Written Answers Nos. 333-347
333. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education the forms that are to be used by a school (details supplied) for progressing a tender and uploading on eTender following the changes made to the process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7263/22]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers was granted funding under the Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide two mainstream classrooms & one WC for assisted users.
This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. The school authority recently received feedback from the Department in relation to this matter and has subsequently sought further confirmations from the Department. This is currently under consideration in the Department and a further response will issue to the school shortly in this regard.
334. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education the progress made by her Department in respect of its targets and goals set out in Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development under the policy remit of her Department; if these targets and goals will be met by their respective deadlines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7275/22]
View answerA renewed focus is currently being given to progress Ireland’s commitment to Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Substantial progress has been achieved in recent months in respect of reviewing Ireland’s implementation of Agenda 2030 and identifying key priorities and actions for inclusion in the next National Implementation Plan. It is intended that the draft Plan will be made available shortly and form the basis of discussion at the next SDG National Stakeholder Forum. This will allow for a final round of input from stakeholders prior to finalisation and publication.
Ireland has adopted a ‘whole-of-Government’ approach to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with each Minister having responsibility for implementing individual SDG targets related to their functions. My Department has responsibility for leading implementation of the following:
1. National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) (SDG 4.7)
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is both an SDG target in itself and acknowledged as a key enabler for achieving all 17 SDGs.
The Department together with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science are currently in the process of developing a second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to 2030.
ESD to 2030 will be built on the UNESCO framework for ESD for 2030 and will be built on the five pillars set out therein, i.e. policy alignment, transforming learning environments, capacity building, empowering and mobilising youth and community engagement. A joint public consultation has been conducted and the results will inform the direction of ESD to 2030 which will also have an accompanying implementation plan for 2022 to 2026.
Under the first ESD strategy 2014 – 2020, significant work was done integrating ESD themes and principles into the curriculum at all levels, into the assessment and inspection processes and into Initial teacher education and continuing professional development. ESD to 2030 will build on this work ensuring that the 2030 target is met.
www.gov.ie/en/publication/02952d-national-strategy-on-education-for-sustainable-development-in-irelan/
This work also contributes to SDG 13 - Climate Action and to Ireland's Climate Action Pan.
2. Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) (SDG 4.5)
DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools is the main policy initiative of my Department to address educational disadvantage at school level. In the 2021/22 academic year there are 884 schools in the DEIS Programme - 687 Primary and 197 Post Primary, serving over 180,000 pupils. This represents approximately 20% of the overall school population. The total Department spend on DEIS in 2021 was over €150 million, which includes over €26 million for the School Completion Programme (SCP). The DEIS programme provides for smaller class sizes and other supports including additional teaching posts, Home School Community Liaison Coordinators, DEIS grants, enhanced book grants, curriculum supports and priority access to Continuing Professional Development.
Budget 2022 has allocated the largest-ever increase in funding for the DEIS programme (DEIS Identification Model) , providing for an additional allocation of €18 million in 2022 (€32 million over a full year) which will enable an expansion in 2022 of the DEIS programme to further schools. This means that by 2023 the Department of Education will target over €180 million at addressing educational disadvantage through the DEIS programme, an increase of 20% on the 2021 allocation. This package follows an extensive body of work which has been under taken by the DEIS technical group in relation to the development of a model to identify the concentrated levels of disadvantage of schools. The refined DEIS Identification model is an objective, statistics based process, based on school enrolment data and data available from Census 2016 under the HP Deprivation Index. It is important to note that there is no application process for the DEIS programme and all schools will be considered under the refined DEIS model when it is applied. In advance of the implementation of the refined DEIS identification model, there will be further engagement with relevant stakeholders. The purpose is to ensure that, as far as possible, the refined DEIS identification model can provide an objective and independent means of identifying schools serving high concentrations of pupils at risk of educational disadvantage and also to ensure there is a full understanding of the refined model and its potential application.
3. STEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026 (SDG 4.5)
A Review of Literature to Identify a Set of Effective Interventions for Addressing Gender Balance in STEM in Early Years, Primary and Post-Primary Education Settings was published in November 2020. The report sets out what is known about critical barriers to girls’ participation in STEM education and STEM learning, while also highlighting effective interventions to increase participation of girls in STEM. Development of a set of recommendations to guide national actions in relation to gender balance in STEM have been developed and will be published shortly. Development of the second STEM Education implementation Plan 2022-2026 is underway to include public consultation and targeted education stakeholder/partners consultations. The outputs from the consultation process along with the Gender balance in STEM recommendations and STEM and the Arts recommendations that are being developed at present will inform the new implementation plan. The Implementation Plan is expected to be ready for publication by the end of Q2 2022.
