Written Answers Nos. 223-242
223. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education the number of electric vehicles and-or hybrid vehicles in her allocation of ministerial vehicles; and if she will provide the make and model of all vehicles in her allocation of ministerial vehicles by the year registration. [21603/22]
View answerI have not been allocated a ministerial vehicle.
224. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that Cork City Council is refusing all new applications for traffic wardens. [21623/22]
View answerThe appointment of a school traffic warden is a matter for the relevant Local Authority and schools are advised to liaise with the relevant Local Authority in relation to their concerns.
225. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the engagement she has had with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform regarding the need to provide pay parity between teachers who qualified pre-2011 and post-2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21372/22]
View answerThe Government is committed to the delivery of quality public services, and will continue to approach public service pay in a balanced way that is reasonable and fair to both public servants and the taxpayer. This has been achieved through series of national collective agreements applying across the public sector agreed between trade unions and the Government. The process for these agreements are led by my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform my Department engages with his officials on an ongoing basis.
The value of public pay deals to the Government and the taxpayer is ensuring that pay costs are managed in a sustainable and orderly way and in a climate of industrial peace. By and large the public pay agreements have delivered on these objectives over the last 12 years. The current public service agreement, Building Momentum, is in place until the end of this year.
The matter of new entrant pay is a cross sectoral issue, not just an issue for the education sector alone. New entrant pay has been gradually restored over recent years through measures in national pay agreements and has led to significant improvements in the pay of teachers. For example, the starting salary for a new entrant teacher in 2012 was €30,702. As a result of pay agreements over recent years the starting salary of a teacher is now €37,692 and from 1 October 2022 onwards will be €38,192.
In addition, as part of the agreement there is a specific provision in relation to new entrant teacher pay which allows for the skipping of Point 12 of the pay scale. This incremental jump provides an addition €1,700 increase to new entrants. This follows on from measures introduced in the September 2018 agreement which provided for incremental jumps for new entrants at point 4 and 8. This is a further improvement in pay for new entrant teachers which means that teachers on the post-2011 pay scale will reach point 11 of the pay scale in a far shorter time than teachers on the pre-2011 pay scales. The agreement states that parties agree that these measures will be implemented to resolve in full the remaining salary scale issues pertaining to new entrant teachers.
Building Momentum also provides for a sectoral bargaining process to deal with outstanding adjudications, commitments, recommendations, awards and claims which may include allowances. The teaching unions have decided to use this fund to settle outstanding claims including some related to new entrants such as the restoration of a Professional Masters in Education allowance to new entrant teachers.
226. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if assistance will be provided for a sector (details supplied) in view of increased costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21648/22]
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.
Bus Éireann is obliged to tender all works, goods and services to be provided by external suppliers in line with national and EU procurement legislation and this includes services provided by contractors under the School Transport Scheme. Compliant tenders are evaluated against published award criteria. Successful tenderers are awarded a contract for up to five years.
The Department of Education is considering in consultation with other relevant departments and Bus Éireann the implications that increasing fuel costs may have on the provision of school transport services. The Department is also very aware of the potential impact of the current situation unfolding in Ukraine which is impacting fuel prices further.
Government has announced a reduction in excise on fuel will result in a decrease in the cost of fuel. The reduction of 20 cent per litre on petrol and 15 cent per litre on diesel will be in place until 31 August at an estimated cost of €320m. This is a national measure aimed at easing the financial burden on contractors and families at this time.
227. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the options that are available to a person (details supplied) who does not meet the requirements for the free travel card; and if they will be considered for same on compassionate grounds. [21517/22]
View answerThe free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approximately 1,025,000 customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2022 is €95 million.
