- A bursary of €2,666 is currently available to employers of women craft apprentices. This will be extended to all apprenticeship with over 80% participation of any gender to support gender diversity.
- An apprentice bursary/support scheme will be established to fund up to 100 apprentices per year who are experiencing severe socioeconomic disadvantage and who are from target groups, including lone parents, people with disabilities, Travellers and Roma.
- Access to apprenticeship programmes and pre-apprenticeship courses will be clearly labelled as such, with progression routes into apprenticeship clearly identified and information on these courses will be published on www. apprenticeship.ie.
- An employer survey will determine baseline employer attitude and extent of knowledge of supports available to employers for supporting employees with a disability.
The actions set out in the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 build on the outcomes of the 2018 Review of Pathways to Participation in Apprenticeship which has already resulted in a significant widening of measures to support increased visibility of apprenticeships. In April 2021, there were a total of 1,113 women apprentices, up from 60 in 2016.
193. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of young persons under 25 years of age on the Youthreach programme. [30141/21]
View answer194. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding allocation to Youthreach in 2021. [30142/21]
View answer195. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the average cost of supporting a place on the Youthreach programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30143/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 193 to 195, inclusive, together.
The Youthreach programme is a national programme of education and training for early school leavers. The programme is delivered in two settings, Youthreach Centres and Community Training Centres (CTCs). The information below is in respect of the programme delivered in Youthreach Centres.
The programme provides two years integrated education, training and work experience for unemployed early school leavers without any qualifications or vocational training, who are between 16 and 21 years of age. The programme offers participants the opportunity to identify and pursue viable options within adult life, provides them with opportunities to acquire certification, and includes a work experience element to prepare participants for progression on to further study, training or working life.
€71m funding was allocated by SOLAS to the ETBs for the delivery of the programme in 2021. On 1 March, there were 2,477 learners enrolled in the programme. Based on full year data, the average annual cost of supporting a place on the Youthreach programme is €17,199, including the cost of allowances paid to participants.
196. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of young persons under 25 years of age on training programmes in the community training centres. [30144/21]
View answer197. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding allocation to the community training centres in 2021. [30145/21]
View answer198. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the average cost of supporting a place on a training programme in a community training centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30146/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 196 to 198, inclusive, together.
As part of the overall national Youthreach programme, Community Training Centres (CTCs) are independent community-based organisations funded by the Education and Training Boards, catering for the training and employment needs of early school leavers, primarily aged between 16 and 21.
The training is certified leading to recognised awards on the National Framework of Qualifications. All programmes offer personal and social skills development through modules such as communications, personal effectiveness, teamwork, career planning and literacy and numeracy support which are integrated with the vocational training modules. Trainees are entitled to a training allowance on the programme and may be entitled to a meal/travel allowance.
In 2021 SOLAS allocated €33.9m to the Education and Training Boards for the provision of the programme. Based on full year data, the average annual cost of supporting a place on the programme, including the payment of allowances to learners, is estimated at €20,896.
On 1 March, there were 1,322 learners under the age of 25 enrolled in the programme.
199. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of young persons under 25 years of age on the VTOS programme. [30147/21]
View answer200. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding allocation to the VTOS programme in 2021. [30148/21]
View answer201. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the average cost of supporting a place on the VTOS programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30149/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 199 to 201, inclusive, together.
The Vocational Training and Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) is designed to cater for people who are over 21 years of age, are unemployed and have been getting certain social welfare payments for at least 6 months. VTOS is a full time programme, generally of 2 years duration, that provides a range of courses to meet the education and training needs of unemployed people. It gives participants opportunities to improve their general level of education, gain certification, develop their skills and prepare for employment, self-employment and further education and training. The scheme is operated through the Education and Training Boards (ETBs).
In 2021 SOLAS allocated €66.2m to the ETBs for the provision of the programme to all learners, including those under the age of 25. There are currently 377 learners under the age of 25 enrolled in the programme.
The average annual cost of supporting a place on the VTOS programme is €15,672, including the cost of allowances paid in lieu of social welfare entitlements.
202. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of young persons under 25 years on SOLAS training programmes for the unemployed. [30150/21]
View answer203. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding allocation to young persons under 25 years on SOLAS training programmes for the unemployed in 2021. [30151/21]
View answer204. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the average cost of supporting a place on the SOLAS training programme for the unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30152/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 202 to 204, inclusive, together.