4. Literacy and Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy (SDG 4.6)
The Literacy and Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy 2011-2020 has now expired. Development of a follow on strategy is underway with research commissioned to include the identification of achievements, gaps, best practice and possible areas for action for the new 10 year strategy. This research is due to be finalised and with the Department of Education in the coming weeks. This will inform stakeholder engagement and public consultation which will also feed into the development of the new strategy.
5. Review of the School Transport Scheme (SDG 4.a )
My Department commenced a review of the School Transport Scheme in February 2021. The review is examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and sustainability, with a view to ensuring that it serves students and their families appropriately. The review will build upon the commitments within the Programme for Government as they relate to school transport and includes for an examination of options to reduce car journeys, commitments in respect of climate action and the potential of the School Transport Scheme to support broader government aims of promoting sustainability in transport. The review is also examining promoting where possible initiatives that encourage walking and cycling to school , including assessing how the School Transport Scheme can work in liaison with the Safe Routes to Schools Programme which is funded by the Department of Transport and operated by Green-schools in partnership with the National Transport Authority and the local authorities.
Following commencement of this review, the Steering Group presented the Minister with an initial interim report on eligibility with an examination of issues for mainstream pupils relating to the nearest and next nearest school. Following consideration of this report, the Minister approved the extension of temporary alleviation measures in the current school year for transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and have applied and paid on time.
Wider considerations relating to operation of the scheme are now taking place in the next phase of the review which is currently underway. As part of this phase of the review, the Department is currently conducting an extensive stakeholder engagement process. The Department is inviting stakeholders to share their views and opinions so that they may be considered as part of the assessment and in informing policy on the future operation of the scheme. The Steering Group will continue to report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses.
This work also contributes to SDG 13 - Climate Action and to Ireland's Climate Action Pan.
6. Schools Energy retrofit Pathfinder Programme (SDG 4.a )
My Department is at the forefront of design with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both National and International level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in Design and Specification.
My Department’s Technical Guidance Documents set the benchmark for sustainable design in school buildings with a clear focus on energy efficiency and they are based on solid energy research projects.
Schools that are designed and built in accordance with the Department’s schools technical guidance documents have been achieving A3 Building Energy Ratings since 2009 with current schools typically achieving up to 20% higher performance than required by the current Building Regulations, along with 10% of primary energy provided via photovoltaics and infrastructure provision for electric vehicle charging.
All new technologies and approaches are tested to ensure compatibility with school design and operational requirements. Successful and repeatable results are then incorporated into all new school designs and refurbishments. The Departments policy is supported by a strong research programme with fifty three research projects at various stages including the energy website www.energyineducation.ie. which is a joint partnership with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
In the interest of sustainability, it is critical that renewable applications are properly suited to the schools needs and not just applied for the sake of having a renewable tag on a school. It is also critical that we minimise the demand for energy before we invest in renewable energy applications. This has been assisted in previous years with the wall and attic insulation programme and the water conservation programme.
My Department and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications established a jointly funded pathfinder programme with the SEAI, testing and demonstrating energy efficiency and decarbonisation retrofit approaches. This pathfinder is a great example of collaboration ensuring the deployment of new design approaches and technologies are introduced to the educational environment on an evidence based approach.
This Pathfinder programme is paving the way for, and informing, a much larger national schools’ programme for the energy retrofit of schools built prior to 2008 as included in the National Development Plan. It is facilitating research on a range of typical retrofit options, which will have been tried and tested. It is providing valuable development information for a solution driven delivery strategy which will be founded on a solid evidence base that has proven the robustness and scalability of renewable solutions within the schools’ sector.
The longer-term outcome of the pathfinder will be to create an accurate and scalable model for energy efficient retrofits of schools across Ireland. The deep energy retrofit programme for schools built prior to 2008 is due to be rolled out as included in the National Development Plan. The pathfinder programme has retrofitted 41 schools across Ireland to date with work on an additional 9 schools added in 2021 underway. 2022 sees six additional schools undergoing deep retrofit to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B with renewable heating systems. Each school undergoes a comprehensive assessment to ensure that the measures are suitable for that school and will deliver value to both the school and learnings for the national retrofit programme.