It is important to note that, in general, access to a free travel pass for those aged under 66 is linked to a person being in receipt of certain primary Social Protection payments such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Carer’s Allowance, Blind Pension and Partial Capacity Benefit. Crucially, as many illnesses or physical conditions have an impact across a spectrum from mild to severe, entitlement to these schemes is not provided on the basis of a simple diagnosis but on the basis of the impact of that diagnosis on the individual concerned. In this way resources can be targeted to people with most need. Therefore, while a diagnosis of a particular medical condition will be required to establish if a person may be eligible for certain social welfare schemes, evidence of impact is also required before entitlement to the scheme (or the related free travel scheme) is established. The sole exception to this general approach is in respect of people who are blind.
While consideration is given to any requests to extend eligibility to the free travel scheme, any decision to enable the award of a free travel pass on a discretionary or compassionate basis would fundamentally alter and complicate the scheme. Any such change would require additional funding for the free travel scheme and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department may award a travel supplement, where the circumstances of the particular case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the individual case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
228. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost if the domiciliary care allowance increased to €330 per month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21496/22]
View answerThe estimated full year cost of increasing the rate of Domiciliary Care Allowance from €309.50 to €330 per month is €11.5 million.
This costing is based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2022 and is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated numbers of recipients.
Any increase in the rate of Domiciliary Care Allowance would need to be considered in an overall budgetary and policy context.
229. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility for assistance with the payment of funeral expenses in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21507/22]
View answerThe purpose of the Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) is to assist people with essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
The ENP scheme is demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
Applications for ENPs are made under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme administered by Designated Persons in the Community Welfare Service in my Department.
According to the records of my Department, the person concerned applied for financial assistance towards the cost of funeral expenses on 15/03/2022. The claim was disallowed on the basis that the person had already paid the funeral expenses and had not shown that a need for assistance with them existed.
A decision letter dated 21/03/2022 issued to the person concerned advising her of the outcome of her application and affording her the option of seeking a review of the Designated Person’s decision.
Determinations made in relation to claims made under Sections 200, 201 and 202 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation Act) 2005, namely allowances-in-kind, ENPs and Urgent Needs Payments, can be reviewed by a SWA Reviewing Officer under Section 323 of that Act.
Following a request from the person concerned a review of the decision has been undertaken by the Reviewing Officer. The Reviewing Officer has contacted the person concerned to seek the following information:
- Signed statements confirming who has paid the funeral bill,
-the repayment plan agreed by the person concerned to repay the funeral costs, and
-3 months bank/financial institution statements for the person concerned.
The review will be progressed on receipt of this information and the person concerned will be advised of the outcome. Should the person concerned need assistance or have any queries in relation to the documentation requested, the Reviewing Officer can be contacted at the phone number and/or email address quoted in the correspondence which issued to them.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
230. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if financial assistance will be provided to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21543/22]
View answerUnder the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my department can make a single Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. There is no automatic entitlement to these payments which are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, considering the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case.
According to the records of my department an application for financial assistance has not been received from the person concerned. For the convenience of the person an application pack for an Exceptional Needs Payment has been posted to her home address. When the completed form and supporting documentation has been received, the person’s application will be assessed, and she will be advised of the outcome in writing.
The person concerned is currently in receipt of a State Pension Contributory, a Living Alone Increase, Household Benefits Package, Telephone Support Allowance and Free Travel.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
231. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Social Protection if a companion free travel pass will be issued to a person (details supplied). [21558/22]
View answerAn application for a Free Travel Companion Pass was received from the person concerned in February 2022. This application was forwarded to the Department's Medical Advisor for decision.
The Department's Medical Advisor has found that a Free Travel Companion Pass on medical grounds is not warranted on the basis of the medical evidence supplied. As a result, the application for a Free Travel Companion Pass was disallowed and the person concerned has been notified accordingly.
It remains open to the person concerned to provide additional (or specialist) medical evidence in support of their claim for a companion pass. If further evidence is provided, the matter will be re-examined.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
232. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which her Department can help to facilitate a person (details supplied) who requires a basic social welfare payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21645/22]
View answerThe Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the state whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single Exceptional Needs Payments (ENPs) and Urgent Needs Payments (UNPs).
The weekly SWA payment provides immediate assistance for those in need who are awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment or do not qualify for payment under other state schemes. Applications made under the SWA Scheme are administered by Designated Persons in the Community Welfare Service in my Department.