There is a variety of full-time training programmes available for persons under 25 years including programmes such as Blended Training, Bridging and Foundation Training, Community Training Centres, Local Training Initiatives, Specialist Training Providers, Specific Skills Training and Traineeship Training. A total of €167.28m has been allocated to these programmes in 2021. This covers the cost for all participants, including those under the age of 25.
The number of persons under the age of 25 currently enrolled in these programmes is 3,664 learners. It should be noted that this is in addition to early school leaver programmes, post leaving cert courses and other programmes not specifically aimed at unemployed people.
The average cost of supporting a place on programmes aimed at training unemployed people amounts to €10,750, inclusive of training allowances paid in lieu of social welfare entitlements. There are significant variances in cost depending on duration and a number of other factors.
205. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if there is an official body or bodies in Ireland that investigate GSOC; and if not, the correct process to follow should there be discontent with the outcome of a GSOC investigation. [29880/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is the independent body charged with receiving complaints from the public concerning members of An Garda Síochána, as laid down in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. GSOC is the sole body in the State charged with investigating concerns about An Garda Síochána.
The position is that there is no specific body that reviews the outcomes of GSOC investigations. GSOC have customer service procedures in place to receive complaints about their service from members of the public, and any member of the public who has concerns about the service they have received from GSOC, or the conduct of a member of GSOC's staff, is encouraged to engage with this process. Neither I nor my Department can intervene in any individual complaint about GSOC made in this way, nor can I comment on any aspect of this process, as GSOC are independent in these matters.
It is of course open to any citizen who is dissatisfied with the decision of a public body to seek redress through the Courts.
There is also, as the Deputy may be aware, a mechanism for an independent inquiry into the conduct of designated officers of GSOC. Section 109 of the Act permits the Minister, having consulted with GSOC, to invite the Chief Justice to nominate a judge of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal or the High Court to inquire into the conduct of a designated officer of GSOC while performing functions under section 98 or 99 in relation to an investigation. Given the nature of such an inquiry, one which is carried out by a judge of the superior courts it can not be considered to be an ordinary complaints or grievance procedure. Furthermore, it is important to emphasise that the purpose of such an inquiry is to inquire into the conduct of a designated officer either on a particular occasion or in general in performing functions under the relevant sections.
Finally, the Deputy may wish to note that the general scheme of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill, recently approved for drafting by the Government, includes provision for a right of review to GSOC in relation to decisions that bring a complaints process to a conclusion, in the context of an overall new approach to investigating complaints.
206. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice the procedures in place to liaise with European counterparts if suspected sex offenders are travelling between jurisdictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29926/21]
View answer207. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice the safeguards in place to stop suspected sex offenders travelling between jurisdictions in Europe if they are a possible flight-risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29927/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 206 and 207 together.
I can inform the Deputy that An Garda Síochána engages extensively with other police forces in relation to monitoring the travel arrangements of convicted sex offenders to and from the jurisdiction, particularly in respect of those countries with similar legislation to the Sex Offenders Act 2001.
Under section 10(3) of the Sex Offenders Act 2001, if a registered sex offender intends to leave the State for a continuous period of 7 days or more, they must notify An Garda Síochána of that intention and, if known, the address of the place outside the State they intend to reside or stay. Section 10(4) further relates to travelling outside of the jurisdiction.
The forthcoming Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill will, among other things, strengthen and tighten the notification requirements for convicted sex offenders. The Bill will reduce the notification period from seven to three days.
When Garda authorities become aware that a convicted sex offender has left or is intending to leave the State, personnel attached to the Sex Offender Management and Intelligence Unit (SOMIU), Garda National Protective Services Bureau, ensures that the relevant law enforcement agency in the country of destination is advised. This is generally conducted via Interpol.
An Information Sharing Agreement exists between An Garda Síochána and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), supported by a Memorandum of Understanding, which allows the sharing of information directly between the SOMIU and the Public Protection Intelligence Unit, PSNI, regarding convicted sex offenders who cross over the border between both jurisdictions.
