Written Answers Nos. 525-544
525. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount it costs to run the HEAR and DARE initiatives on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37650/21]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) and Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) schemes offer places on reduced points and extra college supports, to school leavers who are underrepresented in higher education due to their socio-economic background or whose disabilities have had a negative impact on their second level education.
The schemes are managed jointly by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) and the CAO on behalf of the participating higher education institutions. The IUA is responsible for both the criteria and HEIs’ participation in HEAR and DARE. Whereas the CAO is responsible for the operational aspects of the schemes, including the application, assessment and communications process.
My Department has no role in the policy criteria or operation of the schemes. However, I have been advised that the cost of running the schemes is circa €400k annually.
526. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount that has been allocated to fund the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2021-2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37651/21]
View answerThe current National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education covers the period from 2015 to 2021. The overall vision of the National Access Plan is to ensure that the student body entering into, participating in and completing higher education at all levels reflects the diversity and social mix of Ireland's population.
The National Access Plan (NAP) identifies the target groups that are currently under-represented in higher education. These include entrants from socio-economic groups that have low participation in higher education, Irish Travellers, students with disabilities, first time mature student entrants, part-time/flexible learners and further education award holders. Lone parents are also included in this grouping.
Work on the development of the next National Access Plan (NAP) is currently underway. A consultation paper was published in April, the details of which can be accessed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/consultation/3ee28-consultation-on-the-next-national-plan-for-equity-of-access-to-higher-education-2022-2026/
The fifth annual Access Forum was held on the 23rd of April which afforded an opportunity for key stakeholders representing: students; schools and higher education institutions; access, disability and mature student officers; representatives of the National Access Plan targets groups; and representatives from relevant Government Departments and agencies, to input and shape the next plan. A student consolation event was also held in early May to garner the views of students about what’s working well and what the focus of the next NAP should be.
The public consultation process closed on 18th June 2021. The Higher Education Authority is currently examining the various submissions received. One-to-one meetings with key stakeholders is currently underway. My intention is to publish the new NAP before the end of 2021.
In terms of expenditure on supports for students, my Department is spending circa €450m annually. Some of these supports are targeted while others are available to the general student populace.
The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme which is administered by SUSI and supports circa 75,000 each year. The Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities each support circa 14,000 students annually. There are currently three strands of the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) programme which are targeting supports at the NAP target groups via supports for initial teacher education, a 1916 bursary scheme and a community engagement programme. Additional support is made available through the core funding of higher education institutions where funding is provided to put in place the necessary access infrastructure to support our target groups.
Apart from the student grant and dedicated access supports, the Deputy will be aware of the range of additional supports that were put in place for students as part of Budget 2021 and as part of the Government's COVID response last year. These included: additional supports for access measures in higher education; a mitigating educational disadvantage fund for further education and training; a student laptop scheme; a once off grant of €250 for students; additional funding for student mental health and wellbeing; and Dormant Accounts Funding for Traveller access to and progress within higher education.
All proposals made in relation to the next National Access Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education will be considered in the context of the development of the new plan, the Estimates process and the ongoing consultations with key stakeholders.
527. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the European funds that contribute to higher and further education in Ireland; if any contribute towards improving access to further and or higher education opportunities for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37652/21]
View answerThe further and higher education sectors in Ireland are supported by a range of EU funds. The Horizon Programme plays a critical role supporting research and innovation in the sector, while the Erasmus Programme supports student and staff mobility as well as cross border cooperation projects. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) has also supported the development of research and technological innovation in Ireland through the SFI Research Centres and Spokes Programme and developing stronger links between industry and higher education institutions.
The European Social Fund (ESF) Operational Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020 supported a range of programmes in the further and higher education sector, including Youthreach and Community Training Centres; Adult Literacy; the Back to Education Initiative; ETB Training for the Unemployed and Third Level Access.
Details of EU funding in Ireland are available at www.eufunds.ie.
While people with disabilities are participating in the range of programmes supported by the ESF, the purpose of the Third Level Access Fund for Students with Disabilities is to assist higher education institutions in ensuring students with disabilities have the necessary assistance and equipment to enable them access, fully participate in and successfully complete their chosen course of study.
