Tuesday, 15 Jun 2021

Written Answers Nos. 852-876

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (852)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

852. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 666 of 28 April 2021, her plans to defer the 13-week requalification period in respect of persons on partial capacity benefit until after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions in view of the financial difficulties endured by many as a result of the pandemic; the analysis her Department has carried out of the financial cost of such a deferral; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30698/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Persons in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit (the latter for a minimum of 26 weeks) who wish to return to work are eligible for Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) for a period if their capacity for work is reduced as a result of their medical condition.

The personal rate of payment of PCB is based on a medical assessment of a person’s restriction regarding their capacity for work and whether the person was in receipt of Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension (i.e. their existing rate of payment). After the medical assessment, if a person's restriction on their capacity for work is assessed as moderate, severe or profound their payment continues at 50, 75 or 100 per cent of their existing rate, respectively. If assessed as ‘mild’ they will not qualify for PCB.

The duration a person can be in receipt of PCB is linked to the payment they moved from, subject to a maximum of 156 weeks.

In the case of Illness Benefit, the maximum duration of the payment is 624 payment days (104 weeks) and this applies for PCB (less the 26 weeks required to be eligible for the scheme). In the case of Invalidity Pension the maximum duration of 156 weeks applies.

The Department contacts customers 13 weeks in advance of the end date of the payment duration period and the correspondence issued outlines options for the customer to consider prior to the payment ceasing.

Where a person completes their allowed period on PCB, a new application can be made. The application must meet all the eligibility criteria including, in the case of persons in receipt of Illness Benefit, the requirement to have completed 26 weeks in receipt of the payment. I have no plans at this stage to change this requirement, which I consider a proportionate requalification period for a payment of up to three years in duration.

Apart from the above, my Department also provides support under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, for people who finds themselves in financial difficulties. The Department may also make an exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (853, 854)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

853. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in the moderate, severe and profound categories of illness who have started their 13-week requalification period for the partial capacity benefit in each of the months from March 2020 to May 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30699/21]

Catherine Connolly

Question:

854. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who successfully transferred from partial capacity benefit to supplementary welfare allowance or another social welfare payment for the duration of their 13-week partial capacity benefit requalification period in each of the months from March 2020 to May 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30700/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 853 and 854 together.

Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) allows individuals with a reduced capacity for work to return to employment or self-employment. In order to qualify, the person must be in receipt of one of two underlying schemes: Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension.

People in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit (for a minimum of 6 months) who wish to return to work are eligible for PCB if their capacity for work is reduced as a result of their medical condition.

The duration a person can be in receipt of PCB is linked to the scheme that they have moved from. In the case of a person previously on Illness Benefit, the maximum duration of the 624 payment days applies, while customers who were previously in receipt of Invalidity Pension may be paid PCB for a maximum of 156 weeks.

Once the above periods have elapsed the customer may make a new application for PCB.

A claimant should apply for PCB before commencing work and must provide the Department with a start date for the employment before payment commences. As part of the approval process, the claimant is assessed by a Medical Assessor (MA) of the Department. The personal rate of payment is based on the medical assessment of the person’s restriction regarding their capacity to work. An MA may determine that the restriction on the person’s capacity to work is mild, moderate, severe or profound. Where the restriction is moderate, severe or profound, the claim is conditionally approved for 50%, 75% or 100% respectively of the person's existing rate of payment. Where a person’s capacity to work is mildly restricted, the claim is refused.

The Department does not have available the data as requested by the Deputy. The following table does, however, provide the breakdown of MA opinions for the period from March 2020 to May 2021. Not all of those assessed take up employment or become a PCB recipient. The Department does not record information regarding level of capacity on the recipient’s claim.

For the period requested, 5% of applicants for PCB who were medically assessed were found to have a mild restriction on their capacity to work; 78% of applicants were found to be moderately affected; 15% were severe, and 2% were profound.

