Written Answers Nos. 495-514
495. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of internal case reviews conducted by Tusla in the past ten years; the number that produced a report; and if he will list these reports by title and date in tabular form. [25694/22]
View answerI have referred the question to Tusla for direct response to the Deputy as the matter raised is an operational matter for Tusla.
496. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of reviews conducted by the National Review Panel since its establishment in 2010; and the titles of each review and dates of completion in tabular form. [25695/22]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, the question has been referred to Tusla for their direct reply to the Deputy.
497. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he plans to introduce legislation to introduce socio-economic disadvantage as a further ground of discrimination under the Equal Status Act 2018 and the Employment Equality Act 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25713/22]
View answerI have asked officials in my Department to undertake a review of the Equality Acts (Equal Status Acts 2000-2018 and the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015) which will examine the functioning of the Acts and their effectiveness in combatting discrimination and promoting equality.
The review will include the existing Programme for Government commitments on the introduction of a socio-economic ground for discrimination.
The first step in the review involved a consultation process in which we invited submissions on a range of issues including the functioning of the Acts and their effectiveness in combatting discrimination and promoting equality; awareness of the legislation; and whether there are obstacles to taking an action under the Acts. Submissions were also invited on the scope of the current definitions of the nine equality grounds.
I was pleased to receive an extensive response to the consultation and the submissions are currently being analysed. The outcome of the consultation process will inform the next steps to be undertaken as part of the review and may involve further consultation. I hope to bring forward legislative proposals by the end of 2022.
498. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current childcare capacity and its ability to cater to the Ukrainian families coming to Ireland; if his attention has been drawn to a recent analysis carried out by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25734/22]
View answerThe availability of high-quality early learning and childcare (ELC) that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority.
Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in ELC has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. More than 100,000 children now participate on the universal pre-school programme on an annual basis and the National Childcare Scheme subsidises up to 80,000 children.
To ensure that the supply of ELC places meets demand, my Department has, since 2015, funded the creation of more than 27,000 new places through an Annual Capital Programme.
Before the onset of Covid-19, national data indicated that, on the whole, supply of early ELC places was meeting demand, with evidence of undersupply for certain age groups including children under 3, and in certain areas.
Data gathered throughout the Covid-19 pandemic revealed lower demand for ELC, and reduced occupancy among ELC services. Indeed, data captured in June 2021 found significant vacancy rates across the country – with the national vacancy rate averaging at 21%.
Data gathered over April and May this year is currently being analysed and will provide an updated picture of capacity among ELC services.
My Department has developed an Action Plan to respond to the ELC needs of Ukrainian children and their families. Key actions include:
1. Facilitating access to DCEDIY funding schemes – the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) and the National Childcare Scheme (NCS);
2. Identifying ELC places available locally and nationally for Ukrainian children;
3. Proactively engaging with ELC services to explore the scope for any expansion in ELC capacity - with applications to Tusla to increase capacity in ELC services fast tracked, where possible;
4. Providing an “ELC matching service” to link Ukrainian children to ELC services;
5. Providing information and a host of supports to ELC services to help them meet the needs of Ukrainian children and their families, including training on trauma-informed practice and guidance on how ELC services can best support children and families in the context of the conflict in Ukraine; and
6. Providing information, supports and practical resources to Ukrainian families to support children’s early learning and opportunities for play, including information on Parent and Toddler Groups, designated play areas in temporary accommodation and links to wider supports for early learning and play, including through the network of local libraries.
In addition to these efforts to monitor capacity issues across the country and accommodate the new influx of children needing ELC, my Department is planning a range of steps to address any issue of under supply. A new funding model, to roll out in September, will provide funding for services aligned to costs of delivery so, for example, greater funding will be available to services that cater for younger children where costs of delivery are higher than older children. Some €70m has been allocated to my Department through the revised National Development Plan (NDP) – with the majority of this funding earmarked for new places. Another important step being taken by my Department, in partnership with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government (DHPLG), is to update the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings.
Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) for assistance. Contact details for CCCs may be found on www.myccc.ie.
499. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason that the number of entry points for the ECCE scheme reverted from three to one at the beginning of September 2018, which means that a child must have reached two years and eight months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible for the September start date; the way that this decision was arrived at; the persons who were consulted in relation to same; the insights that were gained from the consultation; the way that this could be considered a more equitable solution given that it excludes children based on their date of birth; the way that his Department can reconcile the impact of the reduction of this support on the ability of the primary carer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25867/22]
View answerPrior to September 2018 there were three entry points per year to ECCE (September, January and April) and children had to be at least 3 years old to enter the scheme. This lead to a situation where there was variation in the number of ECCE weeks a child could qualify for, ranging from between 61 and 88 weeks depending on the date of birth of the child; although in reality almost no children used the 88 weeks as this would require starting in ECCE in April, close to end of the programme year.
The introduction of a single entry point aligned to the start of the primary school year ensured that all children could receive 2 full years of ECCE, or 76 weeks. This also ensures that all children can experience the full pre-school curriculum. In making this change, the minimum age was also reduced to 2 years 8 months. This has made the scheme more equitable in terms of eligibility than the older system.
A single entry point has also streamlined the administration process for providers, making it easier for them to operate and budget for the programme year. In addition it has made it easier parents to secure places on the ECCE programme for their children.
The minimum eligibility age of 2 years and 8 months for the ECCE programme was chosen based on national experience and a review of international practice. It also had regard to the regulatory environment for early years education and care in this country and issues such as child development readiness and adult-child ratios.
The decision making process was informed by representations and feedback from parents, providers and other stakeholders received over the course of that particular approach being in place. Concerns raised generally related to the disparity of entitlements depending on month the child was born and the issues with integrating children into established groups in middle or towards the end of a programme year.
I would note that my Department is currently in the process of appointing a consultant to undertake a 12 month review of the ECCE programme. The purpose of the Review will be to assess whether the ECCE programme is being implemented as intended, assess whether it is meeting its core objectives and identify any enhancements that can be made based on international evidence and experience.
500. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the budget that has been granted to the International Protection Accommodation Services to meet the housing need of persons arriving here from Ukraine; the number of contracts for service the International Protection Accommodation Services has entered into for housing and catering services in respect of same; the duration of each contract; and if he will provide a schedule of all contracted service providers in this regard. [25885/22]
View answerSince the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine on February 24, and the invoking of the Temporary Protection Directive shortly thereafter, my Department has been working intensively as part of the cross-Government response to the Ukraine crisis.
My Department is focused on providing short-term accommodation to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Approximately 22 000 people have been placed in International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation to date.
The Government has agreed that where funding requirements to meet the costs of the humanitarian response cannot be met through reprioritisation of existing resources, they will in the first instance be met from the remaining €2.5 billion space in the Covid contingency fund. My Department will be engaging with DPER in relation to finalising the budget allocation for this spending in this regard.
As of 19 May 2022, my Department has contractual arrangements in place with circa 305 accommodation services. In most instances, these providers either provide in-house catering or subcontract catering services. My Department has a small number of Facilities Management services in place with providers, which can include a catering element.
The duration of accommodation contracts vary according to individual agreements with providers, with most current contracts being of a three to six month duration. As there are commercial sensitivities around the duration of individual contracts, I am not in a position to provide details on specific contract duration.
I set out below a link to a schedule of providers, as of 23 May 2022, which currently provide accommodation on behalf of the Department, excluding certain providers procured directly by Local Authorities and certain accommodation utilised for very short term stays.
The Deputy will be aware that further accommodation, including student accommodation, will become available in due course.
501. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that while most services will benefit from the 2022 budget provision for the early childhood care and education programme scheme, a significant cohort will not; if his Department has plans to address the matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25892/22]
View answerOn 4th May I met with a delegation for the Federation of Early Childhood Providers (FECP) to discuss their position in relation to the new Core Funding stream following a survey of their members. The FECP shared extremely detailed materials at this meeting, including case studies and extensive data on provider costs. This was followed a number of days later with the letter attached to the email received by the Deputy.
There is a great level of detail contained within the various materials provided. My officials have examined these materials in order to issue a comprehensive response to the FECP. A reply has now issued to the FECP.
