Written Answers Nos. 293-307
293. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education if she will allocate €10 per primary school child for schools to buy books for their libraries including audiobooks and picturebooks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45930/21]
View answerThe annual estimated cost of allocating €10 per pupil to fund library books in primary schools would be circa €5.4 million.
An arrangement was made through An Chomhairle Leabharlanna in 1971, whereby the local authority librarians would provide services for schools. At that time my Department made a grant available for this purpose based on the number of pupils enrolled in primary schools in the local authority areas.
The amount of the grant payable to each local authority was based on the number of primary pupils in the relevant area and amounted to €4.52 per pupil. The full year estimated cost of reinstating the library grant is circa €2.5m.
As Minister for Education and Skills I am very conscious of the importance of library services and the value of these in the context of the supports available to schools.
As the Deputies may be aware, local libraries provide a wide range of resources and activities which support Primary schools in developing children’s literacy, numeracy, creativity and communication skills
However, responsibility for the support and provision of library services rests with my colleague, Heather Humphreys, TD Minister for Rural and Community Development.
294. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education if she will that ensure schools provide suitable alternative educational activities for students who have opted out of religion class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45931/21]
View answerUnder Article 44 of the Constitution and in accordance with Section 30 of the Education Act, 1998, parents have a right to have their children opt out of religious instruction classes if they so wish.
Under the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, all schools are required, where schools provide religious instruction that they clearly set out in their admission policies the school’s arrangements for students, where the parent or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student, has requested that the student attend the school without attending religious instruction in the school.
The manner in which any school ensures that the right to opt out of religion instruction classes is upheld is a matter for the school concerned. Each individual school must determine the particular arrangements which are most appropriate in its individual circumstances having regard to local issues such as available space, supervision requirements and how the school concerned organises classes etc.
295. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a reduced fee for birth certificates provided to organisations for disadvantaged and socially excluded persons such as an organisation (details supplied) on behalf of housing applicants has ceased. [45817/21]
View answer296. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection the reasons local authority housing applicants must continue to provide birth certificates with their applications in view of the fact that social protection applicants do not have to produce birth certificates because her Department can access them itself; and if she will give consideration to enabling local authorities to access birth certificate information upon the request of a housing applicant given the limited financial means of many applicants. [45818/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 295 and 296 together.
The requirements to provide birth certificates to access housing supports is a matter for each local authority. Arrangements are already in place between Local Authorities and the Department of Social Protection to enable information, including birth information, to be made available to enable applications to be processed.
I understand that my Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Local Government Management Agency are currently working to extend these data-sharing systems to facilitate the verification of birth and other information across agencies without the need for applicants to provide documentary evidence of age and to therefore remove the requirement for the production of a birth certificate.
The Civil Registration Act 2004, as amended, provides for the Minister for Social Protection to prescribe the fees for certificates and services provided by the Civil Registration Services. The current scheme does not provide for reduced fees for certificates required for housing applicants.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
297. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the way the pandemic unemployment payment will be treated when it comes to calculating jobseeker’s benefit for individuals in 2023, relating to pay and weeks worked in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45829/21]
View answerJobseekers Benefit is a social insurance based statutory income support provided by the Department for people who are covered by PRSI paid contributions and satisfy the other qualifying conditions of the scheme.
The Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Act 2020 provides for the attribution of social insurance contributions to insured persons who were beneficiaries of the pandemic unemployment payment (PUP). This provision ensures that employees entitled to and in receipt of PUP will have social insurance contributions attributed to them at the same value as they were paying while employed immediately before going on to the payment. The measure means that people who lost their jobs arising from the Covid-19 pandemic will not be disadvantaged in accessing social insurance benefits in the future.
The rate of payment for Jobseekers Benefit is graduated according to a person’s average weekly earnings in the GCY, which is the second last complete tax year before the year in which the claim is made. The GCY for claims made in the current year is 2019 and for claims made in 2023 will be 2021.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy at this time.
298. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if the six year limit will be removed from the rural social scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45833/21]
View answerThe Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support scheme providing part-time employment opportunities for farmers or fishers in receipt of certain social welfare payments, and who are underemployed in their primary occupation, within their local area, in community and voluntary organisations.
RSS is specifically designed and delivered to certain qualified people of working age whose income falls below certain limits. The valuable work undertaken by participants draws on their existing skills which may be further developed and shared throughout their participation.
During 2017 and 2018 the number of places funded on RSS was increased by 750, bringing the total number of places available to 3,350. A six-year time limit was also introduced for new RSS participants with effect from February 2017 that only applies to new entrants onto the scheme after that date. Prior to the introduction of the six year time limit, an RSS participant could remain on the RSS scheme for a significant part of their working life. This had the effect of limiting turnover of places on RSS and thereby reducing the opportunities for new entrants.
The first cohort of participants that will leave RSS on the basis of the 6-year rule will not arise until February, 2023. The Department continually monitors all of its employment support programmes and intends to complete a review of RSS in 2022.
299. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if the terms of the new regional model proposed to replace local employment services will be reviewed in view of considerable fears of contracts being unviable and other identified flaws in the model that could see a disincentive for service providers to prioritise long-term unemployed persons with assistance; her views on the fact that rewarding progression into employment only is too narrow a measurement of progress; if her attention has been drawn to the value of walk-in services under local employment schemes and is of the view that the loss of this element of the service would be regressive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45834/21]
View answerMy Department is currently at an advanced stage of the first phase of procuring new employment services. This phase involves the procurement of employment services for seven counties in the Midlands and North-West across four lots. These counties do not have an existing local employment service and represent the first phase of an expansion of employment services.
The funding approach for the new service awards approximately ninety percent of fees to providers when clients commence their engagement and agree their personal progression plan. The latter requires a tailored approach for each client and can contain progression towards employment, which may involve participation on relevant education, training or other programmes.
Phase two will take on board the learnings of the first phase and apply these to subsequent Requests for Tenders that will expand this model throughout the rest of the State. This is a significant expansion of employment services and will result in State-wide coverage of employment services for those furthest from the labour market for the first time.
In relation to walk-ins, my Department has always supported engagements with clients who are not on a jobseeker's payment. The new model will continue to support engagement with these clients. Under the RES model, they will also benefit from an assessment from an Intreo case officer as to the most appropriate service for each client depending on their individual needs and requirements.
I understand and appreciate the concerns in the sector at the changes to the Local Employment Service model. However, existing service providers with a strong track record and a willingness to cooperate with others in the sector, will be well-placed to submit high-quality tenders for the new services. The new model and its associated procurement process is accessible to the community and voluntary sectors, including through lower financial requirements and a significant emphasis on service quality. Phase two will take on board the learnings from the phase one procurement.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
300. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a review of further medical evidence submitted for an illness benefit review in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45861/21]
View answerThe person concerned attended an in person medical assessment on the 25th August 2021 to have her continued entitlement to claim Illness Benefit reviewed.
It was the Medical Assessor's opinion that she was capable of work. A letter issued to her on the 8th September 2021, affording her the opportunity to provide any further medical evidence she believed was relevant to her case before a formal decision was made on her claim by a Deciding Officer.
The Department received further medical evidence from the person concerned on the 17th September 2021. Upon reviewing the Medical Assessor's report and all the information provided by the person concerned, it was the Deciding Officer's decision that the person concerned is capable of work and as such is not entitled to continue claiming Illness Benefit from the 27th September 2021.
A decision letter issued to the person concerned on the 20th September 2021 informing her of this decision. This letter gives her the right to have this decision internally reviewed by a Deciding Officer from the Department or to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
301. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider an increase in the qualified adult allowance to allow for the additional weekly payment of €10 for those qualified adults over 80 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45911/21]
View answerThe over 80 allowance is an increase of €10 per week on the basic pension rate, which is automatically awarded to qualified pensioners on attaining 80 years of age. Only one such allowance is payable in respect of each pension.
