Written Answers Nos. 151-166
151. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on providing a quarterly refugee accommodation pipeline report to the Oireachtas Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, detailing the number of accommodation places due to be brought on stream under the White Paper implementation process. [15487/22]
View answerAs part of the implementation of the White Paper I am very conscious of the importance of communicating clearly on the progress that we are making in implementing the new model of accommodation for International Protection applicants. Currently we are developing a communication strategy for the programme, which will include mechanisms through which Oireachtas members can be briefed on a regular basis. This will include updates on the accommodation pipeline. Further information on this will be available in the coming weeks.
In the meantime information on the new model can be found on the new IPSS website at gov.ie/ipss.
152. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of purpose-built early learning and care services that will be built in 2022, 2023 and 2024 through the National Development Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15488/22]
View answerDuring 2021, my Department successfully secured €70m in the revised National Development Plan (NDP) allocation. This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare during 2023-2025.
Investment under the NDP will consist of three pillars: Modernisation, New Capacity and First 5 Initiatives. This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare during the lifetime of the NDP as follows:
(1) Modernisation: Much of the existing early learning and childcare infrastructure that was previously delivered by large scale capital programmes is now in need of upgrading and modernisation in order to be fully compliant with new regulations and more recent guidelines, as well as to maximise energy efficiency. This investment will prioritise follow-up funding for buildings that were funded through the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP), with funding also available for previously non-funded infrastructure.
(2) New Capacity: Ireland is approaching the limits of capacity, with shortfalls for early learning and childcare places already evident in some areas and for some cohorts. The rates of participation in early learning and childcare are also lower than European averages. As investment in subsidisation grows in the coming years as committed to in First 5 and the Programme for Government, demand from parents will also increase.
In the coming years, NDP capital funding allocated to early learning and childcare will be used to increase the stock of early learning and childcare infrastructure, in order to address capacity challenges including the undersupply for certain types of provision and in specific areas of the country.
(3) First 5 Initiatives: First 5 (Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families 2019 -2028) was launched in 2018 and was re-committed to in the Programme for Government: Our Shared Future. First 5 envisages a range of innovative initiatives for the early learning and childcare sector, including piloting Family and Early Childhood Centres and piloting outdoor early learning and childcare provision, piloting meal provision. Each of these initiatives have capital requirements.
As outlined in the National Development Plan 2021-2030, access to affordable early learning and childcare is inherently linked to creating an equitable society, sustainable communities and a thriving economy. Early learning and childcare provision is therefore considered under the National Development Plan, along with housing, schools and health facilities as an integral part of national infrastructure.
Further information on the Department’s NDP allocation and the application process will be communicated to the sector in the near future. The Department advises the services to contact their local County Childcare Committees, who will provide information on future capital supports when it becomes available.
153. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to establish a specialist tracing team with ring-fenced resources as recommended in a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15497/22]
View answerIn March 2021 I asked Professor Conor O’Mahony, the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, to consider the significant complexities and challenges which arise in relation to the issue of illegal birth registrations, and to provide a report proposing an appropriate course of action. On 14th March 2022 I published the report which sets out 17 numbered recommendations.
Recommendations 8- 12 relate to creating a Specialist Tracing Service that would take a two-pronged approach to identifying further cases of illegal birth registration. Firstly, it recommends a review and trace of the files flagged by Tusla as raising suspicions of illegal birth registration, but which fell short of the amount of evidence in the St. Patrick Guild files during the Independent Review. Secondly, it recommends creating a right of expedited review for persons who hold reasonable suspicions that they may have been the subject of an illegal birth registration.
On the first point relating to files which were flagged as suspicious, and where the person concerned has not sought information or a review of their case, I will request that Tusla undertake a review of these files to identify which ones have markers which are indicative of potential illegal birth registration and to establish if any of these cases can be confirmed. Where confirmed, affected individuals will be informed of this in an ethical, sensitive and fully supported manner. I will provide the relevant legal underpinning for this review through the Birth Information and Tracing Bill and prior to issuing a formal request to Tusla.
On the second point, I will ensure that the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022 will provide that a person who suspects that their birth was illegally registered will have the right to request an expedited review of their case.
154. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the engagement he has had with the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, with regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the Tusla review of accommodation services for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15498/22]
View answerI appreciate the Deputy’s ongoing interest in relation to Tusla's review of accommodation services to support victims of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV).
As you are aware, in mid July 2021, the Minister for Justice and I jointly submitted a memorandum to Government on matters relating to DSGBV. We asked the Government to note Tusla’s Review, which presents recommendations on the future configuration of accommodation and services that are required to meet the needs of victims of DSGBV.
In September 2021, Tusla gave a presentation to all stakeholders attending the Monitoring Committee for the Second National Strategy on DSGBV, with a view to achieving a national consensus within the sector on the proposed response to these needs.
Towards the end of 2021, i had a number of discussions with Minister McEntee with regard to issues relating to the publication of the Review and associated matters linked to the forthcoming 3rd national strategy on DSGBV. I also wrote to the Minister for Housing, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Social Protection to make them aware of the Review. I asked them to consider its findings when taking broader Government decisions towards the development of the 3rd national strategy.
