Written Answers Nos. 501-520
501. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current situation regarding children placed under private family arrangement; and if this practice complies with the relevant childcare legislation and European convention. [15867/22]
View answerTusla’s statutory obligations in relation to children and families stem primarily from the Child Care Act 1991. Tusla is responsible for promoting the welfare of children not receiving adequate care and protection. In doing so, the best interests of the child are paramount, but Tusla also seeks to have regard to the rights of parents and to the principle that it is generally in the best interests of a child that they are brought up in their own family.
In this context, Tusla may take a child into care, in accordance with the statutory provisions, when a parent is unable to provide that care and requests that Tusla provide alternative care for their child, or where it has been determined through a judicial process that the child has been exposed to a level of harm and/or will be exposed to a level of harm that cannot be prevented other than removing them from the parent’s care.
There is no formal definition of “private family arrangements”, but there are a number of circumstances in which Tusla may engage with a child and their family, where the child is not in care.
As part of Tusla’s intervention, a parent and their wider family may agree to a plan that sees a child living with extended family, relatives or friends. Such arrangements can be a key component of a safety planning process where there are ongoing concerns of harm to a child that require Tusla’s ongoing involvement to assure the child’s safety. Tusla remains involved in such cases until such time as the child’s safety has been evidenced over time or until a decision is made to invoke formal care arrangements, which can be in the form of relative foster care.
A parent and their extended family can also agree a temporary arrangement to support the care of the child while the parent gets respite and support. Where support is required Tusla can provide such support to the child, parent and carer through what is often referred to as a family support plan. There are also legal provisions under guardianship legislation for the family to have such arrangements made more formal through the appointment of a temporary or full guardian. Tusla is often made a notice party to such applications to support the Court in its decision making process.
A parent/family may also enter into a temporary care arrangement with a relative where no support is required and where Tusla has no involvement. Where a parent enters into a private care arrangement with someone who is not a guardian or relative and where Tusla has not had any involvement, the Child Care Act (Part IVB) requires the parent to notify Tusla of such an arrangement. Tusla has the authority to determine the suitability of such an arrangement if required and to apply to the District Court for directions if it believes the arrangement is not in the child’s best interests. Such notifications are rare.
If Tusla has concerns in relation to a child’s safety or welfare or risk of harm, wherever the child is placed, Tusla would provide the same supports and interventions that they provide to any family including invoking the statutory processes to take a child into care under the Child Care Act 1991.
As you will be aware the Department submitted proposals to amend the Child Care Act, and received Government approval for the drafting of the Heads and General Scheme of a Child Care (Amendment) Bill. The Heads of Bill are currently being drafted, and further policy work is being undertaken. Consideration of the role of Tusla in supporting children and families in the community and in the formal care system forms part of the process.
502. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 577 of 22 February 2022, when Pobal will publish data into establishing if unused capacity varies by type of provision or location, to establish if there is a mismatch in supply and demand, for certain cohorts of children or in certain areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15966/22]
View answerAs part of ongoing efforts by my Department to monitor early learning and childcare (ELC) capacity, Pobal, using the data captured as part of the Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey in June 2021 and current registration data, recently projected national vacancy rates in February 2022. These projections revealed an estimated fall in national vacancy rates from June 2021 to February 2022 – with vacancy rates projected to have fallen from 21% to 19%.
Pobal was asked to examine these projections further, specifically to establish if unused capacity varied by type of provision or location. Pobal has advised however that reliable projections by type of provision or location – would not be possible with the data currently available.
However, capacity - by type of provision and location - is currently being captured by the City/County Childcare Committees and will be available in the coming weeks. These data are being gathered as part of the Action Plan developed by my Department to respond to the early learning and childcare needs of Ukrainian children and their families.
Moreover, fieldwork for the next Annual Early Years Sector Profile Survey will commence in April 2022, which will allow for more detailed information on capacity among early learning and childcare services to be gathered.
503. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the former site of the St Patrick's refuge and laundry, Dún Laoghaire, which currently has a planning application for apartments has been assessed as to whether it is potentially a burial site; if not, if he plans to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16026/22]
View answerI have no statutory role or powers in relation to the planning process, which is regulated under the Planning and Development Act 2000. I understand that planning decisions of this nature are functions of the local authority concerned.
The Institutional Burials Bill, which I published last month, was developed to provide the required legal basis for intervention at the site of the former Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Co. Galway, where manifestly inappropriate burials have occurred. The legislation is not site specific and provides for interventions at other institutions should evidence emerge of manifestly inappropriate burials of people who died while ordinarily resident at such an institution.
505. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount spent on services for families experiencing relationship and marital breakdown by Tusla between 2014 and 2021; the amounts as a percentage of the Tusla annual budget for each year; the way this compares with the proportion of annual budget spent on services for families experiencing relationship and marital breakdown by Tusla in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16041/22]
View answerI have referred the question to Tusla for direct response to the Deputy as the matter raised is an operational matter for Tusla.
506. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of retainers his Department has with outside organisations; and the cost of each retainer in tabular form. [16145/22]
View answerMy department does not currently have any retainers with outside organisations.
507. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 668 of 22 March 2022, if the heads of a bill to give effect to remaining aspects of the EU Work-Life Balance Directive will include a domestic violence paid leave provision. [16324/22]
View answerHeads of a Bill to give effect to remaining aspects of the EU Work-Life Balance Directive will go to Government in the coming weeks. The Bill will include provisions to give effect to the right of workers to leave for medical care purposes and a right to request flexible working arrangements for workers who are parents of children up to at least 8 years old or who are carers under the terms of the Directive.
The Bill will also include provisions to extend the entitlement to breastfeeding breaks for mothers returning to work after maternity leave.
I also intend to bring to Government shortly a report on the work undertaken in my Department to investigate the introduction of a form of domestic violence leave. The report contains a number of recommendations in this regard which, once approved by the Government, will inform legislative proposals to introduce the leave.
It is intended that these proposals will form part of the aforementioned Bill but will be introduced at Committee Stage if approved by Government.
508. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the external consultancy organisation or provider which delivered diversity and inclusion training within his Department in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022; the costs associated with such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16369/22]
View answerThe Department has undertaken direct diversity and inclusion training, as well as indirect training since 2018.
Indirect training is where the course is not titled diversity and inclusion but includes elements of the topic in the delivery of the training – this includes but is not limited to training such as interview board training, and leadership training.
All training was procured in line with the Office of Government Procurement rules, the providers are as follows:
|
Provider |
Spend on diversity and inclusion training from 2018 – date 2022 |
Note |
|
Think People Training |
€23,976.60 |
|
|
Public Affairs Ireland |
€785 |
|
|
Spirasi |
€3,501.70 |
Diversity and inclusion was an element of this training for the International Protection Accommodation Service team |
|
Barnardos |
€18,770 |
Diversity and inclusion was an element of this training for the International Protection Accommodation Service team |
|
O’Herlihy Access Consultants |
€8,671.50 |
In line with action 20 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy, the Department is developing a revised disability awareness module which also includes diversity and inclusion |
The Department is also collaborating with and advising OneLearning colleagues, the provider of common training across the Civil Service based in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), on two diversity, inclusion and equality training offerings which will be available for all Civil Service colleagues, including Department staff to attend. This is part of the OneLearning Generation 2 offering which was procured by DPER in line with OGP rules.
510. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the average waiting time for Tusla fit for purpose inspections; the number of inspections that are being carried out per week; the number of facilities that are waiting to be inspected and if there is any information in the Department regarding the impact on opening dates of new early childhood education facilities and creche’s being caused by waiting for inspections. [16437/22]
View answerAs the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.
511. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he can investigate a case of a new private creche early childhood education facility (details supplied) due to open in Bayside which is waiting for a Tusla fit for purpose inspection and if any measures can be taken to get an early inspection date to ensure the facility opens on time. [16438/22]
View answerAs the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.
512. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has considered any steps to increase the amount of childcare support for children under 12 months of age in County Louth. [16458/22]
View answerThe availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority.
Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in early learning and childcare has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. More than 100,000 children now participate on the universal pre-school programme on an annual basis and the National Childcare Scheme subsidises up to 80,000 children.
To ensure that the supply of early learning and childcare places meets demand, my Department has, since 2015, funded the creation of more than 27,000 new places through an Annual Capital Programme. Through this Annual Programme, priority has been attached to, inter alia, the creation of places for children under 3.
Before the onset of Covid-19, national data indicated that, on the whole, supply of early learning and childcare places was meeting demand, with evidence of undersupply for certain age groups including children under 3, and in certain areas.
Data gathered throughout the Covid-19 pandemic revealed lower demand for early learning and childcare, and reduced occupancy among early learning and childcare services. Indeed, data captured in June 2021 found significant vacancy rates across the country – with the national vacancy rate averaging at 21% and the vacancy rates for all age groups having risen significantly compared to two years ago.
|
National Vacancy Rate By Age (June 2021) |
Rate |
|
Up to 1 year (0-12 months) |
20% |
|
1 year+ to 2 years (13-24 months) |
10% |
|
2 years+ to 3 years (25-36 months) |
17% |
|
3 years+ to 4 years (37-48 months) |
17% |
|
4 years+ to 5 years (49-60 months) Non-School-Going |
12% |
|
4 years+ to 5 years (49-60 months) School-Going |
42% |
|
5 years+ to 6 years (61-72 months) Non-school going |
30% |
|
5 years+ to 6 years (61-72 months) School going |
48% |
|
6 years+ to 8 years (73-96 months) |
37% |
|
8 years+ |
34% |
|
Total |
21% |
The estimated overall capacity in Louth was 7,162 places, with an overall vacancy rate of 24%. Less than 1% of the capacity in Louth was for places for children under 12 months.
As part of ongoing efforts by my Department to monitor early learning and childcare capacity, Pobal, using the data captured as part of the Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey in June 2021 and current registration data, recently projected national vacancy rates in February 2022. These projections revealed an estimated fall in national vacancy rates from June 2021 to February 2022 – with vacancy rates projected to have fallen from 21% to 19%.
Pobal was asked to examine these projections further, specifically to establish if unused capacity varied by type of provision or location. Pobal has advised however that reliable projections by type of provision or location – would not be possible with the data currently available.
However, capacity - by type of provision and location - is currently being captured by the City/County Childcare Committees and will be available in the coming weeks. These data are being gathered as part of the Action Plan developed by my Department to respond to the early learning and childcare needs of Ukrainian children and their families.
Moreover, fieldwork for the next Annual Early Years Sector Profile Survey will commence in April 2022, which will allow for more detailed information on capacity among early learning and childcare services to be gathered.
In addition to these efforts to monitor capacity issues across the country, my Department is planning a range of steps to address any issue of under supply. A new funding model, to roll out in September, will provide funding for services aligned to costs of delivery so, for example, greater funding will be available to services that cater for younger children where costs of delivery are higher than older children. Some €70m has been allocated to my Department through the revised National Development Plan (NDP) – with the majority of this funding earmarked for new places. Another important step being taken by my Department, in partnership with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government (DHPLG), is to update the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings.
Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) for assistance. Contact details for CCCs may be found on www.myccc.ie.
513. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has considered any steps to increase the amount of childcare support for children under 12 months of age. [16459/22]
View answerThe availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority.
Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in early learning and childcare has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. More than 100,000 children now participate on the universal pre-school programme on an annual basis and the National Childcare Scheme subsidises up to 80,000 children.
