Written Answers Nos. 644-663
644. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of progress on establishing an independent inspectorate for direct provision centres; if the Health Act 2007 will be amended to extend the remit of HIQA to undertake independent inspections of direct provision centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50501/21]
View answerThe Government intends that the accommodation centres operated by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), which is part of my Department, will be independently monitored by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) for compliance with the National Standards for accommodation offered to people in the protection process. These standards were adopted by Government in 2019.
My Department is currently engaging with HIQA and the Department of Health to undertake the preparatory work with regard to HIQA's monitoring role. In parallel with this process, work is being undertaken to determine the legislative underpinning for HIQA's monitoring role, and as such no decision has yet been reached on whether the Health Act 2007 will need to be amended.
645. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans for the installation of open WiFi access across a centre (details supplied) taking in the homes of those currently going through the asylum process in order that residents, particularly young persons, can more fully utilise the internet in accessing vital supports, services and educational materials; and if not, the reason for not installing this service. [50544/21]
View answerAll accommodation centres are required to provide free WiFi facilities for residents.
In March 2020, the centre concerned put in place a programme to assist residents with all educational requirements, school liaison support, printing, photocopying, equipment distribution e.g., laptops/Tablets and access to Wi-Fi in specified areas.
The accommodation centre to which the Deputy refers, currently has full free WiFi access in three separate locations, the leisure room, conservatory room and the internet café. Centre management are engaged in a significant infrastructural project to further extend WiFi capabilities across the site. This project was initiated in early 2021 and is expected to be fully completed early in 2022.
I trust this information is of help to the Deputy .
646. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an update will be provided on the way Ireland is spending the EU child guarantee scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50588/21]
View answerThe text of the Recommendation for a European Child Guarantee was adopted by the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) on 14 June 2021. Ireland played an active role in the drafting of the text and related discussions. The European Child Guarantee aims to break the cycle of poverty and social exclusion across generations.
The Guarantee seeks to prevent and combat social exclusion by guaranteeing access for children who are in need of a range of key services. It calls on Member States to guarantee for children in need, free access to early childhood education and care; education (including school-based activities); and healthcare; and to ensure effective access healthy nutrition, a healthy meal each school day and adequate housing.
The Guarantee also aims to promote equal opportunity for children at risk of poverty or social exclusion, and to break cycles of inter-generational disadvantage. In 2020, some 18 million children in the EU lived in households at risk of poverty of social exclusion. The plan suggests a target for the EU to reduce the number of people at risk of poverty or social inclusion by at least 15 million by 2030 (of which at least 5 million would be children).
The EU Child Guarantee offers countries guidance on integrated strategies to tackle child poverty and promote children’s well-being. It goes beyond welfare and labour market policies to promote access to quality services and the active participation of children themselves. It further highlights the importance of EU cohesion policy in mobilising reform.
Member State Governments will submit to the Commission a national action plan on how the Child Guarantee is to be progressed by mid-March 2022. Another key part of the Child Guarantee will be the development of an enabling policy framework, to deliver on milestones set out in the National Action Plan.
EU funds are available to support measures addressing child poverty, social exclusion and, by extension, the implementation of the Child Guarantee. Where specific proposals to address child poverty under the objectives of the Child Guarantee are accepted for funding by the Commission, details can and will, of course, be made available to the Deputy.
647. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the fire safety grant is still open and available to providers; the breakdown of funding allocated and funding drawn down in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50852/21]
View answerIn January 2021, I launched a capital funding programme to make fire safety grants available to early learning and childcare services. The purpose of the grants, which were between €1, 000 and €10, 000, was to support services to carry out remedial works required to receive a Fire Safety Certificate. The closing date for applications was 2 March 2021, with all spending to be completed by 30 November 2021.
My Department received 638 applications for a total of €4,991,963 in funding under the fire safety grant programme. €4,689,904 has been paid up to 15 October 2021.
648. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way the extension of the national childcare scheme universal subsidy to children under 15 will be applied; the way the hours will be awarded; if, in the case of a child attending afterschool care for 30 hours a week, that child will be entitled to a subsidy of 50 cent an hour to the value of €15 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50926/21]
View answerThe introduction of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) was a landmark moment for making high quality childcare more affordable and accessible to families in Ireland. The NCS provides financial support to help parents meet the cost of childcare and, to support better outcomes for children.
