Bernard Durkan
Question:131. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the name of a person (details supplied) can be amended; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62185/21]
View answerDepartmental Records
Questions (131)
Written answers
I can confirm that the name of the individual referred to by the Deputy has been updated on my Department's records to her birth surname and that a letter issued to her on 10th December 2021 confirming her details.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Departmental Policies
Questions (132)
Christopher O'Sullivan
Question:132. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the main policy achievements and initiatives undertaken by her Department during 2021; and her main priorities for 2022. [62202/21]
View answerWritten answers
In 2021, thanks to the efforts of my Department's staff, we have continued to provide vital income supports through the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and the enhanced Illness Benefit scheme - alongside all of the existing suite of social protection schemes for our pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, one-parent families and others.
Research undertaken by the ESRI estimated that, because of the policy response to the pandemic in the form of the PUP and the wage subsidy schemes, the average income loss due to COVID-related job losses was more than halved, to 3 per cent. In addition, the bottom income quintile actually gained, on average, experiencing a rise in income of nearly 2 per cent. The ESRI found that the PUP and wage subsidy measures were particularly effective in cushioning families at the lower end of the income distribution from losses.
Notwithstanding the enormous strain on the national finances caused by the pandemic, I was pleased to be able to secure the largest social welfare package in 14 years in Budget 2022. The Social Protection Budget package is worth €558 million in 2022. Budget measures include:
- €5 increase in the maximum rate of all core weekly payments, e.g., pensioners, widows(ers), loneparents, jobseekers, carers, people with disabilities, and people on employmentprogrammes (e.g. Community Employment, Tús and the Rural Social Scheme), with proportionate increases for qualified adults (formerly known as adult dependants);
- €3 increase in the Living Alone Allowance from €19 to €22 per week to people with disabilities and people aged 66 and over who are living alone. This will benefit over 230,000 pensioners, widows/widowers and people with disabilities;
- €3 increase for qualified child dependants aged 12 and over, bringing the rate to €40 per week;
- €2 increase for qualified child dependants under age 12, bringing the rate to €48 per week;
- Parent’s Benefit – increase from five to seven weeks for parents of children under two years of age.
Most of these are included in the Social Welfare Bill which is proceeding through the Oireachtas this week.
I was particularly pleased that we were able to establish a protocol with Tusla which ensures that victims of domestic violence are now able to access rent supplement as seamlessly and as quickly as possible.
In fulfilment of a commitment under the Programme for Government, I was glad to be able to introduce a benefit payment for people aged 65 who are no longer engaged in employment or self-employment. A person in receipt of this payment is not required to be available for full-time work or to be genuinely seeking work and they are not be required to sign on the Live Register.
These are some of the key achievements which my Department, through the enormous efforts of all of its staff, was able to deliver over the past year.
My priority in 2022 is to assist those on PUP and the Live Register back to employment and continue to target resources to those most in need.
Social Welfare Benefits
Questions (133)
Bernard Durkan
Question:133. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is in receipt of their full entitlement of illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62212/21]
View answerWritten answers
The rate of Illness Benefit payable in individual cases is determined by reference to the applicant's weekly average earnings in the relevant tax year and there is no discretion available to increase the rate in instances involving particular types of illness.
If the person concerned is experiencing difficulties meeting his financial commitments he should contact the Department's representative, formerly known as a Community Welfare Officer, at his local Intreo Centre so that an assessment of his circumstances can be carried out to determine whether he might qualify for assistance under the terms of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
State Pensions
Questions (134)
Alan Dillon
Question:134. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for the State pension (contributory) over the past five years to date; the number of persons receiving the State pension (contributory) over the past five years to date in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62221/21]
View answerWritten answers
According to the most recent records available to my Department, below is the information requested by the Deputy in tabular form.
State pension (contributory) new claims created from 2016 to 9 December 2021
|
Claims created |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021* |
|
State pension (contributory) |
34,894 |
35,951 |
38,137 |
38,519 |
38,348 |
39,336 |
*up to 9 December 2021
State pension (contributory) recipients from 2016 to end-Nov 2021
|
End-year |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021** |
|
State pension (contributory) |
377,062 |
394,378 |
411,660 |
431,224 |
449,442 |
467,794 |
**to end-November 2021
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
State Pensions
Questions (135)
Alan Dillon
Question:135. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for the State pension (non-contributory) over the past five years to date; the number of persons receiving the State pension (non-contributary) over the past five years to date in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62222/21]
View answerWritten answers
State pension non-contributory, a social assistance scheme, is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record.
