Written Answers Nos. 510-530
510. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the position regarding the provision of replacement or extended facilities at a school (details supplied); the length of time this particular project has been in the process; the reason for the delays; when the school is expected to be completed and ready for occupation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5117/22]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to the Board of Management of the school.
A Service Level Agreement (SLA) was issued to the Board of Management in December 2020. The Board is currently in the process of procuring a Design Team for the project. Thereafter, it will ensure that the project progresses to design stage, obtains the necessary statutory planning permission, and moves the project onward to tender and construction in due course.
As the project is at an early stage in the delivery process, it is not possible at this time to give a date for its completion.
511. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which special needs placements remain available at primary and post-primary schools throughout County Kildare; the adequacy of such provision at the present time; the extent to which she anticipates an increase in the level of such places in the course of 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5118/22]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.
This year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of schemes and supports for children with special educational needs.
This includes additional teaching and care supports.
As a result, the number of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide.
Throughout 2020 and 2021, my Department and the NCSE have worked closely on a more streamlined and joined up planning process which has ensured a targeted approach to meet demand for special needs placements ahead of each new school-year
I am satisfied that this more joined up approach is delivering. Through this intensive intervention, we have seen an additional 301 special classes, providing over 1,800 new places, opened nationwide for the 2021/22 school-year.
I also acknowledge that notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places.
The NCSE has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents and seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special class placements.
In terms of Kildare, I can confirm that the NCSE is aware of an identified need for additional special classes for students with autism in primary and post-primary schools. Work has been underway with stakeholders for a number of years to meet the demand for places.
We are always grateful to those schools that have responded, and continue to respond positively to meet the educational needs of children in their communities.
Currently, a network of 69 primary special classes, including 5 Early Intervention classes, and 22 post primary special classes provide specialist placements for students with autism in Kildare. 6 of these classes were newly established for the current school year.
The NCSE is continuing to engage with primary and post-primary schools throughout County Kildare regarding the establishment of additional special classes for 2022/23 and beyond. There are specific plans in place to open additional special classes and every support will be made available to progress their opening in the shortest possible timeframe with a particular focus on September next.
It is of course open to any school to engage with the NCSE to establish a special class.
I want to reassure the Deputy that my Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.
512. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which her Department continues to respond expeditiously to requests for new schools or extensions to existing schools at primary and second-level throughout the country including County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5119/22]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland.
This investment will build on the good progress being made on adding capacity to cater for demographic changes and provision for children with special educational needs. This investment will also facilitate an increased focus on the modernisation of existing school stock and help transition the school system for an era of net zero carbon by 2050.
Approximately 1,200 school building projects are currently in progress across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction – most of which are expected to be either under construction or completed in the period 2021 to 2025.
During the period 2018 to 2021 691 school building projects were completed under the Large Scale Capital Programme (LSCP) and the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA). These projects delivered in excess of 64000 school places. 19 of these projects delivered were in County Kildare; 16 of those were primary schools including one special school and 3 were post-primary school building projects.
My Department continues to work to assess applications for such capital funding and progress approved projects as quickly as possible and it is anticipated that 150 to 200 school building projects will be completed annually during the 2022 to 2025 period.
It is anticipated that 150 to 200 school building projects will be completed annually during the 2022 to 2025 period. There are currently in excess of 250 school building projects at construction (on site) with a continuous stream of other projects at or near the tendering stage. These are being progressed as quickly as possible.
The current status of these projects being delivered is listed on a county by county basis on www.gov.ie and is updated on a monthly basis to reflect their progress through the stages.
513. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which progress continues to be made towards permanent accommodation for a Gaelcholáiste in Maynooth, County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5120/22]
View answerThe patron of the school referred to by the Deputy appointed a Consultant to undertake an Options Study of the property in question. The Options Study has been completed and the patron recently furnished a copy to my Department. This will be considered and my Department will engage with the patron when this process has been completed.
514. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the current and anticipated status of the large-scale capital project at a school (details supplied); the expected date for delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5121/22]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers was devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board.