In February 2022, the Minister for Justice and I jointly submitted a memorandum to the Government on the publication of Tusla's Review. We requested the Government to note that the Programme for Government commits to implement a plan for future refuge space and recommends an approach to address this with immediate, medium and long term actions. We jointly issued a statement on the publication of the review.
A High Level Interdepartmental Group (IDG), as recommended by the Review, has been established to explore issues around refuge provision and service expansion.
The IDG is chaired by the Department of Justice, with members from my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Tusla. This Group is reviewing the current system for provision of refuge spaces, engaging with the sector and looking at ways to expedite delivery of refuge spaces.
155. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timelines for any potential funding stream in 2022 for community centres and community facilities; and if he will report on the potential to create a specific LGBT+ community resource centre fund in recognition of the need for infrastructure investment for the LGBT+ community nationwide and to build on the positive impact of the LGBT+ project funding in 2021. [15500/22]
View answerIn line with the commitments in the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy, my Department continues work on the mapping of LGBTI+ community services. In November 2021, 42 projects around the country received funding to a total amount of €1.5 million under the 2021 LGBTI+ Communities Services Fund.
The fund comprises two schemes – one dealing with community services, and the other with visibility and inclusion. The applications received were of a high standard and the application process was very competitive.
This fund provides for initiatives that will promote inclusion, protect rights and improve quality of life and wellbeing for members of the LGBTI+ community, enabling them to participate fully in Ireland's social, economic, cultural, and political life. We are seeking to achieve tangible outcomes that will transform the lives of LGBTI+ people across Ireland. The Community Services Fund is designed specifically with these aims in mind.
The LGBTI+ Community Services Fund for 2022 will be announced in the coming months and will have a focus on services and initiatives that work to promote the inclusion and visibility of the LGBTI+ community.
156. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide information regarding the scholarships or grants that are available in Ireland for a Palestinian student who is hoping to undertake an MSc in human anatomy here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15169/22]
View answerIn relation to funding under the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
The nationality requirements for the Student Grant Scheme are set out in Section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations 2021. To qualify for a student grant, the candidate's nationality or his/her immigration status in the State determines whether or not he/she meets the nationality requirement outlined in the Act and Regulations. Further information in relation to the nationality requirements are available from SUSI's website: susi.ie/nationality-criteria/
Article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme 2021 provides for a review of eligibility for the award of a grant in the event of a change of circumstances in the academic year, including a change in relation to a student's nationality or immigration status. Where a student acquires Irish citizenship by naturalisation, or is granted one of the permission to remain criterion provided for in the Act or Regulations during the course of their studies, he/she may apply to SUSI to have his/her application re-assessed.
The decision on eligibility for student grant assistance is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.
Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.
In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may also be available in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student's local Tax Office or from the Revenue Commissioners website, www.revenue.ie.
The postgraduate office within the higher education institution attended would also be able to advise on funding supports.
157. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has engaged a company (details supplied) in respect of the services it provides from 2011 to date in 2022; the number of times he has engaged this company; the services used; and the total cost of all engagements with this company. [15182/22]
View answerThe Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science was formed on the 2 August 2020.
The Department Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has not engaged the company in question in respect of the services it provides from 2nd August 2020 to date in 2022.
158. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the percentage of alternative education settings, including Youthreach and related schemes, that have a canteen. [15227/22]
View answerThe information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
159. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of contracts that his Department has with a company (details supplied); the location, nature, value and type of contract in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15409/22]
View answerMy Department is not aware of any contracts in the sector with the company referred to by the Deputy.
160. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Justice when an application for permission to remain in the State by a person (details supplied) will be processed, given that the application was submitted in October 2019; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15138/22]
View answerThe person referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for a EU1 - Residence card with the EU Treaty Rights Division of my Department on 17 October 2019. Processing of this application is ongoing with a decision expected to issue on this application within the next few weeks. The decision will be communicated in writing to the person concerned.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility (inisoireachtasmail@justice.ie), which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
161. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if she has engaged a company (details supplied) in respect of the services it provides from 2011 to date in 2022; the number of times she has engaged this company; the services used; and the total cost of all engagements with this company. [15185/22]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has had a total of eleven supply agreements with the company named to provide either translation or interpretation services, at a total cost of €6,294,250 from 2011 to date in 2022.
162. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the amount of cash seized by gardaí in 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [15222/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the identification, tracing, freezing, and ultimate confiscation of criminal assets does not rest with a single organisation in Ireland and is spread across a number of different agencies and statutory bodies, not all of which are the responsibility of my Department. These include An Garda Síochána, the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Revenue Commissioners, the Chief State Solicitors Office, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Courts. It should be noted that in some cases, funds seized represent overdue/unpaid personal taxation.
