Written Answers Nos. 82-101
82. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education if her Department has guidance and or a policy concerning the publication of shortlisting criteria for candidates who apply for teaching positions in public schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36740/21]
View answerThe recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012).
In accordance with Department Circular 44/2019 , which is available on the Department’s website under www.education.ie, schools are required to employ appropriately qualified teachers and ensure that unemployed teachers should be offered employment in preference to those who have retired. These measures were taken in an effort to increase employment opportunities for unemployed teachers.
As outlined in section 11.3, chapter 2 of Circular 44/2019 it is a matter for the Interview Board to establish criteria for the assessment of applications.
“The Interview Board shall meet as soon as practical and shall establish agreed criteria for the assessment of the applications and for interview prior to opening of the applications received. In establishing the criteria, the following factors shall be taken into account, having regard to the requirements of the particular post and the Rules for National Schools, though not exclusively nor necessarily in this order:-
- Professional Qualifications
- Registration with the Teaching Council
- Teaching experience
- Other relevant experience e.g. experience in Special Needs, multiclass teaching, etc.
Care must be taken to ensure that the criteria do not lead to discrimination on the grounds set out in Section 6(2) of the Employment Equality Acts, 1998-2008 i.e., gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and member of the Travelling Community.”
In the case of Community National Schools, the ETB will ensure that the criteria for assessment incorporates those identified in section 11.3.
The criteria selected must reflect the needs of the school.
As outlined in section 13.1 of chapter 2 “Selection of applicants for interview will be based on an initial assessment of applications against the established criteria.
Per section 13.4- Invitation to interview, shall include details of the established criteria for the post.
83. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost of increasing the funding to the wage subsidy scheme for persons with disabilities by 5%, 10% and 25%, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36627/21]
View answerThe funding provided for Wage Subsidy Scheme in the 2021 Further Revised Estimate is €25.98 million. The scheme is demand-led.
The estimated additional funding required for the increases requested by the Deputy are included in the following table:
|
- |
Additional cost of increase |
Additional cost of increase |
Additional cost of increase |
|
Rate of increase in funding |
5% |
10% |
25% |
|
Financial impact |
€1.3m |
€2.6m |
€6.5m |
84. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost of increasing the funding to the disability awareness support scheme by 5%, 10% and 25%, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36628/21]
View answer85. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost of increasing the funding to the employee retention grant scheme for employees who have acquired an illness, condition or impairment by 5%, 10% and 25%, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36629/21]
View answer86. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost of increasing the funding to the reasonable accommodation fund by 5%, 10% and 25%, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36630/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 84, 85 and 86 together.
In addition to providing income supports the Department of Social Protection (DSP) provides a wide range of employment-related supports for both jobseekers / employees with disabilities and employers seeking to support an employee who has a disability or when employing a jobseeker (with a disability). These include
1. Disability Awareness Support Scheme (DASS Grant)
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. The value of the grants available is as set out below:
|
First year a company applies |
90% of eligible training costs up to a maximum of €20,000 |
|
Second and subsequent years a company applies |
80% of eligible training costs up to a maximum of €20,000 |
2. Reasonable Accommodation Fund Grants (RAFG)
The four grants available under this fund are:
a. 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 funded, the amount of the grant payable is based on an hourly fee paid which may vary. 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. In addition, the grant can also be used to cover travel costs for the Interpreter – the cost of public transport or, if not available, a set rate per KM is applied.
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.
It is important to note that these grants differ from the income supports (such as Disability Allowance or the Blind Pension) provided by the Department, in that they are demand led. The overall value of the grants provided each year rises or falls in response to the number of applications received. It is therefore not possible to predict in advance the impact of percentage increases with any degree of certainty. However, details of the value and number of grants provided, by each grant type, in 2020 are set out in the table below for information.