This work also contributes to SDG 13 - Climate Action and to Ireland's Climate Action Pan.
7. SDG co-ordination and reporting
My Department is an active member of the SDG Senior Officials Group and Interdepartmental Working Group and is working with it’s colleagues in the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications to ensure that we fully play our part in delivering on the SDG National Implementation Plan.
The Central Statistics Office has developed the SDG geohive and is producing a series of reports on Ireland’s progress against each of the SDGs. The report on SDG 4 – Quality Education is available here: irelandsdg.geohive.ie/pages/goal4
335. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Education if a diagnosis is required in order for a pupil in a mainstream schools to access support from a special needs assistant in view of the delays in accessing appointments for early intervention and assessments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7296/22]
View answerThe Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.
It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) play a huge role in helping to ensure the inclusion of pupils with significant care needs in education and in school life. This was acknowledged in the Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme (SNAs) published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in 2018.
A core recommendation of the NCSE review concerned a change in the way that SNAs are allocated to mainstream classes in both primary and post primary schools and called for the greater proportion of SNAs in these classes to be allocated on the basis of an educational profile of each school before the commencement of the school year in a similar manner to the allocation of special education teachers (SETs).
The new frontloaded model for allocating SNA posts is intended to ensure that SNA support is available immediately to students upon their arrival, reducing delays in accessing support.
Frontloading SNA support eliminates the need for an individual assessment for each student, ending the link with the requirement for a formal diagnosis to gain access to support, and will reduce the delays in making supports available to schools.
This enables a school to allocate SNA support to a pupils without a formal diagnosed special educational need, but who need support.
It had been planned that the frontloaded model of allocation for SNAs would be rolled out to all schools from the commencement of the 2020/21 school year. However, in light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for SNAs for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools has been deferred to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year.
In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations the following arrangements for the allocation of Special Needs Assistants for mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year:
- Existing mainstream class SNA allocations in schools on 30 April 2021 will be maintained and will automatically rollover into the 2021/22 school year. No school will therefore receive an allocation less than that which they had on 30 April 2021.
- Where circumstances change during the course of the 2021/22 school year that materially increase the level of care need in a school to the extent that the school can clearly demonstrate that it cannot be met within the existing SNA allocation, the school may apply to the NCSE for a review.
- A diagnosis of a disability, or a psychological or other professional report, will not be necessary for this process.
The NCSE manages the exceptional review process and handles each case individually. Some review requests can be concluded as an office based exercise, whilst others require a school to be visited in order to observe the current deployment of SNA support in the school setting.
The timeframe for concluding a review can vary depending on the school context or the nature of the information provided.
Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website ncse.ie/for-schools
Where a school is dissatisfied with how their exceptional review has been processed or is dissatisfied with the outcome of their exceptional review they can appeal. Applications for Appeal may be submitted through the NCSE Schools Portal: ncse.ie/school-support. Guidelines for Appeal will be published here: ncse.ie/for-schools
336. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if consideration will be given to establishing a new additional needs school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7313/22]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.
It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion.
This year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing additional teaching and care supports for children with special educational needs.
This includes funding for a wide range of schemes and supports including special classes, special school places, SNAs and teachers.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide.
Through ongoing consultation with schools and parents at local level the NCSE is aware of students who will be seeking placements for the 2022/23 academic year.
My Department works in close collaboration with the NCSE to ensure that the necessary provision is put in place on a timely basis throughout the country.
Throughout 2020 and 2021 the 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 education placements ahead of each new school year. This intensive intervention has seen an additional 301 special classes already opened nationwide for the 2021/22 school year.
Two new special schools, one in Cork and one in Dublin also opened for the 2021/22 school year.
This targeted approach will continue in identifying and meeting demand for special education placements throughout the country, including the area referred to by the Deputy.
I would like to assure the Deputy that the local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) continue to be available to assist and advise both schools and the parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list.
337. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education if confirmation will be provided that correspondence was sent to a school (details supplied); if a copy of the original email will be resent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7361/22]
View answerAn official from my Department has been in contact with the principal of the school concerned and the relevant details have been supplied.
338. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education the number of electric vehicle charging points that are available for use by staff across all carparks provided for use by her Department throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7378/22]
View answerOfficials in my Department have been working with the Office of Public Works on the installation of electric vehicle charging points in Department of Education-managed facilities. Four electric vehicle charging points, in the Dublin and Tullamore offices, will be available for staff use when fully installed and commissioned later this year.
339. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education the number of electric vehicle chargers installed at schools; the number installed at each school that has electric vehicle chargers installed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7408/22]
View answerThe data requested by the Deputy regarding the number of electrical vehicle chargers installed at schools and the number installed at each school is not readily available.
340. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if the State will meet the costs of mock exams instead of parents having to pay such costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7421/22]
View answerNeither my Department nor the State Examinations Commission has any role in relation to the setting, running or marking of mock examinations. Decisions to hold mock examinations are taken by individual schools. The format of these examinations varies from school to school and not all schools run mock examinations. Schools that run mock examinations must themselves decide how these can be accommodated in the context of the pandemic.
341. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if progress has been made on the efforts to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme for community employment supervisors. [7155/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, Community Employment (CE) supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme.
At the outset, I wish to acknowledge the valuable and dedicated service that CE supervisors provide in running CE schemes in delivering local based community services while providing a valuable training and development opportunity to the long-term unemployed and to those often furthest removed from the labour market.
I am pleased that agreement was recently reached between the Department of Social Protection and unions representing CE supervisors and assistant supervisors that resolves this long-standing issue through the payment of an once off ex-gratia payment to eligible CE supervisors and assistant supervisors. On the 23rd December, both unions involved confirmed acceptance of this settlement which will benefit over 2,200 people employed by CE schemes going back to 2008. It is estimated to have a total cost of over €24 million.
Under the terms of this settlement, on reaching retirement age, eligible CE supervisors and assistant supervisors will receive a once off ex-gratia payment in respect of time employed by CE schemes since 2008. People who retired since 2008 and who have reached retirement age will be able to apply for payments immediately when the scheme is in place. The ex-gratia payment provides for 2 weeks pay per year of service or part thereof in the qualifying period. The calculation will be based on the salary point of the CE supervisor or assistant supervisor on the date of retirement, subject to a cap of €600 per week.
The Department of Social Protection will now work to put in place the administrative arrangements to implement the agreed settlement so that payments will issue to qualified CE workers in 2022.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
342. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for a birth certificate by a person (details supplied). [7161/22]
View answerI would inform the Deputy that an order for a birth certificate was placed with the HSE's online certificate service. I am advised that the request was processed by the HSE and the certificate issued last week.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
343. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will advise on the issue of community employment supervisors (details supplied). [7178/22]
View answerFirstly, I would like to acknowledge the valuable and dedicated service that Community Employment (CE) sponsoring bodies provide in running CE schemes throughout the country. CE supervisors, as employees of those organisations, are an integral part of that good work.
CE is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and others with an opportunity to engage in training and useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. The programme is delivered through independent CE sponsoring bodies who receive annual contracts from my department. CE sponsoring bodies are the legal employers of CE supervisors, CE assistant supervisors and CE participants. It should be noted that CE supervisors, CE assistant supervisors and CE participants are not public servants or employees of the Department or the state.
CE sponsoring bodies receive state funding to cover the salary costs of supervisors, assistant supervisors and participant remuneration, along with training and material costs from the department. As CE is a working age activation scheme, funding is provided on the basis that participants and supervisors on the schemes are of working age. As a consequence, funding for CE supervisors (and participants) ceases when the person reaches State Pension age. As you will appreciate, if my department continues to fund CE supervisors that have reached the State Pension age it would significantly impact on the opportunities for those people who are still of working age and would also undermine CE as an active labour market programme.
Accordingly, it is not intended to extend funding for CE supervisors beyond the state retirement age which is currently set at 66.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
344. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection if the home caring periods scheme can be taken into account for the State pension (contributory) application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7180/22]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 30 December 2021. They applied for State pension (contributory) on 5 October 2021. Under current eligibility conditions, an applicant must have 520 full-rate paid contributions in order to qualify for State pension (contributory). Credits cannot be used to satisfy this condition. 520 full-rate contributions equate to 10 years of full-rate insurable employment.
The person has a contribution record of 380 paid full-rate social insurance contributions. As their contributions fall short of the required 520 paid full-rate contributions to qualify for State pension (contributory), their claim was disallowed.
The person was notified in writing of this decision on 20 October 2021, and provided with a copy of their social insurance record on which the decision was based. If they consider that they have additional contributions or credits that have not been recorded, they should forward documentary evidence to my Department and their pension entitlement can be reviewed. The person concerned was advised also that they may wish to apply for a State Pension (Non-Contributory) which is based on their financial means, not their social insurance record.