The response to the FECP seeks further clarification on the data provided and addresses a number of the issues raised but I think it is important to be clear that the Department will not be accepting the proposals made by this sector representative group to extend the scope for additional optional extras or voluntary contributions to be charged to parents whose children are participating in the ECCE programme. It is my view that this risks parents incurring additional charges for a universal service which is designed and intended to be free at the point of use and available to all families, regardless of ability to pay. That would be entirely contrary to the spirit of the programme.
In examining all of the data available to the Department, including that provided by the FECP, there is no evidence about a significant lack of sustainability for ECCE-only services or to suggest that services will face closure as a result of Core Funding. The vast majority of services will see an increase in funding, and around 1% of service will see no change. No service will see a decrease in funding.
The sectoral information on income and costs does not show signs of financial unviability for ECCE-only services. In fact, the evidence suggests that ECCE-only services see the highest levels of income in excess of costs compared to other types of provision.
I am committed to ensuring more stability of income for services, and that is one of the key objectives of Core Funding.
For any service that is experiencing financial difficulties, a Sustainability Fund will be in place. This new strand of the Sustainability Fund, linked to Core Funding, will be designed to provide an extra safety net for providers. This will be open to both private and community providers.
The Government is committed increasing investment in early learning and care and school-age childcare. As part of this, the new Core Funding package amounts to €221 million in full year costs (€173 million of which is new investment).
Every year a number of services close and others open. Current data on service closures and openings are not markedly different to the trend in previous years. This data also shows that services close for a wide range of reasons including retirement of owners or other personal circumstances and only a small minority relate to sustainability issues.
The €221 million Core Funding budget is distributed to services in a fair and proportionate manner, based primarily on the features that determine services’ operating costs.
Importantly, Core Funding and this significant increase in investment is the vehicle through which the Government will deliver improved pay and conditions for staff through supporting the drawing up of Employment Regulation Order for different roles of the sector by the Joint Labour Committee and through introduction new mechanisms to control parental fees.
It may be of interest to the Deputy to know that there is significant material relating to Core Funding available at www.first5fundingmodel.gov.ie/Core-Funding/. This public material was prepared in response to a number of queries received by my Department, including some of which are raised by the FECP.
The new funding model being implemented aims to transform the sector to one that is increasingly publicly funded and publicly managed, delivering a service for the public good, through a partnership between the State and providers, to the benefit of children, parents, educators and practitioners, and society overall.
This transformation starts with Core Funding and the new approach will entail a shift in the relationship between the State and providers in relation to delivering ELC and SAC, with new responsibilities on both sides. Core Funding is open to all registered providers subject to their agreement to the terms and conditions of the funding.
It is my ambition that the maximum number providers choose to participate in this partnership to deliver ELC and SAC for the public good and come into contract for Core Funding. Core Funding however is optional for providers.
I look forward to working together in partnership with providers to deliver ELC and SAC services for the public good.
502. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a list of hotels that are being used in their entirety to house Ukrainian refugees; the number of refugees in each hotel; the details of those contracts; the timeframes, the cost per person seeking refuge and any other relevant details in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25943/22]
View answer503. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a list of accommodation, excluding hotels, that are currently being used to house Ukrainian refugees; the number of persons seeking refuge who are staying in each facility and the length of time they are currently contracted to stay by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25944/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 502 and 503 together.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine on February 24, and the invoking of the Temporary Protection Directive shortly thereafter, my Department has been working intensively as part of the cross-Government response to the Ukraine crisis.
My Department is focused on providing short term accommodation to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Some 22,000 people have sought accommodation in Ireland to date.
As of 18 May 2022, my Department has contractual arrangements in place for approximately 17,800 beds currently in hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs, hostels, self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings with additional capacity also being pursued through accommodation pledged by the general public, state-owned or private properties which may be suitable for short-term accommodation, accommodation belonging to voluntary bodies, religious order properties and Local Authority facilities.
I set out below a link to a schedule of providers as of 23 May 2022 currently providing accommodation on behalf of the Department, excluding certain providers procured directly by Local Authorities and certain accommodation utilised for very short term stays. This includes providers that have made their accommodation available in its entirety or otherwise. Suppliers are not formally obliged to disclose whether the accommodation supply provided represents the whole of the property’s capacity or just some portion of it. However, my officials have indicated where a hotel in question is, to their knowledge, used in its entirety for the accommodation of Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection.