Finally, it is also important to note that the funding the Department makes available through the grants it administers, does not impact or lessen the obligation on employers to provide reasonable accommodations. The provision of reasonable accommodations by all employers is a legally enforceable right for both jobseekers and employees. The Employment Equality Acts oblige employers to take reasonable steps to accommodate the needs of both employees and job applicants with disabilities, except where to do so would impose a disproportionate burden on them.
Table: Number and value of grants issued 2020
|
Grant Name |
No. of Grants |
Value* |
|
Disability Awareness Support Scheme (DASS) |
4 |
€5,598 |
|
Workplace Equipment Adaptation Grant (WEAG) |
42 |
€84,150 |
|
Personal Reader Grant (PRG) |
28 |
€18,969 |
|
Job Interview Interpreter Grant (JIIG) |
21 |
€3,845 |
|
Employee Retention Grant (ERG) |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
95 |
€112,562 |
*provisional, until accounts for the period are finalised.
87. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if a grant is available to assist a domestic violence service that is helping victims of domestic abuse to purchase CCTV cameras in order that victims can be safe in their own homes (details supplied); if there is funding which could be made available; if an official from her office will make contact with the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36633/21]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that primary responsibility for matters relating to domestic violence and abuse lies with the Department of Justice. The Department of Social Protection has no role to play in the provision of grants to enable the purchase of CCTV equipment as set out in the Deputy's question.
I am given to understand that the purchase of CCTV equipment does not come within the scope of the grant funding provided by the Department of Justice. However, that Department does provide funding for victim of crime services, which include important information and supports to victims in their engagement with the criminal justice system, including emotional support, court accompaniment, accompaniment to Garda interviews, accompaniment to sexual assault treatment units, counselling and referral to other services.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
88. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the disruption which has occurred to the issuing of a certification of birth, PPS numbers and so on, for newly born children; the steps that are being taken to resolve the issues; and the provision that is being made in cases in which such certification is urgently needed. [36640/21]
View answerThe HSE is responsible for registering births and issuing certificates once registration has been completed. The recent cyber-attack on HSE computer systems had a significant impact on the delivery of civil registration services with registration of births suspended for 4 weeks. The cyber-attack also resulted in the suspension of the delivery of electronic birth notifications from maternity hospitals in Dublin to the Civil Registration Service.
I can confirm for the Deputy that birth registrations have resumed and that PPSNs are allocated automatically 24 hours following registration of a child's birth. I understand the HSE is currently working to address any backlogs that have resulted from the suspension of its services.
The Registrar General has informed me that urgent cases, if brought to the attention of the relevant HSE superintendent registrar, will be expedited.
89. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the provision of pensions to community employment supervisors; the timeline for the commencement of these pensions for supervisors who are approaching retirement age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36663/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme for CE supervisors and assistant supervisors who are employed by CE scheme sponsors. This claim creates some difficulties because the State is not the employer of the supervisors.
Within this context, officials from my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform held discussions on proposals to progress and resolve this complex issue, while having regard to the wider budgetary framework. Department officials also held discussions with unions representing CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors.
At the start of April, agreement was reached with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on proposals to resolve the long-standing issue. These proposals include a financial package.
I am confident these proposals are a solid basis for progressing and resolving this complex issue. Discussions on these proposals are ongoing between my Department and the unions representing CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors. The unions have made a number of observations, and these are now being examined by my officials in conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
My officials are continuing to progress this matter as a priority, and I would hope that these discussions can reach a conclusion in the near future.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
90. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a full review will take place into the application for jobseeker’s allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36706/21]
View answerThe person concerned applied for a Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) payment with effect from 28/06/2021 after his entitlement to Jobseeker’s Benefit expired on 26/06/2021. JA is a means tested payment. A means test is an assessment of all household income, savings, shares, investments or property that a person owns, apart from their own home. The means test will also include any income that a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant has.