The school was delivered as part of a campus development. The main school buildings of the project were made available for occupation on the 22nd December 2020 to the school. The shared PE facility was made available for occupation on the 1st September 2021 to the school campus.
This campus project is substantially complete.
515. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the current and anticipated status of the large-scale capital project at a school (details supplied); the expected final delivery date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5122/22]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers was devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board.
The school was delivered as part of a campus development. The main school buildings of the project were made available for occupation on the 22nd December 2020 to the school. The shared PE facility was made available for occupation on the 1st September 2021 to the school campus.
This campus project is substantially complete.
516. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the current and anticipated status of the large-scale capital project at a school (details supplied); the expected final delivery date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5123/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the delivery of the project referred to has been devolved to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board.
The Design Team for the project is currently working to a programme for substantial completion in February of this year. The Department recently held a meeting with KWETB and the Design Team in order to work towards the goal of achieving substantial completion within the timeframe of the current programme.
The Design Team is keeping KWETB and the Department regularly informed of progress in this regard.
517. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the current and anticipated status of the large-scale capital project at a school (details supplied); the expected final delivery date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5124/22]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects.
This project is currently at Stage 2a of the architectural planning process. Once the Stage Report submission is approved by my Department, the next step for the Design Team will be to obtain the statutory planning approvals.
While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for completion of the project, the NDFA will be engaging directly with the school authority to keep it informed of progress.
518. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the progress to date or in hand in meeting the school place, replacement of facilities, new school requirements and special needs provision in respect of each school project at primary and post-primary levels in Clane, County Kildare; the extent to which each project is on target in line with projections; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5125/22]
View answerIn order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
The most recent analysis undertaken by my Department projects that over 76% of the 314 school planning areas at primary level have stable or decreasing projected enrolments for the period to 2024, whereas some 88% of the school planning areas at post-primary level are anticipated to have increased enrolments for the period to 2027.
The level of demand volume across school planning areas with an increasing net requirement ranges from small to medium increases that are likely to be accommodated by existing schools through to significant projected growth that may require additional provision.
Where data indicates that additional provision is required at primary or post primary level, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
- Provision of a new school or schools.
My Department's most recent projections do not indicate significant increases in school place requirements at primary level in the Prosperous-Clane school planning area.
The projections at post-primary level indicate the projected peak year is 2025 with projected enrolment numbers of 1731, decreasing thereafter.
Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland.
This investment will build on the good progress being made on adding capacity to cater for demographic changes and provision for children with special educational needs. This investment will also facilitate an increased focus on the modernisation of existing school stock and help transition the school system for an era of net zero carbon by 2050.
Approximately 1,200 school building projects are currently in progress across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction – most of which are expected to be either under construction or completed in the period 2021 to 2025.
During the period 2018 to 2021 691 school building projects were completed under the Large Scale Capital Programme (LSCP) and the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA). These projects delivered in excess of 64000 school places. 19 of these projects delivered were in County Kildare; 16 of those were primary schools including one special school and 3 were post-primary school building projects.
It is anticipated that 150 to 200 school building projects will be completed annually during the 2022 to 2025 period.
There are currently in excess of 250 school building projects at construction (on site) with a continuous stream of other projects at or near the tendering stage. These are being progressed as quickly as possible.
The current status of these projects being delivered is listed on a county by county basis on www.gov.ie and is updated on a monthly basis to reflect their progress through the stages.
Clane is located in the Prosperous Clane school planning area. There are currently 5 projects at various stages of planning and design in the Prosperous Clane School Planning Area. These projects, listed below are being progressed through the various stages of assessment and delivery.
The length of time a project takes to deliver depends on a number of factors, including scale and complexity, and is subject to the time it takes to progress through the statutory approval process. There is also always a risk of unforeseen issues giving rise to slippage in the progress of a project through the design, statutory approvals or tendering process. Furthermore, Additional Accommodation projects may differ in the way they progress through the architectural planning process depending on their scope.