A Partnership Process Steering Group has been established to assist and advise the programming authorities throughout the development process for the Partnership Agreement and the various Cohesion Policy Programmes (including the ERDF and ESF+) for the 2021 – 2027 funding round. A Needs Analysis was conducted by Indecon Economic Consultants to provide the evidence base for the future ESF+ and ERDF programmes and a public consultation process was undertaken last year.
The European Commission highlighted the need to support and develop services to improve the employment situation of people with disabilities in its investment guidance on cohesion policy funding for Ireland in 2021-27. The needs analysis also advocates that ESF+ funding should be directed towards labour market programmes and training programmes aimed at improving employment access for this group. Work is ongoing on the draft Partnership Agreement and draft Operational Programmes with a view to Government Approval and formal submission to the Commission later in 2021.
528. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if SUSI qualification thresholds will be increased; the other initiatives he plans to assist students and their families meet the financial challenges of higher education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37691/21]
View answerI am acutely conscious of the difficulties which are experienced by students and their families on low incomes and the critical role of the Student Grant Scheme in supporting access and participation in higher education.
The eligibility criteria for student grants are reviewed annually by my Department and approved by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. All proposals made in relation to higher education expenditure, including student grants for the 2021/22 academic year, are considered in the context of the annual budgetary process.
I secured approval in Budget 2021 to enhance postgraduate grant supports from this September. This year the postgraduate fee grant will increase from €2,000 to €3,500 and the income threshold for eligibility for these grants will increase from €31,500 to €54,240. This is an initial step in implementing the Government’s commitments regarding SUSI grant support. In addition an extra €20m is being made available to meet additional demands on the SUSI scheme due to the pandemic.
The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government contains a commitment to review SUSI eligibility criteria, adjacency rates and postgraduate grant supports. To take forward this commitment I established a review of the Student Grant Scheme. This review is currently underway, and being conducted by Indecon Economic Consultants, under the direction of a steering group chaired by my Department and comprising a number of stakeholders.
It is anticipated that the review will be completed later this year and will inform future priorities regarding the development of student grant policy, including in the context of forthcoming Estimates process for 2022.
529. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the SUSI deduction for holiday earnings earned outside of term time up to a maximum of €4,500 is being applied to students who received the pandemic unemployment payment instead as their employment was interrupted by the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37692/21]
View answerThe 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 reference period 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2020.
The Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Act 2020 establishes the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) 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.
The PUP 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 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.
Furthermore, a very important feature of the scheme that I would point to is the change of circumstances provision. 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 SUSI 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.
Such a change in circumstances includes no longer being in receipt of a pandemic unemployment payment. Students will no longer receive the PUP from early September, in line with normal circumstances where students do not qualify for unemployment payments while at college.
The change of circumstances provision is a well-established procedure and it can also operate at scale. For example, over 10,000 applicants declared a change of circumstance in the 2020/21 academic year and some 40% of these applications related to COVID-19. The application of this provision will continue to allow the scheme to be flexible and responsive to people's circumstances.
Under Article 22(5)(b) of the Student Grant Scheme 2021, income from an applicant’s employment which represents holiday earnings outside of term time but within the reference period up to a maximum of €4,500 can be deducted from the total reckonable income assessed.
This holiday earnings disregard under the Student Grant Scheme can only be applied to income from employment earned by the student in the manner described. The holiday earnings disregard pertains specifically to income from employment only; there is no provision to offset this disregard against any other sources of income, such as a social welfare payment.
The Deputy will be aware that restrictions were eased during the summer months and the Christmas period which enabled many students to return to work. Those students, who engaged in work during non-term times when restrictions were eased in 2020, can avail of the holiday earnings provision and have that income excluded from their reckonable income up to the value of €4,500 for the 2021/22 grant scheme.
Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, students can apply for supports under the Student Assistance Fund. The fund assists students in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Institutions have the autonomy to maximise the flexibility in the Student Assistance Fund to enable HEIs to support students during the Covid-19 pandemic. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the higher education institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.
In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student's local Tax office or from the Revenue Commissioners website www.revenue.ie.
530. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that DCU has raised the cost of its post-primary teaching fees from €8,960 in 2020 to €9,700 for 2021-2022, which is having a huge impact on many students; the supports that are in place for students who find themselves in this position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37709/21]
View answerAs the deputy will be aware, higher education institutions are autonomous bodies as set out in legislation and are responsible for the day-to-day management and operational affairs of the institution including the determination of postgraduate tuition fees. The matter of fee rates is therefore an internal matter for Dublin City University.
I am very aware of the difficulties facing students during this pandemic. In general there is a real requirement in these exceptional times to have a responsive approach to student needs wherever possible and it is important to acknowledge that HEIs have to date shown enormous willingness to be responsive in numerous ways. I would encourage all institutions to engage with students in relation to any issues, including fees.
The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme where students are studying for the first time or are progressing to study at a higher level. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine. Postgraduate students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme are eligible for the Postgraduate Special Rate of Maintenance grant, the income threshold for this grant is €24,500, also postgraduate students are eligible to have their post graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit of €6,270.
Budget 2021 provided for enhanced postgraduate supports for the 2021/22 academic year including the fee grant amount rising from €2,000 to €3,500 and the income threshold for eligibility for these grants to increase from €31,500, now €54,240. This is an initial step in meeting part of the Government’s commitments regarding enhancing the SUSI supports for postgraduate students.
Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, students can apply for supports under the Student Assistance Fund. The fund assists students in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Institutions have the autonomy to maximise the flexibility in the Student Assistance Fund to enable HEIs to support students during the Covid-19 pandemic. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the higher education institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.
In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student's local Tax office or from the Revenue Commissioners website www.revenue.ie .
531. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to a campaign by an organisation (details supplied) amongst others in relation to the impact that the pandemic unemployment payment is having on SUSI grant applications given many students who would normally be in receipt of grant funding are no longer qualifying; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37791/21]
View answerThe Student Grant Scheme is a critical financial support for students participating in higher education. As of last week, SUSI had received over 80,000 applications from students. To date, almost 56,000 applications have been assessed with over 49,000 assessed as eligible for support for the next academic year.
As in any statutory scheme, a core principle is that there is consistency of approach and an equitable treatment for applicants as part of the means assessment process.
This applies to people who are dependent on different types of social protection payment.
The Pandemic Unemployment Payment has been treated as reckonable income since it was introduced in March 2020 . Income from the Covid-19 payment therefore has the same standing and is treated in a similar fashion to other Department of Social Protection payments such as Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance.
This means that a student or a family on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment should be treated in the same way as a student or a family who are dependent on Jobseeker's Benefit or Allowance.
However, a very important feature of the scheme that I would point to is the change of circumstances provision.
If an applicant or a family member has experienced a change in circumstances during 2021, then they can apply to SUSI for their application to be assessed or reassessed under a change in circumstances.
Such a change in circumstances would clearly include no longer being in receipt of a pandemic unemployment payment. Students will no longer receive the PUP from early September, in line with normal circumstances where students do not qualify for unemployment payments while at college.
The change of circumstances provision is a well-established procedure and it can also operate at scale. For example, over 10,000 applicants declared a change of circumstance in the 2020/21 academic year and some 40% of these applications related to COVID-19.
The application of this provision will continue to allow the scheme to be flexible and responsive to people's circumstances.
533. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of legal cases brought against his Department in each of the past five years and to date in 2021; and if he will provide details on the nature of these cases. [37812/21]
View answerThis information is currently being collated by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and will be provided to the Deputy in due course.
534. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the costs associated with maintaining the National Training Fund advisory group; if the expenditure is taken from the Exchequer or the National Training Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37983/21]
View answerThe National Training Fund 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. 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
In 2020, expenditure of the group amounted to €3,000 in respect of the following:
1. Appointment of a facilitator for a workshop to progress the new stategic direction and investment priorities for the fund and to furnish a report.
2. A report was procured to explore the role of the NTF in the post Covid-19 economic recovery.
These expenses was met from the NTF allocation for the Skills Research Programme. The group has not accrued any expenditure in 2021 to date.
535. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the programmes co-financed by the European Social Fund; the percentage of co-financing; the amount co-financed under each programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37984/21]
View answerThe 2014-2020 ESF Operational Programme was for €1,157m comprising ESF of €952.74m co-financed at 50% and Youth Employment Initiative of €204.4m co-financed at 66.6% by the EU. All ESF activities, including YEI activities, are fully funded up-front by the Exchequer with the EU (ESF/YEI) funding being claimed in arrears. The Programme has been amended on a number of occasions, most recently to avail of the additional flexibilities introduced by the Commission in response to the COVID 19 pandemic. In this context, €60m ESF funding was reallocated to the ERDF to support the purchase of PPE for the Health Services, reducing the overall Programme to €1,037m (a reduction of €120m combining the loss of €60m ESF and the complementary €60m national contribution) and the combined EU contribution to €552.661m. An option to avail of a 100% EU co-financing rate for payment applications made during the 2020/21 financial year, results in fewer activities being claimed. Accordingly it is not now proposed to claim EU cofinancing for Springboard; ICT Skills Conversion; Ability Programme; Gender Equality; Integration of Migrants; and the Youth Employment Support Scheme.
Receipts of €300m have been received on foot of payment applications and distributed to activities as set out in the attached table. A further €21.5m has been received but has yet to be distributed and further receipts are expected on foot of payment applications submitted to the Commission on 30th June. Updated cofinancing data will be available when these receipts are received and distributed.
Ireland’s REACT EU 2021 allocation of €88m will be programmed through the ESF. While the relevant Operational Programme amendment has to be finalised, the intention is to support the education and training measures in the July 2020 Jobs Stimulus package and to assist the transition to online and blended learning in the Higher and Further Education Sector.
For the 2021-27 funding round, the European Social Fund is merged with the YEI, the Fund for European Aid to the most Deprived (FEAD) and the directly managed Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) Programme, to become the ESF+. A Partnership Process Steering Group has been established to assist and advise the programming authorities throughout the development process for the Partnership Agreement and the various Operational Programmes (including the ESF+). A Needs Analysis was conducted by Indecon Economic Consultants to provide the evidence base for the future ESF+ and ERDF programmes and a public consultation process was undertaken last year. Work is ongoing on the draft Partnership Agreement and draft Operational Programmes with a view to Government Approval and formal submission to the Commission later in 2021.
Ireland’s total ESF+ allocation for 2021-27 is €508m. Ireland will have three NUTS 2 regions in this round, with two different standard rates of co-financing. As ‘more developed’ regions, the Southern and the Eastern & Midlands regions will receive 40% in EU co-financing, while as a ‘transition’ region the North-Western region will receive 60% in EU co-financing. A higher rate of co-financing of up to 95% is available for ‘social innovation’ actions and a co-financing rate of 90% applies to the former FEAD programme. The final allocation between programmes and regions will be determined in the context of discussions with the European Commission on the Partnership Agreement covering all Common Provisions Regulation funds having regard to the regulatory requirements on thematic concentrations.
|
Activity |
Co-financing Receipts Distributed to date |
|
PRIORITY 1 |
|
|
ETB Training for the Unemployed |
€61,810,911 |
|
Intra EU mobility |
€516,760 |
|
Priority 1 Total |
€62,327,670 |
|
PRIORITY 2 |
|
|
SICAP |
€0 |
|
Youthreach |
€19,803,935 |
|
GYDP |
€22,292,949 |
|
YPP |
€3,068,364 |
|
Tus Nua project |
€313,618 |
|
Priority Total |
€45,478,867 |
|
PRIORITY 3 |
|
|
Third Level Access |
€11,283,768 |
|
BTEI |
€36,477,349 |
|
Adult Literacy |
€45,242,906 |
|
Priority Totals |
€93,004,023 |
|
Priority 4 |
|
|
BTWEA |
€0 |
|
JobsPlus |
€0 |
|
Youthreach |
€98,729,451 |
|
Community Training Centres |
€0 |
|
Defence Forces Employment Scheme |
€427,870 |
|
Priority Totals |
€99,157,321 |
|
Priority 5 |
|
|
Technical Assistance |
€710,401 |
|
Total |
€300,678,282 |
536. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress made towards action 42 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021. [38047/21]
View answerInclusion is one of the core strategic goals for my Department. My ambition is to ensure that we provide supports and opportunities for learning to all. This means recognising the needs of vulnerable learners, the most marginalised and those with special and additional needs.
