Written Answers Nos. 551-570
551. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a list of offices and locations in Leinster in which members of the public can meet a community welfare officer (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4868/22]
View answerThe following is a list of locations and offices in Leinster (excluding Dublin) in which members of the public can meet with a Community Welfare Officer (CWO):
|
County |
Location |
Opening hours |
|
Carlow |
Carlow Intreo Centre |
Intreo business hours (see below) |
|
Kildare |
Athy |
All day by appointment |
|
|
Maynooth |
All day by appointment |
|
|
Newbridge Intreo Centre |
Intreo business hours (see below) |
|
Kilkenny |
Kilkenny Intreo Centre |
Intreo business hours (see below) |
|
Laois |
Portlaoise Branch Office |
Intreo business hours (see below) |
|
|
Rathdowney Branch office |
1 morning per week |
|
Longford |
Longford Intreo Centre |
Intreo business hours (see below) |
|
Louth |
Drogheda Intreo Centre |
Intreo business hours (see below) |
|
|
Dundalk Intreo Centre |
Intreo business hours (see below) |
|
Meath |
Kells Branch Office |
All day by appointment |
|
|
Navan Intreo Centre |
Intreo business hours (see below) |
|
|
Trim Branch Office |
All day by appointment |
|
Offaly |
Birr Health Centre |
2 mornings |
|
|
Edenderry Intreo Centre |
2 mornings plus appointments |
|
|
Tullamore Intreo |
Intreo business hours (see below) |
|
Westmeath |
Athlone Intreo Centre |
Intreo business hours (see below) |
|
|
Bellview Mullingar |
Intreo business hours (see below) |
|
Wexford |
Enniscorthy CWS Office |
All day by appointment |
|
|
Gorey Branch Office |
All day by appointment |
|
|
New Ross CWS Office |
All day by appointment |
|
|
Wexford Intreo Centre |
Intreo business hours (see below) |
|
Wicklow |
Arklow Intreo Centre |
All day by appointment |
|
|
Bray Intreo Centre |
Intreo business hours (see below) |
|
|
Wicklow Government Offices |
All day by appointment |
Intreo business hours are reverting to pre-Covid hours in the coming weeks and by end of February will be 9.15am to 5pm Monday to Wednesday, 10.30am to 5pm on Thursdays (to allow for staff training) and 9.15 to 4.30pm on Fridays.
It is important to note that as part of my continued commitment to improve the Community Welfare Service across the country, customers no longer have to meet in person with a CWO to make a claim. Any customer who needs to contact or access the Community Welfare Service can phone or attend at an office, either to speak directly to a CWO or to make an appointment for a consultation on the same day. Consultations with a CWO are available via phone, at our offices and if the need arises a direct home visit appointment can be arranged depending on the customer’s need and public health restrictions.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
552. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has considered increasing the base rate for the school meals programme; her views on whether the €1.40 that is currently paid to providers for supplying one substantial item plus one small item plus one drink is minimal in view of inflation and cost of living increases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4869/22]
View answerThe school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,506 schools and organisations benefitting 230,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
A budget of €68.1 million has been provided for the scheme in 2022.
Funding under the school meals (local projects) scheme can be provided for breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner, hot meals and afterschool clubs and is based on a maximum rate per child per day, depending on the type of meal being provided e.g. €1.40 per child per day where a cold lunch is being provided, €1.90 per child per day where a dinner is being provided, and €2.90 per child per day where school Meal is being provided. Funding for the dinner option provide a hot meal, but is different from the Hot Meals, in that they tend to be provided by schools with onsite cooking facilities whereas food for Hot School Meals option is cooked offsite and either delivered hot or reheated in the school.
Following the publication of nutrition standards for school meals in 2017, an examination of CPI data showed that the overall trend since end 2012 has been a reduction in the price of the types of food generally supplied under the school meals scheme. An examination of costs of the types of food to be supplied under the standards showed that the foods were generally affordable in the main supermarkets within the current rates, noting that suppliers would be achieving better value when purchasing in bulk. Principals are expected to manage the funding allocated to their school and seek value for money as well as managing absences from school.