The schedule may be sorted by accommodation type.
My Department is not in position to disclose commercially sensitive information such as accommodation rates, durations and capacities of individual contractors.
I trust this information will satisfy the Deputy.
504. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the ministerial contact details for persons (details supplied). [26104/22]
View answerI can be contacted through by email at minister@equality.gov.ie or by phone on 01 647 3057.
As Minister Rabbitte's functions have not transferred fully to my Department, she can continue to be contacted at her Department of Health details; by email at minister_rabbitte@health.gov.ie or by phone on 01 635 4000
505. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of investigations, internal or external, commissioned by his Department into instances in which departmental documents or information was leaked to the media, which were commissioned or conducted in each of the past ten years and to date in 2022; the nature of such leaks and investigations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26332/22]
View answerMy Department has not commissioned any investigations into unauthorised releases of Departmental documents of information.
I must, however, draw your attention to my responses to PQs 8444/21 and 45446/21 which asked about the unauthorised release of the Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation.
My Department awaits an update on the investigation into this unauthorised release
The two PQs along with my responses are provided below.
To ask the Minister for Children; Equality; Disability; Integration and Youth the status of the investigation into the leak of the Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation to a newspaper (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Catherine Connolly.
Details Supplied:
The Sunday Independent
* For Written answer on 17/02/2021
Reply
I was appalled at the leaking of the report. It was wholly unacceptable and disrespectful to survivors. I secured Government agreement to a full investigation of this incident. The Secretary General of the Department of An Taoiseach is currently investigating the matter. As part of this process, he will examine the broader issue of unauthorised dissemination of documentation and other information related to the work of the Cabinet and its sub-committees.
It is not possible to say when the investigation will be completed . As there are a number of aspects to this it is not clear how long it will take to deal satisfactorily with each of them. I can assure the Deputy that this matter is being pursued to the full and without delay.
To ask the Minister for Children; Equality; Disability; Integration and Youth the status of any investigations into the leak regarding the report on the mother and baby homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Réada Cronin.
* For Written answer on 22/09/2021
Ref No:45446/21
Reply
The Secretary General of the Department of An Taoiseach is leading the investigation into this matter. As part of the process, he has been tasked with examining the broader issue of unauthorised dissemination of documentation and other information related to the work of the Cabinet and its sub-committees.
This matter continues to be pursued as the leaking of details from the Commission's report before its publication was unacceptable and added to the distress to survivors. My Department has provided input to assist the Secretary General with his investigation. Although it is not yet possible to say when the investigation will be completed, I can assure the Deputy that its outcome will be publicised.
506. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on concerns raised by an organisation (details supplied) concerning childcare core funding fee and education requirements; if he has received correspondence from the organisation; if so, if he has responded to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26485/22]
View answerOn 4th May I met with a delegation for the Federation of Early Childhood Providers (FECP) to discuss their position in relation to the new Core Funding stream following a survey of their members. The FECP shared extremely detailed materials at this meeting, including case studies and extensive data on provider costs. This was followed a number of days later with the letter attached to the email received by the Deputy.
There is a great level of detail contained within the various materials provided. My officials have examined these materials in order to issue a comprehensive response to the FECP. A reply has now issued to the FECP.
The response to the FECP seeks further clarification on the data provided and address a number of the issues raised but I think it is important to be clear that the Department will not be accepting the proposals made by this sector representative group to extend the scope for additional optional extras or voluntary contributions to be charged to parents whose children are participating in the ECCE programme. It is my view that this risks parents incurring additional charges for a universal service which is designed and intended to be free at the point of use and available to all families, regardless of ability to pay. That would be entirely contrary to the spirit of the programme.
In examining all of the data available to the Department, including that provided by the FECP, there is no evidence about a significant lack of sustainability for ECCE-only services or to suggest that services will face closure as a result of Core Funding. The vast majority of services will see an increase in funding, and around 1% of service will see no change. No service will see a decrease in funding.
