Written Answers Nos. 305-324
305. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the funding currently devoted to disability grants and other supports for employers and to the promotion of these amongst employers. [35689/21]
View answerThrough the Comprehensive Employment Strategy, the Government recognises the importance for people with disabilities of participation in employment. As part of the strategy, the Department of Social Protection (DSP) is committed to improving employment outcomes and removing barriers to employment for persons with a disability.
The DSP supports for people with disabilities have been designed to enable persons with a disability to achieve their employment ambitions by focusing on the individual person’s ability and capacity rather than taking an approach that focuses on a particular type of disability.
The Department provides a range of work related supports for employers who recruit and employ people with disabilities, these include:
Wage Subsidy Scheme
The Wage Subsidy Scheme is targeted at private sector employers and is aimed at encouraging the employment of people with disabilities through the provision of financial incentives (a wage subsidy). The subsidy is delivered in three strands:
- Strand I subsidy is a general subsidy for any productivity shortfall in excess of 20% for a person with a disability, in comparison to a colleague without a disability. An employee must work for a minimum of 21 hours per week up to a maximum of 39 subsidised hours per week. The rate of subsidy is €5.30 per hour and the amount of the subsidy is based on the number of hours worked.
- Strand II subsidy is payable when an employer employs three or more people with a disability who are supported by a WSS Strand I payment. Strand II is intended to cover the additional supervisory, management and other work based costs relating to these employees. This top-up payment is a percentage of the Strand I subsidy and is based on the overall number of employees with a disability employed under Strand I. It ranges from an additional 10% of wage subsidy for 3 to 6 employees with a disability to a maximum of 50% of wage subsidy for 23+ employees with a disability.
- Strand III subsidy enables employers who employ 25 or more workers with a disability on the Wage Subsidy Scheme to be eligible for a grant of up to €30,000 per year towards the expense of employing an Employment Assistance Officer to support these employees.
Reasonable Accommodation Fund Grants (RAFG)
The Reasonable Accommodation Fund Grants (RAFGs) assist both jobseekers/employees with disabilities and employers seeking to support an employee who has or acquires a disability or when employing a jobseeker with a disability. These grants and supports include;
Workplace Equipment / Adaptation Grant
Where a person with a disability has been offered employment, is in employment or is self-employed and requires a more accessible workplace or adapted equipment to do the job, s/he or the employer may be able to get a grant towards the costs of adapting premises or equipment. A maximum grant of €6,350 is available towards the cost of adaptations to premises or equipment. Applications in excess of this sum are considered on an individual basis up to a maximum of €9,523 if specialist training for assistive technology is required.
Employee Retention Grant
The purpose of the Employee Retention Grant Scheme is to assist employers to retain employees who acquire a disability by providing funding to:
- Identify accommodation and / or training to enable the employee to remain in his/her current position; or
- Re-train the employee so that s/he can take up another position within the company
Funding is provided in two stages
Stage 1. This stage is subject to a maximum of €2,500 or 90% of eligible programme costs per employee to:
- hire specialists to evaluate the employee’s occupational capacity;
- and conduct a workplace or job assessment to develop an individualised written Retention Strategy.
Stage 2. This stage is subject to a maximum of €12,500 or 90% of eligible programme costs per employee to:
- train the employee for their current position or to retrain them for another position within the company;
- hire a Job Coach to offer support to the employee, and liaise with the employee’s line manager for a maximum period of 300 hours; and
- hire a specialist to manage the Retention Strategy on an ongoing basis until reintegration is complete for a maximum period of 60 hours.
Job Interview Interpreter Grant
A jobseeker who is deaf, hard of hearing or has speech impairment and is attending job interviews, may apply for funding to have a sign language interpreter or other interpreter to attend interviews. A three hour period for each interview can be applied for. A person may have several interviews arranged and can apply for funding for each (there is no limit to the number of interviews a person can attend with an interpreter).
Funding is also available to cover the cost of an interpreter to assist a person during the induction process, when he/she starts work with a private sector employer. A maximum of three hours interpreter support is available, to be utilised by the person as he/she feels is needed
Both the interview interpreter funding and in-employment interpreter support funding, for induction can be provided.