I am committed to continuing to grow the school meals programme and in particular the hot school meal element of the programme, building further on the significant extension announced as part of Budget 2022. In this regard, I have commissioned an evaluation of the school meals programme to be undertaken in 2022 to inform future policy decisions on the scheme.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
553. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection , further to Parliamentary Question No. 1051 of 19 January, if she will in future consider increasing rates for the part-time job incentive scheme in line with the standard jobseeker's rate increases to ensure that persons are not disincentivised from participating in the scheme, and to ensure that those participating in the scheme are supported while seeking work as other jobseeker's recipients are; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4889/22]
View answerThe Part-time Job Incentive Scheme (PTJI) is an administrative scheme under Jobseeker's Allowance, which allows those who are long-term unemployed to take up part-time employment for up to 24 hours per week and receive a weekly income supplement where they satisfy the qualifying scheme conditions.
As the PTJI is an income supplement for jobseekers in part-time employment, the rate increase in 2022 is a proportion of €5. From January 2022, the rate of payment increased by €3.20, from €128.60 to €131.80. I am satisfied that the increase maintains the proportionality of the value of the payment. Unlike those in receipt of standard Jobseeker's Allowance, a key feature of the PTJI scheme is that participants can retain their supplement no matter how much they earn from the part time employment.
The PTJI provides a stepping stone to full time employment as participants must continue to be actively seeking full time work. While participants on PTJI are not required to engage with the Department’s Activation process, they can, however, voluntary engage with local Intreo Employment Services Officers who provide advice on job searching and employment opportunities, and assistance in accessing other employment supports and services, including training and development opportunities.
I trust that this clarifies my position at this time.
554. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports that are in place for persons aged over 66 years, who are still working and have to isolate due to Covid-19 symptoms as recommended by HSE guidelines, but due to their age do not qualify for enhanced illness benefit, but are still paying PAYE, PRSI and USC and will also not qualify for community welfare support. [4628/22]
View answerIt is important to note that the primary state income support in respect of people who are aged 66 years or over is the State Pension – either the contributory state pension or the non-contributory pension, which is means tested.
Currently, where a person aged 66 and over is in employment, no employee social insurance contributions are payable and either a nil liability, or reduced rate, applies to their employer.
Recipients of State pension payments may, subject to satisfying eligibility conditions, also have access to a range of additional supports:
A pensioner who is living alone can receive the living-alone increase, which was increased from €19 per week to €22 per week at the start of 2022.
The Household Benefits package (HHB) 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. My Department will spend approximately €273 million this year on HHB. It consists of the gas / electricity element of the package (€35 a month) and the free TV licence element.
The Fuel Allowance which was increased by €5 in Budget 2022 is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 for the fuel season) from October to April at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist qualifying households with their energy costs.
The telephone support allowance (TSA) is a weekly payment of €2.50. The estimated full year cost of the scheme is over €18.1 million. To receive the allowance a customer of my Department must be in receipt of a qualifying payment such as the State pension and also in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance and the Fuel Allowance and the scheme supports recipients by assisting with the cost of communications and/or home security solutions.
The provision for Illness Benefit is paid only to people below State pension age, which is currently 66. This is set out in the legislative provisions of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 governing entitlement to the benefit.
The rules governing eligibility for the enhanced Illness Benefit payment for people diagnosed with Covid-19 are the same as for the standard Illness Benefit payment in respect of age.
My Department may also make an exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income. This is administered by this Department's Community Welfare Service and can be accessed by customers through their local Intreo Office.
While I fully understand that these are difficult and distressing times for many people, especially for the vulnerable and the elderly, any further economic measures can only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
555. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual value of the service level agreement between her Department and an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5027/22]
View answer556. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the services that an organisation (details supplied) provide under the service level agreement between it and her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5028/22]
View answer557. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the current timeframe for the service level agreement between her Department and an organisation (details supplied); when the agreement is due for renewal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5029/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 555 to 557, inclusive, together.
Turas Nua is one of two companies contracted to provide the JobPath employment assistance and advisory service on behalf of my Department. The purpose of the service is to provide assistance and advice to jobseekers who are long-term unemployed. Providers are paid based on performance and except for the initial registration fee, payments are only made when a client has achieved sustained employment that is verified by my Department.
The service works with the client to identify and provide intensive support to overcome barriers to employment. Each person is assigned a personal advisor who assesses their skills, experience, challenges and work goals and agrees a “personal progression plan” that includes a schedule of activities, actions and job focused targets. Participants are provided with a range of development supports and may also be referred for further education and training opportunities.
