Written Answers Nos. 301-320
301. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of exceptional needs payments that were provided due to domestic or gender-based violence per month to date 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25477/22]
View answerApplications for Exceptional Needs Payments are made under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) Scheme administered by Designated Persons in the Community Welfare Service in my Department.
The purpose of the Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) scheme is to assist people with essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure that 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.
The application and decision making process does not collect statistical information from the applicant in terms of whether they are a victim of domestic or gender based violence.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an exceptional or urgent needs payment is encouraged to contact their local Intreo Centre. There is a National Intreo Contact Centre in place - 0818-405060 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
302. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of rent supplements for survivors of domestic violence by month to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25478/22]
View answerThe accommodation needs of victims of domestic violence are met through a joined-up service delivery model provided by Tusla with the close involvement of the various housing authorities nationwide. Access to Rent Supplement can be provided on referral by Tusla or by prescribed Tusla funded service providers. This provides victims of domestic violence with a fast track approval and screening process with a simplified means test to get immediate access to rent supplement so that they are not prevented from leaving their home because of financial concerns.
The standard rent supplement means test does not apply to these applicants for an initial three month period. After three months, a further three month extension may be provided, subject to the usual rent supplement means assessment. After six months, if the tenant has a long-term housing need, they can apply to their local housing authority for social housing supports and, if eligible, will be able to access the Housing Assistance Payment, a social housing support provided by Local Authorities. While this protocol to assist victims of domestic violence in accessing rent supplement was initially introduced in August 2020 in response to the pandemic, I was pleased to announce in November last year that the measure has been made a permanent feature of the Rent Supplement Scheme, recognising that the underlying rationale for this support will be required long after the impact of the pandemic has receded.
Access to rent supplement is additional and complementary to the range of other supports already in place for victims of domestic violence.
In the period since August 2020, 217 victims of domestic violence have been supported with rent supplement under the protocol. There are 43 victims of domestic violence currently being supported under the Protocol, with a further 51 victims of domestic violence being supported on rent supplement subject to the standard rent supplement means assessment and eligibility criteria, following a period of support under the domestic violence protocol.
Table 1 shows the number accessing rent supplement support under the domestic violence protocol from August 2020 to date in 2022.
Table 1 – The number accessing rent supplement support under domestic violence protocol at end of month, to date in 2022.
Recipients of Rent Supplement under Domestic Violence Protocol
|
- |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
|
January |
47 |
49 |
|
|
February |
53 |
46 |
|
|
March |
55 |
45 |
|
|
April |
68 |
48 |
|
|
May |
73 |
||
|
June |
56 |
||
|
July |
52 |
||
|
August |
1 |
50 |
|
|
September |
14 |
54 |
|
|
October |
22 |
47 |
|
|
November |
32 |
47 |
|
|
December |
41 |
46 |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
303. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is working with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the relevant agencies to provide opportunities to match refugees from the Ukraine with employment opportunities; if her Department is considering running jobs fair-type events across the country with local agencies for that purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25495/22]
View answerI can confirm that my department is working alongside the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment (DETE) and other relevant agencies in supporting access toemployment for those arriving from Ukraine, under the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive.
DETE officers are liaising with staff from my employer relations team to advise them of job opportunities for Ukrainian workers that employers have informed them of. Once notified, the employers are advised to publish their available positions on the JobsIreland website so that job-matching can take place. A dedicated section on www.jobsireland.ie has been developed providing information on employment supports and opportunities and a frequently asked questions page for newly arrived Ukrainians. This information is available in both Ukrainian and Russian and includes video tutorials on CV and interview preparation, and how to register and apply for vacancies on JobsIreland.
Ukrainians seeking employment can access the service directly, to upload details of their skills and experience for matching with available employment opportunities. The resources and job opportunities available are also promoted through social media in Ukrainian and Russian. Employers across all sectors who wish to support Ukrainians through provision of employment opportunities, are requested to register on www.jobsireland.ie to advertise vacancies. This will enable Intreo Employment Services Officers to match the skills of those seeking employment with available work opportunities.
Additionally, since the middle of April, Intreo Employment Services are arranging employment support events specifically for Ukrainians. These events are being arranged on an outreach basis in, or close to, current accommodation hubs and by inviting Ukrainians to Intreo centers to receive these services.