PCB Opinion by Incapacity Level from March 2020 - May 2021

	Mild	Moderate	Severe	Profound	Sum:
Sum:	71	1192	226	34	1523

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Schemes

Questions (855, 860, 884)

Pauline Tully

Question:

855. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider automatically extending the free travel scheme to persons who lose their driving licence due to a diagnosis of epilepsy or breakthrough seizures; if she will consider making the scheme a stand-alone scheme in order that persons who are diagnosed with epilepsy or breakthrough seizures but who do not meet the requirements for a qualifying payment such as disability allowance or invalidity pension can apply directly for a free travel pass; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30714/21]

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

860. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost to the State of providing a free travel pass to persons who lose their licence due to a diagnosis of epilepsy or breakthrough seizures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30772/21]

John Lahart

Question:

884. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider eligibility for the free travel scheme for persons who are disqualified from driving due to epileptic or breakthrough seizures in order that they can maintain their independence and continue in work or in education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31267/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 855, 860 and 884 together.

The Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx. 999,000 customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2021 is €95 million.

In general, access to a free travel pass for those aged under 66 is linked to a person being in receipt of certain primary Social Protection payments such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Carer’s Allowance, Blind Pension and Partial Capacity Benefit.

It is not possible for my Department to provide an estimate of the cost of extending the free travel scheme to persons that lose their licence due to a diagnosis of epilepsy or breakthrough seizures. Information on the number of such persons is not held by my Department. The additional cost to the scheme would also depend on factors including the type of travel pass issued (e.g., single or companion pass), the number of journeys made using the free travel pass, the prevailing fares, and the type of journeys undertaken, i.e., rail, bus or Luas.

Furthermore extending the free travel scheme to people with epilepsy during the period in which they are disallowed from driving cannot be considered in isolation. There are a range of disabilities and medical conditions that can prevent a person from holding a driving licence and to award a free travel pass to any one of these conditions in isolation would immediately result in calls for all people who are not allowed to hold a driving licence because of their medical condition to receive the free travel pass and could result in challenges under the Equal Status Act.

If the Free Travel scheme were to be extended to all people who are not allowed to drive due to their disability, regardless of whether they receive a qualifying payment, a medical assessment process would be required for all such applications, significantly changing the nature of the scheme and requiring additional administrative processes to be put in place in order to adjudicate eligibility. Significant extra funding would also be required and accordingly, it could only be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department may award a travel supplement, where the circumstances of the particular case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the individual case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (856)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

856. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing maternity benefit from 26 weeks to 29 weeks. [30726/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The question of extending the duration of maternity leave would be matter for consideration by my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. My Department has responsibility for the payment of any associated maternity benefit which is provided for in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended).

Maternity Benefit is paid for 26 weeks at a rate of €245 per week. There is a provision of €261m for maternity benefit for 2021. The estimated full year cost of increasing the duration of maternity benefit by 3 weeks would be approximately €29.6m.

It should also be noted that there would be additional costs to the Exchequer as this estimate does not include the costs for substitution or salary top-ups which would be a matter for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Decisions around the extension of this benefit would have to be considered in a budgetary context and the impact it would have on employers.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Departmental Staff

Questions (857)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

857. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff by grade working in the household benefits section; and the number of vacancies by grade within the section. [30727/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

My Department, like all Government departments and agencies is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget.

The staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed, taking account of workloads, management priorities and the ongoing need to respond to new demands across a wide range of services. This is to ensure that the best use is made of available resources with a view to providing an efficient service to those who rely on the schemes operated by the Department.

The current staffing allocation for the Household Benefits scheme area, which also includes the administration of the Free Travel and Fuel Allowance schemes is set out in the table. The figure for full time equivalents (FTE) takes account of staff that avail of work-share options.

There is currently one vacancy at the Executive Officer grade and one vacancy at the Clerical Officer grade in this section.

Grade	FTE	Staff Count
Assistant Principal	1.00	1
Higher Executive Officer	2.00	2
Executive Officer	5.95	6
Clerical Officer	50.36	54
Grand Total	59.31	63

Departmental Bodies

Questions (858)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

858. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of advocates in the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities; and the estimated full-year cost of increasing the number of advocates by six, 10 and 25 staff, respectively, in tabular form. [30742/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities (NAS) provides an independent, confidential, free issues-based representative advocacy service that works exclusively for the person using the service. The NAS adheres to professional standards and it has a particular remit for people with disabilities who are isolated from their community and services, have communication differences, are inappropriately accommodated, live in residential services, attend day services or have limited informal or natural supports.