An Increase for a Qualified Adult (IQA) is paid, generally, where a pensioner has an adult dependent (e.g., a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant who is financially dependent upon him/her), who does not have enough contributions to claim a maximum rate State Pension (Contributory) in his/her own right.
The maximum rate of an IQA for someone over 66 is €222.50, and so in most cases where it is claimed, such couples have additional income or means above their State Pension payments, as otherwise they would obtain a higher payment through the Qualified Adult claiming a State Pension (Non-Contributory) (SPNC).
The SPNC is subject to a household means-test, and has a maximum personal rate of €237 weekly (plus additional allowances, such as the over-80 allowance, where applicable). Where household means result in this payment being reduced (because, for example, the spouse in receipt of the State Pension also has a significant occupational pension), the other spouse may instead claim the IQA, the means test of which is based on his/her own means instead. In such cases, the Qualified Adult can choose the payment which is most beneficial to him/her.
If a person over 80 is in receipt of an IQA and has only limited household means, s/he may claim the State Pension (Non-Contributory), and if that payment is more beneficial, s/he will be paid under that scheme.
The current rate of payment in respect of qualified adults reflects the economies of scale faced by a two-adult household compared to those of a one-adult household. Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) research has found that the minimum needs of the adults in a couple headed household cost 1.5 times (rather than twice) that of an equivalent one adult headed household with children. This finding was backed up by similar research in other countries which have carried out research into minimum budget standards.
Any changes to the proportionate rates of payments for qualified adults would need to be considered in an overall budgetary and policy context.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
302. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans to remove the requirement of a court order to allow a person access their files as per section 88 of the Adoption Act 2010 for adoptees who have already met their birth mother; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45789/21]
View answerThe Heads of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill were published in May of this year and the pre-legislative scrutiny process is currently taking place. I have been invited to appear before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on 28th September 2021.
The detailed drafting of the Bill is continuing at pace and that includes a determination of any consequential amendments that are required to the Adoption Acts in order to achieve the policy aims of the proposed Bill. Any amendment to Section 88 will be considered in that context.
303. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a review of the college fees can be carried out in relation to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45858/21]
View answerThe fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the student's access route including previous education.
Higher education institutions are responsible for the assessment of student applications to study and responsible for determining the appropriate fee rates payable by a student. In this regard my department does not have a role in assessing individual student applications or determining the rate of tuition fee payable.
Where a student wishes to raise a query in relation to the fee rates determined by a higher education institution the matters should be raised with the institution attended.
304. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has engaged with universities and colleges on the use of Covid-19 antigen testing in third-level institutions; the plans that are in place for the roll-out of antigen testing on college campuses; the timeline for any such roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45913/21]
View answerThe Government’s intention is to strengthen the prevention and intervention measures around COVID-19 in response to the changing context including surveillance, track and trace, and potential use of new technology. My Department recognises the potential role of rapid antigen testing as one part of a package of surveillance and vigilance measures that could also include self-monitoring and other public health non-pharmaceutical interventions.
Following the establishment by the Minister for Health of an Expert Advisory Group on Rapid Testing, my Department wrote to the Group outlining steps already taken to pilot rapid testing initiatives in the further and higher education sector. My Department has requested the Group’s early advice in determining the appropriate role for rapid testing and parameters around its usage in higher and further education settings
Recent advice published by HIQA sets out the need to be prepared for any future mass testing programme for asymptomatic people.
Among the steps already taken to prepare the sector is the provision of support for an SFI-backed research project entitled ‘Multi-site study to develop a SARS-CoV-2 Infection Surveillance System for Third Level Students and Staff in the Republic of Ireland’, known as UniCoV. This study began on June 14 across four universities. It is expected that the study, comprising approximately 8000 staff and students, will provide valuable learning on the potential role rapid antigen testing can take in this sector.