The NCS entails a fundamental shift away from subsidies grounded in social protection entitlements, and towards a comprehensive and progressive system of universal and income-based subsidies. The NCS is designed to be flexible, allowing income thresholds, maximum hours and subsidy rates to be adjusted as more investment becomes available.
Following Budget 2022, the universal subsidy will be made available to all families with children up to the age of 15 from September 2022. Parents do not have to undergo an assessment to avail of this subsidy. The universal subsidy provides €0.50 cent per hour towards the cost of a registered childcare place up to a maximum of 45 hours a week, this equates to a subsidy of €22.50 to all eligible families per week.
In the case of a child attending eligible afterschool care for 30 hours a week, that child will be entitled to a subsidy of €0.50 cent an hour to the value of €15 per week.
649. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way funding of the €69 million for early learning and care and school age services provided in Budget 2022 will be awarded; the projected start date for those programmes; if he will provide a breakdown and detailed explanation of the costings that underpin the additional allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50927/21]
View answerThe €69 million to which the Deputy refers is for the new core funding stream. Core funding will be a payment directly to Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare (ELC and SAC) providers who sign up to participate. A condition was this funding is that providers will not to increase parents’ fees for ELC and SAC.
Core funding will be available from September 2022. The value of core funding to each provider will be determined by a number of factors:
- The capacity of the service will be the main basis for calculation. It will be based on the numbers of children, the hours available and the number of weeks per year the service is open. Larger services, and those operating longer hours, will receive higher funding.
- Higher levels of funding will be available for capacity for younger children, to support the higher operating costs of ELC for these children arising from the higher staff ratio requirements.
- Additional funding will be available for provision that is led by a staff member with a degree-level qualification.
The €69m estimate for the four months of 2022 includes provision to support higher quality services by enabling providers to better attract and retain staff, including degree-qualified staff; establish career structures; and introduce or improve other factors that contribute to high-quality early learning and childcare, such as non-contact time, planning, training and curriculum implementation.
A central objective of the new funding is to support Programme for Government commitment to support the drawing up of an Employment Regulation Order (ERO) by a Joint Labour Committee (JLC) to determine minimum rates of pay for workers, as well as terms and conditions of employment. The new funding stream is therefore largely contingent on an ERO being agreed.
The precise implications of the funding for staff terms and conditions depends on the agreement by the JLC. However, I believe that the level of funding provided is significant enough to achieve a substantial improvement in levels of staff pay and the development of career frameworks. These are important points to improve quality in the sector, by supporting the retention and progression of staff.
The new funding stream will help to ensure that services remain sustainable in the context of a commitment not to increase fees. For this reason, Core Funding will also contribute towards cost increases related to non-staff costs (for example, utilities and rent) as well as adminstration.
The new funding stream is a strategic, comprehensive approach to supporting providers in the costs of delivery of quality services, while ensuring that parents feel the affordability effects of other schemes. This package marks the beginning of an important and transformative multi-annual investment programme and achieves significant progress on the commitment to increase spending on ELC and SAC to approximately €1 billion by 2028.
650. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way in which the additional €9 million for the national childcare scheme will be spent; if he will provide a detailed explanation of the costings that underpin the extra funding allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50928/21]
View answerThe introduction of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) was a landmark moment for making high quality childcare more affordable and accessible to families in Ireland. The NCS provides financial support to help parents meet the cost of childcare and to support better outcomes for children. Subsidies can be income assessed or universal.
Whereas up to now, the universal subsidy was only available to parents of children prior to them beginning the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) preschool programme (around age 3), the changes announced in Budget 2022 will extend eligibility for the universal subsidy to children of all ages up to 15.
The cost of the increase in eligibility for the universal subsidy in NCS to all children under the age of 15 was estimated using the ESRI’s SWITCH microsimulation model. This model provides estimates of policy changes, using data from the CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions. The model assumes no change in demand arising from the policy change. It also assumes that there will be full uptake of subsidies among those who are eligible, for the full number of hours of reported use. Up to 40,000 children are predicted to benefit from this change. The cost of the measure, to be introduced from Q3 is €5.4m for 2022.