I understand that, in accordance with the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Acts 1996-2016, the Criminal Justice Act 1994 and SI No. 418/2011 - Finance (Transfer of Departmental
Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011, all confiscations relating to the proceeds of crime are transferred to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to be paid into, or disposed of, for the benefit of the Exchequer. It is from this central fund that the Government draws for expenditure on all necessary public services and investment, including for communities affected by crime.
However, last year I reached agreement with Minister McGrath to establish a Community Safety Innovation Fund to allow the money seized from criminal activity to be more directly utilised in communities affected by crime. The new Community Safety Innovation Fund (CSIF) will support the work of the Community Safety Partnerships and other policy initiatives of the Department of Justice in the areas of Community Safety and Youth Justice. The initial outlay of the fund will be €2 million in 2022 and is expected to increase in subsequent years.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that PULSE was examined to determine the recorded value of cash seized and the below table outlines the recorded value of cash seized by Garda region.
Recorded Values of Cash Seized by Garda Region.
|
Garda Region |
2021 |
*2022 |
|
Dublin Region |
6,672,380 |
2,511,316 |
|
Eastern Region (NEW) |
1,840,543 |
254,305 |
|
North Western Region |
1,234,012 |
413,050 |
|
Southern Region |
2,393,637 |
232,938 |
|
Grand Total |
12,140,572 |
3,411,609 |
|
*YTD to 21 March 2022 |
It is worth noting that the information provided is taken from PULSE as of 22/03/2022 and is operational and may be liable to change.
For clarity, in a small proportion of incidents, the value of cash seized is recorded in the narrative descriptions. The figures above are based solely on records where the value is recorded in the specific value field. They should not therefore be taken as a definitive total amounts.
163. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the number of additional gardaí that have been trained as divisional asset profilers in 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [15223/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is a multi-agency statutory body established under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996. The Bureau’s remit is to target a person's assets, wherever situated, which derive, or are suspected to derive, directly or indirectly, from criminal conduct. Since its inception, the Bureau has been at the forefront of fighting organised crime in this jurisdiction and disrupting the activities of criminal gangs by depriving them of ill-gotten assets.
The Bureau is widely regarded as a best practice model in the context of combating organised crime. It works closely with law enforcement bodies at national and international levels and continues to relentlessly pursue the illicit proceeds of organised crime activity. The actions of the Bureau send a strong message to criminals and to local communities that profiting from crime will not be tolerated.
The Criminal Assets Bureau Strategic Plan for 2020 – 2023 describes the structure of CAB and its key programmes of activity to deliver its remit. CAB has trained a nationwide network of Asset Profilers to identify assets acquired from the proceeds of criminal conduct. The Bureau continues to develop specialist expertise and technology to trace and investigate these assets. It also continues to work closely with international crime investigation agencies, and has successfully targeted proceeds of foreign criminality from countries such as the US and the UK.
There are 552 trained Divisional Asset Profilers which comprise of 527 Gardaí, 17 Revenue & Customs and 8 Social Protection Divisional Asset Profilers operating nationwide.
I am advised that during 2021, the Criminal Assets Bureau delivered online training to an additional 100 Gardaí. A further training course to an additional 30 Gardaí is scheduled to take place on 24 March 2022.
164. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the number of registrations that the Navan Garda immigration office is processing each week; the wait times for appointments; the current backlog in registration for the Navan office; and the opening hours of this office. [15224/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, registrations for people living outside of the Dublin area are processed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) through the Garda Station network.
The Deputy will appreciate that the processing of these registrations is an operational matter for An Garda Síochána. The Garda authorities have advised me that in 2021 between Navan and Trim Districts a total of 2,017 people were registered, an average of 39 people a week.
I am further advised that wait times are currently between 1-2 weeks and that there is no backlog of people looking for appointments.
An Garda Síochána have informed me that opening hours for appointments are between 7am and 7pm and also evening appointments between 4pm and 12 am. The Navan office is not operated on Monday – Friday office hours and as a consequence appointments are often given on Saturdays, Sundays and evenings.
165. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the number of registrations that the Ashbourne Garda immigration office is processing each week; the wait times for appointments; the current backlog in registration for the Ashbourne office; and the opening hours of this office. [15225/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, registrations for people living outside of the Dublin area are processed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) through the Garda Station network.
The Deputy will appreciate that the processing of these registrations is an operational matter for An Garda Síochána. The Garda authorities have advised me that in 2021, in Ashbourne immigration office a total of 2,205 people were registered, an average of 42 people a week.
I am further advised that wait times are currently 10 days and that there is no backlog of people seeking appointments.
An Garda Síochána have informed me that opening hours for appointments are between 7am and 7pm and also evening appointments between 4pm and 11 pm. The Ashbourne office is not operated on Monday – Friday office hours and as a consequence appointments are often given on Saturdays, Sundays and evenings.
166. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice the status of applications for citizenship by persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15240/22]
View answerThe applications for a certificate of naturalisation from the persons referred to by the Deputy are currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicants meet the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision as soon as possible.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
My Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times.
Last year, my Department made 11,512 citizenship decisions, which is the highest level since 2015. Additional staff have also been assigned to the citizenship team.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