At these events, details of Ukrainians proficiency in English, their qualifications, employment history and employment preference are provided to assist with job matching. Those attending are also assisted on site to find employment through exploring employment opportunities – via jobsireland.ie and with ‘jobs walls’ advertising local vacancies. To date Intreo Employment Services staff have engaged with well over 5,500 Ukrainians at these employment support events. Of those, many have high levels of education and professional qualifications, and have a broad range of work experience.
My Department will continue to work with DETE and other agencies to assist Ukrainians find employment while they are in this country.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
304. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the issuing a new PPSN for a person (details supplied); when their Public Services Card will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25497/22]
View answerI can confirm that the Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) ending in “W” that had been held by the person referred to by the Deputy has been purged by my Department.
A letter issued on 17th May advising the person concerned of her new PPSN and a new Public ServicesCard will issue to her shortly.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
305. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if Ukrainian persons who have moved to Ireland because of the war there and who are applying for the jobseeker’s allowance can retain part of the allowance if they work three days; the method by which their means will be assessed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25540/22]
View answerIn accordance with the Temporary Protection Directive implemented in March, people fleeing the war in Ukraine have been granted the status to avail of the supports and services, including income supports and employment services, provided by my Department.
To allow payments to be made as quickly as possible all applications for income support were initially processed under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme. My Department is now in the position to ensure that people are placed on the correct primary payment as early as possible. Consequently, applications are now being processed under other income supports also, including Jobseeker's Allowance.
Jobseeker's Allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment made to people who are unemployed and seeking full-time work. In order to qualify for this payment a person must be fully unemployed for at least 4 days in any period of 7 consecutive days.
A person can therefore take up employment for 3 days and may still qualify for the support. Earnings from employment are assessed as part of the means assessment. Where a claimant or their spouse or partner has earnings from insurable employment and they are working 3 days per week, earnings less PRSI deductions, superannuation, the pension levy and trade union subscriptions are assessed as means. For each person there is a disregard of €60 per week or up to €20 for each day of unemployment and the balance is then assessed at 60%.
Where a person starts work or intends to start work they must let my Department know as soon as possible as it may affect their social welfare payment. To do this they need to go to their local Intreo Office or one of the dedicated Ukraine Support Centres in Dublin, Limerick or Cork.
I trust that this information clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
306. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is considering waiving the condition of being on jobseeker’s allowance for at least one year in relation to eligibility for the TÚS scheme for Ukrainians who have moved to Ireland due to the war there, in order that they can participate fully and integrate into society should they fail to get employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25541/22]
View answerThe European Union has activated the Temporary Protection Directive, as an emergency provision in response to the War in Ukraine. The Directive allows Ukrainian citizens and others fleeing Ukraine to move through the EU and receive supports. The Directive also allows people to access employment supports and the right to work in this country on the same basis as EU citizens. This includes the application of rules governing eligibility for active labour market measures such as Tús.
In engaging with people arriving from Ukraine the Department's initial priority is the allocation of PPSNs and the provision of immediate financial supports. A fast-track approach in processing these supports includes a simplified decision-making process and quick processing of PPSNs to allow access to public services and income supports.
My Department is also providing assistance to Ukrainians to find employment. A dedicated section on www.jobsireland.ie, has been developed providing information on employment supports and opportunities for newly arrived Ukrainians. Ukrainians seeking employment can also use jobsireland.ie, to upload details of their skills and experience for matching with available employment opportunities or can come to a local Intreo Office to talk to an employment support officer. Employers across all sectors who wish to support Ukrainians through provision of employment opportunities, should register on www.jobsireland.ie to advertise vacancies. This will further assist Intreo employment services officers match the skills of those seeking employment with available work opportunities.
My department has recently launched a programme of employment engagement events specifically for those who have come to this country from Ukraine. This will enable Intreo and the wider Public Employment Services to provide further support and assistance to Ukrainians in finding employment. These engagements are being provided on an outreach basis in, or close to, current accommodation hubs, or by inviting the people concerned into Intreo offices to meet with employment support officers.
Tús is a community work placement initiative that provides short-term, quality work opportunities in community and voluntary sectors for those who are unemployed for more than a year, while also providing certain services to communities. Refusal to participate on Tús can result in having your social welfare payment reduced or cancelled.