The second change to NCS announced in Budget 2022 is the discontinuation of the practice of deducting hours spent in ECCE or school from the entitlement to NCS subsidised hours.
Currently, where both parents in a household are in work or study, eligible families can receive a subsidy for up to 45 hours (enhanced hours) per week and, for households where a parent is not in work or study they can receive up to 20 hours (standard hours) per week of subsidy. Where a child is in pre-school, ECCE or school these hours are subtracted from their entitlement to NCS subsidised hours. With this change, parents can avail of all these hours regardless of time spent in school or ECCE.
This measure will be costed at €4m in 2022. It is expected that this will reach approximately 3,000 children who are currently on standard hours, utilising an additional 16-17 hours on average as a result of this change.
651. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown of the €78 million ELC funding announced in Budget 2022; if a breakdown of the €41 million increase in ELC core allocation and a breakdown of the €37 million one-off measure will also be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50986/21]
View answerIn Budget 2022 I have secured an additional €78m in early years and school age childcare funding, bringing the total investment in the sector to €716m next year.
This will allow my department to bring forward a substantial and comprehensive package of developments to achieve significant progress on its policy priorities of affordability, quality and sustainability of ELC.
Some €37m has been earmarked for a once-off Transition Fund. This will support ELC and SAC services to ensure there are no increases in parental fees for ELC and SAC in the period leading up to the introduction of the new funding stream in September 2022.
Officials within my Department are currently finalising the budget line details in respect of the this allocation. Programme subheads within the early learning and care and school age childcare allocation will be finalised in the coming weeks with the publication of the Revised Estimates in early December 2022.
652. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the €41 million increase in the ELC core allocation will be spent between September and December 2022; and the carryover effect of the measure in terms of the pre-committed increase to core expenditure arising from it for the year 2023. [50987/21]
View answerIn Budget 2022 I have secured an additional €78m in early learning and care and school age childcare funding, bringing the total investment in the sector to €716m next year.
This will allow my Department to bring forward a substantial and comprehensive package of developments to achieve significant progress on its policy priorities of affordable, high quality, inclusive and sustainable ELC and SAC.
The €716 million investment in ELC and SAC includes €69 million for a new Core Funding stream for providers from September 2022 to ensure sustainability of services and support the introduction of an Employment Regulation Order to determine minimum rates of pay for workers as well as conditions of employment. It will also deliver quality measures to support children in services. In return for this funding, there will be a commitment from providers not to increase parental fees.
In addition, up to €37m has been made available for a once-off Transition Fund for providers in the sector between the end of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme and the introduction of the new Core Funding stream, during the period May to August 2022.
Officials within my Department are currently finalising the budget line details in respect of the 2022 allocation. Programme subheads within the early learning and care and school age childcare allocation will be finalised in the coming weeks with the publication of the Revised Estimates in early December 2022.
653. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the one-off measure of €37 million is contained within the additional Covid-19 allocation of €67 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51074/21]
View answerIn Budget 2022 I have secured an additional €78m in early learning and care and school age childcare funding, bringing the total investment in the sector to €716m next year.
The €716 million investment in ELC and SAC includes €69 million for a new Core Funding stream for providers in 2022.This will allow my Department to bring forward a substantial and comprehensive package of developments to achieve significant progress on its policy priorities of affordable, high quality, inclusive and sustainable ELC and SAC.
In addition, a once-off Transition Fund of €37m has been made available for providers in the sector between the end of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme and the introduction of the new Core Funding stream, May to August 2022. This fund will provide the necessary resources to support ELC and SAC services to ensure there continues to be no increases in parent’s fees for ELC and SAC in the period leading up to the introduction of the new funding stream.
This once-off measure is in addition to the €69 million allocated in respect of the new Core Funding stream which will be available from September 2022.
654. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a breakdown of the €716 million for ELC next year by programme subhead and the proportion of this expenditure that becomes income for providers. [51075/21]
View answerIn Budget 2022 I have secured an additional €78m in early learning and care and school age childcare funding, bringing the total investment in the sector to €716m next year. This will allow my Department to bring forward a substantial and comprehensive package of developments to achieve significant progress on its policy priorities of affordable, high quality, inclusive and sustainable ELC and SAC.
