Written Answers Nos. 127-146
127. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the number of Gaelcholáistí school places currently available across Dublin 1, 7, 9 and 11; the future demand that is anticipated by her Department for Gaelcholáistí places over the next decade; and her plans to increase resource provision to meet that demand in future years. [18703/22]
View answerThe provision of Irish-medium education is a priority for my Department and the Government, and we share a strong commitment to increasing the number of Irish-medium places available and providing suitable accommodation in this regard.
As the Deputy may be aware, new schools are established by my Department on the basis of identified demographic demand in an area, and after consideration of the capacity of existing schools to absorb the expected school place demand.
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, the Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date information on significant new residential development in each area.
The Department additionally consults with school patron bodies in order to identify areas with pressures on enrolments.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
- Provision of a new school or schools.
A patronage process is run after it has been decided, based on demographic analysis, that a new school is required. The patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. The Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) has been developed by my Department to provide objective information to parents which will allow them to make an informed choice about their preferred model of patronage as well as language of instruction, i.e. Irish or English, of new schools. Parental preferences, as well as other considerations such as the extent of diversity of provision in an area (including Irish-medium provision), are key to the decision-making process and to whether at post-primary level a school would take the form of an Irish-medium Gaelcholáiste or whether, if English-medium, the school would include an Irish-medium unit or “Aonad”.
Most new post-primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600 – 1,000 students. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to Gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Aonad within a school.
Two Irish-medium gaelcholáistí (Scoil Chaitríona and Coláiste Mhuire) provide Irish medium post-primary places in the areas referred to by the Deputy.
A building project for Scoil Caitriona is included in the Department’s school building programme. The project is currently at project brief stage. The project, when completed, will provide for a long term projected enrolment of 500. In the meantime, the Department has provided a grant to the school to provide interim accommodation pending the completion of the school building project. The school’s current enrolment is 491.
A permanent school building for Coláiste Mhuire 60450U was completed in 2012. The building was constructed to accommodate a long term projected enrolment of 350. The school’s current enrolment is 263.
The Deputy may also wish to be aware that my Department is currently developing a new policy on Irish-medium education outside of Gaeltacht areas. The key objectives of the policy are in accordance with the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish language 2010-2030 and the Programme for Government 2020 and include considering how opportunities for the establishment of Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí can be increased; and developing a clear policy on the establishment of Aonaid lán-Ghaeilge in existing English-medium post-primary schools to strengthen Irish-medium educational provision. An intradepartmental working group was established within my Department in 2021 to progress this important work.
128. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the precise temporary accommodation arrangements to be put in place for the school year 2022-2023 for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18704/22]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers will remain in their current interim location for 2022/23 academic school year.
129. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 452 of 29 March 2022, if an application (details supplied) to Bus Éireann school transport for individual transport under the school transport scheme for children with special educational needs has been received by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18719/22]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
The purpose of the Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
The National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) acts in an advisory role to my Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs.
Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).
The child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs.
In November 2021 a new service was sanctioned to cater for the child referred to by the Deputy and 3 others with an escort on board.
In cases where services are not suitable to cater for a child’s needs, a parent/guardian can make a request to the school transport section of my Department outlining the child’s requirements along with supporting documentation. In certain cases a special transport grant may be offered, and where it is not possible for the family to avail of the grant, a new service may be established.
As advised in my previous response of 29th March 2022, an application for an individual service has not been received to date by the school transport section of my Department for the case referred.
The family can contact officials in School Transport Section of my Department directly with queries relating to this application. The email address is: school_transport@education.gov.ie
130. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education the details of the resources that her Department is making available for schools that will be expected to accommodate children fleeing Ukraine over next few months, particularly small rural schools; if she will address concerns that many principals feel frustrated with respect to a lack of consultation and planning on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18733/22]
View answerMy Department has recently announced the establishment of Regional Education and Language Teams (REALT) to support the needs of Ukrainian children arriving in Ireland.
These Education and Language Teams will be hosted by the 16 regional Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and will be staffed by existing regionally-based education support personnel working closely together to ensure good coordination and alignment of supports for Ukrainian children. My Department will be liaising with the teams to ensure all necessary supports for the Ukrainian children are provided as quickly as possible.
The primary role of the REALT will be to assist children in finding school places and to support schools to meet the needs of these children as they emerge, to advise and support the Department in developing new capacity where required, and to co-ordinate the provision of education services to children and families across their defined area. These teams will ensure that clear, accessible information flows are in place between schools, local education support services and national support structures in relation to Ukrainian arrivals.