Personal Reader Grant
A person employed in the private sector who is (or is becoming) blind or visually impaired, and who needs assistance with job-related reading, can apply for a grant to support them to employ a Personal Reader. The amount of the grant payable is based on an hourly fee paid to the reader, in line with the current minimum wage, for an agreed period - for a maximum of 640 hours per year.
In addition to RAFG, the Disability Awareness Support Scheme (DASS) provides a contribution towards the cost of disability awareness training for private sector employers. The training to be delivered must, for example, provide clear and accurate information about disability, address questions that employers/employees may have, and cover anti-discrimination / equal opportunities legislation. Funding. An employer may apply for funding for 90% of eligible training costs up to a maximum of €20,000. In second and subsequent years they may apply for 80% of eligible training costs up to a maximum of €20,000.
The Department has made efforts to improve employer awareness of incentives for hiring people with disabilities in recent years through the creation of the central Key Account Managers Team (KAMs) and the locally based Employer Relations Teams. As part of their work with employers to fill their recruitment needs, the Employer Relations Teams around the country promote the use of the Wage Subsidy Scheme and the Reasonable Accommodation Fund to encourage businesses to consider providing a work place opportunity for a person with a disability. Also the Department supports a number of events for employers and jobseekers, such as Intreo Work & Skills week and Job fairs, which have a heavy focus on supports for people with disabilities.
306. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the level of Covid-19 related payments has tapered off in recent weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35713/21]
View answerThis week, just under 228,000 people will receive a Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the lowest number to date in 2021, and a decline of 53% since the February 2021 peak. This is a decline of 16,200 (-6.6 %) people compared to last week, and a decline of 175,100 or -43.4% since the Construction sector re-opened. The following table sets out recipient numbers for the February 2021 peak, the week Construction re-opened, the week Retail re-opened, and this week.
|
2021 Peak (09/02/2021) |
Construction reopens (04/05/2021) |
Retail reopens (18/05/2021) |
This week (29/06/2021) |
|
|
Recipients |
485,810 |
403,101 |
363,172 |
227,982 |
|
% change compared to peak |
- |
-17.0% |
-25.2% |
-53.1% |
307. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which there are indications that persons on the pandemic unemployment payment have returned to their previous employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35714/21]
View answerWhen a person closes their Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) claim, they are asked to indicate if they are closing their claim due to returning to work. In the week up to June 29th 2021, some 11,159 people closed their claim and reported that it was because they were returning to work. There is no mechanism in place to identify whether the person is returning to their last employer, or whether they are starting work with a new employer.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
308. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she and her Department have continued to monitor youth unemployment levels; the extent to which such levels have increased or otherwise in recent weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35715/21]
View answerMy Department has been closely and regularly monitoring the impacts of the pandemic on the labour market, including its impacts on youth unemployment levels. Research from my Department has shown that young persons make up a significant share of the workers in those sectors most impacted by the pandemic and associated public health restrictions, namely hospitality (accommodation & food) and retail, which has contributed to a rise in the youth unemployment rate since the onset of the pandemic.
Prior to the pandemic, the seasonally adjusted youth unemployment rate (15-24 year olds) stood at just under 12 percent in December 2019. Latest estimates from the CSO, however, indicate that the traditional unemployment rate for young persons stood at 19.9 percent for young people in June. This estimate excludes those in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). When all those in receipt of the PUP are included, this gives a COVID-19 adjusted unemployment rate estimate of 44.2 percent. This represents a substantial decline from the COVID-19 adjusted unemployment rate of 58.8 percent for young people at the end of May.
In addition, a significant number of PUP recipients are students. As of this week (June 29th 2021), it is estimated that just under 24,000 PUP recipients are students, with 86 percent (20,350) of these under the age of 25. Using international measures of unemployment, set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), students are generally not counted as unemployed, as they are not considered part of the labour force. Therefore, the inclusion of PUP recipients, including students, in the COVID-19 adjusted measure of youth unemployment serves to inflate this measure.