To ensure that the supply of early learning and childcare places meets demand, my Department has, since 2015, funded the creation of more than 27,000 new places through an Annual Capital Programme. Through this Annual Programme, priority has been attached to, inter alia, the creation of places for children under 3.
Before the onset of Covid-19, national data indicated that, on the whole, supply of early learning and childcare places was meeting demand, with evidence of undersupply for certain age groups including children under 3, and in certain areas.
Data gathered throughout the Covid-19 pandemic revealed lower demand for early learning and childcare, and reduced occupancy among early learning and childcare services. Indeed, data captured in June 2021 found significant vacancy rates across the country – with the national vacancy rate averaging at 21% and the vacancy rates for all age groups having risen significantly compared to two years ago.
|
National Vacancy Rate By Age (June 2021) |
Rate |
|
Up to 1 year (0-12 months) |
20% |
|
1 year+ to 2 years (13-24 months) |
10% |
|
2 years+ to 3 years (25-36 months) |
17% |
|
3 years+ to 4 years (37-48 months) |
17% |
|
4 years+ to 5 years (49-60 months) Non-School-Going |
12% |
|
4 years+ to 5 years (49-60 months) School-Going |
42% |
|
5 years+ to 6 years (61-72 months) Non-school going |
30% |
|
5 years+ to 6 years (61-72 months) School going |
48% |
|
6 years+ to 8 years (73-96 months) |
37% |
|
8 years+ |
34% |
|
Total |
21% |
As part of ongoing efforts by my Department to monitor early learning and childcare capacity, Pobal, using the data captured as part of the Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey in June 2021 and current registration data, recently projected national vacancy rates in February 2022. These projections revealed an estimated fall in national vacancy rates from June 2021 to February 2022 – with vacancy rates projected to have fallen from 21% to 19%.
Pobal was asked to examine these projections further, specifically to establish if unused capacity varied by type of provision or location. Pobal has advised however that reliable projections by type of provision or location – would not be possible with the data currently available.
However, capacity - by type of provision and location - is currently being captured by the City/County Childcare Committees and will be available in the coming weeks. These data are being gathered as part of the Action Plan developed by my Department to respond to the early learning and childcare needs of Ukrainian children and their families.
Moreover, fieldwork for the next Annual Early Years Sector Profile Survey will commence in April 2022, which will allow for more detailed information on capacity among early learning and childcare services to be gathered.
In addition to these efforts to monitor capacity issues across the country, my Department is planning a range of steps to address any issue of under supply. A new funding model, to roll out in September, will provide funding for services aligned to costs of delivery so, for example, greater funding will be available to services that cater for younger children where costs of delivery are higher than older children. Some €70m has been allocated to my Department through the revised National Development Plan (NDP) – with the majority of this funding earmarked for new places. Another important step being taken by my Department, in partnership with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government (DHPLG), is to update the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings.
Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) for assistance. Contact details for CCCs may be found on www.myccc.ie.
514. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will clarify the situation in respect of fee caps being linked to core funding in the early child education sector; if providers will lose funding if they fail to sign up to fee caps; and if he will provide the advices he received in respect of this direction. [16634/22]
View answerOne of my top priorities in Government is to improve affordability for parents. The package of measures announced in Budget 2022 is designed to ensure that fees to parents do not increase and that the full affordability benefits of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) are felt without being absorbed in fee increases.
On 7 December, I was pleased to launch a report on a new funding model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC), Partnership for the Public Good. This report was delivered by an Expert Group which was independently chaired and comprised national and international experts. 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.
In Budget 2022 I secured a financial commitment for the introduction of a new Core Funding stream for ELC and SAC services to support improved quality, affordability, and sustainability. This Core Funding stream, which was recommended by the Expert Group, will become available from September 2022 and will be worth up to €73.5 million in 2022 and up to €221 million in a full year from 2023 on.
Core Funding will require a commitment not to increase fees to parents from the September 2021 rates. This means that parents will not be faced with fee increases, and the full affordability effects of the NCS, and the universal Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Pre-school Programme, will be felt by parents.
