Written Answers Nos. 437-456
437. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider awarding the fuel allowance to recipients of the half-rate carer's allowance in cases in which the customer has another social welfare payment but no other source of income; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57641/21]
View answerThe Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from October to April, to 369,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €300 million in 2021. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.
My Department also pays an electricity or gas allowance under the Household Benefits scheme at an estimated cost of €195 million in 2021.
The Government values the role of carers very much and it is for this reason that they receive significant income supports from my Department. In addition to Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Benefit, carers receive additional support in the form of Free Travel and Household Benefits (for those who live with the person for whom they care) and the annual Carer's Support Grant in respect of each person for whom they care.
Since 2013, the payment of half-rate Carer’s Allowance does not preclude a person from qualifying for Fuel Allowance. If a person is in receipt of a qualifying non-contributory social welfare payment and a half-rate Carer’s Allowance then they are deemed to have satisfied the means test and Fuel Allowance is payable subject to all remaining criteria being satisfied. If a person is in receipt of a qualifying contributory social welfare payment and a half-rate Carer’s Allowance, then the value of the half-rate Carer’s Allowance will be assessed in the means test for Fuel Allowance.
Following the announced €20 increase in allowable means in Budget 2022, a fuel applicant and members of his/her household may have a combined assessable income of up to €120 a week above the appropriate rate of State Pension Contributory and qualify for a payment. The €120 a week means limit is significantly higher that the weekly fuel allowance rate of €33.
Any decision to award fuel allowance to all persons in receipt of half-rate Carer's Allowance and another Social Welfare payment would change the nature of the scheme, would have cost implications, and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, Exceptional Needs Payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources, and this may include exceptional heating and travel costs. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
438. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of talks with community employment supervisors in relation to their pension entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57642/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, SIPTU and Forsa, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme for CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors who are employed by CE scheme sponsors. This claim creates some difficulties because the State is not the employer of the supervisors.
Within this context, officials from my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform held discussions on proposals to progress and resolve this complex issue, while having regard to the wider budgetary framework. Department officials also held discussions with unions representing CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors.
At the start of April this year, agreement was reached between the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Social Protection on proposals to resolve the long-standing issue. These proposals included a financial package.
Since that time, discussions on these proposals took place between my Department and the unions representing CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors, in consultation with other relevant Government Departments; the Department of Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Finance.
Department officials wrote to both SIPTU and Forsa recently setting out the terms of a full and final settlement. The total value of the financial element package now on the table is in excess of €24 million.
The final settlement has the potential to benefit up to 2,200 existing and former CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors subject to certain qualifying criteria.
The proposal is currently under consideration by the representative unions.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
439. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding capital funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56948/21]
View answerCapital investment in early learning and childcare will be delivered through the National Development Plan (NDP) during 2021-2030. Investment under the NDP will consist of three pillars : Modernisation, New Capacity and First 5 Initiatives. This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare during the lifetime of the NDP as follows:(1) Modernisation: Much of the existing early learning and childcare infrastructure that was previously delivered by large scale capital programmes is now in need of upgrading and modernisation in order to be fully compliant with new regulations and more recent guidelines, as well as to maximise energy efficiency. This investment will prioritise follow-up funding for buildings that were funded through the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP), with funding also available for previously non-funded infrastructure.(2) New Capacity: Ireland is approaching the limits of capacity, with shortfalls for early learning and childcare places already evident in some areas and for some cohorts. The rates of participation in early learning and childcare are also lower than European averages. As investment in subsidisation grows in the coming years as committed to in First 5 and the Programme for Government, demand from parents will also increase.In the coming years, NDP capital funding allocated to early learning and childcare will be used to increase the stock of early learning and childcare infrastructure, in order to address capacity challenges including the undersupply for certain types of provision and in specific areas of the country.(3) First 5 Initiatives: First 5 (Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families 2019 -2028) was launched in 2018 and was re-committed to in the Programme for Government: Our Shared Future. First 5 envisages a range of innovative initiatives for the early learning and childcare sector, including piloting Family and Early Childhood Centres and piloting outdoor early learning and childcare provision, piloting meal provision. Each of these initiatives have capital requirements.As outlined in the National Development Plan 2021-2030, access to affordable early learning and childcare is inherently linked to creating an equitable society, sustainable communities and a thriving economy. Early learning and childcare provision is therefore considered under the National Development Plan, along with housing, schools and health facilities as an integral part of national infrastructure. Further information on the Department’s NDP allocation and the application process will be communicated to the sector in the near future. The Department advises the service to contact their local CCCs, who will provide information on future capital supports when it becomes available.
440. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the HSE, Tusla or his Department can assist a person (details supplied) in County Kildare with an update on information they have requested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56959/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Therefore, I am not in a position to comment on individual cases.
I can confirm that this matter has been referred to Tusla, for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
441. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress made by his Department in advancing a national strategy on autism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57097/21]
View answerNational action in respect of autism is a firm commitment in the Programme for Government. Earlier this year, Minister Rabbitte announced an intention to develop an Autism Innovation Strategy with the aim of launching it in 2022. In Budget 2022, Minister Rabbitte and I secured €100,000 for the design and implementation of the Autism Innovation Strategy, and for awareness raising around it.
A Strategy Development Group to develop the Autism Innovation Strategy will be established, which Minister Rabbitte has indicated that she will chair. In line with our commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, it is critical that the strategy be informed by the lived experiences of people with autism, their families and their representatives.
Ireland has two national policy frameworks that address and respond to issues that affect all persons with disabilities, including those with autism. These strategies are the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS), the Steering Group of which is chaired by Minister Rabbitte, and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for Persons with Disabilities (CES), which is independently chaired by Fergus Finlay. These strategies guide policy and action across Government in respect of addressing and breaking down the barriers faced by persons with disabilities, including those with autism.
442. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way housing will be provided for asylum seekers (details supplied) given the housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57098/21]
View answerThank you for your question Deputy. It is incorrect to state that "it is the hope of this Government to give every asylum seeker in this country a home of their own after 6 months of being in direct provision".
As outlined in A White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service , applicants for international protection will be provided with suitable State-owned accommodation situated within local communities across the country following an initial period of four months in a Reception and Integration Centre.
Once the applicant receives a decision on their application, they will then move on from this community accommodation. Those who receive International Protection status will be entitled to live and work on the same basis as all other Irish residents, and it is hoped that the new system will result in a much greater degree of independence for those who do gain status here.
In response to the Deputy's question to "confirm where these houses are going to come from when we have such a housing crisis in this country", I hope the Deputy will find the following information helpful:
In order to provide the new accommodation, the White Paper proposes a multi-strand approach to housing applicants.
- Accommodation Provided by Approved Housing Bodies or other Not-for-Profit Housing Bodies
- Urban Renewal Schemes
- Hosting in the Community, including Rent a Room schemes
- Private Tenancies
My Department will be assisted in the sourcing and delivering of this accommodation by the Housing Agency, which has unique knowledge and understanding of housing in Ireland and works with a range of stakeholders involved in the sector across the country. The new model will provide more accommodation capacity into Ireland's overall housing stock through its new build and urban renewal options.
By pursuing a multi-strand approach with the support of the Housing Agency, I am confident that we will be able to meet the objectives laid out in the White Paper, which will put family life, autonomy and privacy at the core of the new international protection system.
443. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his offices have been in contact with a person (details supplied) regarding their work to help an Afghan family who are under threat of death from the Taliban as a result of the family’s work on women’s rights in Afghanistan. [57102/21]
View answerI am familiar with this matter. I can confirm to the Deputy that the family in question have arrived safely into Ireland and are now receiving assistance from the Department of Social Protection, the Health Service Executive, An Garda Síochána and the Irish Refugee Resettlement Programme.
444. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on his recent visit to Jordan. [57346/21]
View answerAs part of the Government's pledge to bring 2,900 Syrian refugees to Ireland from Jordan and Lebanon by the end of 2023, a team from my Department's Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP), accompanied by members of an Garda Síochána travelled to Jordan to meet with and interview refugees for relocation to Ireland. As part of this mission, I travelled to Jordan to join the end of their mission and see the conditions and the processes in place.
The trip included meetings with the Minister for Social Development and the Minister for Planning and International Cooperation in the Jordanian government. I also visited the UNHCR Registration Centre, where our IRPP team had been interviewing refugees, and met with senior officials from the UNHCR. I was also grateful to meet with a family from Syria who will be relocated to Ireland in the coming months, and hear their experiences of the system in Jordan and their hopes for their move to Ireland.
I also visited the Za’athari Refugee Camp - one of the biggest camps for Syrian refugees - where I met with Jordanian and UN officials. I was also afforded a tour of the camp, and I met with more Syrian families.
445. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons including children seeking international protection who have been required to quarantine in hotels on arrival in Ireland from 1 October 2021 to date in November 2021; the number of persons that have been required to quarantine beyond 14 days; if those who receive a negative PCR test no earlier than five days after arrival are permitted to exit quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57411/21]
View answerThe below table provides the number of adults and children in the international protection process that have been required to quarantine from 1 October 2021 to 19 November 2021. The table is broken down by length of time spent in quarantine, as requested by the Deputy.
Time period in quarantine
|
No. of adults |
No. of children |
|
|
1-5 days |
399 |
68 |
|
1-14 days (6-14 Days) |
388 |
80 |
|
15 days or more |
70 |
9 |
While mandatory quarantine arrangements have now been stepped down to a large degree, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), in consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Public Health, continues to retain a number of quarantine facilities in the Dublin region. This is a precautionary measure to mitigate against the risk of COVID, and any new variants, entering the National Reception Centre in Balseskin and the wider IPAS accommodation network. In agreement with the HSE and Public Health authorities at the beginning of October, the length of quarantine required for new arrivals to be cleared for transfer to Balseskin has been reduced from 14 days to 5 days, subject to two negative PCR tests on Days 1 and 5 respectively.
Due to capacity issues arising from higher than predicted numbers of new arrivals some residents may still experience delays in their transfer to Balseskin but IPAS officials assure me they are actively working through these issues with the various stakeholders involved.
The services provided by IPAS are, of course, demand-led and, as demand is currently running higher than predicted, these arrangements are being kept under daily review by my officials to ensure that there is sufficient accommodation to house new arrivals in the State seeking international protection.
The Deputy will appreciate that the mandatory hotel quarantine that was previously in operation for visitors from designated countries required them to pre-book their quarantine accommodation before their arrival in the state. In contrast to this, IPAS is dealing with, on an around-the-clock basis, the referred and unannounced arrivals of new applicants by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), the International Protection Office (IPO), Garda Stations or any other ports of entry. The family composition can range from a single person to a large extended family whose arrival at any time of day or night can often pose a challenge for IPAS and the other support bodies.
Nevertheless, all accommodation requests are dealt with in a timely manner and IPAS make sure that every new applicant is accommodated within an hour of their arrival in a safe environment without any delay.
446. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to centralise and streamline processes with the early years hive, Pobal and Tusla to avoid situations which have arisen in a service provider (details supplied). [57481/21]
View answerFrom the details supplied it would appear that the Deputy is referring to the process of School Age Childcare registration with Tusla.
Tusla is the independent statutory regulator of early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services in Ireland. The Tusla Early Years Inspectorate promotes and monitors the safety and quality of care and support of children in Tusla-registered services in accordance with the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 and the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018.
In order to operate an ELC or SAC service, the service must be registered with Tusla. It is the responsibility of the service provider to meet the regulatory requirements in order to register and it is their responsibility to provide the necessary supporting documentation requested by Tusla. This includes evidence of planning permission as services must have appropriate planning permission in place in order to operate.
Funding for ELC and SAC services is accessed through the Early Years Hive, operated by Pobal, only where the provider has the appropriate Tusla registration. Services cannot access funding through the Hive without evidence of Tusla registration. Neither my Department nor Pobal can intervene in the registration of services with Tusla, which is the independent statutory regulator.
447. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding provided to organisations (details supplied) from 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57534/21]
View answerAmnesty International has not sought funding from this Department. Amnesty works closely with the Irish Refugee Protection Programme on a number of aligned projects.
448. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a vacancy exists for an inspector of preschools and crèche in south County Tipperary; and if so, the length of time that vacancy has existed. [57567/21]
View answerAs the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to Tusla for a direct reply.
449. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of preschool and crèche inspections that have taken place in south County Tipperary in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021. [57568/21]
View answerAs the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to Tusla for a direct reply.
450. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will meet with fifth year students when he is visiting a school (details supplied); if so, the date he plans to visit the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56904/21]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, I announced important changes to the CAO webpage last week to enhance the visibility of further education and apprenticeship options.
I offered through my social media channels to visit schools to talk to 5th or 6th year students about their options. We received over 580 responses and are now working on a schedule of visits. I am really pleased to say the school referenced is on our list and we hope to visit Cork as soon as is possible and in line with public health advice.
451. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of persons who completed an apprenticeship and became fully qualified tradespersons in each of the years 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56974/21]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of persons who completed an apprenticeship and became fully qualified tradespersons in each of the years 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form, is currently being collated by SOLAS and will be sent to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
452. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the provision of a borrowing framework for the technological universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56975/21]
View answerMy Department is seeking to progress a sector wide borrowing framework for TUs in line with the recommendations of the 2019 TURN report. Initial discussions stretching back to 2019 on the development of a TU borrowing framework took place with relevant actors including the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. It is now anticipated that any borrowing framework would in the first instance prioritise the provision of purpose built student accommodation in line with commitments in the Government's Housing for All plan. While at a relatively preliminary stage proposals are currently being developed with a view to further interactions being conducted with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, as appropriate.
453. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider continuing to extend the SUSI maintenance grant to persons being transferred from the jobseeker's transition payment to the back to education allowance as a result their child turning 14 years of age and instead continue to provide a maintenance grant even though typically the back to education allowance would not be a compatible payment until the recipient completes their education course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56976/21]
View answer454. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of parents who lose the SUSI maintenance grant as a result of being transferred from the jobseeker's transition payment to the back to education allowance due to their child turning 14 years of age; if his Department has conducted research into the effect this has or will have on the completion rate of education courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56977/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together.
Under the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is available to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the terms and conditions of funding, including those relating to residency, means, nationality and previous academic attainment. All applications are assessed with reference to the terms and conditions of the relevant student grant scheme.
The Jobseeker’s Transitional (JST) payment is administered by the Department of Social Protection. I understand that this payment is a special arrangement under the Jobseekers Allowance scheme that aims to support lone parents into the workforce where the youngest child is aged between 7 and 13 years inclusive.
Recipients of Jobseeker's Transitional payment (JST) may pursue a course of education and receive JST, and if eligible, a student maintenance grant. Alternatively, they may apply for Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) Instead of JST should this be more financially beneficial. (The person in receipt of JST makes the choice as to whether to apply for BTEA or SUSI grant assistance (in addition to retaining JST), depending on which payment is more favourable).
In general terms, there is nothing preventing a lone parent who is in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance Transition payment from applying to SUSI for grant assistance under the Student Grant Scheme.
Jobseeker's Allowance Transition (where paid to the applicant) is treated as an income disregard for the purposes of the Student Grant Scheme, i.e. it is not included in the calculation of reckonable income for the student grant means test. Furthermore, the Jobseekers Allowance Transition payment is an eligible payment for the special rate of maintenance grant.
Students in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) are not eligible for maintenance support under the Student Grant Scheme, as this would result in a duplication of income support payments. On this basis, there are no plans to amend the current arrangements. However, students in receipt of BTEA may be considered for SUSI fee supports up to a maximum of €6,270 under the Student Grant Scheme.
SUSI does not hold data on the age of children linked to the Jobseekers Transition payment. Also, I understand that persons in receipt of this payment may subsequently move onto other eligible long-term payments for the special rate of maintenance grant. These payments may not necessarily identify the individual as being a lone parent.
If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI.Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe.
Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, 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. Information on the fund is available through the Access Officer in the third level institution attended. The fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.
455. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will bring forward an updated Higher Education System Performance Framework given the current framework was only intended to continue until the end of 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56979/21]
View answerSince the publication of the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030, the strategic policy context for the System Performance Framework has continued to evolve, including recent significant changes in the higher education landscape.
The publication of the Statement of Strategy by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science earlier this year set out the priorities of the new department for the period 2021-2023 and included a commitment to deliver a revised system performance framework for Higher Education, which reflects national goals and priorities. As the Deputy is aware, there is new legislation to be published aimed at reforming and modernising governance of the Higher Education sector, via the Higher Education Authority Bill and the development of the next System Performance Framework will await the publication of that legislation.
456. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason that tutors in institutes of technology are not eligible for the single public service pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56992/21]
View answer457. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if lecturers in universities are eligible for the single public service pension scheme; if so, the conditions of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56993/21]
View answer458. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a change from institute of technology status to technological university status affects pension entitlements for tutors in those universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56994/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 456, 457 and 458 together.
Terms and conditions of employment for tutors, lecturers and other staff in higher education institutions, including membership of the single public service pension scheme, are a matter in the first instance for the employer. Information on that scheme is available at singlepensionscheme.gov.ie/ . In line with Sections 53 and 54 of the Technological Universities Act 2018, the transition from Institute of Technology to Technological University will not have an impact on the terms and conditions of staff. My officials are available to engage with Higher Education Institutions as needed to assist.