The table shows the total number of applications for state pension non-contributory (new first-time claims, excluding re-applications) which were received by the Department in each year from 2016 to 2020. Up to end-November 2021, 8,335 new claims had been received. Over the five-year period, a gradual reduction in new non-contributory claims being received can be seen, which can be attributed in part to year-on-year increases in the numbers of people reaching state pension age, who have sufficient social insurance for state pension contributory eligibility.
At end-November 2021, there were 95,116 recipients of state pension non-contributory. The Deputy will see from the end-year statistics over the past 5 years, that recipient numbers have remained relatively consistent over the period.
|
Year |
Pension claims received |
Year-Ending |
No. of pension recipients |
|
2020 |
8,789 |
31 December 2020 |
95,465 |
|
2019 |
8,766 |
31 December 2019 |
94,854 |
|
2018 |
9,053 |
31 December 2018 |
95,263 |
|
2017 |
9,187 |
31 December 2017 |
95,140 |
|
2016 |
9,213 |
31 December 2016 |
95,221 |
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Departmental Data
Questions (136, 137)
Alan Dillon
Question:136. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who retired across the public and private sector combined over the past five years to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62223/21]
View answerAlan Dillon
Question:137. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated number of persons who are due to retire across the public and private combined over the next five years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62224/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 137 together.
The information requested by the Deputy is not held by the Department of Social Protection. The Department holds information on persons in receipt of State pension (contributory) and State pension (non-contributory) the details of which over the past 5 years are below.
The table shows the numbers of applicants for state pension over the past five years. It is not possible to state, with any certainty, how many of these people have retired.
|
Year |
State pension non-contributory applications received |
State pension contributory applications received |
|
2021 |
8,492 (up to 9 December) |
39,336 (up to 9 December) |
|
2020 |
8,789 |
38,348 |
|
2019 |
8,766 |
38,519 |
|
2018 |
9,053 |
38,137 |
|
2017 |
9,187 |
35,951 |
|
2016 |
9,213 |
34,894 |
Question No. 137 answered with Question No. 136.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (138)
Claire Kerrane
Question:138. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 516 of 28 September 2021, if consideration will be given to including partial capacity benefit as a qualifying payment for the fuel allowance providing recipients were in receipt of a qualifying payment previously and that they meet the means testing requirements for the fuel allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62258/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 over a full fuel season) from October to April, to 371,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €323 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.
The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed to direct the limited resources available to the Department in as targeted a manner as possible, and so it is focused on long term payments where an applicant satisfies a means test. People on long term payments are unlikely to have additional resources of their own and are more vulnerable to poverty, including energy poverty.
Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) allows people to continue to receive a percentage of their previous payment while in employment. In addition, the scheme has been designed so there are no restrictions on the number of hours a person in receipt of the payment can work and there are no restrictions on earnings. It is for this reason it is not a qualifying payment for fuel allowance.
While the Department continues to keep the range of supports available under review, any decision to extend the qualifying criteria for fuel allowance in the manner suggested could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
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 costs. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.
The Department of Social Protection commissioned Indecon International Consultants to carry out research into the cost of disability in Ireland. The Programme for Government commits the Government to use this research into the cost of disability to individuals and families to properly inform the direction of future policy.
This matter is significantly wider than the income support system which is why a whole-of-Government perspective is being taken. There is not a single typical ‘cost of disability’, rather there is a spectrum from low additional costs to extremely high extra costs of disability, depending on the individual circumstances of the person with a disability. Additional costs of disability go across a number of areas of expenditure including housing; equipment, aids and appliances; mobility, transport and communications; medicines; care and assistance services and additional living expenses.