NAS is funded and supported by the Citizens Information Board (CIB), which has a mandate under the Citizens Information Act 2007 to provide advocacy for people with disabilities. The NAS operational grant from the Citizens Information Board for 2021 is €3,157,391.

The number of advocates (including 8 senior advocates) in NAS is 36 advocates.

Based on 2021 costs, the following table shows the estimated cost if the number of advocates based on the current ratio of advocates to senior advocates was increased by 6, 10 and 25 staff respectively.

Number of additional Advocates	Cost of increasing the number of advocates	Full year NAS Cost (including an increase in the number of advocates)
6 (One Senior Advocate and five Advocates)	€323,343	€3,480,734
10 (Three Senior Advocates and seven Advocates)	€547,064	€3,704,455
25 (Seven Senior Advocates and eighteen Advocates)	€1,364,601	€4,521,992

The estimates detailed above include employer PRSI and pension contributions. The figures do not include any additional administrative overheads or managerial costs which may be incurred were the number of advocate posts to be increased.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (859)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

859. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the carer's support grant by €75, €150 and €225, respectively, in tabular form. [30743/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The estimated full year costs of increasing the Carer's Support Grant by €75, €150 and €225 respectively are outlined in the table.

Increase	Estimated Additional Cost
€75	€10.8m
€150	€21.5m
€225	€32.3m

These costings are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2021 and are subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of recipients.

Question No. 860 answered with Question No. 855.

State Pensions

Questions (861)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

861. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will allow an individual grievance, conversation or mediation regarding an unsolved pensions issue ongoing for 25 years in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30818/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I refer the Deputy to my response to his question PQ29016 of 27 May 2021.

In accordance with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) rules, civil and public servants on secondment to other bodies maintain their terms and conditions of employment including salary during their period of secondment. Any additional payments made during that period are non-pensionable.

With regard to the individual in question, prior to her redeployment to my Department in 2012, she was employed by FAS as a clerical officer. She was seconded from FAS to another body for a number of years and was paid at her substantive grade of clerical officer plus an additional non-pensionable allowance, in accordance with DPER rules and the secondment agreement she entered into at that time. During periods of secondment, civil servants may initiate grievances as appropriate under the Civil Service Grievance Procedure in accordance with Department of Finance Circular 11/2001.

My Department will again review this matter and communicate directly with the individual concerned. Finally, I again refer to the Deputy's previous correspondence on behalf of the individual in question and my Department's response to him of February 2018.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (862)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

862. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of households eligible for schemes (details supplied) effective from 1 August 2018. [30826/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the tables. The data in these tables refer to recipients of the selected social welfare payments. While it is not possible to report directly on the number of households that received the selected payments, due to how these payments are operated, for these particular schemes the household total correlates strongly to the individual recipient total. I am advised that it is not possible to report on individuals/households who may have been eligible for a particular payment but who did not apply for and subsequently receive that payment. Further, I am advised that my Department does not hold data on whether a person receiving Carer's Allowance resides with the person they are providing care to; accordingly the total recipient numbers are provided.

	December 2018	December 2019	December 2020
Fuel	380,463	369,255	375,269
Jobseeker's Allowance for 6 months or more, with a child aged under 7	7,851	7,012	7,198
Working Family Payment	53,850	53,189	48,198
One Parent Family Payment	55,005	55,691	56,751
Domiciliary Care Allowance	39,007	41,939	44,269
Carer's Allowance (total)	79,914	84,028	88,906

Low Pay Commission

Questions (863)

Michael McNamara

Question:

863. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans for the implementation of the universal basic income pilot committed to as part of the request to the Low Pay Commission to examine universal basic income committed to under the programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30832/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Programme for Government 'Our Shared Future' contained a commitment to request the Low Pay Commission to examine Universal Basic Income, informed by a review of previous international pilots, and resulting in a universal basic income pilot in the lifetime of the Government.