On 28/06/2021 a decision letter issued to the person concerned to advise that his claim for JA was disallowed. Following the means assessment undertaken by my officials, the person concerned was deemed to have weekly means of €990 which is in excess of the prescribed limit of €337.70 for a person with his family circumstances. Means were derived from land, a second property, spousal earnings, savings and shares. The property valuation was self-declared and when a requested auctioneer’s valuation for the land was not submitted the value was estimated by my officials.
If the person concerned is not satisfied with this decision of the deciding officer, he may send in any supporting facts or evidence to my Department and request a review of the decision. An auctioneer’s valuation of land owned by the person concerned will be required in order to review the means assessment. The person concerned can also appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office, D’Olier House, D’Olier Street, Dublin 2 setting out the grounds for his appeal.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
91. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Social Protection if rural social scheme supervisors will be included in the proposal for a once-off gratuity to be paid on retirement to community employment supervisors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36721/21]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection delivers a range of employment and income support schemes including Community Employment (CE) and the Rural Social Scheme (RSS). These schemes are delivered by independent bodies funded by the Department. RSS is delivered by 37 local development companies and by Údarás na Gaeltachta, known collectively as Implementing Bodies. CE is delivered by sponsoring authorities. While the Department funds for participant and supervisors' pay, the Department is not the employer of any scheme participants or their supervisors.
The State is not responsible for funding pension arrangements for employees of private companies, even where the companies in question are reliant on State funding. Pension arrangements are a matter to be agreed between employees and their employers. All employers, including CE sponsoring organisations and the IBs that deliver RSS, are legally obliged to offer access to at least one Standard Personal Retirement Savings Account (PRSA) under the Pension (Amendment) Act 2002.
CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme for CE supervisors and assistant supervisors who are employed by CE scheme sponsors.
It is within the context of the 2008 Labour Court recommendation that officials from my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the unions representing the CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors held discussions on proposals to progress this issue over the past number of months. These discussions were held on the understanding by all involved, that they related solely to CE supervisors and assistant supervisors.
As the Deputy is aware, an agreement was reached recently between my colleagues, the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on proposals to resolve the long standing issue. Details of these proposals have been forwarded to the unions representing CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors by the Department of Social Protection. Discussions on these proposals are ongoing between my Department and the unions.
These proposals only apply to those parties who were the subject of the 2008 Labour Court recommendation and subsequent discussions with both Departments, namely CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors. The related provisions will not apply to other parties such as RSS supervisors.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
92. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on the review of a decision on a disability allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36723/21]
View answerThe person concerned submitted an application for disability allowance (DA) on 5 May 2021. Their application, based upon all the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds as it was not found that the person concerned was substantially restricted in taking up employment. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 14 June 2021.
Further medical evidence was received on 24 June 2021 and a Deciding Officer is currently carrying out a review of this decision. Once this review is complete, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
93. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if funding is available for young adult writers with disabilities. [36596/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that I am not in a position to comment on this matter. Government funding for the arts including literature is channelled through the Arts Council which is independent from Government in its funding decisions.
94. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if funding streams are available for a youth project (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36742/21]
View answerFunding for the provision of targeted youth services is administered on behalf of my Department by the Education and Training Boards (ETBs). Funding is allocated following applications to the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme. This operates generally on a 3-year cycle with an annual renewal process. This is the first full year of the scheme.
I have provided an additional €1 million for the provision of new UBU Your Place Your Space services in 2021. Donegal ETB is one of the ETBs where a new UBU Your Place Your Space service will be located. The ETB is moving forward with the process for new services in line with the policy and operating rules for the scheme. This process identifies the most pressing needs of young people to which the new services will respond. The Youth Affairs Unit in my Department has limited capital funding, which is aimed at equipment or small scale minor works for UBU Your Place Your Space services and funded local youth clubs. However, this funding is not available for major refurbishments, construction projects, or purchases.
In addition to UBU Your Place Your Space, my Department funds the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme. This is operated by the local ETB and qualifying clubs or groups may apply for up to €3,000 in a given year.