The Government published the report on 7 December. The Government has referred the report to the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group, chaired by Minister of State for Disability Anne Rabbitte T.D., to consider what actions across Government should follow arising from the recommendations contained in the report.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (139, 140)
Claire Kerrane
Question:139. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider including disability allowance and blind pension as qualifying payments for the partial capacity benefit in order to support those with a disability in seeking and gaining employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62259/21]
View answerClaire Kerrane
Question:140. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider changing the eligibility criteria which restrict applications for partial capacity benefit to those who have been on invalidity pension or illness benefit for a minimum of six months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62260/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together.
Both the Disability Allowance (DA) and Blind Pension (BP) schemes are age related, means tested social assistance based schemes, which are also subject to a medical assessment and a habitual residence requirement. Each of these schemes has also been designed to support recipients to avail of opportunities to pursue their own employment ambitions, be that self-employment or insurable employment. When an individual, in receipt of DA or BP, commences employment, they can avail of an income disregard of €140 per week. In addition, a 50% taper on earnings between €140 and €350 is also applied, i.e., 50% of earnings in this band are disregarded for the purpose of the means test. Earnings above €350 are assessed at 100% i.e. for every euro earned above €350 a euro reduction is applied.
Budget 2022 saw the introduction of measures to further support persons in receipt of DA or BP to enter or return to employment, these included:
- An increase in the earnings threshold above which means is fully assessed - by €25 from €350 to €375 per week - for DA (and BP. This will take effect from June 2022.
- An increase in the general weekly means disregard entry point for Disability Allowance from €2.50 to €7.60. Currently the first €2.50 of weekly means is disregarded for Disability Allowance. The effect of this measure will be to increase the weekly rate of payment by up to €5.10 per week for Disability Allowance recipients who have means. The change also aligns the DA general disregard with that for BP at €7.60 per week. This will take effect from June 2022.
Illness benefit is a short term scheme, where a person cannot work due to illness - the maximum duration a person can be in receipt of this payment is 624 payment days. Invalidity Pension is payment made to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability. Entitlement to these payments is dependent on the individual's social insurance contribution record, as well as satisfying other qualification criteria relevant to the schemes.
The Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme is designed for people who are in receipt of Illness Benefit, for at least 26 week, or Invalidity Pension and who have retained some capacity for work and wish to return to or enter employment. If awarded, PCB will allow them to continue to receive, in addition to their earnings from employment, a percentage of their Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension payment while working.
The personal rate of payment of PCB is based on a medical assessment of a person’s restriction regarding their capacity for work and whether the person was in receipt of Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension (i.e. their existing rate of payment). After the medical assessment, if a person's restriction on their capacity for work is assessed as moderate, severe or profound their payment continues at 50, 75 or 100 per cent of their existing rate, respectively. If assessed as ‘mild’ they will not qualify for PCB.
The duration a person can be in receipt of PCB is linked to the payment they moved from, subject to a maximum of 156 weeks. In the case of Illness Benefit, the maximum duration of the payment is 624 payment days (104 weeks) and this applies for PCB (less the 26 weeks required to be eligible for the scheme). In the case of Invalidity Pension the maximum duration of 156 weeks applies.
Where a person completes their allowed period on PCB, a new application can be made. The application must meet all the eligibility criteria including, in the case of persons in receipt of Illness Benefit, the requirement to have completed 26 weeks in receipt of the payment.
I have no plans at this stage to change the qualifying and eligibility criteria for PCB. The Department regularly reviews its supports and payments schemes to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives. Any proposed changes have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
Question No. 140 answered with Question No. 139.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (141)
Claire Kerrane
Question:141. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider extending the availability of the one-parent family payment and half-rate carer's allowance by enabling eligible recipients to claim the payment until a child reaches 18 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62261/21]
View answerWritten answers
There is a general rule within the social welfare system that a person can only be in receipt of one payment at a time. Payment of half-rate Carer's Allowance (CA) with certain other payments such as One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) is a notable exception.
OFP is payable until the claimant's youngest child reaches age 7, subject to all of the other qualifying conditions. When caring for a child under age 16, half-rate CA is only payable where a Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is also in payment in respect of that child.
There is a special provision for OFP recipients who are in receipt of DCA and half-rate CA in respect of their child, whereby the OFP payment is extended beyond the maximum age limit of 7, until the child for whom the DCA is in payment reaches the age of 16 years. This ensures that OFP recipients who care for a child with a disability will continue to receive additional support until that child reaches the age of 16 years and can apply for the Disability Allowance (DA) in their own right.