For these reasons, it is at present not possible to say what the precise level of youth unemployment is.
While the employment of young people has been significantly affected by the pandemic, we also know from past recessions that they are also the most resilient, with youth unemployment levels typically falling quite quickly once economic activity resumes. Many have already returned to work, and others will continue to return to their previous employment, as public health restrictions continue to ease. This is reflected in the significant decline in the number of people in receipt of the PUP, including among young persons.
Between the 1st and 29th of June, PUP claims by young persons under the age of 25 declined by close to 35 percent as the economic recovery progressed. This compares to an overall decline of 26 percent for people of all ages in receipt of PUP claims in June. In the past week alone, between the 22nd and 29th of June, the number of PUP claims by young people has fallen by more than 6,000 cases.
I expect to see continued returns to work, including among young persons, as our economy and society continues to reopen. However, we must also be aware that some jobs will be permanently lost as a result of the pandemic. Therefore, Government is supporting a range of initiatives to assist people back to work; as outlined under the Economic Recovery Plan launched on June 1st. They key delivery mechanism to the Plan’s second pillar on ‘Helping People Back into Work’ will be my Department’s forthcoming national employment services strategy, ‘Pathways to Work 2021-2025’. This strategy, which is currently being finalised for launch in the coming weeks, will seek to support people back into employment and will include a range of measures targeted at young persons; including an expanded JobsPlus recruitment subsidy scheme, an additional 50,000 education and training places, a new Government Youth Employment Charter and a new work placement scheme which is open to all regardless of age.
309. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she foresees an improvement culminating in a drop in unemployment levels in all age cohorts as we approach quarter four in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35716/21]
View answerPrior to the pandemic, the unemployment rate in Q4 2019 stood at approximately 4.5 percent. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, both employment and unemployment levels have been adversely impacted.
Latest estimates from the CSO indicate that, as of June 2021, the traditional unemployment rate stood at 8.1 percent. However, this estimate excludes those in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). When all those in receipt of the PUP are included, this gives a COVID-19 adjusted unemployment rate estimate of 18.3 percent at the end of June.
As a result of the effective rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme and consequent easing of public health restrictions, a significant share of those temporarily displaced by the pandemic have been able to return to work in recent weeks. This is reflected in the month-on-month reduction in COVID-19 adjusted unemployment figures since the peak of Level 5 restrictions in February 2021. Since the 2021 peak in PUP recipients in February at over 485,000, the number of individuals supported by the payment has reduced by over 53 percent, currently standing at just below 228,000 as of June 29th 2021.
As restrictions continue to ease in the coming weeks and months, I expect numbers in receipt of the PUP, and in turn the COVID-19 adjusted unemployment rate, to continue to fall steadily as more people return to work. This anticipated trend is supported by the most recent unemployment forecasts from both the Department of Finance in their Stability Programme Update (April 2021) and the latest Quarterly Economic Commentary from the ESRI (June 2021).
The Department of Finance estimate an unemployment rate of just over 11 per cent by Q4 2021, while the ESRI forecast is more optimistic, anticipating unemployment to be closer to 9 percent by year end, driven by an expected strong increase in domestic sources of growth. Both of these sets of forecasts are predicated on the successful rollout of the vaccine programme and a continued, and more permanent, easing of public health restrictions over the course of the year.
While neither the Department of Finance nor the ESRI provide unemployment forecasts by age cohort, I am acutely aware that the pandemic has not been felt equally across all groups. Younger workers (under the age of 25) have been particularly affected as they typically make up a significant share of the workers in those sectors most impacted by the pandemic and associated public health restrictions, namely hospitality (accommodation & food) and retail.
While a reduction has been seen in all age cohorts in receipt of the PUP since the recent reopening of these sectors, the largest reduction has been in the numbers of younger workers. Over the past week, the number of PUP claims attributable to young persons has fallen by 6,000 cases. These reductions are reflected in the latest COVID-19 adjusted youth unemployment rate which for June stands at 44.2 percent, a sharp reduction from the May figure of 58.8 percent.