I have also approved funding to be distributed by the ETBs to local UBU funded organisations and youth clubs funded by my Department. This is contribution intended to support services and clubs with some of their re-opening costs. It is also intended to help with the re-engagement of much valued volunteers as services and clubs continue to re-open .
I would advise that any youth service, club or group in the Donegal area to contact their ETB in the first instance for further information.
95. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of his Department’s expert group on a new funding model for childcare in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36785/21]
View answerFirst 5commits to at least doubling investment in Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) between 2018 and 2028 and a new funding model will be a key vehicle to ensure that such significant additional investment delivers for children, families and the State.
An Expert Group was established in September 2019 to develop a new funding model for ELC and SAC. The Expert Group is tasked with examining the current model of funding, its effectiveness in delivering quality, affordable, sustainable and inclusive services and considering how additional resourcing can be delivered for the sector to achieve these objectives, drawing on international practice in this area. The Group has met seventeen times to date, and will continue to meet in the coming months.
A report on the Group’s recommendations is expected to be submitted to me in November 2021 for consideration before submission to wider Government. I anticipate that the Group’s recommendations will contribute to informing the Budget 2022 process and my officials are already engaged in that process.
The development of the new funding model is supported by a significant programme of research, delivered by a research partner, Frontier Economics. They have produced and published eight working papers, which provide a foundation from which international comparisons and lessons can be drawn that will be of value for the development of the new funding model. The suite of papers cover international comparisons of fees, wages and funding models; working conditions for staff; fee control mechanisms; supporting quality provision; shared governance and collaboration models; and tackling disadvantage in ELC/SAC.
The new funding model is a major reform project impacting at all levels of the ELC and SAC sector. This sector directly influences the day-to-day lives, and futures, of approximately 200,000 children and their families and is important strategically and economically. It is a large and diverse sector in terms of the nature of services provided, the range of views on the purpose of those services, and the role of the State and public investment. For the new funding model to be successful in implementation, the development process is meaningfully engaging with the perspectives of various groups that have a role and an interest in the sector and is seeking, insofar as possible, to build a shared understanding and common purpose.
With this in mind, the Expert Group is undertaking consultation and engagement with stakeholders to inform its work. Phase 1 of this consultation and engagement took place between August and December 2020, comprising a call for submissions, a parental poll, two webinars and focused discussions with providers, practitioners and parents. Phase 2 is now complete, and involved a series of facilitated events that brought together a broad range of participants to engage deeply in the conversation about how the various issues of affordability, sustainability, quality and inclusion interact and how the new funding model can best support these objectives. Phase 3 is taking place in July. The outputs from this process will inform the Expert Group's final report.
Material relating to the work of the Expert Group, including reports from Phase 1 consultation and engagement, meeting documentation and research papers are available on a dedicated website, www.first5fundingmodel.ie.
96. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the input he has had on the Economic Recovery Plan with regard to childcare during and after the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36786/21]
View answerMy Department has engaged with the Department of An Taoiseach on the Economic Recovery Plan, particularly in respect of content about early learning and care and school age childcare (ELC/SAC) set out under Pillar 2, "Helping people back into work".
The Economic Recovery Plan notes that Government has set out ambitious commitments to deliver on the needs of children and their parents across the areas of affordability with continued investment in the National Childcare Scheme (NCS); flexibility and choice with an increase in supply; inclusion with additional supports and services for children and families with additional needs; and with continued efforts to improve the quality of ELC/SAC, including improved pay and conditions of those working in that sector. These developments have been crucial to throughout the pandemic, and will continue to be after it subsides.
There are a number of measures in place to ensure affordability for parents. Families may be entitled to subsidies under the NCS, which aims to improve outcomes for children, reduce poverty, facilitate labour activation, and tangibly reduce the cost of early learning and childcare for tens of thousands of families. The scheme comprises of two types of subsidies:
- A universal subsidy for children of pre-ECCE age who are availing of ELC services from an approved provider. The universal subsidy is not means-tested and is available to all qualifying families of any income level.