HomeCaring Periods are used to improve an applicant’s rate of pension entitlement. They do not alter the qualifying conditions for State pension (contributory) and will not assist any person whose claim was disallowed for failure to fulfil the legislative condition of having a minimum of 520 paid contributions.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
345. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on a review of the decision on a carer's support grant application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7185/22]
View answerThe Carer's Support Grant is an annual payment made to carers by my department.
I can confirm that my department received an application for the Carer’s Support Grant (CSG) from the person concerned on 10 December, 2021.
It is a condition for receipt of a CSG that the person being cared for must have such disability that they require full-time care and attention.
This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continual supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least six months.
The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer decided that this evidence did not indicate that the requirement for full-time care was satisfied for this care recipient.
The person concerned was notified on 10 January 2022 of this decision, the reasons for it and of his right of review and appeal.
A request for a review of the original decision, together with further medical evidence, was received on 20 January, 2022. Following a review, the application for CSG has been awarded for the years 2020 and 2021. The decision has been issued to the person concerned on 07 February 2022 and a payment of €3550.00 will issue to the person concerned shortly.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
346. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a breakdown of Departmental civil servants and State agency employees under her remit, respectively working in County Wexford and their respective Departmental section in tabular form. [7242/22]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection currently has 88 civil service staff working across the INTREO local office network in County Wexford providing a range of services on all Social Welfare Schemes. The Pensions Authority or Citizen’s Information Board do not have any employees based in County Wexford.
347. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made by her Department in respect of its targets and goals set out in the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development under the policy remit of her Department; if these targets and goals will be met by their respective deadlines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7286/22]
View answerIreland has adopted a ‘whole-of-Government’ approach to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications taking the lead and with each Department having responsibility for implementing individual targets related to their functions. My Department has lead and stakeholder responsibility for several targets, focusing on the areas of social protection poverty and inequality and employment activation.
Social transfers have an important role in reducing poverty and inequality. In this area, my Department has lead or stakeholder responsibility for Sustainable Development Goal targets 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 10.1 and 10.4. Budgets 2018 through 2022 have all been progressive, with a strong emphasis on supporting the most vulnerable. Most recently Budget 2022 included:
- across-the-board increases of €5 to all weekly payments, with proportionate increases for qualified adults;
- increases to qualified child dependant payments, with the weekly rate for children aged 12 increasing to €48 and the weekly rate for children up to age 12 to €40;
- an increase of €10 per week to the weekly income threshold for Working Family Payment regardless of family size and
- an increase to the weekly Living Allowance to €22.
Progress in this area will be delivered through implementation of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025, for which I chair the steering group, among other Government strategies.
Currently, my Department also has lead or stakeholder responsibility for targets 4.4, 8.5, 8.6 and 8.b, which focus on training and labour market activation. Last July, my Department published Pathways to Work 2021-2025, Ireland's national employment services strategy, which aims to help people prepare for, secure and sustain employment. The implementation of this Strategy will make a significant contribution to achieving targets 4.4, 8.5, 8.6 and 8.b.
My Department also contributes to target 5.4 through supporting carers. Recent Budgets have included: an increase in the number of hours that a carer can work or study every week outside the home and still get Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance from 15 hours to 18.5 hours; an increase in the Carer’s Support Grant to €1,850 per year; an increase in the weekly income disregard for Carer’s Allowance to €350 per week for single carers and to €750 per week for carers with a spouse/partner, and an increase in the disregard when assessing Carer’s Allowance Capital/Savings from €20,000 to €50,000.
Finally, my Department’s provision of the Fuel Allowance supports the delivery of Target 7.1. Since the beginning of April 2018, the Fuel Allowance season has been extended to 28 weeks. Budget 2022 increased the weekly rate to €33, increased the income threshold from €100 to €120 and reduced the qualification period for people in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance or Supplementary Welfare Allowance from 15 months to 12 months. Research by the ESRI in October 2020 confirms that interventions of this nature can reverse the regressive impact of the carbon tax and can lead to a reduction in overall poverty, particularly child poverty.
My Department has been actively engaged in both the Senior Officials Group and Interdepartmental Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goals, and I am committed to my Department playing an important role in Ireland achieving the SDGs by 2030.