Given the broad reopening planned for all sectors of the economy over the coming months, I anticipate that the forecast reductions in unemployment will be spread across all age groups.
It is clear that additional numbers of persons will require assistance and support to return to employment, reskill and to find new jobs. The Government is committed to supporting a range of initiatives to assist people back to work as outlined under the Government’s ‘Economic Recovery Plan’. The Plan sets out a jobs-lead recovery by supporting sectors and workers most impacted by the pandemic, with an overall ambition of exceeding pre-crisis employment levels by the end of 2024.
Central to achieving this objective will be the Government’s forthcoming national employment services strategy, ‘Pathways to Work 2021-2025’, which is currently being finalised by my Department. By increasing labour market supports, and through the provision of employment supports, activation and skills opportunities, the Pathways to Work strategy will act as a key delivery mechanism of the Economic Recovery Plan’s second pillar ‘Helping People Back into Work’.
310. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which exceptional needs payments have been availed of in the past 12 months by various applicants in terms of age profile; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35717/21]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. An urgent needs payment (UNP) may be made to persons who may not normally qualify for supplementary welfare allowance but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources or where an alternative is not available at that time. Government has provided €46.02 million for the exceptional and urgent needs schemes in 2021.
The ENP and UNP schemes are demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
The Community Welfare Service in my department processed 61,077 ENP/UNP payments during the period June 2020 to May 2021.
The number of ENPs and UNPs for the period June 2020 to May 2021 by age profile is set out in the following table.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Tabular Statement - The number of ENPs and UNPs for the period June 2020 to May 2021 by age profile
|
Age |
Number of Payments |
|
Under 25 |
5,582 |
|
25-65 |
51,180 |
|
66 and Over |
4,315 |
312. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the degree to which cross-Border employment trends and opportunities are being restored as the levels of Covid-19 recede; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35719/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware ,my Department and wider Government, are committed to supporting a range of initiatives to assist people back to work as outlined under the Government’s ‘Economic Recovery Plan’ (ERP) and the forthcoming Pathways to Work 2021 – 2025 strategy.
As part of the ongoing monitoring of labour market developments, my Department chairs an interdepartmental Labour Market Surveillance Group, whose membership is drawn from across Government Departments and State Agencies. This includes cross border agencies such as InterTradeIreland. This group acts an important vehicle in ensuring a co-ordinated response to the labour market impacts of both Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic, and is supported by the group’s regional counterparts. My Department is also represented on the Cross Border EURES Partnership Steering Committee, whose principal aim is to support labour market mobility along the border.
My Departmental officials work with their counterparts in the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland and officials in the Divisional management teams work with their colleagues in Northern Ireland on a regular basis to provide employer information sessions and to host various jobseeker events.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, employment opportunities nationwide have been curtailed as a result of public health restrictions which has limited business activity. This has impacted on all regions, including the Border counties.
In recent months, with the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme and consequent easing of public health restrictions, more persons have been returning to work. Since the 2021 peak in Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) recipients in February last, the number of persons supported by the payment has reduced by over 53 percent, and stands at just below 228,000 as of June 29th 2021.
Latest figures from my Department show that the counties of the Border region as classified by the CSO (Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan) currently account for approximately 7.7 percent of all PUP recipients. Looking at trends in PUP figures, counties of the Border region have seen their numbers of PUP recipients fall at the same speed, or faster, than the national average since February.
In relation to cross-border activity, it is important to note that workers who live in Ireland but who were working in Northern Ireland and lost their job due to the COVID-19, are eligible to claim the PUP.
While my Department has limited cross-border employment data, the reduction in the number on PUP in the Border counties gives a useful indicator of the recovery of employment in this region as the economy re-opens.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
313. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she expects the budgetary requirements of her Department to fluctuate in the next 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35720/21]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware of the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on Department of Social Protection expenditure. While the pre-Covid 2020 estimate for the expenditure was €21.2 billion, the 2020 provisional outturn at the end of the year is approximately €30.5 billion. This year, the original estimate agreed in October 2020 of €25.1 billion was increased to €29.1 billion following approval by the Dáil this month of the 2021 Further Revised Estimate. The extent to which the budgetary requirements of the Department will fluctuate for the next 12 months will depend on the future trajectory of the virus and how quickly remaining restrictions can be lifted.