The regional teams will be hosted and administratively supported within the ETBs and will lead a network of other key agencies, including Tusla Education Support Service (TESS), NEPS regional personnel, NCSE regional personnel and Management body local nominees working together with local schools. All of the key agencies working together in a holistic manner will bring added value and efficiencies to the process of supporting the Ukrainian children.
Language plays a vital role in helping children/students to clarify and interpret experiences, explore ideas and emotions, and deepen their understanding of the world around them. Recognising the significance of language in shaping individual experiences, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has published a range of materials to support learners with English as an additional language (EAL) across the early childhood, primary and post-primary sectors. These materials aim to support teachers and early childhood practitioners to nurture the language development of EAL learners.
A guide to some of these materials can be found on NCCA's websites: NCCA.ie, curriculumonline.ie and Aistear Síolta Practice Guide. It is planned that further material will be added to supplement what is already available.
A central repository of information and CPD resources for school leaders and teachers to support cultural and linguistic diversity is being developed on the Scoilnet.ie website that schools are familiar with. These supports to include those designed by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) to help children suffering from trauma and EAL, intercultural and relevant curriculum supports developed by the teacher education supports services including PDST, the NCCA and the ETB sector.
131. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if the ownership and history of a former school (details supplied) will be clarified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18737/22]
View answerThe property referred to by the Deputy is not in my ownership as Minister for Education. It is in private ownership. The Deputy may wish to make further enquiries with the current property owners.
132. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection when a community welfare office in Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon will be resuming clinic appointments; the number of community welfare offices across County Roscommon that have not yet resumed clinics; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18458/22]
View answerThe Community Welfare Service of my Department delivers the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme which is the safety net within the overall social welfare system. This scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents.
A Community Welfare Officer (CWO) is available to meet with customers at the Intreo Centre in Roscommon Town five days per week. Customers can also meet with a CWO by appointment at the outreach location in Ballaghaderreen from Monday to Friday.
Any person who needs to speak directly to a Community Welfare Officer can also do so by telephone or email. It is important to note that as part of my continued commitment to improve the CWS in County Roscommon and across the country, customers no longer have to meet in person with a CWO to make a claim. Consultations with a CWO are available via phone, at our offices and if the need arises a direct home visit appointment can be arranged depending on the customer’s need. All applications for assistance are dealt with promptly by officials.
This change is a significant enhancement to the service offered to customers as it means that those who require community welfare assistance no longer need to visit an Intreo Centre or Outreach location or wait to make a claim or wait to access the service. These initiatives that I have put in place continue to ensure that the service is easily accessible and responsive to customer needs, particularly in a time of crisis or emergency.
I hope this clarifies the matter.
133. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on a query in relation to the living alone allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18459/22]
View answerThe European Union has put in place a Temporary Protection Directive to allow Ukrainian citizens and others fleeing Ukraine to move through the EU akin to EU citizens. This Department is providing support and services to assist people covered by this Directive who are fleeing Ukraine and who arrive in Ireland. As the situation is evolving, the Government will, of course, keep all aspects of the Department's various schemes under review to ensure that these people receive the supports and services they require.
Where a person in receipt of social welfare income supports (such as fuel allowance or the living alone allowance) provides accommodation in their home to a person fleeing Ukraine, the Department is developing the necessary changes to regulations or guidelines to ensure that providing such accommodation does not impact on the person’s existing social welfare entitlements. Officials across Government Departments are examining any necessary regulatory or other changes in this regard and it is hoped that these will be finalised shortly.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
134. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons waiting on an oral appeal hearing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18527/22]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. When an appeal is assigned to an Appeals Officer for consideration the Appeals Officer makes a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, holds an oral hearing. The holding of an oral hearing is at the discretion of the Appeals Officer.
Oral hearings have been successfully conducted online or by telephone since October 2020 and these types of hearings will continue. This remote hearing approach has proven to be an effective way, during the pandemic, of facilitating an oral hearing previously achieved through the holding of an in-person hearing.
During this period, Appeals Officers have also made greater use of telephone contact and correspondence to gather additional information or seek clarification which might otherwise have been ascertained in the course of an oral hearing. This has reduced the need to conduct oral hearings.