The sectoral information on income and costs does not show signs of financial unviability for ECCE-only services. In fact, the evidence suggests that ECCE-only services see the highest levels of income in excess of costs compared to other types of provision.
I am committed to ensuring more stability of income for services, and that is one of the key objectives of Core Funding.
For any service that is experiencing financial difficulties, a Sustainability Fund will be in place. This new strand of the Sustainability Fund, linked to Core Funding, will be designed to provide an extra safety net for providers. This will be open to both private and community providers.
The Government is committed to increasing investment in early learning and care and school-age childcare. As part of this, the new Core Funding package amounts to €221 million in full year costs (€173 million of which is new investment).
Every year a number of services close and others open. Current data on service closures and openings are not markedly different to the trend in previous years. This data also shows that services close for a wide range of reasons including retirement of owners or other personal circumstances and only a small minority relate to sustainability issues.
The €221 million Core Funding budget is distributed to services in a fair and proportionate manner, based primarily on the features that determine services’ operating costs.
Importantly, Core Funding and this significant increase in investment is the vehicle through which the Government will deliver improved pay and conditions for staff through supporting the drawing up of Employment Regulation Order for different roles of the sector by the Joint Labour Committee and through introduction new mechanisms to control parental fees.
It may be of interest to the Deputy to know that there is significant material relating to Core Funding available at www.first5fundingmodel.gov.ie/Core-Funding/. This public material was prepared in response to a number of queries received by my Department, including some of which are raised by the FECP.
The new funding model being implemented aims to transform the sector to one that is increasingly publicly funded and publicly managed, delivering a service for the public good, through a partnership between the State and providers, to the benefit of children, parents, educators and practitioners, and society overall.
This transformation starts with Core Funding and the new approach will entail a shift in the relationship between the State and providers in relation to delivering ELC and SAC, with new responsibilities on both sides. Core Funding is open to all registered providers subject to their agreement to the terms and conditions of the funding.
It is my ambition that the maximum number providers choose to participate in this partnership to deliver ELC and SAC for the public good and come into contract for Core Funding. Core Funding however is optional for providers.
I look forward to working together in partnership with providers to deliver ELC and SAC services for the public good.
507. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of an application by a student (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25671/22]
View answerThe main support available to assist postgraduate students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.
I understand from SUSI the student was informed in November of the correct award of Postgraduate fee contribution of €3,500. An initial letter issued in error.
The awarding authority (SUSI) has advised that they responded to an official complaint received from the student in question and the issue has been reviewed by their ICT and Training team to prevent reoccurrence in the future.
As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage the assistance of their public representatives in making inquiries about their grant applications. Inquiries may be emailed direct to SUSI at oireachtas@susi.ie. Staff in SUSI are responding to email queries within a matter of days.
508. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department will examine the case of a student (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25674/22]
View answerFor student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course, and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous 1st October. Otherwise, he/she would be assessed as a dependent student, i.e. assessed with reference to parental income and address. The decision on eligibility for student grant applications is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland).
SUSI has advised my officials they received an application from the student in question on 27 April 2022. While the applicant may be living independently from his mother, SUSI found he does not meet the age criteria to be classed as an Independent Student he can only apply as a Dependent Student and as such must be assessed with reference to his own income and that of his mother. The student referred to by the Deputy has been awarded 50% Rate of Student Contribution by the awarding authority SUSI based on Dependent Status. If the student experiences a change of circumstances once his course commences, the student can then submit a request for an Internal Review under Change in Circumstances to SUSI. If you have further inquiries, they can be emailed direct to SUSI oireachtas@susi.ie. Staff in SUSI are responding to email queries within a matter of days.
509. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated timeline and milestones for buildings to be delivered in bundle II of the National Development Finance Agency higher education public private partnership programme; the approach to dealing with construction price inflation; the expected completion and handover dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25750/22]
View answerBundle 2 of the Higher Education Public Private Partnership programme, comprising five projects, is currently at tender (competitive dialogue) stage. Construction price inflation and volatility in the construction market is presenting challenges, however, the procuring authority comprising of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science, the National Development Finance Agency and the Higher Education Authority is working within the parameters of the procurement process to manage these challenges.