My Department will be constantly monitoring and reviewing performance on each of its schemes and subheads over the next few months to inform its budgetary requirements for 2022, the estimates for which will be published as part of Budget 2022 in October 2021.
314. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the number of applications for various social welfare payments has fluctuated over the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35721/21]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following tabular statement. A comparison is given between the 12 month period from June 2020 to May 2021 and the preceding 12 month period from June 2019 to May 2020 showing the percentage change in the average number of monthly scheme applications over the period for the standard Social Protection schemes.
|
Scheme |
Average Applications Jun 2019 - May 2020 |
Average Applications Jun 2020 - May 2021 |
Change |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
3,149 |
3,158 |
+0.3% |
|
Widow(er)'s Contributory Pension |
676 |
649 |
-3.9% |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
726 |
729 |
+0.4% |
|
Jobseekers Allowance |
11,742 |
10,696 |
-8.9% |
|
Jobseekers Benefit |
13,653 |
12,050 |
-11.7% |
|
One-Parent Family Payment |
893 |
818 |
-8.4% |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance Basic |
4,350 |
2,763 |
-36.5% |
|
Maternity Benefit |
3,570 |
3,669 |
+2.8% |
|
Paternity Benefit |
2,209 |
2,273 |
+2.9% |
|
Parent's Benefit |
662 |
2,903 |
+338.3% |
|
Carer's Allowance |
1,504 |
1,588 |
+5.6% |
|
Carer's Benefit |
377 |
313 |
-17.0% |
|
Disability Allowance |
1,823 |
1,728 |
-5.2% |
|
Invalidity Pension |
819 |
788 |
-3.8% |
|
Illness Benefit |
19,791 |
26,244 |
+32.6% |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
1,055 |
726 |
-31.2% |
|
Child Benefit |
2,569 |
2,459 |
-4.3% |
|
Working Family Payment |
1,703 |
1,402 |
-17.7% |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
659 |
682 |
+3.4% |
|
Household Benefits |
5,598 |
5,552 |
-0.8% |
315. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of State pension (contributory) or State pension (non-contributory) aged 100 years or more; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35722/21]
View answerAt the end of May 2021, 187 people aged 100 or older were in receipt of the State Pension Non-Contributory, while 143 people aged 100 or older were in receipt of State Pension Contributory.
316. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for a carer’s allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) will be accepted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35753/21]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care.
I am advised that there is no current application registered for the person concerned for CA. If the person in question wishes to make an application, she should complete and return an application form (CR1) to CA section in the social welfare services office, Longford, as soon as possible.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
317. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding adequacy of the provision of preschool teaching facilities throughout the country with particular reference to the more densely populated areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35724/21]
View answer325. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the degree to which he remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of crèche facilities throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35727/21]
View answer326. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of crèche facilities throughout County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35729/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 317, 325 and 326 together.
Supply of, and demand for, early learning and care and school-age childcare places is currently monitored annually through the Early Years Sector Profile report. This survey is conducted by Pobal on behalf of the Department.
Data from the Early Years Sector Profile report indicates that nationally, 4690 services were contracted to provide at least one of the four DCEDIY funding programmes in 2019/2020. This represents an increase of 2%, from 4,598 in 2018/19. Of these services, 1214 (26%) were community services, while 3476 (74%) were private services.
Early Years Sector Profile data is also available by urban/rural breakdown, and at a Local Authority level. Of the national total, 65% (3,070) of services were located in urban areas and 35% (1,620) were located in rural areas (see Table 1). Notably, 61% of services in rural areas were smaller services, catering for 40 children or less. Conversely, of larger services catering for over 100 children, 72% were located in urban areas. The highest number of services, 450, was recorded in Dublin city, with the smallest number of services, 38, in Longford. A breakdown of community and private services can be found in Table 2. According to data from the 2019/2020 report, Kildare had the sixth highest number of services nationally, with a total of 199 services, of which 11 were community services, while 188 were private services.