It is not possible to state how many appeal cases may require an oral hearing at any one time. However, for those appeals where it is identified that an oral hearing is required, a hearing can generally be arranged within approximately two weeks. The position in relation to the conducting of oral hearings is being kept under review by the Chief Appeals Officer.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
135. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will restore the fuel allowance to cover 32 weeks of the year and widen eligibility for the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18541/22]
View answerThe Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from October to April, which is supporting up to an estimated 400,000 households in 2022, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The Government is committed to protecting vulnerable households from the impact of energy costs through a combination of supports, energy efficiency awareness initiatives and investment in programmes to improve the energy efficiency of the housing stock.
As part of Budget 2022, a number of expansions to the eligibility criteria for the Fuel Allowance payment were announced at that time. The weekly means threshold for the Fuel Allowance scheme was increased by €20 to €120 above the appropriate rate of Contributory State Pension, representing a 20% increase in the threshold, which enables more people to qualify for this support. With effect from the start of the next fuel season, the qualifying period for Jobseeker’s and Supplementary Welfare Allowance recipients to access the Fuel Allowance payment will be reduced from 15 to 12 months.
The Government has, therefore, implemented significant expansions in relation to Fuel Allowance through Budget 2022.
Further Government measures were only recently announced to help mitigate the effects of rising energy costs. As part of this package of measures totalling over half a billion euro, an additional lump sum payment of €125 was paid to all households in receipt of the Fuel Allowance payment. It is expected that this additional lump sum will cost an estimated €49 million in 2022.
This means that low-income households will see an increase of 41% in Fuel Allowance support provided during this Fuel Allowance season compared to last season. A recipient household which would have received €735 in Fuel Season 2020/2021 would see an increase of €304 to €1,039 in Fuel Allowance payments in Fuel Season 2021/2022. When taken in conjunction with the electricity costs emergency benefit payment, due to be paid in April, this household would have received over €500 in additional targeted Government supports over the course of this fuel season.
My Department also provides discretionary exceptional needs payments, where appropriate, to people who face difficulties in meeting fuel bills. These payments are not ring-fenced or budget limited as they would be if they were drawn from an earmarked fund, but rather are demand led.
The provision of any additional supports such as extending the Fuel Allowance season or further expanding the qualifying criteria would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
136. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of restoring the bereavement grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18542/22]
View answerThe number of bereavement grant claims in 2013 was 23,716 at a cost of €20.29 Million. This represented an increase of approximately 4% on 2012. Based on a similar yearly increase each year since 2013, it is estimated that the number of bereavement grant claims that might arise in 2023, were the scheme to be reintroduced, would be in the region of 35,200, and the number would be expected to increase in future years. Accordingly, if there were 35,200 such grants made in 2023, at a rate of €850 each, the cost would be approx. €29.92 million. Any decision to reinstate it would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
It is worth noting that there are a range of supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than the former grant. These include weekly-paid widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner’s (contributory and non-contributory) pensions, which are based on contributions or a means test, and a once-off widowed or surviving civil partner grant of €8,000 where there is a dependent child. A number of social welfare payments, including State pension, continue in payment for six weeks following a death. In Budget 2016, the Government increased the payment after death period to 12 weeks for carer’s allowance. Guardian payments are available where someone cares for an orphaned child. A special funeral grant of €850 is paid where a person dies because of an accident at work or occupational disease.
Under the Supplementary Allowance scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income, which may include help with funeral and burial expenses. This is a more targeted and efficient manner of assisting people with bereavement expenses.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
137. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on the disability allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18572/22]
View answerI confirm that an application from the person concerned for disability allowance (DA) was received by the Department on 1 February 2022.
The processing time for individual DA claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria, the person’s circumstances and the information they provide in support of their claim.
On 9 February 2022 the person concerned was requested to supply further information required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on their eligibility. Further information was supplied on 4 March and on 9 March 20222.
On 30 March 2022 the person concerned was requested to supply further information required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on their eligibility. On receipt of this information a decision will be made on their DA application and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
138. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered whether a maintenance recovery unit could remove the need for repeated Family Court hearings and ensure that social welfare evaluation of the means of single parents would be more fairly assessed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18579/22]
View answerUnder existing Family Law legislation, parents, certain categories of guardian or those acting in the place of parents, who may be liable under the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 are obliged to maintain their children. In cases where the family unit has broken down these obligations continue to apply. Child maintenance arrangements can be agreed directly between the parties themselves, or with the assistance of their solicitors, private mediators or supports such as the Family Mediation Service and the Legal Aid Board, or ultimately through the Courts.