The period of engagement with the service is 52 weeks, and during that time, the jobseeker avails of intensive support from a dedicated Personal Advisor (PA) and meets their advisor at least once every 20 days. If the jobseeker is successful in finding employment, the support of the PA continues for the remaining duration of the person’s engagement with the service and for a period of at least six and possibly up to twelve months thereafter.
If the jobseeker obtains employment but it is not sustained, engagement with the PA will resume. The employment experience will be reviewed to build on progress, and to identify measures to sustain employment. This may entail referral to training, education or other interventions appropriate to sustaining employment.
The overall performance of the contractors in assisting persons in gaining and sustaining employment is under continual review. My Department meets regularly with the contractors to review all aspects of the contract delivery including performance.
The current JobPath contracts were extended until the end of 2021. In December, in light of the continuing adverse impacts of Covid-19 and on foot of extending the period of consultation with the relevant stakeholders, it was agreed to extend all contracted employment services for the long term unemployed - the Local Employment Services, the Job Clubs (in Phase 2 areas) and JobPath - for a further twenty six weeks until the end of June 2022. This measure was taken in order to ensure that the public employment service has sufficient capacity to support those impacted by the pandemic with access to employment services.
While JobPath referrals will terminate at the end of June, there will be a run-off period to enable existing clients to complete their engagement with the service.
It is not intended to publish the individual payments to the JobPath companies as these are commercially sensitive and to do so would place the State at a disadvantage both in terms of the contracts currently in place and in future procurement processes.
The total of fees paid under the JobPath programme to date is €287 million.
2015 - €1.2m;
2016 - €25.2m;
2017 - €57.4m;
2018 - €71.7m
2019 - €58.6m
2020 - €36.2m
2021 - €34m
2022 - €2.7m (to date)
Total - €287m
Please note this is gross expenditure and does not take into account the savings made in welfare payments for those who secured sustained employment.
558. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has not been facilitated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5040/22]
View answerThe fuel allowance entitlement of the person concerned has been re-examined in light of the new income limit rules that were introduced in Budget 2022. The person concerned has been awarded a fuel allowance at the weekly rate of €33.00 in addition to her widow's contributory pension from the 12 October 2021. In addition she has also been granted the telephone support allowance at the weekly rate of €2.50 also from the same date. The person concerned will receive her first payment of the allowances, together with arrears, at her chosen post office on Friday the 4th February 2022 and weekly thereafter.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
559. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if partial capacity benefit is available to self-employed persons who have been ineligible for illness benefit or invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5066/22]
View answerMy Department provides a number of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. There is a range of benefits available to people who make Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions. Entitlement to such benefits is dependent on the individual's social insurance contribution record, the class of social insurance paid as well as satisfying other qualification criteria relevant to the scheme. A person who has an insufficient PRSI contribution record to qualify for a social insurance benefit/pension may apply for the appropriate means-tested social assistance scheme.
There has been an expansion of access to the range of social insurance benefits for self-employed social insurance contributors in recent years, which now includes:
Adoptive Benefit,
Guardian's Payment (Contributory),
Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed),
Maternity Benefit,
Invalidity Pension,
Parent's Benefit,
Paternity Benefit,
State Pension (Contributory),
Treatment Benefit,
Widows, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension, and
Partial Capacity Benefit (where in receipt of Invalidity Pension).
The Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme has been designed to support people who are in receipt of Illness Benefit (for at least 26 weeks) or Invalidity Pension, as listed above, and who have retained some capacity for work and wish to return to employment. Employees and Self-employed Persons not in receipt of Illness Benefit (for 26 weeks) or Invalidity Pension are not eligible for the scheme.
The Department regularly reviews its supports and payments schemes to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives. While any proposed changes have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
560. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress of the food poverty working group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5082/22]
View answerThe Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020 – 2025, which was adopted by Government and published in January 2020, includes a commitment to ‘Develop a comprehensive programme of work to further explore the drivers of food poverty and to identify mitigating actions’ (Commitment 61).
The Food Poverty Working Group, which I chair, was established in April 2021 and aims to tackle the issue of food poverty in accordance with this commitment. Its membership consists of the Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Education; Health; Rural and Community Development; and Social Protection. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Crosscare and the Children's Rights Alliance are also members of this group.