A range of supports and measures are in place for learners with disabilities; some of these supports are targeted while others are available to the general student populace. The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme. Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. Circa 75,000 students are supported annually under the fund.
The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) provides financial assistance to students experiencing financial difficulties while attending higher education. Students can be assisted towards costs such as rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. Students on full or part-time courses leading to a higher education award in the universities, institutes of technology and other approved colleges can apply for the SAF. Circa 14,000 students are supported annually under the fund.
The Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) supports participation by students with a disability in further and higher education. The FSD is one of the main funding sources supporting participation by students with disabilities in approved further and higher education courses in Ireland. It also supports students from Ireland to study on approved courses in Northern Ireland, the UK and other EU countries. The actual level of support to be provided to individual students is decided by each institution who carry out a needs assessment to determine the types of supports and accommodations needed. Circa 14,000 students are supported annually under the fund.
Earlier this year I approved a number of strategic projects under the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) aimed at supporting students with disabilities to access and engage with higher education. The initiatives, which involve 23 higher education institutions (HEI) and €5.4m in expenditure, are broad and are aimed at improving access to higher education for people with a disability, to improving college campuses and to assist staff with training and development. Among the projects are a number of projects for students with autism including the establishment of autism friendly rooms across nine different campuses, the development of assistive technology including for students with disabilities, an app to help students with visual or hearing impairment navigate their way around campus and specialist assistance for students who are deaf.
Circa €40m is allocated annually to higher education institutions (HEIs), through their core funding, in recognition of the additional costs of recruiting and retaining students from National Access Plan target groups, including students with disabilities. This enables all HEIs to have an access infrastructure, including disability support services, in place that provides for the pre-entry and post-entry work required to support students from target groups to access and successfully complete higher education.
Apart from the student grant and dedicated access supports, the Deputy will be aware of the range of additional supports that were put in place for students as part of Budget 2021 and as part of the Government's COVID response last year. These included: additional supports for access measures in higher education; a mitigating educational disadvantage fund for further education and training; a student laptop scheme; a once off grant of €250 for students; additional funding for student mental health and wellbeing; and Dormant Accounts Funding for Traveller access to and progress within higher education.
The National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2016-2021 (NAP) has set targets to increase participation in higher education by people with disabilities. Specific targets have been set to increase participation in higher education by students with physical or sensory disabilities. The original (8%) and revised target (12%) under the National Access Plan of new entrants to higher education with disabilities has now been exceeded, with 12.3% of new entrants to higher education in 2019/20 declaring a disability.
While there is significant provision for students with intellectual disabilities in the further education and training sector where there were 2,821 learners with intellectual disabilities in 2019 and some provision in the higher education sector involving a comparatively small number of learners. I have asked my officials to engage with the HEA and SOLAS to see where we can play a stronger role, in meeting the educational needs of this group as part of a coherent whole of Government responses. We are at an early stage of work in this area, but it is an area I am strongly committed to pursuing.
Fostering Inclusion is one of the three core pillars around which the Further Education and Training (FET) Strategy 2020-2024 is built. SOLAS, Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), and the 16 ETBs across the country have progressed a series of actions to support the goal of Fostering Inclusion through the development and roll-out of a series of good practice guidelines to promote inclusion throughout FET, including for learners with a disability. This includes the development of a conceptual framework for Universal Design for Learning (UDL) for the FET Sector, which aims to reduce obstacles to learning by taking into account the needs of learners of diverse backgrounds and abilities. SOLAS are also working on finalising a report on ‘Guidelines on Inclusion of People with Intellectual Disabilities in Adult Literacy Service’.
The FET sector is committed to increasing levels of inclusion through the provision of high quality, more accessible and flexible education and training programmes and supports suited to the identified needs of individuals, including for learners with a disability. Supports in the FET sector for learners with a disability include access to the Fund for Students with a Disability (FSD), a wide range of reasonable accommodations depending on the learner’s needs, the Adult Education Guidance Service (AEGS), as well as provision of specific programmes for learners with a disability who may require more intensive supports through Specialist Training Provision (STP).