When the SOMIU receives such a notification, the information is formally recorded and the relevant nominated Divisional Inspector, with responsibility for the monitoring of sex offenders, is notified to ensure monitoring of the offender, and where relevant, ensure the offender is visited to confirm they understand their requirements under Part II of the Act of 2001.
In urgent cases, members of An Garda Síochána have attended at ports of entry into the State to advise travelling sex offenders of their obligations under the Act.
There are cases however, where persons with convictions abroad enter this jurisdiction and nonotification is brought to the attention of An Garda Síochána. Typically these type of cases occur where no sex offender legislation exists in the offender’s home country or where the offender leaves their home jurisdiction without notifying law enforcement authorities.
208. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 174 of 19 May 2021, the reason Ireland has failed to provide the information relating to procedural time limits on the eJustice portal after more than three years (details supplied). [30009/21]
View answerAs indicated to the Deputy in reply to his questions on 21 April and 18 May, the European e:Justice Portal contains information on both European Union law and the national law of the Member States of the EU.
The Portal is maintained by the European Commission. Information is provided by member states via the European Judicial Network (EJN). While membership and responsibility of the European Judicial Network (EJN) is spread across my Department and the Courts Service, the Courts Service is Ireland’s primary contact point.
Under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in its functions.
The factsheet on Irish procedural time-limits to which the Deputy refers, was removed from the Portal for updating on foot of changes to the relevant legislation. It was inadvertently not re-uploaded due to pressure of more significant work. The Courts Service advise me that the fact sheet will be completed in the coming weeks. My Department will then upload the factsheet to the Portal in early course.
209. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice the number of projects supported by the Garda youth diversion programme in 2021; and the number of beneficiaries under the programme. [30133/21]
View answerPart 4 of the Children Act 2001 (as amended) provides the statutory basis for the Garda Diversion Programme. The intention of the programme is to divert children and young people who have engaged in criminal or anti-social behaviour away from the criminal justice system and towards more positive life choices. Children who commit criminal offences are considered for admission to the Garda Diversion Programme, as provided in the Children Act 2001. Each such case is assessed and the Director of the Garda Diversion Programme (a Garda Superintendent) decides if the case is suitable or not for inclusion.
The operation of the programme includes informal and formal Garda warnings, delivered in the presence of parents or guardians, as well as provision for supervision by a Garda Juvenile Liaison Officer. The scope of the Diversion programme is illustrated by 2019 figures, which show that 18,567 children were referred for consideration under the programme.
Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs) are a fundamental support to the operation of the statutory Garda Diversion Programme and provide a vital ingredient in enhancing community policing partnerships. There are currently 105 Projects nationwide. These projects are community based multi-agency crime prevention initiatives, which are funded directly by my Department. GYDPs seek to divert young people who have become involved, or are at risk of becoming involved, in crime/anti-social behaviour away from future involvement with the criminal justice system. They are primarily targeted at 12-17 year old young people in communities where a specific need for the service has been identified. On average, the Garda Youth Diversion Projects engage with between 3,500 and 4,000 young people across the state in any one year.
While the projects primarily receive referrals from An Garda Síochána, they may receive referrals from other sources including schools, parents or self-referrals, including in some cases working with young people who are not under Garda supervision, or have been deemed unsuitable for diversion. Individual GYDPs also undertake early intervention preventative work and support for families. Therefore, as projects include a mixture of young people referred from An Garda Síochána and other sources, data on GYDPs participants is not directly comparable with data on those considered for admission to the Garda Diversion Programme.
The following links to the Annual Reports of the Committee appointed to monitor the effectiveness of the Diversion programme for the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 may be of assistance to the Deputy. The statistics provided in these reports contain information on referrals to the Diversion Programme, which corresponds to the numbers of crime incidents considered.
2017 - www.iyjs.ie/en/iyjs/pages/publications.
2018 - www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Annual_Report_of_the_Committee_Appointed_to_Monitor_the_Effectiveness_of_the_Diversion_Programme_2018.pdf/Files/Annual_Report_of_the_Committee_Appointed_to_Monitor_the_Effectiveness_of_the_Diversion_Programme_2018.pdf.