The Low Pay Commission is the responsibility of Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and, as such, the Universal Basic Income pilot referred to in the Programme for Government falls under the responsibility of that Department.

Departmental Schemes

Questions (864)

Holly Cairns

Question:

864. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on allowing schools (details supplied) with registered charitable status to participate in the Tús scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30844/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

Tús is a targeted activation measure delivered through a network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta, collectively known as Implementing Bodies (IB). The IB is responsible for matching a participant’s skills to suit available eligible work placements with organisations in the locality of the participant.

Eligible work placements must be with organisations that are community, voluntary and not-for-profit in nature, including non-fee paying schools and colleges.

The private school referred to by the Deputy provides an alternative to the mainstream model of education. Charges are applied in respect of those attending the school. Fee paying schools and colleges are not eligible organisations with which Tús participants may be placed.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (865)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

865. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of social welfare payments for April, May and June and to date in 2021; and the number in receipt of each social welfare payment in tabular form. [30858/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table. Due to the large number of schemes administered by my Department, a number of operational systems are in place. As a result, for the majority of schemes, recipient numbers for June 2021 will not be available until the end of the month. To the week ending 13th June 2020, 312,028 people have received Pandemic Unemployment Payments, 132,192 have received Jobseeker's Allowance Payments, and 33,062 have received Jobseeker's Benefit Payments.

The table outlines the recipient numbers for main schemes for April and May 2021:

Payment	Apr-21	May-21
State Pension (Non-Contributory)	95,117	95,144
State Pension (Contributory)	453,954	455,709
Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension	123,422	123,498
Jobseeker's Allowance	138,419	136,029
One Parent Family Payment	39,106	39,171
Supplementary Welfare Allowance	10,116	9,938
Direct Provision Allowance	3,420	3,424
Farm Assist	5,291	5,238
Jobseeker's Benefit	30,212	28,491
Maternity Benefit	19,279	19,532
Adoptive Benefit	6	5
Health and Safety Benefit	36	44
Paternity Benefit	627	609
Community Employment Programme	19,371	19,398
Rural Social Scheme	3,014	3,001
TUS - Community Work Placement	3,976	4,089
Job Initiative	530	524
Back To Work Enterprise Allowance	2,422	2,358
Back To Education Allowance	5,866	5,356
Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme	207	224
Part Time JISE	384	478
Partial Capacity Benefit	3,168	3,202
Disability Allowance	153,805	153,619
Carer's Allowance	89,549	89,523
Illness Benefit	47,178	47,370
Injury Benefit	797	802
Invalidity Pension	59,040	58,922
Disablement Benefit	14,712	14,727
Incapacity Supplement	781	783
Carer's Benefit	3,427	3,646
Working Family Payment	45,899	45,816
Rent Allowance	47	47
Child Benefit - Families	637,260	637,718
Child Benefit - Children	1,212,099	1,211,459
Domiciliary Care Allowance - Families	44,721	44,887
Domiciliary Care Allowance - Children	49,680	49,922
Back to Work Family Dividend	2,951	2,922
JobsPlus Employees	598	570
Over 65s Payment	2,652	2,867
Recipients of Household Benefits	469,169	470,117
Free Travel	995,983	988,862
Rent Supplement	18,633	17,673
Blind Pension	1,056	1,049
Death Benefit	726	725
Guardian's Payment (Contributory)	1,186	1,197
Guardian's Payment (Non Contributory)	571	571
Pandemic Unemployment Payment	385,217	309,515

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (866)

Carol Nolan

Question:

866. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of the expenditure incurred by staff in her Department under the heading of travel and subsistence from 1 January 2020 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30872/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Travel and Subsistence paid to the staff of my Department for the period 1 January 2020 to date amounts to €1,476,162.

Expenses incurred by employees of my Department are wholly and exclusively for Departmental business.

Departmental Reviews

Questions (867)

Carol Nolan

Question:

867. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of each value-for-money and policy review conducted by her Department from 1 January 2019 to date; if external costs were incurred; if so, the details of such costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30889/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The details requested by the Deputy are listed as follows. The list covers both reviews undertaken under the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES) programme and those initiated by the Department.