There are no plans to make any changes in this regard.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Tax Code
Questions (142)
Richard Bruton
Question:142. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of weeks of pension payments that are notified to the Revenue Commissioners as the basis for calculating tax liability in 2020. [62280/21]
View answerWritten answers
My Department reports details of most taxable payments to Revenue on an on-going basis. This includes State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-contributory) payments. A full list of taxable social welfare payments, along with those that are reported by my Department to Revenue are available on the Revenue web site.
My Department reports on each individual taxable payment made via a secure interface to Revenue. In 2020, a total of 53 payment weeks were reported in this manner. It should also be noted that where a customer receives an arrears payment in respect of the 2020 year at a later date that this payment will be subsequently reported to Revenue.
For further details on taxation policy in relation to specific pension payments, I refer the Deputy to my colleague, the Minister for Finance.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (143)
Seán Sherlock
Question:143. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection when arrears of invalidity pension due will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [62284/21]
View answerWritten answers
The person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 24 June 2021. The first payment issued to her nominated bank account on 09 December 2021. Arrears due from 24 June 2021 to 08 December 2021 will issue on 16 December 2021.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Pension Provisions
Questions (144)
Niall Collins
Question:144. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if advice will be provided in relation to a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) regarding pension entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62317/21]
View answerWritten answers
The person concerned reached pension age on 17 September 2012 and was awarded a standard State pension (contributory) at 40% of the maximum rate, based on the information available. They were notified in writing of this decision on 31 October 2012. This rate of pension was based on a yearly average calculation of 14, based on the person’s social insurance record of 661 qualifying paid and credited contributions from their date of entry into insurable employment on 15 April 1966 to end-December 2011, the end of the tax year preceding their 66th birthday.
The person concerned requested a review of their contribution record, and additional contributions were awarded. State pension (contributory) at 65% of the maximum rate was then awarded from the person’s 66th birthday. They were notified in writing of this revised decision on 25 November 2013. The person’s revised yearly average calculation places them in the 15-19 rate band, based on the person’s social insurance record of 693 qualifying paid and credited contributions from their date of entry into employment to end-December 2011.
In January 2018, the Government announced plans to review the rates of all State pension (contributory) recipients with a date of birth on or after 1 September 1946, and thus affected by 2012 budget changes. All eligible persons could have their pension entitlements assessed using the alternative 'Aggregated Contributions Method’, also known as the interim Total Contributions Approach, which provides for up to 20 years of HomeCaring Periods (1,040 HCP) in the calculation of pension entitlement for those who took time out of the workplace for parenting children under age 12 or individuals who needed increased levels of care. Pension entitlement is calculated as a percentage of the maximum rate. In order to receive a maximum rate State pension (contributory), applicants must have a combined total of at least 2,080 reckonable contributions, credits and HomeCaring Periods up to their 66th birthday. The person concerned was invited to take part in this review on 9 January 2019.
The person’s rate of State pension (contributory) entitlement was calculated using this approach. While a total of 1,384 Home Caring Periods were awarded to them, under social welfare legislation, a maximum of 1,040 Home Caring Periods can be used in this calculation. The person concerned was awarded State pension (contributory) at 82.40% of the maximum rate, backdated to 30 March 2018. They were informed in writing of the outcome of this pension review on 6 June 2019, and, as in their previous pension decisions, were afforded the right of review and/or appeal.
The person concerned is in receipt of the most financially beneficial rate of State pension (contributory) commensurate with their social insurance record. It should be noted that, had they retired at 65 years of age, they would not have qualified for State pension (transition) at that time, as a yearly average of 24 was required.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Early Childhood Care and Education
Questions (145)
Catherine Connolly
Question:145. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the analysis his Department has carried out on introducing flexibility in the lower age limit for the ECCE scheme to accommodate children born near the deadline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62018/21]
View answerWritten answers
When first introduced, the ECCE Programme was delivered over 38 weeks in a given ECCE Programme Year and children were required to be between the ages of 3 years and 2 months and 4 years and 7 months in September in the year they enrolled.