The Programme for Government commits the Government to act to reform our child maintenance system and in line with this commitment, we established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland. The Group is chaired by former Circuit Court Judge Catherine Murphy and includes legal, policy and academic professionals as well as officials from my Department and the Department of Justice.
The Group's Terms of Reference are to consider and make recommendations on:
(i) the current treatment of child maintenance payments in my Department;(ii) the current provisions regarding liable relatives managed by my Department; and(iii) the establishment of a Child Maintenance Agency in Ireland.
These Terms of Reference encompass an examination of the treatment of child maintenance payments in the means tests for social welfare payments.
The work of the Group is well underway. A consultation process to facilitate feedback from stakeholder groups and members of the public in order to inform the Group's work was undertaken last year. I have been advised by the Chair that the Group's report is expected to be submitted to me before Easter. I look forward to considering its conclusions and recommendations.I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
139. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will extend the fuel allowance in order that the presence of a person receiving community employment payments after a period of long-term unemployment would not serve to disqualify a pensioner who would otherwise qualify for the scheme. [18582/22]
View answerThe Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from October to April, which is supporting up to an estimated 400,000 households in 2022, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.
A person who moves to a community employment scheme (CE scheme) who immediately prior to commencing the CE scheme was in receipt of a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance will not prevent an otherwise qualified household from receiving the Fuel Allowance payment.
If the CE scheme participant had no entitlement to Fuel Allowance in their own right but was in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment, short-term Jobseeker’s Allowance or Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance immediately prior to commencing the CE scheme, this will also not prevent a household from qualifying for Fuel Allowance.
Any decision to allow a household to qualify for Fuel Allowance when a person who moves to a CE scheme was previously in receipt of a non-qualifying or disregarded payment for Fuel Allowance would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
140. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if a review of the pension entitlement for a person (details supplied) can be carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18674/22]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 11 February 2012. They applied for State Pension contributory (SPC) on 13 September 2011.
According to the records of my department, the person concerned has a total of 331 paid full-rate social insurance contributions. This gave them an entitlement to SPC with a yearly average of 18. They were notified in writing of this decision on 10 October 2011.
At that time, an Increase for a Qualified Adult was in payment for the person concerned. The weekly rate of this payment was higher than the personal SPC rate . The person concerned was informed that they would continue on the more beneficial payment.
The person concerned continues to receive the Increase for a Qualified Adult at a rate of €227.00 weekly. Their current entitlement to SPC based on 331 paid full-rate social insurance contributions (yearly average of 18) is €190.00 per week.
The most beneficial rate of payment is still issuing for the person concerned. However, they can choose to be paid the SPC, which is based solely on their record of contributions.
If the person concerned considers they have additional unrecorded contributions or credits, it is open to them to forward relevant documentary evidence and my Department will review their entitlement.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
141. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of claims submitted and the number of persons that have received enhanced illness benefit for Covid-19; the number of persons that were in payment for two, four, six, eight and ten weeks, respectively; the number of persons that transferred over to illness benefit after the ten week payment period had expired; the number of these claims that were in payment for more than two weeks; the number that was transferred over to disability allowance after the ten week payment period had expired; the number of these claims that were in payment for more than two weeks; the number of such claims that were rejected or pending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18691/22]
View answerEnhanced Illness Benefit (EIB) is a form of Illness Benefit that is payable to self-employed persons or an employee who is told to self-isolate or has been diagnosed with Covid-19. It is important to note that a person may have received Enhanced Illness Benefit on more than one occasion since the payment was introduced, and thus have more than one claim for Enhanced illness Benefit. The number of claims received and the individuals claiming EIB up to March 31st are provided in Table 1.
Table 1: Number of EIB Claims and EIB Recipients
|
Claims |
Individual Recipients |
|
|
Enhanced Illness Benefit |
584,220 |
439,664 |
EIB is payable for up to 10 weeks where a person is diagnosed with Covid-19. In a case where a person continues to be ill beyond 10 weeks, standard Illness Benefit may be paid for an extended period, based on the person’s continued eligibility. Details on the duration of EIB claims are set out in Table 2. The data in Table 2 refers to the claim duration, based on the certification dates.