The €716 million investment in ELC and SAC includes €69 million for a new Core Funding stream for providers from September 2022 to ensure sustainability of services and support the introduction of an Employment Regulation Order to determine minimum rates of pay for workers as well as conditions of employment. It will also deliver quality measures to support children in services.
In addition some €37m has been earmarked for an EWSS Transition Fund. This will support ELC and SAC services to ensure there are no increases in parental fees for ELC and SAC in the period leading up to the introduction of the new funding stream in September 2022.
Officials within my Department are currently finalising the budget line details in respect of this allocation. Programme subheads within the early learning and care and school age childcare allocation will be finalised in the coming weeks with the publication of the Revised Estimates in early December 2022.
655. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated amount spent by his Department on the procurement, purchase and rent of new office space; and the amount spent on the procurement, purchase and rent of office equipment in each of the past ten years and to date in 2021. [51099/21]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that my Department currently has two office areas:
- 2nd and 3rd floors, Block 1, Miesian Plaza, 50 - 58 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2; and
- 2nd and 3rd floors, Montague Court, 7 - 11 Montague Street, Dublin 2.
My Department has occupied its headquarters in Miesian Plaza since May 2018. This building is leased by the OPW - the rent is paid directly by the OPW and not by my Department.
My Department has occupied Montague Court since October 2020 and pays rent for the use of this building. The table below shows the rent paid to date in relation to this office space. Please note rent is paid 3 months in advance and Department of Justice, from whom we took over this office space, had already paid for quarter 4 of 2020. Therefore the rent paid by my Department in 2020 relates to quarter 1 of 2021.
My Department previously occupied an office on Mespil Road from June 2011 until May 2018. This building was leased by the OPW, and the OPW paid the rent for that building also.
In addition, a Commission of Investigation which falls under the remit of this Department operated from 73 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2 from January 2015 to March 2021. This building was leased by the OPW, who also paid rent for that building.
My Department also had a number of staff co-located with Pobal at 100 Mount Street from September 2017 to December 2019 working on the development of the National Childcare Scheme. The table below shows the rent in relation to this office space.
The first table below provides details of the amount of rent paid in relation to DCEDIY offices since 2011.
The second table below shows the amount spent on office equipment - please note this also includes IT costs. The increase in costs from 2017 relates to the remodelling of Mespil Road due to the expansion of my Department. This included costs related to the upgrading of IT systems at that time. The increase in 2018 relates to the costs incurred for the kit-out of Miesian Plaza and the further change in IT related to the move to the services of the OGCIO. The increases in 2020 and 2021 relate in part to the change of service provided, e.g. much improved services that allowed the Department to move relatively seamlessly to remote working. Additional office equipment was also purchased for staff working at home due to COVID-19. The Transfer of Functions from Department of Justice which took place in October 2020, whereby we gained an additional 100 staff approximately and also 2 floors in Montague Court also led to additional costs. The IT infrastructure in Montague Court had to be completely upgraded and IT equipment had to be purchased for the additional staff. The increase in costs also relates to the expansion of the Department and the increase in staff numbers - over and above the staff who came under the Transfer of Functions.
|
Office Rent per year and to date in 2021 |
Miesian Plaza & Mespil Road & Baggot Street |
Montague Court |
100 Mount Street |
|
Year |
Paid by |
€000 |
€000 |
|
2011 |
OPW |
N/A |
N/A |
|
2012 |
OPW |
N/A |
N/A |
|
2013 |
OPW |
N/A |
N/A |
|
2014 |
OPW |
N/A |
N/A |
|
2015 |
OPW |
N/A |
N/A |
|
2016 |
OPW |
N/A |
N/A |
|
2017 |
OPW |
N/A |
87 |
|
2018 |
OPW |
N/A |
115 |
|
2019 |
OPW |
N/A |
115 |
|
2020 |
OPW |
215 |
N/A |
|
2021 |
OPW |
799 |
N/A |
|
Office Equipment per Year and to date in 2021 |
Miesian Plaza & Mespil Road & Mount Street & Montague Court |
73 Baggot Street |
|
Year |
€000 |
€000 |
|
2011 |
66 |
N/A |
|
2012 |
164 |
N/A |
|
2013 |
171 |
N/A |
|
2014 |
146 |
N/A |
|
2015 |
198 |
248 |
|
2016 |
188 |
12 |
|
2017 |
310 |
5 |
|
2018 |
633 |
0 |
|
2019 |
562 |
1 |
|
2020 |
1025 |
1 |
|
2021 |
699 |
N/A |
656. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of offices currently being rented or in ownership of his Department which are currently not in use by the Department. [51116/21]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that my Department does not currently rent or own any offices which are not in use by my Department. My Department has two office areas:
- 2nd and 3rd floors, Block 1, Miesian Plaza, 50 - 58 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2; and
- 2nd and 3rd floors, Montague Court, 7 - 11 Montague Street, Dublin 2.