We need to ensure that employment support programmes such as Tús, which were designed to assist those furthest from the labour market, continue to be available for those who would most benefit most from these programmes. For Tús, this continues to be those who have been unemployed for a year.
Eligibility criteria for Tús continues to be kept under active review by my department officials to ensure the best outcomes for individual participants, to support communities in which participants are placed and in light of changes to the labour market.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
307. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who applied for the domiciliary care allowance annually between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2021, inclusive; the number of applications that were successful; the number that were appealed; and the number that were successful on appeal in tabular form. [25578/22]
View answerDomiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a monthly payment for a child, aged under 16 with a severe disability who requires ongoing (continual or continuous) care and attention, substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. The child is likely to require full-time care and attention for at least 12 months.
The Following table sets out the number of Domiciliary Care Allowance applications received in the years 2016 to 2021, along with the numbers awarded and disallowed:
|
Year |
Applications Received during the year |
Claims Awarded during the year |
Claims Disallowed during the year |
|
2016 |
7,434 |
4,996 |
1,683 |
|
2017 |
8,197 |
6,823 |
2,187 |
|
2018 |
8,609 |
6,317 |
2,225 |
|
2019 |
8,719 |
5,886 |
2,875 |
|
2020 |
7,289 |
5,060 |
2,639 |
|
2021 |
9,121 |
5,369 |
2,468 |
The number of claims awarded or disallowed in any given year do not necessarily relate to the applications received during that year. For example, claims received at the end of one year are likely to be decided in the following year.
The following table sets out the number of Appeals for Domiciliary Care Allowance for the years 2016 to 2021, with a breakdown of the Appeals allowed.
|
Year |
Appeal Allowed |
Appeal Partially Allowed |
Appeal Disallowed |
Total |
|
2016 |
564 |
18 |
250 |
864 |
|
2017 |
297 |
10 |
135 |
442 |
|
2018 |
686 |
13 |
258 |
957 |
|
2019 |
811 |
10 |
321 |
1,142 |
|
2020 |
912 |
51 |
488 |
1,451 |
|
2021 |
533 |
25 |
338 |
896 |
The number of DCA applications continues to increase. Applicants are encouraged to provide as much detail as possible at application stage to ensure all information is available to the Deciding Officer before the initial decision is made.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
308. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual cost of cleaning and sanitising roofs of buildings under her Department’s control for the past five years to date in 2022. [25595/22]
View answerThe Department has employed pest control services for roofs of buildings under the Department's control on one occasion in the past five years, costing €5277.75. The Department does not employ services on an annual basis.
309. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when an invalidity pension will be awarded in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25639/22]
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.
An application for IP was received from the person concerned on 24 February 2022. In order to establish medical suitability for IP, two forms issued on 17 May 2022. On receipt of the completed forms, a deciding officer will make a decision on their entitlement to IP and they will be notified directly of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
310. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the supplementary welfare allowance of a person (details supplied) of no fixed abode will be restored; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25640/22]
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 (DP) in the Community Welfare Service in my Department.
As outlined in a previous reply, Departmental records reflect that the person concerned applied for a weekly SWA payment with effect from 14/04/2022. A DP made a home visit to the person concerned on 27/04/2022 to help progress his application. In the course of the meeting the person concerned was asked to provide certain information in support of his application. As some of the requested information remained outstanding, the application could not be progressed. The DP decided the person was not entitled to a SWA payment on the grounds he had failed 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.
Part of the difficulty in establishing eligibility for assistance from this Department is the lack of clarity around the status of the person concerned in this country and a letter from the Department of Justice outlining his status would provide that clarity.
If the person concerned is not satisfied with this decision, he can send in any facts or evidence to my Department and a DP will review the decision. The person can also appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
It is open to the person concerned to make a new application for SWA including all the necessary information with his application. A valid Department of Justice status permit or letter must be provided with the new application as failure to supply evidence of permission to reside in the state may result in refusal as the person will not satisfy the Habitual Residence Conditions (HRC).
It is open to the person concerned to apply for an ENP if he is experiencing financial hardship. The purpose of the 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 considering 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.