Providers who do increase their fees will be required to revert to September 2021 levels on or before September 2022 in order to be eligible for the new Core Funding stream.
In advance of the introduction of the Core Funding Stream, a Transition Fund will be available to providers from May to August, also contingent on an agreement not to increase fees from September 2021 levels. This fund will operate from the end of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (April 2022) until the introduction of Core Funding and make available up to €6.4 million per month to providers.
The introduction of fee management measures is one of the recommendations of the Expert Group, as approved by Government. Fee management will start with the requirement for providers to maintain fees at or below September 2021 levels to access Core Funding in 2022. Further information on proposed fee management mechanisms in the longer term is available in the Group's report.
The work of the Expert Group was informed by an extensive programme of stakeholder engagement, a programme of research on international practice, research on the ELC and SAC costs incurred by families in Ireland, reviews of the costs of delivering services in Ireland, and a range of other inputs.
I am grateful to the wide range of individuals and organisations that took part in this programme of stakeholder consultation and engagement, including parents, providers and the workforce. Phases 2 and 3 of the consultation process used the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum as its reference group which include a large number of provider organisations. Approaches to fee management were discussed throughout the programme of consultation, particularly during the Phase 2 sessions on Parental Affordability and Partnership between the State and Services.
All material relating to the work of the Expert Group, including their report, research papers and all outputs from stakeholder consultation, are available on a dedicated website, www.first5fundingmodel.gov.ie.
The introduction of the requirement to maintain fees at or below September 2021 levels to access the very substantial levels of new funding means that parents will not be faced with fee increases, and the full affordability effects of the NCS, the NCS reform announced in Budget 2022 and indeed any reforms to the NCS in future Budgets can be fully realised.
515. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason the scheme to compensate those affected by illegal birth registrations is limited to one institution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16661/22]
View answerIn March 2021, following publication of the Independent Review into Illegal Birth Registration, 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.
Recommendation 16 of the report by the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection was that provision should be made to cover legal costs associated with a declaration of parentage of persons affected by illegal birth registrations. In response, the Government approved a once-off payment of €3,000 for the individuals whose illegal birth registration has been confirmed by Tusla from the files of St. Patrick’s Guild.
This once-off payment of €3,000 is intended as contribution towards costs such as creating or amending wills or seeking a declaration of parentage. While it could also be used for DNA testing, Tusla has covered the costs of DNA testing for individuals in cases where records were insufficient to confirm an illegal birth registration and will continue to provide this support.
Tusla already hold confirmation of illegal birth registrations from the files of St. Patrick’s Guild that can form the basis for a payment to the individuals affected without any need to bring forward evidence and meet a certain burden of proof. There may be potential to extend the payment to other confirmed cases after the Birth Information and Tracing Bill has provided access to records and people with suspicions are, therefore, able to access evidence necessary to confirm illegal birth registration and effect a change in the birth register.
516. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 74 of 27 May 2021, when the report of the Collaborative Forum of Former Residents of Mother and Baby Homes and Related Institutions, submitted to him in December 2018 will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16664/22]
View answerI recently met with the Collaborative Forum on 22 March to update members on the progress being made in advancing key initiatives in the published Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. We also discussed specific matters of concern to the Forum, including the significant legislative programme being progressed as part of the Action Plan and arrangements for publication of the Forum’s report.
Publication of the Forum’s report had to initially await the publication of the Commission’s report. For this reason, the Forum's recommendations were initially published and a commitment was given to revisit the question of publication following the completion of the Commission's work. Thereafter, in acting on legal advice, the Department commenced a right of reply process to ensure relevant parties named in the report were afforded due process prior to publication. While I regret how long this necessary process has taken, it is envisaged that it can be finally concluded next month, thereby enabling my Department to seek further advices of the Attorney General’s Office with a view to publication at that point.