Ensuring that the apprenticeship population reflects the general population is a stated aim of the Government in both the Programme for Government and the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025. Targets for participation by under-represented groups, and additional specific actions to support those target groups will be set in conjunction with the Equity of Access Subcommittee (of the National Apprenticeship Alliance) and will be monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure that interventions are working and that we are delivering greater diversity across the apprentice population.
My Department will continue to keep existing provision and initiatives under review. We want to develop a better understanding of what works best within the different models, and to look at how we can assist people to access and progress through higher and further education and training. Thus ensuring that we grow prosperity across communities and build social cohesion, while also recognising the different needs of learners and enabling each and every one of them to develop to their full potential.
537. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost of reducing the third-level student contribution also known as the registration fee by €500; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38055/21]
View answerThe student contribution was introduced in higher education institutions with effect from the 2011/12 academic year and replaced the Student Services Charge.
While the student contribution now stands at €3,000, it is important to recognise that there has been no increase in the student contribution charge since 2014/15 and that currently in excess of 60,000 students have all or part of the student contribution paid on their behalf by the State via the Student Grant Scheme.
The estimated net cost to the Exchequer if the student contribution charge was reduced by €500 in the academic year 2021/2022 is c. €40.9m.
These calculations are based on the number of students that qualified for free fees funding in the academic year 2019/20, take into account overall projected increase in student numbers and factor in the resulting estimated reduction to my department's Student Grant Scheme budget.
538. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the annual spend on the student maintenance grant; the estimated cost of increasing all rates by 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38058/21]
View answer539. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost of increasing the income thresholds for the student maintenance grant also known as the SUSI grant; the estimated cost of increasing all rates by 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38059/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 538 and 539 together.
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 cost of increasing the SUSI income thresholds by 10% is as follows.
- Increase in cost to the exchequer for 10% would be in the region of €20-€30M
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.
The annual spend for the 2020/21 academic year as of June 2021 was in the region of €160M.
Based on the number of students in receipt of the maintenance grant for 2020/21, the estimated cost of increasing all rates of the maintenance grant by 10% is in the region of €16.5M.
The Programme for Government contains commitments to, amongst other things, review SUSI eligibility criteria, adjacency rates and postgraduate grant supports. The review of the Student Grant Scheme is underway with over 250 submissions received via the public consultation process and over 9,000 survey responses were received through an online survey process. It is anticipated that the SUSI review will be completed later this year and will inform policy priorities for the next Estimates process and future considerations regarding the development of student grant policy. At this point I cannot pre-empt the outcome of the review to indicate when any proposed changes will come into effect.
540. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice if she will consider requesting the Garda Commissioner to allow members of An Garda Síochána who are suspended for alleged offences to at least do duties of a clerical nature in view of the fact that Garda resources are under pressure. [37167/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including all matters relating to discipline, the distribution of Garda resources and assignments of duties among Garda members. As Minister for Justice, I have no role in these matters.
541. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice if she will propose an amendment to the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 in order to provide for retrospective posthumous registration on the foreign birth register; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37211/21]
View answerEntitlement to Irish citizenship is determined by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 as amended, under which Irish citizenship may be obtained by birth, by descent, or by naturalisation.
The requirements for foreign births registration are set out in section 27 of the Act. The Department of Foreign Affairs manages the application process for those applications. Further details are available on their website at: www.dfa.ie .
Section 7(3) of the 1956 Act provides that the Irish citizenship of a person who, after 1 July 1986, is registered under section 27 shall commence only as on and from the date of such registration.
Section 27(5) of the 1956 Act provides that the Minister for Foreign Affairs may make regulations in respect of the foreign births register. Regulation 6 of the Foreign Births Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 47 of 2013) provides that an entry in the foreign births register shall not be made save at the request of the person whose birth is registrable or, where such person is not of full age, of either parent of that person or of any person present at the birth of or having charge of the person whose birth is registrable.
While all legislation is kept under review, I can inform the Deputy that currently there are no plans to amend the provisions of the 1956 Act regarding the registration of foreign births.
542. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Justice the details of the social impact assessments carried out by her Department and public bodies and agencies under her remit since 1 January 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37297/21]
View answerMy Department has carried out no formal social impact assessments since the start of 2016. However, I can inform the Deputy that since 2019, my Department has provided equality budgeting objectives and performance indicators as part of the Revised Estimate Volume.
In addition, all proposals brought to Government are required to assess and declare that there are no impacts for the following: North/South or East/West relations, jobs, gender equality, poverty proofing, competitiveness and industry costs, rural communities, quality regulation and people with disabilities. Proposals from my Department undergo this assessment of impact before being brought to Cabinet.
Impact assessment is also a core element of the current system of Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA), which is a requirement for all Departments submitting policy proposals to Government involving legislative changes. The Regulatory Impact Analysis process specifically requires assessment of the impact on socially excluded or vulnerable groups of people.
543. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 1135 of 15 June 2021, the breakdown by nationality of the 133 renewed approvals for the atypical work permit scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37340/21]
View answer544. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Justice the breakdown by nationality of the atypical work permit approvals that expired without renewal from December 2019 to date. [37341/21]
View answer545. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Justice the number of vessel owners since the atypical work permit scheme for non-EEA fishers commenced that have been barred from availing of the scheme arising from detected infringements on their part of the terms of the scheme or of the applicable rules of employment law; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37345/21]
View answer546. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Justice if it is the policy of her Department to issue foreign nationals present in the State for five years on foot of permissions on stamp 1 conditions granted under the atypical working scheme for non-EEA crew in the Irish fishing fleet with permissions on stamp 4 conditions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37351/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 543, 544, 545 and 546 together.
The Atypical Working Scheme, which commenced in February 2016, was established as a cross Departmental response to address the matter of non-EEA workers on certain categories of vessels in the Irish fishing fleet, who are not currently eligible for permission under the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) employment permit system. The Scheme provided, for the first time, a framework for the employment of non-EEA workers within defined segments of the Irish fishing fleet.
The table below sets out the nationalities of the 133 applications for renewal of permission, as requested by the Deputy.
|
Philippines |
60 |
|
Egypt |
45 |
|
Other nationalities* |
28 |
|
Total |
133 |
*Due to the low numbers involved, it is not possible to provide a more detailed breakdown, which may lead to the identification of individuals.
At the end of December 2019, there were a total of 230 individuals holding valid letters of permission under the Scheme. Of this group, a total of 61 individuals have not renewed their permission under the Scheme since that time. However, anyone who received a permission under the Scheme in late December 2019, would have been eligible for the automatic extensions of immigration permissions granted as a result of the pandemic, on the same terms and conditions as their original permission. The most recent extension granted is to 20 September 2021.
My Department does not seek information on the reasons why an individual might elect not to renew their permission to reside or work in the State when that permission expires. It would not be appropriate to provide any further information on this small number of individuals, which may lead to their identification.
Holders of Atypical Working Scheme permits do not meet the eligibility criteria for conversion to a Stamp 4 permission under the Long Term Residency administrative scheme operated by my Department. Eligibility for Long Term Residency is restricted to holders of an employment permit from DETE.
It is open to the fishing industry to apply for inclusion in the DETE employment permit scheme and I understand that my colleague, Minister English, advised them of this at a recent meeting with industry representatives. Inclusion in the employment permit system would secure Stamp 4 status.
Holders of Atypical Working Permits can make an application for a certificate of naturalisation once they meet the residency criteria of five years legal residence in the State. The Stamp 1 granted to Sea Fishers under the terms of the Atypical Scheme is considered reckonable residence for the purpose of making an application for naturalisation.
Investigation and prosecution of breaches of employment law is a matter for the Workplace Relations Commission. To date, my Department has not been made aware of any confirmed breaches requiring the barring of a vessel owner from employing future individuals under the Scheme. The 2015 Task Force Report, which sets out the terms and requirements of the Atypical Working Scheme for non-EEA crew in the Irish fishing fleet, includes the requirement that “Where the contract is breached by the licence holder (employer), no further Atypical Worker Permission will be made available for the purposes of employment to the licence holder (employer)”.