2019 - www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Annual_Report_of_the_Committee_Appointed_to_Monitor_the_Effectiveness_of_the_Diversion_Programme_2019.pdf/Files/Annual_Report_of_the_Committee_Appointed_to_Monitor_the_Effectiveness_of_the_Diversion_Programme_2019.pdf.
210. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice the funding for the Garda youth diversion programme in each of the years 2007 to 2021, in tabular form. [30134/21]
View answerI am very conscious of how the impact of crime affects the quality of life for local communities. Preventing children getting involved in criminality and diverting children away from it when they have already become involved is one of the priorities for me as Minister for State in the Department of Justice. Both the Programme for Government and the Justice Plan 2021 contain a number of commitments with regard to tackling crime.
The Garda Diversion Programme, strictly speaking, does not include the Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs). The Diversion Programme is the work that members of An Garda Síochána do to assess cases, give cautions and provide supervision in the community. These activities are all part of the Budgetary Vote for An Garda Síochána.
The Garda Diversion Programme is supported by a network of 105 Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs) nationwide. GYDPs are community-based multi-agency crime prevention initiatives, which seek to divert young people from crime/anti-social behaviour and to support wider preventative work within the community and with families at risk. They are primarily targeted at 12-17 year old “at risk” youths in communities where a specific need has been identified. The work of the GYDPs will be strengthened over the coming years in line with the recently published Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027.
Garda Youth Diversion Projects are funded from both Exchequer and Dormant Accounts funding, with around half of the funding typically being recouped from the European Social Fund.
Details of the funding allocation provided for Garda youth diversion projects in 2007 is not available, however funding for GYPDs from 2008 to date in 2021 is laid out in the table below. These costs relate to salary payments, general overheads and other expenses.
|
Year |
Funding Allocated |
|
2007 |
- |
|
2008 |
€9.3m |
|
2009 |
€11.6m |
|
2010 |
€10.8m |
|
2011 |
€11.5m |
|
2012 |
€11.2m |
|
2013 |
€11.6m |
|
2014 |
€11.5m |
|
2015 |
€13.1m |
|
2016 |
€12.9m |
|
2017 |
€13.4m |
|
2018 |
€13.6m |
|
2019 |
€15.6m |
|
2020 |
€16.8m |
|
2021 |
€17.6m |
|
Total |
€180.50m |
Under the European Social Fund 2014-2020 Operating Programme, we have recouped €31.9m in funding to date in this cycle. A further claim of €14.1m is at the final verification stages under the Programme.
211. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice the proposed membership of the local community safety partnerships; if it is envisaged that the membership will include local drugs and alcohol taskforces; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30135/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, Minister McEntee recently published the General Scheme of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill. This Bill will improve the performance and accountability of our policing and security services, and support the human rights of all people throughout Ireland to be and feel safe in their communities. It will represent the most wide ranging and coherent reform of policing in a generation.
The Bill has four main objectives:
1. Make the prevention of harm and protection of people who are vulnerable or at risk, and the safety of communities, a “whole of government” responsibility,
2. Strengthen and consolidate independent, external oversight of An Garda Síochána,
3. Enhance the internal governance of An Garda Síochána and the role of the Garda Commissioner as CEO, and
4. Improve the independent oversight of our national security infrastructure.
This Bill has been developed on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland following its fundamental in-depth review and builds on the work of the policing oversight bodies.
The commission found that community safety requires a whole of Government approach in partnership with local communities. My Department has been developing a new Community Safety Policy and this new policy will be given a statutory basis in the Bill. The Bill proposes the establishment of Local Community Safety Partnerships at local authority level, bringing together a range of service providers and community members to develop a local community safety plan. To support and inform the policy, three Local Community Safety Partnerships are being piloted in Dublin’s north inner city, Waterford and Longford and will run for the next two years.
The pilots will inform the development of the rollout of Local Community Safety Partnerships in every local authority area as part of the provisions of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill.
As the Pilots are still being established, it is not possible to provide a definitive membership, and the membership of each local Partnership may vary; however it is intended that local drugs and alcohol task forces will be included in the membership where appropriate. It is anticipated that the drugs and alcohol task forces are likely to be relevant to many local communities and appropriate for membership. The Local Authorities, HSE, Gardaí, schools and youth organisations, Government Departments and State services, as well as community groups and interested citizens will form the membership of the Partnerships.