Owing to the impact of COVID-19 on services, capacity figures for services are not available for 2019/2020. However, figures from previous years would suggest that nationally, supply currently meets demand, while acknowledging that some pockets of undersupply exist. In 2018/19 the overall estimated capacity was 218,745, representing an increase of 2% from the previous year. Local authority level data for Kildare evidences an increase of 17% in reported capacity between 2017/2018 and 2018/2019. Local authority level capacity data is provided in Table 3.
The number of vacant places increased by 13% in 2018/2019 to an estimated 12,444. The vacancy rate in 2018/19 was 6%, an increase of one percentage point from last year. The recorded vacancy rate in Kildare was 6% in 2018/2019, matching the national average rate. In 2018/2019 the settings in rural areas had a higher vacancy rate of 9%, compared to 5% of those in urban areas. In addition, the share of vacant places in urban services decreased from 57% in 2017/2018 to 55% this year.
A key policy objective of my Department is to improve affordability, accessibility and quality of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC). A 141% increase in investment over the last number of years has led to a doubling in the number of children receiving free or subsidised early learning and care and school-age childcare. It has also supported the sector to increase the number of places available.
In previous years the creation of new places and new services were prioritised in the Department's capital programmes. Many community facilities, and some private facilities, were built using public investment through the major capital investment programmes, Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (2000-2006) and the National Childcare Investment Programme (2006-2011). Since then, annual capital programmes have provided investment for establishment of new provision, expansion of services, quality improvements and maintenance and upgrades to existing facilities. The Department’s capital programmes have increased capacity in the sector by 27,433 places nationally since 2015.
First 5, the ten-year strategy for babies, young children and their families commits to 'maintain and extend the supply of high-quality publicly subsidised early learning and childcare to best serve the developmental needs of babies and young children, ensuring that it also reflects the needs and preferences of parents and families'. To deliver on this strategic action, a range of actions are under way, including the development of a strategic capital investment plan to deliver large-scale capital investment under Project 2040, and the development of a new funding model for ELC and SAC.
An Expert Group has been convened to examine the current model of funding and its effectiveness in delivering quality, affordable, sustainable and inclusive services. The Expert Group will recommend how additional resourcing can be delivered for the sector to achieve these objectives, drawing on international practice in this area. It is expected that a report on the Expert Group’s recommendations on the new Funding Model will be submitted to me in November. Also identified among the actions in First 5 is a commitment to strengthen capacity to accurately forecast supply and demand for ELC and SAC by undertaking a regular national needs assessment. In addition, officials in my Department are planning research on the ELC/SAC needs of parents who work atypical hours or live in rural communities.
Table 1: Urban/ Rural Services Breakdown
|
2019/2020 |
Urban |
Rural |
|
All services |
65% |
35% |
|
Private |
68% |
32% |
|
Community |
58% |
42% |
Table 2: Service Type by Local Authority
|
2019/2020 |
Community |
Private |
Total |
|
Dublin – Dublin City |
158 |
292 |
450 |
|
Cork County |
94 |
306 |
400 |
|
Dublin – Fingal |
20 |
302 |
322 |
|
Galway |
82 |
216 |
298 |
|
Dublin – South Dublin |
42 |
217 |
259 |
|
Kildare |
11 |
188 |
199 |
|
Meath |
24 |
185 |
209 |
|
Limerick |
56 |
150 |
206 |
|
Donegal |
74 |
85 |
159 |
|
Tipperary |
46 |
140 |
186 |
|
Dublin – Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown |
23 |
164 |
187 |
|
Wexford |
47 |
101 |
148 |
|
Kerry |
57 |
79 |
136 |
|
Louth |
21 |
97 |
118 |
|
Wicklow |
24 |
157 |
181 |
|
Clare |
33 |
105 |
138 |
|
Waterford |
41 |
61 |
102 |
|
Mayo |
57 |
80 |
137 |
|
Cork City |
46 |
58 |
104 |
|
Monaghan |