The group met on four occasions in 2021, and is due to meet again in the coming weeks. The group has focused on two pieces of work to date. The first is a high-level mapping exercise of programmes, services and supports across Government that address food poverty and provide supports in this area. Data gathering is complete, and my Department is assessing how the data can be further used and disseminated.
The second piece of work is the development of a research proposal to analyse the prevalence of food poverty in three selected case study areas to identify the drivers of food poverty in each area and examine the range of service providers and actors relating to food poverty in each area. It should also identify any gaps and overlaps in service provision. The findings from this research should further inform the delivery of commitment 61 of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion.
I thank the Deputy for his question and hope this clarifies the matter.
561. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the recommendation in the report by the Commission on Pensions published in October 2021, which seeks to impose PRSI on occupational pensions for those aged 66 years of age and over; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5086/22]
View answer563. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on and response to the report of the Commission on Pensions with particular reference to the recommendation concerning charging PRSI on occupational pensions for persons over 66 years of age. [5181/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 561 and 563 together.
The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund, in fulfilment of a Programme for Government commitment. The Commission was an independent body comprised of knowledgeable and experienced academics, pension experts, members of civil society and representatives of workers and employers. Once it completed its work and fulfilled its obligations, the Commission was dissolved. The Commission's Report was published on 7th October 2021. The report, Technical Sub-Committee's working papers and submissions made to the Pensions Commission are available on the website, pensionscommission.gov.ie.
The Commission's Report is a comprehensive report that takes account of an assessment of various analyses of population, labour force and expenditure projections; an examination of international approaches; and responses to an extensive consultation process. It has unambiguously established that the current State Pension system is not sustainable into the future and that changes are needed, and it has set out a wide range of recommendations in this regard - including measures to increase Social Insurance Fund (PRSI) income.
The report has been referred to the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands for its views. Separately, as set out in its terms of reference, the Commission on Taxation and Welfare is considering the report of the Pensions Commission in the context of its review of potential changes to the social insurance system.
In the interests both of older people and of future generations of older people, the Government intends to consider the comprehensive and far reaching recommendations in the Pensions Commission’s Report very carefully and holistically. My officials will continue to work over the coming months to examine each of the recommendations. They will consult across Government through the Cabinet Committee system. I think it is really important that we complete that work before reaching conclusions. I intend to bring a recommended response and implementation plan to Government by the end of March 2022.
The State Pension is the bedrock of the pension system in Ireland. It is extremely effective at ensuring that our pensioners do not experience poverty. This Government is committed to ensuring that this remains the case for current pensioners, those nearing State Pension age and today’s young workers including those who are only starting their careers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
562. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on reviewing the maternity benefit payment rate. [5180/22]
View answerMaternity Benefit is paid for 26 weeks to employed and self-employed women who satisfy certain pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution and other conditions. In Budget 2022 I provided for an increase of €5 in the weekly payment rate. As a result, the rate of Maternity Benefit now stands at €250 per week. The rate of Maternity Benefit is in line with the rates of Paternity Benefit, Adoptive Benefit and Parent’s Benefit.
In 2021, the estimated total cost of Maternity Benefit was €267 million which was paid in respect of almost 43,400 claims.
Any proposals in relation to the rate of this and other benefits would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
564. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will publish follow-up information on the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020. [4882/22]
View answerThe National Strategy for Women and Girls, adopted by Government in 2017, provides a whole-of-Government framework through which women’s empowerment continues to be advanced. In view of the significant impact of COVID-19 on planned work, the implementation of the Strategy was extended from 2020 to the end of 2021.
The first progress report was published in March 2019. A report on the progress of work done under the Strategy to end December 2020 will be published shortly. A further progress report, on implementation during 2021, is in preparation with a view to its publication in the first half of this year.
I will work with stakeholders to examine what has been achieved over the term of the National Strategy for Women and Girls and consider how we can bring forth the next iterations of the suite of national equality strategies and ensure they are even more robust and effective. In this regard, my Department has commissioned a study to evaluate the processes for implementation of the National Strategy for Women and Girls, along with the Migrant Integration Strategy and the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy. It is envisaged that this study will be completed by the third quarter of this year.
565. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on and response to a key conclusion in The Cost of Disability in Ireland – Research Report that persons with a disability experience significant challenges in accessing employment (details supplied). [5164/22]
View answerThe Cost of Disability in Ireland report was commissioned by the Minister for Social Protection and prepared by Indecon International Research Economists. It was published in December 2021. It provides important evidence of the additional costs that people with a disability face in their day-to-day lives. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to use research into the cost of disability to properly inform the direction of future policy.
While the Department of Social Protection has primary responsibility in terms of supporting people into employment, including those with disabilities, my Department plays an important role in coordinating and delivering on actions within the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities (CES). The CES is a 10-year whole-of-government approach to support people with disabilities to enter and retain fair employment. The CES has been implemented to date through a series of action plans and my Department is leading on the development of the third and final CES Action Plan for the 2022-2024 period. The CES provides a critical framework through which action will be taken to address the additional costs that individuals with a disability in Ireland are faced with.
Under the CES, my Department has funded the establishment of the ‘Employers for Change’ service, an employer-focused information service provided by Open Doors Initiative through which employers are supported and encouraged to employ people with disabilities. Funding for ‘Employers for Change’ has been continued into 2022.
My Department is leading on the development of legislation which will double the statutory target for the employment of people with disabilities in the public service, from 3% to 6% by 2024. This initiative should result in significant opportunities for people with disabilities to obtain and remain engaged in employment.
As the evidence in the Cost of Disability in Ireland report has implications for many areas of public policy, a whole-of-government approach is being coordinated through the National Disability Inclusion Strategy to identify areas for further action to address the barriers currently faced by people with disabilities when accessing employment.
566. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason that the eligibility for children to avail of early childhood care and education, ECCE, is capped at age five years and six months old; the reason that children who surpass this age while in the programme are ruled out for the year entirely; if his attention has been drawn to the financial burden on parents who have to pay for the child's access to preschool facilities until they are ready for primary school; if there are plans to change this rule, particularly for children who have additional educational needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4246/22]
View answerSince September 2018, all children within the eligible age range of minimum age requirement of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months are eligible for a full two programme years on the ECCE programme.
The upper age limit of 5 years and 6 months for ECCE was set in consultation with the Department of Education and ensures that children transition into primary school with their peers.
Overage exemptions are available in certain circumstances for children who will be over 5 years and 6 months by the end of the ECCE term, which is generally in the end of June. Parents can get Information on how to apply for an overage exemption from their local County Childcare Committee, details of which can be found on www.myccc.ie.
My Department does its best to ensure, in so far as possible, the equitable treatment of all children and families who engage with the ECCE Programme. ECCE is not a mandatory scheme and parents can choose to send their children to one or two years of ECCE, or not to send them at all.
Children with additional needs can receive supports to attend ECCE through the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), a programme of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities can access ECCE in mainstream pre-school settings and can participate fully in the pre-school curriculum alongside their peers.
AIM is a child centred model of supports and the model is designed to be responsive to the needs of each individual child in the context of their pre-school setting and will not require a formal diagnosis of disability.
More details about AIM can be found on aim.gov.ie
Parents may be able to receive help with childcare costs under the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). Information for parents on eligibility and subsidies can be found on the website www.ncs.gov.ie, or parents can call the NCS Parent Support Centre on 01 906 8530 from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
567. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is a transitional fund available for child care facilities from May to August 2022; if so, if a child care provider can increase fees during this time; when further information will be provided to facilities and parents of the new funding model due to commence in September 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4247/22]
View answerBudget 2022 announced a series of measures to increase investment in the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector to €716 million this year.
One of those measures is a Transition Fund which will be available to ELC and SAC services from May to August inclusive, during the period between the phasing out of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) in April and the introduction of a new Core Funding stream in September.
The core conditionality of access to the Transition Fund will be that services do not increase the fees charged to parents above September 2021 levels.
The Transition Fund will be followed in September by a new Core Funding stream, also announced in Budget 2022. Core Funding is a major recommendation in the report of the Expert Group to develop a new funding model, Partnership for the Public Good: A New Funding Model for ELC and SAC available here: first5fundingmodel.gov.ie/report/.
The recommendations of the Expert Group are designed to deliver quality for children, affordability for parents, stability for providers, and support employers to improve pay and conditions for staff.