- An income-assessed subsidy is payable for children from 24 weeks to 15 years of age who are availing of ELC/SAC services from an approved provider. The level of subsidy is determined by the family's reckonable income.
With NCS, those earning less than €26,000 net per year will get the highest level of subsidy for up to 45 hours per week, provided they are involved in some level of work, or some study, significantly contributing to affordability.
NCS offers different types of application processes to suit families and ensure they are being assessed on the most accurate and up to date circumstances. For example, families can apply for a ‘Sudden Change Assessment’ option allows for applicants to declare that they have had an ongoing change to their income. This applies to people who have lost a job or their income has reduced on an ongoing basis for reasons outside of their control as may be the case in the context of the economic impact of Covid-19.
Since the onset of Covid-19, my Department has put in place a range of supports for ELC/SAC services. The objective of these supports have been to:
- support providers’ sustainability to enable services return to normal once restrictions were lifted;
- support providers to retain their staff;
- ensure that ELC/SAC could reopen and remain open, even at very low levels of occupancy;
- nensure that ELC/SAC could operate safely for children, families and staff;
- ensure that increased costs associated with public health requirements, and lower demand / occupancy were not passed on to parents;
- achieve administrative efficiency through the continued use of existing funding schemes and other whole of economy supports; and
- protect exchequer investment.
Supports have included the continuation of DCEDIY subsidy schemes on an ex-gratia basis (12 March – 5 April 2020); the Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (6 April – 28 June 2020); the Reopening Funding Package (29 June – 23 August 2020), the July Stimulus Package that included the EWSS and a Sustainability Fund (from 24 August to end December 2020) and tailored funding arrangements to respond to Level 5 restrictions in the post-Christmas period, that included a new Covid-19 Operating Support Payment and a new Covid-19 strand of the Sustainability Fund, in addition to continued eligibility for the EWSS.
Following engagement between my Department and the Department of Finance, and in line with the Economic Recovery Plan, ELC/SAC employers continue to be entitled to access the EWSS with an exemption to having to demonstrate the drop in turnover that applies to other sectors. Since October 2020, EWSS has been paid at enhanced rates and these rates are estimated to cover, on average, 80% of staff costs in the sector, or 50% of total operating costs.
Government has committed to continuing the payment of these rates throughout quarter 3 of 2021. My Department will continue to engage with the Department of Finance in the planning for quarter 4 of this year and beyond in respect of the ELC/SAC sector. There is strong evidence of the effectiveness of these supports. The data on services that have closed and opened in 2020 are directly comparable to 2019 so there has been no loss of capacity:
- 197 services that were on the Early Years Register reported permanent closure to Tusla in 2020 compared to 196 in 2019.
- 91 new services were registered in 2020 compared to 93 in 2019.
Data from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners indicates that the number of employees in the sector has not changed substantially over the course of the pandemic
Data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2020 Survey revealed no significant increase in fees charged to parents. The deadline for the 2021 survey has recently passed and this data will now begin to be cleaned and analysed. I anticipate this data being available in the coming months to assist in planning.
Looking to the future, my Department will be developing a new funding model for early learning and care and school age childcare that provides additional resourcing to services in line with measures to improve quality and affordability. An Expert Group has been progressing this work since late 2019 and I expect their report to be finalised in November.
97. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the public consultation process relative to the proposed national standards for children’s services; if he plans to have a separate standard for foster care similar to the 2003 document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30595/21]
View answerI am informed by Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) that while the recent public consultation has been completed there is ongoing consultation with HIQA's Advisory Board to the development of the draft standards. When this process is completed, HIQA will present the draft National Standards for Children’s Social Services for consideration and approval by the Minister for Health and myself. The standards must be accepted and approved by both Ministers before being implemented.??