Current Large Scale & Additional Scheme Accommodation Projects in Prosperous-Clane
|
Roll No. |
School Name |
School Type |
Project Type |
Current Stage |
|
19796C |
St Patrick's Boys NS |
Primary |
New School |
Stage 4 |
|
13902O |
Hewetsons NS |
Primary |
Extension & Refurbishment |
Stage 1 |
|
91372D |
Scoil Mhuire Community School |
Post Primary |
Extension |
Stage 1 |
|
70720G |
St Farnhan’s School |
Post Primary |
New School |
Stage 2A |
|
12998C |
SN Cianog Naofa |
Primary |
Extension |
Stage 1 |
St. Patrick’s BNS, Roll Number 19796C has a project for a new 24 classroom school. Construction commenced on site in November 2021 and the contract duration is 106 weeks.
Hewetsons NS, Roll Number 13902O This project has been devolved for delivery to the Board of Management of the school. The Service Level Agreement (SLA) was been issued to the Board of Management in December 2020. The Board is currently in the process of procuring a Design Team for the project. Thereafter, it will ensure that the project progresses to design stage, obtains the necessary statutory planning permission, and moves the project onward to tender and construction in due course.
As the project is at an early stage in the delivery process, it is not possible at this time to give a date for its completion.
Scoil Mhuire Community School, Roll Number 91372D has an extension project that was approved in April 2020. The project is currently at Stage 1 Design.
St. Farnan’s PP School, Roll Number 70720G This project has been devolved for delivery to Kildare & Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). This project is currently at Stage 2a of the architectural planning process. Once the Stage report submission is approved by my Department, the next step for the Design Team will be to obtain the statutory planning approvals. While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for completion of the project, KWETB will be engaging directly with the school authority to keep it informed of progress.
Scoil Mhuire Allenwood NS Roll Number 20505S My Department currently has on hand an application under the Additional Schools Accommodation Scheme (ASA) from this school, received Dec 2021 for 1 x 80m2 Mainstream Classroom. This application currently under assessment.
519. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the number of teachers currently employed at primary level throughout the country; the extent to which this meets requirements at the present time; the ongoing efforts being made to address shortages in respect of teachers for permanent and or temporary positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5126/22]
View answerThe recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012).
Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on my Department's website. There are approximately 39,600 posts allocated at primary level in the current school year.
In November 2019, my Department published a technical report “Developing a Teacher Demand and Supply Model for Ireland 2020-2036”. The report was updated in May 2021 with projections of teacher demand and supply to 2038. Ultimately, the intention is to establish a robust data based model for the effective projection of future teacher demand and supply across the school system.
The main finding of the report at primary level is that a combination of a reduction in pupil enrolments and high levels of supply will create an oversupply of teachers which will peak during the middle of the 2020s, but gradually decline up to 2036. A small undersupply is thereafter projected to 2038. The report notes that a level of oversupply may be necessary to maintain an overall balance in the system.
The Irish Primary Principals’ Network is developing a new central portal for the recruitment of teachers to long-term positions in both primary and post-primary schools. It is anticipated that this portal will be available to schools and teachers in the coming months.
The various measures to support teacher supply are underpinned by the Teaching Transforms campaign, which promotes the teaching profession and encourages students to follow a career in teaching. The campaign uses digital, radio and video media, and is supported by a dedicated webpage, www.gov.ie/teachingtransforms.
A number of additional measures have been put in place to enhance substitute cover in the current school year.
A significant number of additional posts have been allocated to the primary substitute teacher supply panels in areas where significant challenges in sourcing substitution continue, bringing the total to 680 posts on 142 panels, covering approximately 2,700 schools.
The supply panels work alongside the existing methods of sourcing substitute teachers, such as Sub Seeker, the national substitution portal service operated by the Irish Primary Principals' Network, and schools can also make local arrangements to have their own regular substitutes to call on if needed.
Continuing professional development (CPD) at primary level where substitution is required has been suspended until after the February mid-term break. This measure has allowed for teachers on secondment to my Department’s education support services to be available to provide substitute cover in schools through Sub Seeker.