Notwithstanding this, it is currently estimated that the programme will achieve financial close in Q1 2023 with construction activities commencing on all five sites immediately thereafter. The construction duration for the projects is also in the region of 24 months and hence the facilities are estimated to become operational from Q1 2025 onwards.
510. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated timeline and milestones for buildings being delivered in bundle I of the National Development Finance Agency higher education public private partnership programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25751/22]
View answerBundle 1 of the Higher Education Public Private Partnership Programme, comprising six projects, is currently at preferred tenderer stage. A Preferred Tenderer has been appointed and the technical and commercial work streams are currently ongoing. It is currently estimated that the programme will achieve financial close in Q3 2022 with construction activities commencing on all six sites immediately thereafter. The construction duration for the projects is in the region of 24 months and hence the facilities are estimated to become operational from Q4 2024 onwards.
511. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number who have enrolled in the national commis chef apprenticeship programme that was launched by her Department in each of the years 2018 to date in 2022; the numbers who have successfully completed the programme each year to date; if her attention has been drawn to the acute shortage of suitably qualified chefs to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25791/22]
View answerThe Commis Chef Apprenticeship Programme was established by lead industry stakeholders such as the Irish Hotels Federation and the Restaurants Association of Ireland. It is a two year program and successful apprentices become a fully qualified Commis chef, with a QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Culinary Arts
The numbers registered for the programme from 2017 to this year are as follows:
- 2017 - 25 apprentices registered
- 2018 - 112 apprentices registered
- 2019 - 62 apprentices registered
- 2020 - 16 apprentices registered
- 2021 - 75 apprentices registered
Registrations were impacted by the pandemic in 2020 and the associated shutdown of educational and training facilities. However, registrations rebounded strongly in 2021 supported by the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme exceeding the numbers registered pre-pandemic. Numbers in 2022 indicate that the recovery in apprentice registrations is continuing, with 33 new registrations in the first four months of the year.
Under the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025, a key priority is to increase apprenticeship registrations to 10,000 new apprenticeship registrations per annum by 2025. Under that Plan, we have this year introduced an employer grant of €2,000 for employers of apprentices on consortia-led programmes to help level up the supports which other categories of employers receive.
This will be supplemented by further practical measures to support the employment of apprentices in SMEs, and to support the employment of under-represented groups in apprenticeship and the delivery of skills essential to the economy. The employer grant and these other initiatives have the potential to play a very important role in securing engagement with employers in addressing barriers to participation in the apprenticeship system.
On 14th April, my Department announced a new gender-based bursary for apprenticeship employers. The bursary, which is worth €2,666, is available to employers who employ apprentices on any national apprenticeship programme with greater than 80% representation of a single gender. It is being implemented with effect from 01 January 2022, and covers all new apprentice registrations from that date on eligible national apprenticeship programmes.
The numbers who have successfully completed the programme are listed in the table below.
Regarding the data on completions, it should be noted that, there is a deviation in the figures between completions and registrations. The hospitality and education sectors were very badly affected by COVID resulting in delays in delivery of the apprenticeship. In addition, the closure of hospitality for long periods may have led to apprentices being made redundant.
|
Year |
No. of Apprentices completed the programme |
|
2020 |
16 |
|
2021 |
11 |
|
2022 |
33 |
|
Total |
60 |
512. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason that a cheque for €90 that was drawn on the account of an employee of Solas (details supplied) and their spouse was sent to a Safe Pass tutor; the reason that Solas has not refunded the amount to the Safe Pass tutor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25793/22]
View answerI understand my officials have sought clarifications from the Deputy on the question asked and are awaiting a response.
Once clarifications have been received, we will be able to provide the requested information.
513. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the statutory basis for charges for the provision of a Safe Pass and requiring a payment by tutors of a sum upon notification of a Safe Pass course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25794/22]
View answerI understand my officials have sought clarifications from the Deputy on the question asked and are awaiting a response.
Once clarifications have been received, we will be able to provide the requested information.
514. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount that was paid to Solas in 2020 and 2021, respectively, upon the notification of Safe Pass course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25795/22]
View answerI understand my officials have sought clarifications from the Deputy on the question asked and are awaiting a response.
Once clarifications have been received, we will be able to provide the requested information.