HIQA's proposed draft National Standards for Children’s Social Services encompass foster care, residential care, special care, and child protection and welfare services. The current National Standards for Foster Care have been in place since 2003. It is important that standards are reviewed from time to time in order that they remain fit for purpose. It is also important that all stakeholders have confidence in them. The draft national standards are underpinned by four principles of human rights, safety and wellbeing, responsiveness and accountability. If approved it is HIQA's intention that they will replace the individual standards for each of the service functions currently in place for each sector.
Foster carers are an essential component to the care provided to children in state care and I am committed to ensuring their voice is heard in the development of new standards. My officials are actively engaged with HIQA on this issue.
New standards do not change existing legislation and therefore have no impact on any legal rights or duties of foster carers under the Child Care Acts, Children First legislation and guidance, or any new legislation under consideration. Legislation and regulations supersede standards in all sectors. Standards set out expectations for services and provide guidance for all parties in the delivery of services.
98. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if consistency will be shown in allocations for SUSI grants in order that no student has their grant downgraded midway through their degree while living in the same accommodation such as in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will provide a clear income disregard with regard to the special maintenance for pandemic unemployment payment earnings given that this can push some families just above the €24,000 threshold per year. [36597/21]
View answerThe principal support provided by the Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the terms of the Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for SUSI to determine. For the 2021/22 academic year, student grant applications will be assessed based on gross income from all sources for the period 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2020.
The Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Act 2020 establishes the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment as a social insurance benefit scheme separate from other social protection statutory schemes including the Supplementary Welfare Allowance and Jobseeker Allowance and Jobseeker Benefit schemes.
For student grant purposes the Covid-19 payment has been treated as reckonable income for the SUSI means assessment process since it was introduced in March 2020. This means that the Covid-19 payment is treated in a similar fashion to other Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection payments such as Jobseekers Benefit/Allowance, thus ensuring a consistency of approach and an equitable treatment of students and their families in the SUSI means assessment process.
All applications are assessed nationally with reference to the terms and conditions of the relevant student grant scheme. The terms and conditions of funding are applied impartially to all applicants.
However, if a student or party to their application experiences a change in circumstances that is not a temporary change and is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, they can apply to have their application assessed under the change in circumstances provision of the relevant Student Grant Scheme. The income of all parties to the application will be assessed or reassessed on current income and applicants may also be asked to provide evidence of same.
As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage the assistance of their public representatives in making enquiries about their grant applications.This service, which was set up at the behest of Oireachtas members, complements the established channels provided by SUSI which include online application tracking, a dedicated website, a telephone helpdesk, email and social media, including Facebook and Twitter. Enquiries may be emailed direct to SUSI at oireachtas@susi.ie. Staff in SUSI are responding to email queries within a matter of days.
With regard to the specific application, I have been advised by my officials that the student outlined by the Deputy submitted a renewal application to SUSI for the 2021/22 academic year and a change of circumstance was declared. A full assessment of the student's application was completed. On 14th June 2021 he was issued with a letter awarding him the 100% adjacent rate of grant as the shortest most direct route was confirmed to be under 45km. Following a request from the applicant for an internal review the distance from the student's residence from his college was confirmed as under 45km.
99. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 168 and 169 of 30 June 2021, the estimated full-year cost to the Exchequer of increasing the reckonable income threshold for entitlement to student universal support Ireland allowance in increments of 1% up to 10% in regard of 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% maintenance rates and simultaneously increasing the payment rates in increments of 1% up to 10%, in tabular form. [36704/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware that there are various income thresholds used depending on the type of grant, family size etc. While SUSI has statistics on those students who have applied for grant support and can estimate with some degree of certainty, what impact changes to the thresholds might have for those students on lower income levels, the accuracy of its estimates become less reliable at the higher income levels. Prospective applicants on higher incomes may not have applied for support as their income was above the relevant threshold.
The estimated full-year cost to the Exchequer of increasing the reckonable income threshold for entitlement to student universal support Ireland allowance in increments of 1% up to 10% in regard of 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% maintenance rates and simultaneously increasing the payment rates in increments of 1% up to 10% are provided in tabular form to the Deputy in the attached table.
