Written Answers Nos. 109-118
109. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) has sufficient contributions to qualify for benefits while being unfit for work; and the supports that are available for the self-employed sector. [21396/22]
View answerInvalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
To qualify for IP a claimant must, inter-alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last or second last complete contribution year before the relevant date of their claim. Only PRSI classes A, E ,H & S contributions are reckonable for IP purposes. IP was extended to the self employed from 01 December 2017.
Eligibility for IP can only be established on receipt of a completed application form. The person in question should submit an IP application form and their entitlement can then be determined.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
110. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current position in regard to an application for a carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) who has given up their employment to care for their relatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21405/22]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 25 January 2022.
The application was awarded to the person concerned on 7 April 2022 with effect from 27 January 2022.
The first payment issued to the nominated bank account on 14 April 2022.
Arrears of payments due from 27 January 2022 to 13 April 2022 issued on 14 April 2022.
The person concerned was notified of this decision on 7 April 2022 , the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
111. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the gross total spend to date by IPAS on privately owned accommodation (details supplied) as part of its response to the crisis in Ukraine. [21389/22]
View answerMy Department is focused on providing accommodation where requested to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Over 16,500 people have been provided with International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation to date.
IPAS has contracted approximately 5,000 hotel rooms, with additional capacity also being pursued through different means including hotels, guest houses and B&Bs, accommodation pledged by the general public, religious properties, accommodation operated by voluntary organisations, and local authority facilities.
Total spend in this challenging environment is monitored in line with governance requirements. My Department is collating the information requested and a reply will then issue to the Deputy.
112. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of rooms acquired by IPAS within privately owned accommodation (details supplied) as part of its response to the crisis in Ukraine. [21390/22]
View answerMy Department is focused on providing accommodation where requested to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Over 16,500 people have been provided with International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation to date.
IPAS has contracted approximately 5,000 hotel rooms, with additional capacity also being pursued through different means including hotels, guest houses and B&Bs, accommodation pledged by the general public, religious properties, accommodation operated by voluntary organisations, and local authority facilities.
My Department is collating the information requested and a reply will then issue directly to the Deputy.
113. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he plans to streamline the safepass renewal process to remove the requirement for renewal courses given that under the Further Education and Training Act 2017, SOLAS is an administrative body and no longer a training authority. [21318/22]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy in relation to this issue has been requested from SOLAS.
Officials in my department are engaging with SOLAS to confirm the position and the details will be communicated to the Deputy as soon as possible.
114. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason that the management of SOLAS between 2017 and 2019 have deviated from or gone beyond the ministerial order to demand that candidates for Safe Pass take a course to renew their safepass, ignoring the High Court and its own counsel and legal advice. [21319/22]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy in relation to this issue has been requested from SOLAS.
Officials in my department are engaging with SOLAS to confirm the position and the details will be communicated to the Deputy as soon as possible.
115. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if SOLAS is entitled to run apprenticeship and construction courses as an administrative body under section 38 of the Further Education and Training Act 2017. [21320/22]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy in relation to this issue has been requested from SOLAS.
Officials in my Department are engaging with SOLAS to confirm the position and the details will be communicated to the Deputy as soon as possible.
116. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the average annual cost of studying part-time at 'undergraduate and postgraduate level in public institutes of higher education; the total number of part-time undergraduate and postgraduate students in public institutes of higher education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21354/22]
View answerThe number of part-time students enrolled in HEA-funded institutions available is shown in the table below. This data is taken from the HEA's student records system (SRS), and shows the three most recent years available.
|
- |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
|
Undergraduate |
25,555 |
27,392 |
27,204 |
|
Postgraduate |
17,474 |
18,401 |
22,454 |
|
Total |
43,029 |
45,793 |
49,658 |
Neither my Department nor the HEA compile part-time undergraduate and post-graduate fee information. Part-time or flexible students can fall under a number of categories such as part-time students on traditional on-campus full-time programmes, blended learning, evening/weekend on-campus students, or online students. Part-time students can take a wide range of credits and may pay per credit and there is, therefore, no average cost for part-time courses.
117. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the cost of reducing part-time undergraduate and below course fees by €500, €1000 and abolishing them completely in public institutes of higher education for EU students; the cost of reducing postgraduate fees by €500, €1000 and abolishing them completely in public institutes of higher education for EU students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21356/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, fee levels vary across the institutions, disciplines and mode of delivery. Part time and postgraduate tuition fees are payable directly to Higher Education Institutions.
Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational affairs, including the management of academic affairs. They retain the right to determine their own policies and procedures. The level of part time and postgraduate tuition fees to be charged are therefore a matter for the relevant institution to determine in line with its own criteria. My Department is therefore not in a position to provide an estimated cost for reductions in such fees by the sector.
118. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total current reserve of the National Training Fund at the end of 2021; the projected expenditure and income to the fund for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21357/22]
View answerThe closing balance in the National Training Fund at the end of 2021 was €1.1 billion. The estimated income and expenditure for the Fund, as set out in the Revised Estimates Volume for 2022, are €854.74 million and €765.07 million respectively, giving an estimated surplus of €88.67 million in 2022.