An application for an ENP has been sent to the person concerned. An ENP application form can also be downloaded from gov.ie. When the completed application and supporting information is received, it will be assessed, and the person concerned will be advised of the outcome in writing.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
311. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the correct level of payment available to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25645/22]
View answerThe personal rate of Illness Benefit payable in individual cases is based on the applicant's average weekly earnings in the relevant tax year. The relevant tax year is the year 2 years prior to the year in which the claim is made.
Based on her earnings in 2020 the person concerned was awarded a personal rate of Illness Benefit of €134.40 per week. An increase of €40 per week in respect of her dependent child has recently been awarded, backdated to the start of the claim, giving her a total weekly payment of €174.40 per week.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
312. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the early childhood education and care sector will have its funding increased in line with the inflation costs. [25464/22]
View answerMy Department secured an overall 2022 allocation of €716m, an increase of €78m on the previous year’s allocation.
The 2022 allocation includes €272m for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme Funding, €200m for the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and Savers Programme Funding.
Funding for the ECCE programme is allocated on a capitation basis that has regard to the unit cost of delivery, taking account of providers’ costs.
NCS funding constitutes a demand-side subsidy paid to providers which is offset against parents’ fees rather than being related to providers’ costs.
The 2022 budget also provides for the introduction of a new Core Funding scheme. 2022 will see up to €73m being made available for Core funding, which equates to €221m in full year costs.
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 stable income to providers.
Core Funding will give providers a stable income source based on the nature of the service they deliver. A provider’s income will now consist of Core Funding, NCS subsidies and ECCE capitation, and parental fees. Structuring Core Funding primarily based on capacity means that services will have an allocation each year that will not fluctuate in line with children’s attendance. Core Funding makes a contribution to staff costs, which comprise approximately 70% of a service's operating costs. In this respect, Core Funding includes allocations for improvements in staff pay and conditions (€138 million) and for administrative staff/time (€25 million). Employer costs are factored in to the staff costs allocation in Core Funding. A further €38 million will be distributed in line with ELC graduate qualifications of ELC Lead Educators and Managers in ELC or combined ELC and SAC services.
Core Funding also makes a contribution to non-staff overhead costs (for example, utilities, rent) that make up the remaining 30% of providers costs. In a full year, there is an allocation of €20 million for a contribution to non-staff overhead costs through Core Funding. This includes an increase since the original allocation was announced in the budget.
Extensive analysis of the income and costs to providers demonstrates that the combined funding model of ECCE, NCS and Core Funding offers a substantial and attractive package to providers to cover costs, including increased costs related to quality measures, while also committing to the key conditions of Core Funding such as the fee freeze.
My Department is committed to increasing sectoral investment by at least €1bn by 2028.
313. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the annual cost of cleaning and sanitising roofs of buildings under his Department’s control for the past five years to date in 2022. [25582/22]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that my Department currently operates from 2 offices:
1. Miesian Plaza, 2nd and 3rd Floors, 50-58 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2. D02 XWI4
2. Montague Court, 2nd and 3rd Floors, 7/11 Montague Court, Montague Street, Dublin.
Since May 2018, my Department's headquarters have been located in Miesian Plaza. In respect of Miesian Plaza, my Department is a sub-tenant of the Office of Public Works (OPW), who are the tenant of the Landlord. Any costs in relation to the cleaning of roofs are not a matter for my Department.
Prior to May 2018, my Department's headquarters were located in the Mespil Road Office, Ballsbridge, Dublin. The Mespil Road Office was under the control of the OPW. Any costs in relation to the cleaning of roofs were not a matter for my Department.
Following a Transfer of Functions from the Department of Justice in 2020, my Department took control of Floors 2 and 3 in Montague Court in October 2020. The building is under the control of the landlord, Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL). My Department pays JLL an annual service charge, which includes an annual fee for cleaning the roof of the building. The annual fee for cleaning the roof of the Montague Court building is €1,513.00. To date my Department has paid JLL €2,650.00 for cleaning the roof of the Montague Court building.
The below bodies fall under my Department's remit, however, I do not have control over the buildings they occupy.
|
Body: |
|
|
National Disability Authority |
|
|
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission |
|
|
Child and Family Agency (TUSLA) |
|
|
Adoption Authority of Ireland |
|
|
Oberstown Children Detention Campus |
|
|
Ombudsman for Children’s Office |
314. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures his Department is taking to address the backlog in craft apprenticeships, such as electrical, plumbing, carpentry, joinery bricklaying and stonelaying across SOLAS and the higher education sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25530/22]
View answerThe backdrop to current wait-lists for essential practical training for apprentices is the extended shutdown of on-site learning activity from March 2020. The closure of education and training facilities in response to the Covid pandemic precluded access to to off-the-job training. The very welcome growth in registrations has compounded pressures on the apprenticeship system to which the education and training system is responding energetically to reduce waiting times.