Higher education institutions (HEIs) providing undergraduate programmes of primary and post-primary initial teacher education (ITE) have agreed to facilitate the release of 3rd and 4th year student teachers to support schools. To support this measure the Teaching Council has recently made regulations for the registration of these student teachers and is currently developing a system for their registration.
In addition, the HEIs providing professional master of education (PME) programmes have ensured flexibility in programme delivery to enhance the availability of PME students for substitute work. PME students have been advised to register with the Teaching Council and with Sub Seeker.
These measures are in addition to changes to the career break scheme, to permit teachers on career break to do unlimited substitution and changes to the job sharing scheme to permit job sharing teachers carry out substitute work on the days they are rostered off.
Primary schools with teaching principals have also been asked to cluster their allocations of principal release days to form a full-time fixed-term posts to minimise the requirement for substitute teachers.
The Department and its Inspectorate continue to provide support to schools where they continue to experience difficulties in sourcing sufficient substitute cover.
520. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she is determined to improve pupil-teacher ratios in all primary and second-level schools throughout the country; the progress anticipated in this regard in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5127/22]
View answerUnder the Programme for Government there is a commitment to seek to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools.
At primary level, the annual staffing schedule determines the allocation of teachers to schools. The current allocation is on an average ratio of 1 classroom teacher for every 25 pupils. Budget 2022 has implemented a further 1 point reduction for the 2022/23 school year so that primary schools will be allocated teaching posts on an average basis of 1 classroom teacher for every 24 pupils in September 2022. Lower thresholds apply to DEIS Urban Band 1 schools which will also benefit from the improvement to the staffing schedule next year.
This Budget measure has brought the teacher allocation ratio in all primary schools to the lowest ever seen at primary level.
At post primary level, teachers are currently allocated at a ratio of 19:1 in the free education system and 23:1 to schools in the fee charging sector.
521. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the time schedule for the provision of new second-level facilities at a school (details supplied); the extent of recent progress made in respect of this project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5128/22]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Kildare & Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB).
This project is currently at Stage 2a of the architectural planning process. Once the Stage Report submission is approved by my Department, the next step for the Design Team will be to obtain the
statutory planning approvals.
While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for completion of the project, KWETB will be engaging directly with the school authority to keep it informed of progress.
522. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the degree to which provision continues to be made to ensure the viability of smaller and denominational rural or urban schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5129/22]
View answerComing from a rural background, I am very much aware of the huge importance of small schools to communities across Ireland and I have asked my Department to work with the education partners to examine ways to support such schools in their communities and to ensure a more sustainable future for them.
In general, small schools are considered to be schools with four teachers or less. There have been a number of positive measures implemented to support small schools including an improvement of one point in the appointment threshold and a reduction in the number of students required to retain a teacher which was introduced for September 2021 in primary schools. The current staffing arrangements at primary operates on the basis of 1 teacher for every 25 pupils which has resulted in the lowest pupil teacher ratio ever at primary school
Budget 2022 further improved the staffing schedule by one point which will bring the staffing schedule to a new historical low of 1 teacher for every 24 pupils in September 2022.
This builds on measures in previous budgets which has seen improvements in the overall allocation of teaching posts and specific targeted measures for small and isolated schools as well as primary schools on our islands.
In August 2021, I launched the Small Schools Clusters Action Research Project which is an innovative research project which aims to encourage small schools in a number of clusters to collaborate together and identify common challenges and trial innovative solutions. I hope the learning from this project will help inform the policy approach to supporting small schools.
The package of funding agreed under the Roadmap for the Full Return to School was a combination of targeted supports to help schools manage Covid-19 related challenges The range of supports included the replacement of teachers and non-teaching staff unable to attend for work due to Covid-19, minor works grants to facilitate refurbishment and reconfiguration of school buildings, additional release days for principals and deputy principals at primary level, and enhanced cleaning regimes, PPE equipment, school transport costs and wellbeing supports.
523. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the ongoing projects underway in County Kildare as part of the additional accommodation programme at primary and post-primary level; the status of each project and expected progress in the coming months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5130/22]
View answerUnder Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland.
This investment will build on the good progress being made on adding capacity to cater for demographic changes and provision for children with special educational needs. This investment will also facilitate an increased focus on the modernisation of existing school stock and help transition the school system for an era of net zero carbon by 2050.
Approximately 1,200 school building projects are currently in progress across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction – most of which are expected to be either under construction or completed in the period 2021 to 2025.
There are currently 15 Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) Scheme projects at various stages of planning and design in Kildare; details of these projects are provided in the attached document:
524. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which the enrolment process at primary-school level remains amenable to most families throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5131/22]
View answerThe Education (Admission to schools) act 2018, provides an over-arching framework for greater transparency and consistency in school enrolment generally, provides that schools must accept all applications unless oversubscribed, and gives greater confidence to parents that the admission criteria laid down by schools and the procedures used by them are legitimate, reasonable and fair.
The act is designed to make it easier for parents to more easily access local schools and to enrol their children in a school that meets their needs. The act increases the transparency and fairness of school admissions. It makes clear that every school must be welcoming of every young person regardless of their colour, their abilities or disabilities. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted.
However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary and it may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in their school of first choice.
All schools have drafted admission policies that were applied for the first time for enrolment in September 2021, which are published on individual school websites. The act requires schools to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. Schools and their Patrons have discretion in relation to their admission criteria and how they are applied, once it is non-discriminatory and fair. It is an important feature of the act that schools can only make a decision on an application for admission that is based on the schools admission policy.
525. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education if she will meet with an organisation (details supplied) to discuss an educational proposal which was submitted to her earlier in January 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5132/22]
View answerTransition Year programmes are designed at school level and based on a multi-layered approach. Each school designs its own Transition Year programme, within set guidelines, to suit the needs and interests of its students. In developing a programme schools are advised to take into consideration students’ needs, parents’ views, employers and the wider interests of the local community. Many organisations have contributed to the development of resources that support the exploration and development of financial literacy in Transition Year programmes.
The current policy in my Department is not to endorse any products, publications or services from individual providers and hence, it will not be possible for my Department to endorse this programme to schools.
I have asked officials in my Department to make contact directly with the organisation in question.
526. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education if primary schools are permitted to hold extra-curricular activities following the recent lifting of Covid-19 restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5141/22]
View answerMy Department is guided by Public Health as to the mitigation measures needed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in our schools. The aim of all of the Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures that have been put in place for schools is to support schools to operate safely and prevent the introduction of Covid-19 and also the onward of transmission of Covid-19 among the school community. These measures protect students, their parents and school staff and are very effective when adhered to.
Public Health continue to advise that the two most important actions to prevent the introduction and spread of Covid-19 (and other respiratory viruses), is by ensuring no-one with new onset symptoms attend school, and that all recommended infection prevention and control measures are in place in line with school Covid-19 response plans. Public Health have also confirmed that there is no change to infection prevention and control measures in place in schools at this time, but that they will be reviewed by mid-term in February.
Schools can continue to engage with extra-curricular activities once it is safe to do so and necessary arrangements are in line with public health advice.
528. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if business supports exist for new businesses in the automotive services sector that are taking on new employees, who are transitioning from long term unemployment or are in receipt of an unemployment support payment from the Department of Social Protection. [4420/22]
View answerUnder Government's employment services strategy, Pathways to Work, my Department provides incentives and supports to businesses to recruit persons who are unemployed. These supports are not sector specific and are open to business across all sectors once they and the unemployed persons they intend to employ, satisfy certain conditions.
A JobsPlus subsidy of either €7,500 or€10,000 is available to employers who recruit eligible jobseekers. The level of payment depends on the age of the jobseeker and the length of time spent on the Live Register or in receipt of a qualifying payment. This subsidy is paid in monthly instalments to the employer over a two-year period provided the employment is maintained.