The entry age has since been decreased on two occasions, the first in 2016, when it was reduced 3 years and 2 months to 3 years of age and the number of hours a child could avail of was expanded. The second reduction was in 2018 whereby the number of points at which a child could become eligible for ECCE was reduced down to one (September) and the age of eligibility was further reduced to 2 years and 8 months. This change was based on national experience and a review of international practice. It also had regard to the regulatory environment for early years education and care in this country and issues such as child development readiness and adult-child ratios. This has now allowed children to avail of a full two years of ECCE.
I would note that my Department is about to commence a 12 month review of ECCE which will consider whether ECCE is meeting its objectives and subject to the findings consider whether any changes need to be made. As part of this review, there will be a wide stakeholder engagement.
Early Childhood Care and Education
Questions (146)
Brendan Griffin
Question:146. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if advice will be provided in relation to the new funding model for early learning and school age children as per correspondence from a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62167/21]
View answerWritten answers
On 7 December, I was pleased to launch a report on a new funding model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC), entitled Partnership for the Public Good. This report was delivered by an Expert Group which was independently chaired and comprised national and international experts.
The new funding model outlined in Partnership for the Public Good comprises four key elements: two new elements (Core Funding and Tackling Disadvantage funding) and two elements which are developments on the existing funding approaches of the ECCE programme and the NCS. These four elements, and their associated conditions, form an interlocking and integrated system of funding which is designed to ensure progress on each of the main goals of ELC and SAC policy, and move in the direction of enhanced public management.
1. Core Funding, a new supply-side payment for providers designed to support quality (including improved staff pay), sustainability, and enhanced public management, with associated conditions in relation to fee control and cost transparency, incorporating funding for administration and to support the employment of graduate staff;
2. Funding for new universal and targeted measures to address socio-economic disadvantage;
3. The ECCE programme, but with funding to support the employment of graduate staff incorporated into Core Funding, and AIM extended beyond the ECCE programme (in line with First 5 commitments);
4. An amended NCS to provide enhanced universal support to all families, tailor additional supports to high volume users of services, and resolve certain issues arising from the NCS work/study test or wraparound policy.
I was very happy to have had the opportunity to meet the chair of the Expert Group in advance of the Estimates process to allow the emerging recommendations to shape my approach to Budget 2022. As announced on Budget day, 2022 will see a transformative and ground-breaking package of measures introduced to begin to implement the vision set out in the group’s report. €78 million is being made available to enable this, including €69 million for a Core Funding stream, equivalent to €207 million in a full year. Core Funding will be introduced from September 2022.
Currently, significant additional investment is being made in the sector through the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), which will remain available to the sector until April 2022, with a continued exemption to the turnover rule for employers in the sector. Since August 2020, ELC employers have been entitled to access the EWSS, with an exemption to having to demonstrate the 30% drop in turnover that applies to other sectors.
Between October 2020 and November 2021 enhanced rate EWSS equalled €34 million, per month, for ELC providers, covering, on average, 80% staff costs or 50% total operating costs. Enhanced rates of EWSS will continue for December 2021 and January 2022.
From 1 February 2022, the original two-rate structure of €203 per week and €151.50 per week will apply; this amounts to €22 million per month for ELC providers, covering, on average, 50% staff costs or 38% total operating costs.
For March and April 2022 the flat rate subsidy of €100 per week will apply and the scheme will end on 30 April 2022; this amounts of €11 million per month in the sector, and will cover, on average, 25% staff costs or 11% total operating costs.
With the additional costs of play-pods and other public health measures estimated to be no more than €12 million per month, the EWSS at enhanced and standard rates far exceeds what is required by the sector to adhere to public health guidance. EWSS at flat rates is just marginally below this.
A once-off transition fund of up to €37m will operate from May to August 2022, to support providers in the period leading up to the new Core Funding stream, in return for a commitment not to increase fees from September 2021 levels. The sum paid to each service under the Transition Fund will depend on the service’s capacity and location, and will reflect opening hours. Information will be available in early 2022 about the exact levels of funding for individual services under the Transition Fund.
Budget 2022 also saw two changes to the NCS which will result in more parents getting more subsidised hours of ELC and SAC, contributing to realising the full vision of the Expert Group. This will see the NCS universal subsidy extended to all children under 15 benefitting up to 40,000 children and the removal of the practice of deducting hours spent in pre-school or school from the entitlement to NCS subsidised hours, benefiting an estimated 5,000 children from low income families.