Departmental records reflect that the person concerned applied for a weekly SWA payment with effect from 14/04/2022.
Following the Deputy’s representation, a Designated Person arranged a home visit with the person concerned on 27/04/2022 to progress his application.
In the course of the meeting the person concerned was asked to provide the following information:
- A copy of document from the Department of Justice outlining the conditions relating to the person’s permission to reside in the state.
- Proof of means while in Ireland.
- Lease agreement.
- Completed application forms for Disability Allowance and Habitual Residence Condition.
When this information has been received, the SWA application will be assessed and the person concerned will be advised of the outcome in writing.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
233. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the cost per week for children between 12 and 17 years of age who are in Tusla children's residential care; and the cost per week for children between 12 and 17 years of age in after care. [21511/22]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, the question has been referred to Tusla for their direct reply to the Deputy.
234. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the position in relation to the issue of payments by the State to families who are hosting refugees from Ukraine under the Red Cross accommodation scheme; the estimated overall full-year cost of such a scheme; the amount that each host family will be allocated under the scheme per month; when the scheme will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21431/22]
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.
Properties were pledged through the Irish Red Cross Portal on a voluntary basis, and the generous response from the public to this appeal is much appreciated. While there are presently no financial supports for people offering pledged accommodation, the matter is being kept under review by Government.
235. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of electric vehicles and-or hybrid vehicles in his allocation of ministerial vehicles; and if he will provide the make and model of all vehicles in his allocation of ministerial vehicles by the year registration. [21601/22]
View answerI currently use a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid as my Ministerial vehicle. This is a personal vehicle as I am not assigned an allocation of vehicles.
236. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of childcare costs for each provider (details supplied), in tabular form. [21632/22]
View answerOfficials in Pobal, the administrator of the National Childcare Scheme, are currently compiling the information requested by the Deputy. The information will be supplied to the Deputy within 10 working days.
237. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the target set for public service employment for persons with a disability; the date by which same is to be achieved; the percentage as it stands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21432/22]
View answerCurrently, public bodies must ensure that at least 3% of their workforce are people with disabilities. Recognising the important role of the Public Service in creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities and of leading by example in this regard, the Disability Act 2005 placed an obligation on all public bodies to promote and support the employment of people with disabilities (with the exception of the Garda, Defence Forces or prison officers).
I am conscious that the State needs to continue work to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities, both within the public service and more generally. With this in mind, I will introduce legislation in the coming weeks to double the target number of people with disabilities employed in the public sector, on a phased basis, from 3% to 6%, via the forthcoming Assisted Decision-Making Capacity (Amendment) Bill. The target date for achieving the 6% figure set out in the General Scheme of that Bill is end of 2024.
The National Disability Authority (NDA) has a statutory role in monitoring employment of people with disabilities in the public sector, arising from Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005. According to NDA data from 2020, the number of people with disabilities employed in the public sector was 3.1%. This equates to 7,637 people with disabilities working in the public sector.
238. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of facilities (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21515/22]
View answerMy officials have engaged with Kerry Education and Training Board (KETB) regarding this matter.
Traditionally KETB provided an Outdoor and Environmental Education service from the Cappanalea OEC and the Killarney National Park Education Centre on a self-financing basis to schools and youth groups. These services were disrupted during the Covid pandemic. At the same time, the former Cappanalea OEC was re-designated by KETB and became a full Further Education and Training (FET) Campus under Kerry College from September 2020. The role of this re-designated Kerry College Killorglin Campus (Outdoor Education and Training) has evolved with its remit is to provide Outdoor Activity Education and Training for Kerry with particular emphasis on educating and training learners for employment in the outdoors activity and tourism sector.
Kerry ETB are very conscious of the demand for education and training programmes for schools and youth groups and are developing interventions to assist in enabling this provision for schools and youth groups in to the future. It also provides Environmental Educational Provision with the Killarney National Park Education Centre.
239. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason for the delay in carrying out of a cost-benefit analysis in relation to the expansion of the footprint of Waterford Institute of Technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21505/22]
View answerMy Department and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) continue to work closely with Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) in relation to the infrastructure required to deliver on the ambitions of the Technological University.
WIT has prepared a detailed preliminary business case, in accordance with the requirements of the Public Spending Code, to examine options for expanded provision. The final document was submitted to the HEA in late January 2022 and is under active consideration. The Deputy will appreciate that an investment of the scale proposed by WIT requires detailed assessment, including full review of available options, in order to ensure that value for money is secured for the taxpayer.
All property acquisition or capital development proposals involving public funds are subject to this robust assessment.
240. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department will consider additional financial support for postgraduate students; the minimal level of support individual universities can provide for this category of students; if support will be targeted in the first instance at those who are in receipt of higher education grant aid; if a scheme similar to the living wage pilot scheme for artists will be considered in this context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21552/22]
View answerThe main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme administered by SUSI. The Student Grant Scheme supports eligible postgraduate students with the cost of attending higher education. Budget 2021 provided for enhanced postgraduate supports from the 2021/22 academic year including the fee grant amount rising from €2,000 to €3,500 and the income threshold for eligibility for these grants increasing from €31,500, now €54,240. This is an initial step in meeting part of the Government’s commitments regarding SUSI grant support. This increase will allay some of the costs for postgraduate study and give greater certainty for students in terms of supports.
For the academic year 2022/23, there are significant enhancements to the financial supports that students who need them most receive through the Student Grant Scheme; where:
- There will be an increase to all student grant maintenance payments, including the special rate of grant, of €200 per year which will benefit all students entitled to receive a maintenance Grant;
- The income threshold to qualify for the standard rate of student grant will be increased by €1,000;
- The qualifying distance criterion for students to qualify for the non-adjacent rate of grant will be reduced from 45km to 30km.
Apart from the student grant a number of supports are available to assist postgraduate research students in their studies. This includes a range of grants from research funders, institutional scholarships, as well as supports through Student Assistance Fund. Research students in receipt of grants must comply with the terms of their funding award from these bodies, which can vary from funder to funder.
The next National R&I strategy is currently under development and will reflect themes relating to positioning Ireland as a leader in: supporting rewarding careers in research; facilitating a research culture that encourages the flow of talent and ideas across an R&I system that attracts, retains and celebrates diversity of people and careers.
The postgraduate office within the higher education institution would also be able to advise on funding supports.
The Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme was recently launched by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. I understand that the objective of the scheme is to address the financial instability faced by those working in the arts so it would not be analogous to the funding of postgraduate students.
241. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of electric vehicles and-or hybrid vehicles in his allocation of ministerial vehicles; and if he will provide the make and model of all vehicles in his allocation of ministerial vehicles by the year registration. [21608/22]
View answerThe Department of Further and Higher Education; Research; Innovation and Science currently has no electric vehicles and/or hybrid vehicles in the allocation of Ministerial vehicles.
Minister Harris: Vehicle model: Audi A6, registered in 2019
Minister Collins: Vehicle Model: BMW 520 Touring estate, registered in 2018
242. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will explore options to allow students in Northern Ireland to receive full access to the Erasmus programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21633/22]
View answerReflecting the Irish Government’s commitment to the people of Northern Ireland, work is underway to develop a scheme to allow eligible students from higher education institutions in Northern Ireland to continue participating in Erasmus+ on the basis of temporary registration at Irish higher education institutions.
It was planned to put the scheme in place from September 2022, as higher education institutions in Northern Ireland are participating directly in the Erasmus+ programme for the 2021/22 academic year. The Irish Government were advised by Northern Ireland Universities that their participation in the Erasmus was further extended to May 2023, arising from the impact of the Covid -19 pandemic.
The planned scheme to allow eligible students from higher education institutions in Northern Ireland to continue participating in Erasmus+ on the basis of temporary registration with Irish higher education institutions, will now be prepared for implementation in September 2023.