Both of these offices are occupied on a daily basis.
657. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total funding allocated to the UBU Youth Programme by his Department; and the amount of this total provided respectively for funded organisations and the total provided for ETBs. [51164/21]
View answer658. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of audits carried out on youth services by education and training boards and other bodies funded through his Department; the total cost of these audits; and the total time required to comply with same. [51165/21]
View answer659. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total cost incurred by education and training boards in administering the UBU Youth Programme on behalf of his Department including staffing, expenses, indirect costs, audit fees and any other similar or related expenditures. [51166/21]
View answer660. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of education and training board youth officers, youth development officers, similar staff and administrative staff funded by his Department by education and training boards and ETBI; and the total costs of same. [51167/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 657 to 660, inclusive, together.
My Department currently allocates targeted youth funding of €41.8 million through the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme. The mission of the scheme is to provide out-of-school supports to marginalised, disadvantaged or vulnerable young people in their communities to enable them to overcome adverse circumstances and achieve their full potential.
Separately, Education and Training Boards (ETBs) are funded by my Department through an ETB Youth Grant. My Department currently allocates €4.7 million to enable ETBs to fulfil governance and oversight responsibilities across multiple youth funding schemes, including UBU Your Place Your Space, the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, the LGBTI+ Initiative, Youth Information Centres and bespoke youth related schemes that are approved for a particular year. This Department has Service Level Agreements in place with each individual ETB to ensure the strong governance of Exchequer grant funding. The funding outlined above does not fund individual posts within ETBs, but is rather a contribution towards ETB costs in fulfilling their statutory youth work responsibilities. While the cost is not disaggregated in the manner requested by the Deputy each ETB will employ a range of staff deemed necessary to carry out these statutory functions. ETB Ireland advised in March 2021 that there are some 26 youth officers, 7 liaison officers and 7 development officers employed in ETBs dedicated to youth work functions. These staff would be supported by clerical grades and report to senior management.
My Department also provides funding for the operation of the ETBI Youth Support Service. This service has been established to support all ETBs in the delivery of their youth work function, specifically to enhance the capacity of ETBs with respect to their role in relation to youth funding schemes.
My Department does not collate data on the number of audits carried out in youth services by ETBs and other bodies in the manner requested. This is a local management matter as the responsibility for the mid-level governance of the scheme rests with the ETBs. ETBs are obliged under the terms of the SLA with my Department to report any matters as appropriate as part of the governance arrangements.
661. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the pod system will be removed from childcare providers given that this is causing many providers to curtail their opening hours due to being unable to mix the pods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51196/21]
View answerThe play-pod model in ELC and SAC settings is recommended as an alternative to social distancing. The purpose of ‘play-pods’ is to limit the number of people a child has contact with, and to support close, positive interactions between children and their adult caregivers. This system also reduces the amount of contact adults have with each other.
The HSE has not given any date for removal of its advice on the use of play-pods.
It is important to note that vaccination of staff will not automatically remove the need for play-pods or other public health measures as for example children under 12 are not currently vaccinated.
ELC and SAC services are provided by private enterprises, either privately owned or operated by community organisations. ELC and SAC service providers are responsible for establishing their own policy and procedures for the implementation of the public health guidance for the sector.
The guidance does not place a requirement on ELC and SAC service providers to limit openinghours. Opening hours are a matter for the provider in the context of their own setting and operational capabilities.
My Department acknowledges that implementation of public health guidance by providers may impact on families. However, the objective of the guidance is to reduce the risk of infection within settings in order to keep settings open for all children and families.
The guidance is kept under review by the HSE and my Department and is updated in line with the latest public health advice.
662. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when pay restoration will be granted to section 56 and 59 workers employed by Tusla in line with recent restoration of section 39 workers pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51314/21]
View answerUnder section 56 of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, Tusla may enter arrangements with organisations to provide child and family services or services associated with the care and protection of victims of DSGBV. Section 59 of the Act provides for similar arrangements through a grant or contribution in kind to non-profit organisations for services supplemental to those provided by the Agency. Such services are commissioned under a formal Service Level Agreement and assist Tusla to fulfil its statutory responsibilities and deliver on the Agency's strategic objectives.
Each organisation funded under these arrangements operate independently of Tusla. Each is responsible for the recruitment of employees and the terms and conditions under which individuals are employed. Section 56(14) of the Act of 2013 stipulates that ‘an arrangement under this section shall not give rise to an employment relationship between a service provider, its employees or agents on the one hand and the Agency on the other’.
Prior to the establishment of Tusla in 2014 some of the organisations now funded under section 56 were funded by the HSE under section 39 of the Health Act 2004. In October 2018 the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) reached agreement between the Department of Health and HSE and trade unions representing staff in certain section 39 organisations. Pay restoration in relation to organisations funded through section 39 was applied to organisations who met certain specific criteria. The criteria related to the organisations rather than types of individual workers that are employed in them. The criteria included only organisations who received in excess of an agreed, specified amount from the HSE by way of the Service Level Agreement process. Pay restoration was limited and solely applicable to those organisations included in the initial WRC agreement. This process has reached a final resolution and there is no scope to revisit eligibility criteria.
I am committed to working with colleagues in Government, Tusla and other service delivery partners to address the sustainability of voluntary organisations and ensure that we meet the needs of children, young people and their families across Ireland. I greatly appreciate the tremendous contribution made by the Community and Voluntary sector in supporting Tusla to deliver on its challenging mandate.
663. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he plans to review the eligibility criteria for SUSI grants to allow those on a stamp 4 to qualify for grants and free fees; if a review of the current eligibility criteria is underway; when this criteria was last reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50382/21]
View answerThe Department of Justice and Equality adjudicates on a person's entitlement to remain in the State and on the stamp that is awarded where permission to remain is sanctioned.
The granting of certain permissions to reside in the State conveys certain rights as provided for in legislation, including access to education in line with the rights of an Irish citizen. However some permissions do not convey such entitlements. Determination of these permissions are a matter for the Department of Justice and Equality and are outside the remit of my Department.
In relation to funding under the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
The nationality requirements for the Student Grant Scheme are set out in Section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations 2021. To qualify for a student grant, the candidate's nationality or his/her immigration status in the State determines whether or not he/she meets the nationality requirement outlined in the Act and Regulations. Further information in relation to the nationality requirements are available from SUSI's website: susi.ie/nationality-criteria/
Permission to remain in the State on the basis of a Stamp 4 Visa, of itself, does not meet the nationality requirements of the Student Grant Scheme 2021. However, article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme 2021 provides for a review of eligibility for the award of a grant in the event of a change of circumstances in the academic year, including a change in relation to a student's nationality or immigration status. Where a student acquires Irish citizenship by naturalisation, or is granted one of the permission to remain criterion provided for in the Act or Regulations during the course of their studies, he/she may apply to SUSI to have his/her application re-assessed.
The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for SUSI to determine. However, a comprehensive appeals process is in place for any student who is of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case. Details of same are available from SUSI’s website: susi.ie/quick-links/appealing-your-grant-decision/
Under the Departments Free Fees Initiative, the Exchequer pays tuition fees on behalf of eligible students attending approved full-time undergraduate courses. In order to qualify for funding under the Department’s Free Fees Initiative, students must meet the criteria of the scheme including the separate residency and nationality/citizenship requirements of the scheme.
Where students do not qualify for free fees funding they must pay the appropriate fee, either EU or Non-EU, as determined by each higher education institution. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and therefore the criteria governing the level of fee payable by students (EU or non-EU) is a matter for the relevant institution to determine in line with its own criteria.
Apart from the Student Grant Scheme and the Free Fees Initiative, students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This 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. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.
In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may also be available in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student's local Tax Office or from the Revenue Commissioners website, www.revenue.ie