Sustainability Funding also continues to be available to providers where there are sustainability difficulties. The Covid-19 Impact Support funding strand is available for both community and private services for eligible ELC and SAC services that require further financial assistance in addition to current support measures available.
The full implementation of the Expert Group's recommendations will be a multi-annual process, with funding likely becoming available on an incremental basis. The introduction of Core Funding and other Budget 2022 measures begin the implementation of the recommendations, substantially increase public funding for ELC and SAC and put in place the conditions to develop a partnership with the sector for the public good.
Material relating to the work of the Expert Group, including Partnership for the Public Good, an information webinar and other publications are available on a dedicated website, www.first5fundingmodel.gov.ie.
Departmental Policies
Questions (147)
Christopher O'Sullivan
Question:147. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the main policy achievements and initiatives undertaken by his Department during 2021; and his main priorities for 2022. [62189/21]
View answerWritten answers
My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Covid-19 Tests
Questions (148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 154)
Colm Burke
Question:148. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason students at higher education institutions (details supplied), who make up approximately 12% of the higher education student population in Ireland, are to be excluded from the public health free rapid antigen tests initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62030/21]
View answerColm Burke
Question:149. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason that students studying on publicly funded Springboard programmes in private higher education institutions will be excluded from the free rapid antigen tests initiative while their fellow students on Springboard programmes in the public higher education institutions will be eligible to receive the tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62031/21]
View answerColm Burke
Question:150. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if consideration will be given to including students at higher education colleges that are members of an association (details supplied) in the public health free rapid antigen tests initiative in view of the contributions by the students to the Exchequer; if not, if separate funding will be made available to those students for this once off public health initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62032/21]
View answerColm Burke
Question:151. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if consideration will be given to the inclusion of students at higher education institutions that are members of an association (details supplied) in the public health free rapid antigen tests initiative in view of these institutions releasing their students to ease the staffing crisis in public primary schools and in early years settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62033/21]
View answerColm Burke
Question:152. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason students at higher education institutions that are members of an association (details supplied) are to be excluded from the public health free rapid antigen tests given the Exchequer is providing free rapid antigen testing to international and European Union students studying in publicly funded higher education institutions who may never pay into the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62034/21]
View answer
Rose Conway-Walsh
Question:154. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the funding of €9 million allocated to higher education institutions for antigen tests will be increased to ensure the expansion of the initiative to include students in private colleges and will not mean a corresponding reduction in the amount received by public institutions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62395/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 to 152, inclusive, and 154 together.
The intention of Government is to strengthen the prevention and intervention measures around COVID-19 in response to the changing context. My Department recognises the potential role of rapid antigen testing as one part of a package of surveillance and vigilance measures including self-monitoring and other public health measures.
Following public health advice to the sector from the Expert Advisory Group on Rapid Testing, advice which is published and available on the Department’s website, a once-off fund of €9m to provide rapid antigen testing kits to students in further and higher education has been announced by my Department.
The purpose of the fund is to encourage the use of antigen testing amongst students and will involve:
- Providing funding to institutions via the funding agencies to make a small number of antigen tests available free to students
- Respecting the autonomy and flexibility of institutions in deciding at institutional level how best to provide these tests to students as soon as practicable
- Developing a communications campaign for students to increase the awareness of rapid antigen testing and their appropriate use.
In response to the Deputy's query, the fund will be made available to further and higher education institutions through SOLAS and HEA, including to the private institutions represented by HECA, with approximately 20,000 students, to ensure that we promote the use of antigen testing amongst young people.
In terms of costs, at this time it is not possible to provide information in relation to allocations that will be paid to individual institutions or bodies at this time as the process to determine and allocate funds is ongoing. It is the intention that the funding allocation for HECA colleges will be aligned with the allocations to publicly funded providers and from within the ring-fenced allocation for antigen testing as part of the Department’s 2021 Covid allocation.
In addition to this once-off specific fund, the UniCov study continues in a number of universities.
Question No. 149 answered with Question No. 148.
Question No. 150 answered with Question No. 148.