- JobsPlus Evaluation (2020)

- IGEES Social Impact Assessment Series: Domiciliary Care Allowance (2019)

- IGEES Spending Review: Review of Carer’s Supports (2019)

- IGEES Spending Review: Lone Parents and In-Work Supports for Families with Children (2019)

- Policy Review of Carer's Allowance (2019)

- Working paper: Evaluation of JobPath outcomes for Q1 2016 participants (2019)

- Review of the Financial Effects of Maintenance Payments in Means Testing (2019)

As the reviews listed above were undertaken by either Departmental or IGEES staff, no external costs were incurred.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (868)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

868. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection the expenditure on the back to education allowance for each year for which data is available; if this cost covers fees and-or the student contribution charge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30989/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Back to Education Allowance Scheme (BTEA) is designed to support second chance education. It enables eligible persons to pursue education and to continue to receive their weekly income support for the duration of a course of study. The main focus of the BTEA is to assist qualifying applicants to improve their educational qualifications and improve their prospects of gaining employment.

There has been are approximately 6,400 students supported through the BTEA for the 2020/2021 academic year. Government has provided €96.5 million for BTEA in 2021. This represents a considerable investment in supporting all unemployed individuals.

The BTEA is not intended to provide funding for student fees. The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) Grant, payable by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, represents the primary support for people pursuing third level education and its administration is a matter for that Department.

The following outlines the expenditure on BTEA supports from 2015 to 2020:

Year	Expenditure
2015	€144m
2016	€114m
2017	€94m
2018	€79m
2019	€65m
2020	€66m

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (869)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

869. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of parent’s leave and benefit by month in 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [31085/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Department is not in a position to say how many parents avail of the parents leave in a specific week or month as this data is not collated. Data on the number of claims to parents benefit that have been awarded each month in the period January 2020 to date is available and is set out in the table. It should be noted that while a claim may be awarded in one month, the leave and benefit could be availed of at a different time, or over a period of months, as it is available to use one week at a time.

2020	No. of Parents claims awarded	2021	No. of Parents claims awarded
Jan	458	Jan	2384
Feb	517	Feb	2217
Mar	665	Mar	3170
Apr	702	Apr	6700
May	924	May	4637
Jun	1172
Jul	1807
Aug	1698
Sept	2093
Oct	2386
Nov	2412
Dec	1849

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Schemes

Questions (870)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

870. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the way the artists pilot scheme for social protection has been developed since 2017; the number of artists who have been recipients under the scheme each year since it was established; the cost of the scheme each year since it was established; and her plans to extend the programme. [31098/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Artist Pilot Scheme was launched in mid-2017 for professional writers and visual artists as part of the whole of Government Creative Ireland programme while I had Ministerial responsibility for the Arts. A key feature of the initiative under the Jobseeker's Allowance scheme is that it acknowledged the status of self-employed visual artists and writers and gave them a 12 month window to focus on building up their work before they become subject to labour market activation which is mandatory for most recipients of jobseeker payments.

A review of the pilot was completed in 2019 in consultation with the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht which recommended that it should be established as a permanent scheme and extended to other professional artistic disciplines. In September 2019 the scheme was established as a permanent Professional Artist Scheme under Jobseeker's Allowance and extended to a wide range of self-employed professional artists such as those working in theatre and music.

To avail of the scheme, a professional self-employed artist must provide a certificate or declaration from their professional body as to their status as a professional artist. The professional artist must also be registered as self-employed with the Office of the Revenue Commissioners and at least 50% of the person’s income should have been derived from their art in the preceding year.

The table shows the number of Professional Artist recipients on the scheme at the end of each year for the period from 2017 to 2020 and the current number of recipients on the scheme.

End of Year	Artists on the scheme
2017	25
2018	49
2019	97
2020	95
2021 (June)	91

There are no costs specifically associated with the artist scheme, which is provided for under the Jobseeker's Allowance scheme.