Table 2: EIB claim durations
|
Weeks |
Claims |
|
0 - 2 |
480,609 |
|
2 - 4 |
74,604 |
|
4 - 6 |
14,408 |
|
6 - 8 |
5,549 |
|
8 - 10 |
2,866 |
|
10+ |
6,184 |
4,811 people had Enhanced Illness Benefit claims with a total certification period of 10 or more weeks, of which 3,428 transferred to Illness Benefit payments, and were certified for 2 or more weeks. 78 persons who had at least one EIB claim of more than 10 weeks duration are now in receipt of Disability Allowance. A total of 63 people had a Disability Allowance claim rejected, while 15 people had Disability Allowance claims pending at the end of March 2022.
142. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to provide additional financial supports to organisations that are supported by the community employment scheme given the additional burden of rising energy and fuel costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18752/22]
View answerCommunity Employment (CE) supports projects that provide work experience for long term unemployed persons to assist them entering the open labour market on exit from the CE scheme, while at the same time providing valuable community services. The programme is delivered through CE sponsor organisations in the community and voluntary sector.
CE sponsor organisations receive annual contracts from my department, which funds the employment of both CE participants and CE supervisors. Funding is also provided towards training and material costs. The materials grant is a contribution towards the running costs of the scheme and covers consumable services and materials necessary for the effective operation of the CE project including such items as Employers and Public Liability Insurances, tools, stationery, audit fees, bank charges (excluding bank interest), protective clothing and the hiring of equipment.
Materials funding is provided to CE sponsor organisations in accordance with their requirements. The department provided an additional materials funding of €2 million in Budget 2019 and this additional annual provision continues to be allocated to those projects that identify a valid requirement for additional materials funding.
Over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic each CE sponsor organisation maintained different levels of service provision in line with the public health restrictions. For many CE schemes this has resulted in a reduction in materials expenditure while a number of CE schemes have experienced some additional costs.
If a CE sponsor organisation is experiencing difficulty with rising energy and fuel costs and is seeking further funding under the materials grant, they should make an application through the department's Community Development Officer assigned to their CE scheme.
Last November, Minister Humphreys and I announced the availability of a grant of €9 million available to community groups through the Community Activities Fund in the Department of Rural and Community Development. The Community Activities Fund was available to support groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with their running costs such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with improvements to their facilities. Groups could also use the funding, administered locally by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs), to carry out necessary repairs and to purchase equipment such as tables and chairs, tools and signage, laptops and printers, lawnmowers, canopies and training equipment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
143. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 141 of 23 February 2022, if a guarantee will be given that no applicant will be adversely affected by the fact that the PRSI contributions for those in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment in 2021 will not be regularised until the end of 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18855/22]
View answerI understand that the Deputy is referring to self-employed contributors who remit their self-employment contributions based on their annual income returns filed with Revenue under self-assessment.
As outlined in my response to the Deputy on 23 March 2022, self-employed contributors have until the end of October 2022 to file their self-assessment returns for 2021. Therefore, the matter of the attribution of contributions in respect of self-employed contributors for the 2021 contribution year will be considered, taking account of the matters set out in the underpinning legislation, towards the end of this year.
This timeframe is appropriate as self-employment contribution data relating to the 2021 contribution year in respect of all self-employed contributors, whether they were entitled to and in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment or not, will only be available after the October 2022 deadline for making self-assessment returns to Revenue.
The Deputy may be aware that the governing contribution year for access to social insurance benefits in 2022, is 2020. Accordingly, benefit applications received during 2022 will reference contributions paid or attributed in respect of 2020.
As I advised the Deputy in my response of 23 March, contributions in respect of the 2020 contribution year have already been attributed to both employed and self-employed contributors. Therefore, self-employed contributors who have until October 2022 to file their self-assessment returns in respect of the 2021 contribution year will not be adversely affected.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
144. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the rationale for the 0.5% fee cap attached to the State auto-enrolment pension scheme; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a similar State-backed auto-enrolment scheme (details supplied) in the UK has a cap of 0.3%; if she is satisfied that the fee difference is justified and that the auto-enrolment scheme as currently envisaged is not too generous to pension funds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18862/22]
View answerI welcome the opportunity to correct a misunderstanding that appears to have made its way into the mainstream media since the Government announcement on 29th March 2022 of the final design of the auto-enrolment retirement savings system for Ireland.
The Deputy will be interested to know that the UK's National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) does not in fact have a charges cap of 0.3%. The legislative charges cap set by the UK government is considerably higher at 0.75% of fund value. Within the boundaries of that charges cap, NEST imposes an annual management charge of 0.3% of fund value, but it also imposes contribution charges of 1.8%.