Core Funding will operate from September and will be worth up to €69 million in 2022 and up to €207 million in a full year from 2023 on.
The contractual requirement for fees to remain at or below September 2021 levels will apply to Transition Fund from May 2022. It will continue apply from September 2022 for services in receipt Core Funding. The Transition Fund and Core Funding will be open to all services, subject to them agreeing to come into contract and these prevention of fee increases will apply for both schemes.
The sum paid to each service under the Transition Fund will depend on the service’s capacity, location, and service type.
The calculation of the value of the new Core Funding stream to an individual provider will take account of their level of capacity including the number of children, the ages of children, and their hours of operation and will reflect the qualification levels of staff. By basing the core funding stream on capacity, providers will have a stable income source based on the service they deliver.
Since the announcements on Budget Day last October, my Department has been communicating with stakeholders including providers and representative organisations through a number of mechanisms, including for example FAQs, available here: www.gov.ie/en/publication/b3e97-budget-2022-overview-and-faqs-for-early-learning-and-care-elc-and-school-age-childcare-sac-providers-and-parents/. Detailed information on the new funding model is also available in the recommendations of the Expert Group report referenced above.
Additional communications will issue to the sector in the coming months to give further details on the new funding streams.
Budget 2022 also confirmed that ELC and SAC employers will continue to benefit from the exemption to the turnover rule for the EWSS until April 2022 in order to prevent the additional costs from public health measures being passed on to parents.
The EWSS has been available to employers in the sector since August 2020, with enhanced EWSS rates (from October 2020-January 2022) equalling €34 million per month, covering on average 80% of payroll costs and 50% of total operating costs for providers, standard EWSS equalling €22 million per month (from August 2020-October 2020 and for February 2022), covering on average 50% of payroll costs and 38% of total operating costs for providers and a new EWSS flat rate of €100 that will apply from March-April 2022 amounting to €11 million per month, covering on average, 25% staff costs or 11% total operating costs.
In advance of May 2022, given the level of investment being made available to the sector through EWSS, it is difficult to see any justification for an increase in fees at this time.
Where providers require further financial assistance in addition to current supports available, the Department operates a Covid-19 Impact Support Scheme. This is additional to the existing financial supports and is to support the sustainability of ELC and SAC services who may be left with short-term sustainability concerns due to lower attendance or higher costs arising from Covid-19. This scheme supports services to remain open without increasing their Registered Fees to parents or guardians.
Sustainability Funding also continues to be available to providers where there are sustainability difficulties and I have requested that providers would exhaust this route before considering increases in fees for parents. I encourage providers to contact their local City/County Childcare Committee if they require any further information or support: myccc.ie/.
568. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to introduce mandatory paediatric first aid training for all child care workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4415/22]
View answerThe Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 set out the requirements for service providers in relation to First Aid training. Regulation 25 (1) states that -
“A registered provider shall ensure that a person trained in first aid for children is, at all times, immediately available to the children attending the pre-school service.”
The Tusla Early Years Inspectorate is the independent statutory regulator of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services in Ireland. In performing its regulatory function, Tusla inspects ELC and SAC services to ensure compliance with Regulations, including Regulation 25.
All of the Regulations pertaining to the ELC and SAC sector are kept under review by my Department and will be updated where there is evidence to show that a revision is required.
569. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it is planned to re-instate the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016; if he plans to remove the disqualification relating to persons of unsound mind being elected to Dáil Éireann, Seanad Éireann and the European Parliament; and if so, the timeframe in which this will be implemented. [4471/22]
View answerThe Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016 lapsed with the dissolution of the last Dáil.
The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill is being used to advance a number of legislative provisions required by the UNCRPD that were previously included in the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016.
This include measures such as the role to be played by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and the National Disability Authority in monitoring the implementation of the UNCRPD. It also includes measures to bolster the public sector obligation to lead on providing pathways to work for people with disabilities, by doubling the amount of people with disabilities to be employed by public bodies from 3% to 6% by 2024.
The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill will remove the prohibition on a person of 'unsound mind' from standing election to the Dáil and the Seanad. The Bill is currently being given priority drafting time.
570. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children referred to Tusla in 2021; and the breakdown of the source of the referrals and primary report type, in tabular form. [4520/22]
View answerThe Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.