Time spent in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment will count towards jobseekers' JobsPlus eligibility.
Through its central Employer Engagement Team and local Intreo offices, my Department also provides supports to employers who are recruiting, in particular focusing on recruiting from amongst those on the live register. The jobsireland.ie website is also available to employers to advertise vacancies and is a very useful recruitment tool for employers.
The Training Support Grant provides quick access to short term training or related interventions, obtain or renew certification and permits for individual jobseekers that have identified work opportunities or where a skills gap exists that represents an obstacle to taking up a job offer. Each jobseeker can get a maximum amount of €1,000 per annum.
Business may also be interested in participating in the Work Placement and Experience Programme WPEP as host organisations. Under WPEP eligible business provide work experience and training to eligible jobseekers over six month period. Participants are paid directly by my Department.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
529. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a PPS number can issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4242/22]
View answerIt is not possible to check if the person concerned submitted an online application for a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number without the email address from which the application was made. Attempts were made by officials to ascertain the person’s email address, but these efforts were unsuccessful. It is therefore not possible to determine the status of the person’s application payment at this time.
If there is a live PPS Number application I would invite the Deputy to advise the individual to make direct contact with officials at:PSNGardinerSt@Welfare.ie. All relevant documentation should be uploaded with the application to facilitate a prompt decision.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
530. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to meet the increased cost to recipients of the household benefits package in relation to the electricity price increase which came into effect on 1 October 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4276/22]
View answerThe Household Benefits package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to some people under the age of 66, who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. My Department will spend approximately €273 million this year on HHB.
In 2022 the estimated cost of the gas and electricity element of the package is €203 million and will benefit over 476,000 households. The gas and electricity element is paid at a rate of €35 per month, 12 months of the year.
Any decision to increase the electricity and gas aspect of the package would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of overall budget negotiations.
The Government is committed to protect vulnerable households from energy poverty. In light of ESRI research and the commitment to ensure that the carbon tax is progressive, the Government has committed to very significant increases in a targeted package of social protection supports in Budget 2022. These supports were selected to counteract the impact of the increased carbon tax on low-income households. The specific measures are:
- An increase to the Qualified Child Payment of €2 per week for children under 12 and €3 per week for children over 12.
- An increase in the Living Alone Allowance of €3 per week.
- An increase to the Fuel Allowance of €5 per week.
- An increase in the income threshold for Working Family Payment of €10 per week .
Analysis undertaken estimates that the net impact of the combined measures is progressive. Households in the bottom four income deciles will see all of the cost of the carbon tax increase offset, with the bottom three deciles being better off as a result of these measures.
As well as increasing the weekly rate of fuel allowance with immediate effect, we also made a number of reforms to the fuel allowance scheme in Budget 2022, including:
- Increasing the weekly means threshold by €20 to €120, representing a 20% increase and enabling more people to qualify for this support.
- The qualifying period for Jobseeker’s and Supplementary Welfare Allowance recipients was reduced from 15 to 12 months with effect from September 2022, again enabling more people to qualify for the support.
The recently announced Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment is a key measure being developed by the Government to help mitigate the effects of the recent unprecedented rise in electricity prices. The scheme, under the auspices of the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications and supervised by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities will be paid in addition to the gas and electricity element of the HHB package to qualifying households. Approximately 2.1m households will benefit by €100 each from the new scheme. Primary and secondary legislation will be required and it is expected that payments will begin in Quarter 1 2022.
The Deputy will appreciate that provision of income support is only part of the answer in terms of addressing energy costs. One of the best ways to tackle energy costs in the long term is to improve the energy efficiency of the dwelling through proper building and household insulation. This is the responsibility of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The SEAI provides a range of schemes in this area including the Better Energy Homes scheme, the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme, the Better Energy Warmth & Wellbeing Pilot Scheme, the Deep Retrofit Pilot Scheme, Better Energy Communities and Free Energy Efficiency Upgrades (co-funded by the Irish Government and European Union and delivered by the SEAI).
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 help towards the cost of utility bills. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