NEST is a public corporation set up to administer auto-enrolment pension schemes and is accountable to Parliament through the Department for Work and Pensions. While it is expected to eventually become self-financing through members' charges, it currently isn't and hasn't been since its inception in 2008. Nor will it be for at least another 15 years. Instead it will be using an administrative loan provided to it by the UK taxpayer through the government which is repayable from 2038 - which in turn will have to come from charges on members funds.
There are several UK auto-enrolment pension providers, including NEST, and they all have different charging structures. These include, but are not limited to: annual management charges, contribution charges, employer service charges, monthly administration charges, flat fees and switching charges. None of those additional charges will apply in the Irish AE system, which will be capped at a straightforward 0.5% of assets under management and will cover all administration and investment services charges.
In establishing the Irish AE system, we will conduct an open tendering process in a highly competitive market and, therefore, we fully expect the final charges in the Irish AE system to be considerably less than the ceiling rate of 0.5% and, accordingly, considerably less than those typically charged in the UK.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
145. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide details of the Departments that were involved in the Ukraine unit that was recently established in his Department; and his views on the unit and its activities. [18488/22]
View answerTo date more than 10,000 of those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine who have arrived in Ireland have been referred to the International Protection Accommodations Service (IPAS) for accommodation.
A dedicated team in my Department is focused on the provision of accommodation to refugees fleeing Ukraine. This team is in contact with all relevant Departments and Agencies on a regular basis in order to ensure that refugees are provided with accommodation and to facilitate access to the supports that they require.
146. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has been in contact with small childcare providers to discuss concerns with the new core funding model for childcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18510/22]
View answerCore Funding is a new funding stream for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services introduced in Budget 2022 and informed by the work of the Expert Group to develop a new funding model for ELC and SAC, outlined in Partnership for the Public Good: A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare.
Core Funding is a payment to providers designed to support quality, sustainability, and enhanced public management, with associated conditions in relation to fee control and cost transparency, incorporating funding for administration and to support the employment of graduate staff. Core Funding aims to offer better financial sustainability to providers in return for a cultural shift to a partnership relationship between providers and the State that reflects the public good dimension of ELC and SAC.
On 7th March I announced the rates and values for the Core Funding, and launched the online Ready Reckoner tool. The Ready Reckoner is accessible to all and is designed to give an idea of what services can expect to receive based on their characteristics. It also allows different scenarios of provision to be tested. This will show the benefits of applying for Core Funding when it is possible to do so.
The majority of Core Funding (i.e. €183 million of the €221 million) will be distributed based on a service's capacity - opening hours, opening weeks and the age group of children for whom services are provided as well as the number of places available. This €183 million includes allocations for improvements in staff pay and conditions (€138 million), for administrative staff/time (€25 million), and a contribution to non-staff overhead costs (€20 million).
The rationale for this approach to distributing the funding is that these are the primary characteristics that determine the service's costs of delivery. Structuring Core Funding primarily based on capacity will support sustainability and stability for services, since they will have an allocation each year that will not fluctuate in line with children's attendance.
€38 million is allocated to contribute to support graduates to be Lead Educators across ELC and to support graduates as Managers in ELC or combined ELC and SAC services. Heretofore funding has only been available in respect of graduate Room Leaders in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme.
Sessional services with standard capitation, Full Time, Part Time and School Age services will all see substantial increases in funding. Most ECCE services currently in receipt of higher capitation rates will also benefit significantly.
No service will lose out. I have issued a funding guarantee to ensure that no service will receive less in Core Funding that it previously received in higher capitation and programme support payments, if their circumstances remain the same. An estimated 1% of services will be caught by the funding guarantee. All other services will see increases in funding, and most substantial increases in funding.
The 1% of services for whom the funding guarantee will apply and those who will see just small increases from Core Funding are ECCE-only services in receipt of higher capitation for large groups of children and with high occupancy levels. Such services are currently in receipt of between €110-€120 per hour of service provided, which is the highest levels of public funding relative to the staffing levels required for operating those types of services and significantly in excess of average staffing costs required for this type of service.
I would also like to note that there is a sustainability fund in place where services are experiencing sustainability issues that can be availed of by services.
My officials have engaged extensively with provider representatives and providers of all types and continue to do so, via various fora.
Core Funding is designed to facilitate a partnership between the State and early learning and childcare services for the public good. Its primary purpose is to improve pay and conditions in the sector as a whole and to improve affordability for parents, as well as ensuring a fair income to providers. I look forward to working together in partnership with the many providers who which to deliver services for the public good.