In terms of the Deputy's question my Department has been advised by SOLAS that currently there are 8,208 apprentices waiting to access off the job training of which 7,228 are waiting for phase 2 and 980 for phase 4 and 6.
Regarding the number of electrical, plumbing, carpentry joinery, and bricklaying and stone laying apprentices specifically, my Department has also been advised that as of 17 May 2022 apprentices waiting for all phases of off the job training included:
- 3616 electrical
- 1162 plumbing
- 844 carpentry
- 98 brick and stone laying
A major element of the response plan is putting in placed additional capacity. Capital funding of €20m was provided in 2020 to extend and upgrade facilities. Classes are now back at their full intake of 14-16 apprentices since last September.
Additional funding of €17m has been provided to SOLAS and HEA to underpin the plan to reduce backlogs, €6m of which is being invested in additional instructors, with over 100 additional posts approved.
More than 8,400 apprentices, over 70% of those delayed by Covid-19, have now progressed. This includes over 700 final year apprentices who have been fast-tracked to complete their qualification
SOLAS and the HEA are working with education and training providers, and with the support of my Department, to identify further solutions that will address the wait-lists, without compromising the quality, standards, and safety of those apprentices. Craft apprentices waiting for phases 4 and 6 is on target to be cleared by mid-to-end of 2022, with the majority of phase 2 wait lists targeted to be cleared by year-end 2022.
315. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is satisfied with the classroom spaces currently available to deal with the backlog of apprenticeships; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it currently could take over six years for electrical apprentices to be fully certified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18754/22]
View answerCraft apprenticeships account for 25 of the existing 65 apprenticeship programmes. Given the practical nature of off-the-job training for craft apprentices, the COVID-related shutdown of on-site learning activity over the last two years had a significant impact on the ability of apprentices to access off-the-job training. The other apprenticeships have not been delayed but may have had disruption to recruitment in, for instance, hospitality.
Capital funding of €20m was provided in 2020 to extend and upgrade craft apprenticeship facilities across further and higher education institutions. Classes that were running at half capacity under COVID 19 measures are now back at their full intake of 14-16 apprentices since last September.
Additional funding of €17m was provided under Budget 2022 to further facilitate the SOLAS and HEA’s response to the backlogs. €6m is being invested in additional instructors, with over 100 additional posts approved.
As of end April 2022, 8,169 craft apprentices were waiting for access to phase 2, 4, or 6 off-the-job training. The waiting list is tackled in order of those apprentices who have been waiting longest. More than 8,400 apprentices, or over 70% of those who were delayed in their training by Covid-19, have now progressed in their off-the-job training. This includes over 700 final year apprentices who were fast-tracked to complete their qualification.
SOLAS and the HEA are actively working with the education and training providers to identify additional solutions that will address the waiting lists for off-the-job elements of craft apprenticeship to ensure that apprentices are enabled to complete their training as quickly as possible without compromising the quality, standards, and safety of those apprentices.
316. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the provisions that his Department is making to provide increased capacity in third-level education for the core specialist professions critically needed to address the shortages in expertise across the CAMHS and children's disability network team services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25444/22]
View answerEnsuring an appropriate pipeline of suitably qualified healthcare professionals is a key priority. The staff required by a children's disability network team (CDNT) require a wide range of expertise in a number of clinical and other areas including, but not limited to physiotherapy, psychology, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, social work and community nursing.
The Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to working with the education sectors, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals and reform their training to support integrated care across the entire health service, including in relation to disability services. The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is also represented on the Interdepartmental Working Group which is currently tasked with developing an Action Plan for Disability Services for the 2022-2025 period.
My officials are actively engaging with the Department of Health on determining the longer term skills needs of the healthcare services, and the role which the further and higher education sector can play in meeting those skills needs.
317. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current number of occupational therapists who are due to graduate from third-level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25445/22]
View answerMy Department does not produce projections of enrolment on an individual course basis, and therefore the number of occupational therapists expected to graduate this year is not available. Graduate numbers for 2020, the latest year available, are below and numbers for this year would be expected to be similar. These figures are as reported on the HEA's student records system (SRS).
|
Institution |
Degree Level |
Field |
Graduates |
|
University of Limerick |
Taught Masters |
Occupational Therapy |
29 |
|
NUI Galway |
Honours Degree |
Occupational Therapy |
27 |
|
Trinity College Dublin |
Honours Degree |
Occupational Therapy |
45 |
|
University College Cork |
Honours Degree |
Occupational Therapy |
25 |
318. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the student involvement that he envisages in testing the value of spending in higher and further education as he plans to increase investment in the sector. [25448/22]
View answerOn 4th May I launched the Funding the Future framework which includes the Government's policy response to the Cassells and DG Reform Reviews on the future of higher education and which sets out my intention to implement a progressive range of measures to address costs as a barrier to education, in the context of overall Budgetary decision-making.
I am very conscious of the difficulties that students, like so many others in society, face as a result of the increased costs of living. For students and their families this includes not just costs such as accommodation and food but also education-specific costs such as the student contribution or other fees.
I have regular meetings with the USI and engagement with students across the country and I hear stories of how these costs affect people. As part of the Student Grant Scheme Review a very welcome feature of the process was engagement with students, and I understand that over 9,000 survey responses were received from students across the country. In a specific briefing for USI, as part of the future funding launch, my Department advised USI that we are available to discuss proposals and engage on key priorities of importance to students to inform the design and implementation of Funding the Future.
Future Funding implementation will be based on partnership between Government, the higher education sector and wider societal and enterprise interests. This will entail a stronger focus on measuring and verifying performance from the system, as well as assessing information on costs, quality issues and outcomes which respond to economic and societal need.
319. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress that is being made on CAO reform; and the initiatives that have been taken to make it easier for students to apply for apprenticeships. [25449/22]
View answerA key goal for my Department is to enhance the visibility of further education and training (FET) and apprenticeship options for school leavers and the changes to allow school leavers explore options across the third level system, whether in higher education, further education or apprenticeship options, from the CAO website is an important development.
Within the FET sector, a central portal has been developed to enable learners to apply for their chosen courses, from over 700 courses which have been updated in terms of course naming conventions and learner requirements. This is being managed through FETCH / PLSS (which is a central application system for FET courses delivered through Education and Training Boards throughout the country).? Technical experts from SOLAS and the CAO are working together to ensure that technology developed for FET in the short-term aligns with CAO systems to enable integration over time. The further development and expansion of the CAO FET offers to include wider options will build on the experience of the 2022 application process. By 11th May there had been 16,290 visits to to www.fetchcourses.ie directly from the CAO website.
For apprenticeship options, where students can be hired by approved employers throughout the year, the CAO website links to www.apprenticeship.ie, a one-stop-shop website for information and guidance on apprenticeships. There were a record 8,607 new apprentice registrations last year. There were 28,758 visits to apprenticeship.ie from the CAO website by 11th May. There is also a freephone number available - 1800 794 487 for guidance on apprenticeships which is open 12pm-6pm Monday-Friday. There have been over 500 calls to the helpline since November 2021.
A briefing session for guidance counsellors was also organised by ETBI and SOLAS to provide information on apprenticeship options. Collectively, these measures will increase awareness of and access to apprenticeship programmes.
320. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will develop a part-time education path for pharmacy technicians to pursue full qualification to work as a pharmacist. [25574/22]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to working with the education sectors, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals and reform their training to support integrated care across the entire health service.
Higher education institutions (HEIs) are autonomous bodies as set out in legislation and as such the management of their academic affairs, including the courses offered by any HEI, are generally a matter for the institution in question. As such, any course to be offered allowing pharmacy technicians to qualify as pharmacists would be a matter for the institution in question, in collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland which is the statutory body responsible for the regulation of pharmacists in Ireland.
My officials are actively engaging with the Department of Health on determining the longer term skills needs of the healthcare services, and the role which the further and higher education sector can play in meeting those skills needs. I will ensure that there is continued engagement with all stakeholders to ensure that we deliver graduates with the skills necessary to support our healthcare system and support the strategic workforce planning by the health sector.