34 |
25 |
59 |
|
Kilkenny |
29 |
76 |
105 |
|
Westmeath |
22 |
65 |
87 |
|
Sligo |
29 |
49 |
78 |
|
Laois |
18 |
75 |
93 |
|
Cavan |
27 |
41 |
68 |
|
Offaly |
18 |
53 |
71 |
|
Roscommon |
27 |
35 |
62 |
|
Carlow |
18 |
33 |
51 |
|
Longford |
15 |
23 |
38 |
Table 3: Capacity by Local Authority
|
County |
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
|
Dublin – Dublin City |
16,656 |
16,732 |
|
Cork County |
15,694 |
16,411 |
|
Dublin – Fingal |
11,599 |
11,678 |
|
Galway |
11,134 |
11,428 |
|
Dublin – South Dublin |
9,667 |
9,742 |
|
Kildare |
8,349 |
9,731 |
|
Meath |
7,351 |
7,976 |
|
Limerick |
8,083 |
7,920 |
|
Donegal |
7,457 |
7,859 |
|
Tipperary |
7,099 |
7,207 |
|
Dublin – Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown |
6,581 |
7,196 |
|
Wexford |
6,005 |
5,994 |
|
Kerry |
5,811 |
5,792 |
|
Louth |
4,494 |
5,164 |
|
Wicklow |
4,500 |
4,849 |
|
Clare |
4,663 |
4,798 |
|
Waterford |
4,815 |
4,723 |
|
Mayo |
4,840 |
4,500 |
|
Cork City |
4,541 |
4,435 |
|
Monaghan |
3,813 |
4,068 |
|
Kilkenny |
4,319 |
4,033 |
|
Westmeath |
4,166 |
3,835 |
|
Sligo |
3,232 |
3,687 |
|
Laois |
3,993 |
3,540 |
|
Cavan |
3,224 |
3,536 |
|
Offaly |
2,922 |
2,979 |
|
Roscommon |
2,409 |
2,843 |
|
Carlow |
2,215 |
2,608 |
|
Longford |
1,744 |
1,787 |
|
Leitrim |
1,511 |
1,654 |
|
Total |
182,617 |
188,705 |
318. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if assistance is available for a community crèche (details supplied) to acquire alternative premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35444/21]
View answerMy Department oversees a Case Management process through which local CCCs and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to early learning and care services. Supports can include help with cashflow, fee setting and completing and interpreting analysis of staff ratios, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances; including help locating alternative premises.
Financial supports, which are also accessed through Case Management, are available for community services presenting with sustainability issues following a financial assessment by Pobal and Department review. This can include operational funding for Community Childcare Service providers who find themselves without a suitable premises due to unforeseen circumstances, to support them with non-capital costs associated with relocating.
Pobal co-ordinate the overall case management process with the CCC administering initial, and on-going, case management assistance. All services who require support should contact their local CCC in the first instance.
319. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the criteria by which Tusla quantifies complex needs in a child; the number of children categorised as such currently and in each of the past three years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35517/21]
View answer320. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will clarify the situation whereby out of hours, in the absence of appropriate facilities, children with complex needs are being accommodated in hotels; the cost of such in 2021 and in each of the past three years; the number of children involved in 2021 and in each of the past three years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35518/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 319 and 320 together.
The 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.
Tusla ICT systems have been severely impacted by the cyberattack on Friday 14 May 2021. This has significant consequences in terms of how Tusla interact with services and service users including the PQ referral system. There is a great deal of work being undertaken to put alternative systems in place but at present electronic communications are impeded. This may result in a slight delay in Tusla responding to your query.
321. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of money Tusla has paid to external legal advisors in each of the past five years in tabular form; the number and names of the companies and persons involved; the number of cases involved in each year; the longest and shortest case length involved; the average case length involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35519/21]
View answerThe questions posed by the Deputy refer to operational matters for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have referred the question to Tusla for direct response to the Deputy.