I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (871)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

871. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families that receive child benefit payments; and the number of children these are in respect of. [31166/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Child benefit is a monthly payment and is paid in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16, or to the age of 18 if they are in full-time education or have a disability. In May 2021, it was paid to 637,260 customers in respect of 1,212,099 children.

I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (872)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

872. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of making a one-off annual double payment of child benefit to all recipients in September 2021. [31167/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The cost of making a double payment of Child Benefit in September 2021 would be an additional €176 million. There is no provision in the 2021 Further Revised Estimate to make such a payment.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (873)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

873. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the school meals programme budget by 5%, 10%, 20% and 25%, respectively; and the estimated cost of extending the programme budget to include provision for breakfast in addition to lunch. [31168/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,506 schools and organisations benefitting 230,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.

Funding can be provided for breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner, hot meals and afterschool clubs, subject to submission of an application. It is based on a maximum rate per child per day, depending on the type of meal being provided e.g. €0.60 per child per day where a breakfast is being provided and €1.40 per child per day where a cold lunch is being provided.

In recent years entry to the School Meals Scheme has been confined to DEIS schools in addition to schools identified as having levels of concentrated disadvantage that would benefit from access to the School Meals Programme.

Prior to the introduction of DEIS in 2005, all schools and organisations that were part of one of a number of Department of Education and Skills’ initiatives for disadvantaged schools were eligible to participate in the programme, which included Breaking the Cycle, Giving Children an Even Break, the Disadvantaged Area Scheme, Home School Community Liaison and the School Completion Programme. These schools and organisations have continued to remain in the scheme since the introduction of DEIS in 2005 but their level of funding has been capped at the same rate year on year to allow for the concentration of the scheme on DEIS schools.

Based on the 2021 budgetary allocation of €65.1 million, the additional annual costs of expanding the school meals programme by 5%, 10%, 20% and 25% are €3.3 million, €6.5 million, €13 million and €16.3 million respectively.

The scheme is currently available to all 887 DEIS schools, of which 144 are not availing of the breakfast or snack and 199 are not availing of lunch. If all DEIS schools not currently availing of the breakfast and lunch options were to apply to be included the estimated additional cost would be €9.6m annually.

Changes to increase the funding of any scheme administered by my Department would have to be considered in a budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (874, 875, 876)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

874. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of children availing of free hot school meals; the cost of same; and the cost per child and school of delivering same. [31169/21]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

875. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing hot free school meals to all children currently availing of free school meals. [31170/21]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

876. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing free hot school meals to all children attending DEIS schools. [31171/21]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 874 to 876, inclusive, together.

The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,506 schools and organisations benefitting 230,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.

Funding under the school meals (local projects) scheme can be provided for breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner, hot meals and afterschool clubs and is based on a maximum rate per child per day, depending on the type of meal being provided e.g. €1.40 per child per day where a cold lunch club is being provided, €1.90 per child per day where a dinner club is being provided and €2.90 per child per day where a Hot Meal club is being provided. Dinner clubs provide a hot meal, but are different from the Hot Meals clubs, in that they tend to be provided by schools with onsite cooking facilities whereas food for Hot Meals clubs is cooked offsite and delivered to the school.

As part of Budget 2019, funding was provided for a pilot scheme from September 2019, providing hot school meals in primary schools at a cost of €1m for 2019 and €2.5m in 2020. The pilot involved 37 schools benefitting 6,744 students for the 2019/2020 academic year and was aimed primarily at schools with no onsite cooking facilities.

In Budget 2021, I announced that an additional €5.5m would be provided to extend the provision of hot school meals to an additional 35,000 primary school children, currently receiving the cold lunch option.

There are currently 20,648 students receiving a hot meal in 2020/2021, at a cost of €4.4m. The cost per child per day is €2.90. The cost per school is dependent upon the number of pupils availing of the hot meal option in each school.

It would cost some €71m to provide a hot meal to every student currently availing of the scheme in primary schools. To provide hot meals to students availing of the scheme in secondary schools would cost just under €33m.

The cost of providing a hot meal at €2.90 to all students in DEIS primary schools would be €56.6m.

Changes to the level of funding of any scheme administered by my Department would have to be considered in a budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.