I will revert to the Collaborative Forum directly to discuss practical arrangements in advance of any publication.
517. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position of trainees on further education and training courses provided in Education and Training Boards that have come off social welfare payments to attend such courses; if her attention has been drawn of trainees attending these courses having their payments reduced for various reasons to do with course attendance; the details of any deductions made to the core payments of such trainees while on ETB courses; the numbers of trainees affected in recent years and the amounts deducted; the role of her Department in implementing or confirming such deductions; the rights of trainees to appeal such deductions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16492/22]
View answerThe payment of learner allowances to participants on further education and training (FET) courses across the 16 ETBs is transferring from the individual ETBs to the Education Shared Business Services under the Department of Education. The first phase of this transfer occurred in August 2020 and the second phase, involving Youthreach and VTOS learners, went live in February 2022.
I am aware that deductions are made to learner allowances paid to FET learners which are related to course attendance and that the practices in relation to these deductions can vary across programmes and locations. While the details sought regarding the extent of these deductions are not readily available, I can advise the Deputy that the practices regarding these deductions are currently being reviewed in the context of the transfer to the ESBS. I will advise the Deputy of the outcome of this review which I expect in the coming weeks.
518. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will allow Irish students who have been accepted to begin studying medicine in Ukraine in the next academic year beginning September 2022 to instead commence their studies in an Irish institution until it is safe to travel to Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15863/22]
View answerMy Department is working on a range of responses for the people of Ukraine. We are in the process of identifying a central portal for students seeking to engage in third level education here and I hope that will be ready shortly. Any Irish student should apply through the Central Admissions Office.
519. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the financial supports that are currently available for a student who has a primary degree but wants to return to education to secure a masters. [16024/22]
View answerThe main support available to assist postgraduate students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved full-time course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.
In line with the Programme for Government commitment to address the gap in postgraduate grants, from September 2021 the postgraduate fee grant increased from €2,000 to €3,500. This increase will allay some of the costs for postgraduate study and will give greater certainty for students in terms of supports. In addition, the fee grant income threshold increased from €31,500 to €54,240 from September 2021.
Postgraduate students who meet all of the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme are eligible for a maintenance grant of up to €5,915 for the 2021/22 academic year (rising to €6,115 for 2022/23); the income threshold for this grant is €24,500. Qualifying postgraduate students may also be eligible to have their tuition fees paid up to a maximum fee limit of €6,270.
Students can determine their eligibility at susi.ie/eligibility-criteria/. Alternatively the student may wish to discuss his/her individual circumstances with the SUSI Support Desk by calling 0818 888 777.
SUSI’s online application process for renewal student grant applications for the 2022/23 academic year opened on 10th March, 2022. New applications will be accepted by SUSI from April 28th, 2022. The priority closing dates for the 2022/23 Student Grant Scheme are 7th July 2022 for new applicants and the 9th June 2022 for renewal students.
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.
520. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the inequality which exists in the funding of PhDs with a large number having to self- fund while many others must find funding bodies getting approval on detailed proposals; if he will instruct his Department to increase the stipend received by PhD students across the country given the increased cost of living which has outpaced a PhD stipend which has not changed since approximately 2003 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16108/22]
View answerMy Department provides funding for postgraduate research through both Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Irish Research Council (IRC). Funding is also provided by other statutory funders and, of course, private funders. Stipends are typically a feature of such funding globally, providing an income to the awardee in recognition of the need to devote themselves on a full-time basis to their research.
My Department is monitoring the issue of stipends, in the context of the resources available to my Department and the competing needs to which they can be allocated. In that regards, I was pleased to be able to allocate additional funding to the IRC in 2021 to enable it to increase postgraduate scholarship by €2,500 per annum, or 16%. This was made effective from 1 January 2021 and, together with an increase to funding for postdoctoral salaries, benefited close to 1,300 early-career researchers in the system. The move also aligned the stipend level for both agencies within my Department, i.e. the IRC and SFI.