The Deputy will understand that any reply on this matter will be delayed, in the context of the impact on Tusla of the cyberattack on HSE systems. Tusla will be able to advise the Deputy of this matter, when operationally possible .
322. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35704/21]
View answerIn the first instance, the Deputy will appreciate that it would be inappropriate for me to comment on any individual case.
As regards the broader issues raised by this case, my Department worked with the governing Board of this organisation to progress a number of important actions in response to findings of poor safeguarding policies and practice in the organisation. These actions included:
- a governance and safeguarding review conducted by former Senator Jillian Van Turnhout completed in 2018;
- a follow up report on the progress following that review conducted by Brigid McManus, former Secretary General, completed in 2020;
- the introduction of an ongoing requirement for regular updates on governance and safeguarding reforms.
- the organisation also engaged Ian Elliott, a child protection expert, to carry out a learning review into historical sexual abuse, which was published in May 2020.
- an audit carried out by Mr Elliott in February of this year noted the ‘positive and impressive’ progress made by the organisation.
It is worth noting that the organisation has adopted revised safeguarding policies in consultation with Tusla. Tusla has expressed its satisfaction with progress made in relation to safeguarding, and relevant training is being provided throughout the organisation. On the basis of this positive feedback from independent governance and safeguarding experts and Tusla, and my Department’s ongoing engagement, I am satisfied with the progress and structures now in place. Safeguarding is now a strong focus and priority for the organisation.
323. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will update the document How to Conduct a Disability Impact Assessment Guidelines for Government Departments to reflect legislative and regulatory changes since its publication in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35705/21]
View answerThe focus of my Department is on the development of an integrated equality proofing process that covers all nine equality grounds plus poverty rather than on separate impact assessments.
My Department is co-lead, with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, on the Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory Group (EBEAG). In March 2021, the Government agreed to establish an inter-departmental group for Equality Budgeting, to facilitate the embedding of the initiative across all Government departments.
Equality Budgeting aims to provide greater information on how proposed or ongoing budgetary decisions impact on particular groups in society, thereby integrating equality concerns into the budgetary process. Providing greater information on the likely impacts of budgetary measures facilitates the integration of equality concerns into the budgetary process, helping to avoid unintended adverse outcomes and enhancing the Government’s decision making framework. Disability is a specific strand in this process.
324. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to ensure all playgrounds have accessible features for children with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35706/21]
View answerMy Department operates a scheme, the Play and Recreation Capital grant scheme, which provides funding, via Local Authorities, to support the development of new recreation facilities for children and young people, and for the refurbishment of existing play and recreation facilities and incorporation of natural play elements.
There was strong demand for funding under this scheme in 2021; with some 52 projects being approved for funding across (all) 31 Local Authorities. Owing to the strong demand for funding on this scheme, my officials employed a weighted scoring system as part of the evaluation process.
One of the key criteria that is measured and scored during this process is Accessibility & Inclusivity; under this criteria we require Local Authorities to indicate how improvements to facilities and equipment for which funding is sought will:
- improve access/inclusivity to the park/facility for children and young people with additional needs
- and provide access/inclusivity to the play equipment for all children
In order for a project to qualify for funding under this scheme, a minimum threshold must be reached on each of the (5) funding criteria (therefore if no consideration is given towards accessibility/inclusivity, the project does not qualify for funding).
In addition to ensuring all projects take account of accessibility in their project applications, having accessibility included as a funding criteria encourages Local Authorities to include projects for consideration that are primarily geared towards accessibility/inclusivity. This year for example, we approved funding for a number of projects to incorporate basket swing and wheelchair accessible swings into existing playgrounds.
The Play and Recreation scheme, as noted above, is operated via Local Authorities and this year’s scheme was opened to applications from Local Authorities on April 1, with a closing date of April 22. It should be noted the Play and Recreation fund, and the criteria applied for accessing funding, represents my Department’s contribution to the funding of new and refurbished play and recreation facilities accessible for all children and young people. Local Authorities are ultimately responsible for ensuring that all of their investment in this area provides facilities that are accessible to all children and young people in their respective communities.