Please note that the information supplied is based on the following:
- 2019-20 data based on applications received for this period.
- From analysing how a model using 2019-20 SUSI data varies in the 0-10% ranges of changing Reckonable Income and Maintenance Payments it can be seen there is a very close to linear relationship.
- This would be expected for maintenance payments in particular and is not unexpected for reckonable iIncome.
The above figures do not include any changes to the income thresholds for the special rate of maintenance grants which are linked to long-term social welfare payments.
100. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a list of all members of the National Training Advisory Committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36718/21]
View answerThe National Training Fund (NTF) was established by the National Training Fund Act, 2000, as a dedicated fund to support the training of those in employment, and those seeking employment. The Act also provides for the funding of research to provide information on existing and likely future skills requirements of the economy.
A comprehensive review of the NTF was commissioned by the Department of Education and Skills as part of a package of reforms announced to accompany the decision in Budget 2018 to raise the NTF levy. This followed a consultation process with key stakeholders, during which issues were raised regarding the transparency of the use of the Fund, the alignment of expenditure for employer needs and the role of employers in informing expenditure priorities. The independent review, which was undertaken by Indecon, examined the existing operation of the NTF and provided recommendations to inform its future direction.
The NTF Advisory Group was formed following the recommendations from Indecon, which recognised that engagement with employers is key to ensuring provision is aligned with developing skills needs. This advisory group is a permanent resourced structure to optimise enterprise engagement on NTF priorities.
Liam Ryan was appointed as independent Chairperson of the Advisory Group by the Minister for Education in November 2018. Liam is the Managing Director, SAP Labs Ireland. Mr Ryan's appointment was based on his role as a major employer, membership of National Skills Council, and Chairperson of Fast Track to IT. (FIT). The group consists of key stakeholders from the following employer representatives, agencies and Government Departments:
- ISME
- IBEC
- Chambers Ireland
- Construction Industry Federation
- Irish Exporters Association
- Irish Hotels Federation
- American Chamber Of Commerce Ireland
- SOLAS
- Skillnet Ireland
- The Wheel
- Higher Education Authority
- Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation
- Department of Social Protection
- Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
101. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science The progress made under the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36853/21]
View answerThe Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 was launched on 19th April and sets out a five year plan which sets out new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships to make apprenticeship accessible to employers and learners. The actions set out in the plan seek to deliver on a target of 10,000 apprenticeship registrations per annum by 2025.
Work has begun on the implementation of the Action Plan and a Steering Group which comprises representatives from SOLAS, the HEA and the Department has been formed to support the establishment of the National Apprenticeship Office (NAO). The terms of reference for the Steering Group are currently being drafted.
Proposed amendments to the Industrial Training Act, 1967 seek to expand the definition of an “activity of industry” to widen the potential scope of new apprenticeship programmes (Action 5.2) has been included under the General Scheme of Higher Education Authority Bill which was published on the 6th May 2021. The Bill also provides for the recognition of a shared office between SOLAS and HEA to facilitate collaboration on the national-level development, monitoring, review and management of the apprenticeship system (Action 12.6)
Engagement on the development of the Public Service Apprentice Recruitment Plan has commenced, with the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science recently writing to his counterparts to seek support in relation to the delivery of the plan.
Engagement with www.apprenticeshipJobs.ie is being encouraged through the expansion of the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme. From the 1st July 2021 the scheme has included a requirement to either publish on www.apprenticeshipjobs.ie or to provide a stated reason for non-advertisement of the post. This will provide information on recruitment practices across apprenticeship programmes.
In cooperation with the OGP, the Strategic Procurement Advisory Group has commenced development of guidance on the inclusion of an apprenticeship/ staff development provision within Public Sector tendering processes.
Progress towards baseline actions will be reviewed on an annual basis and a report delivered to Government, outlining progress and learnings and setting out detailed areas for action in the next phase of delivery.