My Department has also joined a HSE-led Pilot Project Working Group to pilot approaches for the operation of rapid testing in education settings. The purpose of these pilots is to examine the acceptability of the tests for individuals and the sites – i.e. can the site manage the process, do staff and students sign up and do they stick with it, do the tests pick up any positive cases and what, if any, are the unintended consequences. Secondary to this feasibility aspect is, following the pilots, determining whether the model is scalable and if so, what changes would need to be made to the process and what additional resources would be required.
These pilots have commenced and five further and higher education sites are participating in the study. My Department is supportive of HSE proposals to expand these pilot studies to further locations in the coming period and a number of new sites will commence pilot studies shortly. The findings of these pilots with regard to feasibility and implementation will inform planning and preparation for any wider scheme, in line with HIQA’s advice.
305. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the most recent meeting of the Working Group on Student Accommodation; the details of the immediate supports planned to tackle the student accommodation crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45926/21]
View answerThe Interdepartmental Working Group on Student Accommodation last met on 30th June. The key issues discussed were the progress made on actions outlined in the National Student Accommodation Strategy, and a discussion of the planned Residential Tenancies (No.2) Act and its impact on student accommodation.
The Act was subsequently passed on July 9th. It restricts the up-front payments required to secure accommodation, including student accommodation, to no more than the equivalent of two months’ rent, and limit payments thereafter to on month’s rent at a time.
Housing For All, the Government's recently announced plan for housing, contains a commitment to support technological universities to develop purpose-built student accommodation where such a requirement exists, through access to appropriate financing, and a specific action in relation to legislating to allow for Technological Universities to borrow from the Housing Finance Agency. My officials and I will continue to work with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to advance this.
306. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps he is taking to respond to the shortage of student accommodation. [45932/21]
View answerThe National Student Accommodation Strategy is designed to ensure that there is an increased level of supply of purpose built student accommodation to reduce the demand for accommodation in the private rental sector by both domestic and international students attending our Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Several of the actions in this strategy centre around ensuring that HEIs have access to low-cost financing in order to support their building of student accommodation.
One of these actions involved the introduction of legislation to empower the Housing Finance Agency (HFA) to lend directly to HEIs for the development of student accommodation. This legislation was commenced in 2017, and so far three universities - TCD, UCC and UCD have had a total of €157 million in loans approved by the HFA, which will provide more than 1,400 new student bed spaces.
In June I, along with my colleagues the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, announced that €75 million of financing had been successfully sourced for the Council of Europe Bank for the building of student accommodation in universities.
Housing For All, the Government's recently announce plan for housing, contains a commitment to support technological universities to develop purpose-built student accommodation where such a requirement exists, through access to appropriate financing, and a specific action in relation to legislating to allow for Technological Universities to borrow from the Housing Finance Agency. My officials and I will continue to work with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to advance this.
307. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Justice the reason a person (details supplied) is waiting so long for citizenship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45811/21]
View answerThe original passport of the applicant referred to by the Deputy was returned by registered post on 21 September 2021, along with an acknowledgement letter.
Under normal circumstances, passports are returned approximately 10 days after their receipt. However, the limits on staff attendance in the office due to COVID-19 restrictions have resulted in delays in the return of some passports.
In June 2021, a notice was published on the Immigration Service website asking applicants not to submit their passport with an application for naturalisation between 25 June and 30 September 2021, in order to help with prioritising the processing of applications.
Applicants are advised not to send in their application during this period if they anticipate that they may have to travel at short notice. However, I fully appreciate that people may have to travel at short notice for emergency reasons or require their passports for official reasons. The website advises that, in these circumstances, applicants should email the citizenship helpdesk with the relevant details. Any request must be accompanied by appropriate scanned supporting material, for example, in the case of travel detailing the reasons for travel, such as medical information. Any request of this nature is dealt with promptly.
