Written Answers Nos. 616-629
616. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of exceptional needs payment applications in the past three years; the number per area, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32790/22]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department can make additional needs payments to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. 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. Additional needs payments include exceptional and urgent needs payments.
An exceptional needs payment (ENP) is a single payment to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. An urgent needs payment (UNP) may be made to persons who may not normally qualify for supplementary welfare allowance but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources or where an alternative is not available at that time. Government has provided €45.75 million for the exceptional and urgent needs schemes in 2022.
The Department is developing more extensive statistics in relation to the number of applications made to the ENP/UNP schemes. The focus of the development has been on current data from January 2022 with details on the number of applications available from this date onward. Details of applications pre-January 2022 are not available at this time, however it is possible to provide details on the number of payments that were made.
Table 1 show the number of ENPs/UNPs awarded by county for 2019-2021.
Table 2 shows the number of ENP/UNP applications received by county for 2022.
This represents a snapshot of claim activity taken at 1st June 2022 and is subject to change.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
TABLE 1 – Number of ENP/UNPs paid by County 2019-2021
|
County |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
CARLOW |
850 |
754 |
682 |
|
CAVAN |
808 |
589 |
565 |
|
CLARE |
2,494 |
1,777 |
1,271 |
|
CORK |
8,991 |
5,385 |
4,164 |
|
DONEGAL |
1,865 |
1,356 |
1,397 |
|
DUBLIN |
28,805 |
22,525 |
19,058 |
|
GALWAY |
2,549 |
1,825 |
1,477 |
|
KERRY |
3,040 |
1,970 |
1,497 |
|
KILDARE |
3,447 |
2,931 |
2,365 |
|
KILKENNY |
1,376 |
1,055 |
952 |
|
LAOIS |
3,473 |
2,169 |
1,585 |
|
LEITRIM |
764 |
850 |
710 |
|
LIMERICK |
3,342 |
2,530 |
2,197 |
|
LONGFORD |
1,394 |
1,227 |
1,080 |
|
LOUTH |
1,780 |
1,457 |
1,454 |
|
MAYO |
2,788 |
1,722 |
1,044 |
|
MEATH |
3,614 |
2,350 |
2,327 |
|
MONAGHAN |
1,219 |
993 |
558 |
|
OFFALY |
1,156 |
1,026 |
852 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
1,742 |
874 |
837 |
|
SLIGO |
1,914 |
924 |
1,083 |
|
TIPPERARY |
3,854 |
2,958 |
2,465 |
|
WATERFORD |
2,930 |
2,201 |
1,337 |
|
WESTMEATH |
3,503 |
2,185 |
1,701 |
|
WEXFORD |
1,172 |
882 |
761 |
|
WICKLOW |
3,328 |
3,074 |
2,133 |
|
Total |
92,198 |
67,589 |
55,552 |
TABLE 2 – Number of ENP/UNP applications by county 2022 (to end of May 2022)
|
County |
Number of Applications |
|
CARLOW |
453 |
|
CAVAN |
445 |
|
CLARE |
1,056 |
|
CORK |
2,811 |
|
DONEGAL |
1,037 |
|
DUBLIN |
8,271 |
|
GALWAY |
1,070 |
|
KERRY |
1,337 |
|
KILDARE |
849 |
|
KILKENNY |
579 |
|
LAOIS |
638 |
|
LEITRIM |
586 |
|
LIMERICK |
1,388 |
|
LONGFORD |
625 |
|
LOUTH |
994 |
|
MAYO |
597 |
|
MEATH |
1,102 |
|
MONAGHAN |
200 |
|
OFFALY |
615 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
403 |
|
SLIGO |
608 |
|
TIPPERARY |
1,124 |
|
WATERFORD |
805 |
|
WESTMEATH |
815 |
|
WEXFORD |
744 |
|
WICKLOW |
1,193 |
|
Total |
30,345 |
617. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision will issue on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32796/22]
View answerDomiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a monthly payment in respect of a child, aged under 16 with a severe disability who requires continual or continuous care and attention substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age.
An application for DCA was received from the person concerned on 18 January 2022. Their application was disallowed as per the Department's decision dated 06 April 2022, as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for DCA.
The person concerned requested a review and appeal of this decision. As part of the review and appeal process their application was re-examined by a deciding officer. Following a review of all the information supplied, including further additional information and documentation, it has been decided that the person concerned does meet the qualifying conditions for receipt of DCA.
The person concerned was notified in writing of the details of this revised decision on 20 June 2022.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
618. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the gender breakdown for all social welfare inspectors employed by her Department. [32814/22]
View answerMy Department had the whole-time equivalent of 350 serving Social Welfare Inspectors working across several units at the end of May 2022. The gender breakdown is 212 females and 147 males.
In addition there are 14 Gardaí seconded to the Department’s Special Investigation Unit who are also appointed as Social Welfare Inspectors in line with the 2005 Social Welfare Consolidation Act. Their gender breakdown is 7 females and 7 males.
619. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the items that will be included in the free book selection for pupils enrolling in primary school for the first time; and the estimated value of same per pupil. [31817/22]
View answerThe First 5 My Little Library initiative offers a book bag with books and resources to every 4 and 5 year old starting school in September. The children will receive an invitation to participate in this initiative through their early learning and care settings or special pre-school.
The objective of this action is that all children starting school in September 2022 will have storybooks in their home and be members of their local library.
Children were invited through their pre-school, to visit their local library to pick up the book bag containing the books and resources on starting school. The resources include a social story card about the library and a guide for parents in supporting their children's transition to school.
When the children visit with their parents for their book bag they are also invited to join the library. The value of each bag with 3 high quality children's books is a little under €15. The bags are available in both English and Irish.
The initiative will continue throughout the summer of 2022. So far 25,000 bags have been collected and 11,000 additional 4 and 5 years olds have joined the library.
620. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an official in his Department will make contact with a person (details supplied) regarding accommodation for Ukrainian refugees given that numerous attempts to contact the International Protection Accommodation Services have been unsuccessful. [31829/22]
View answerSince the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the temporary protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis.
The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are significant. Our country has never experienced an influx of displaced persons like the one that we have seen over the past months. My Department’s role is focused on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those who have fled here.
To date, more than 35,000 people have arrived in Ireland and just in excess of 25,000 of those have been referred to us seeking accommodation from the State.
Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this timeframe for all those who require it remains immensely challenging. Due to the urgent need to source accommodation, a broad range of accommodation types have been contracted, including emergency accommodation. While this is not ideal, the priority is to place people fleeing the conflict in safe and secure accommodation.
Numbers seeking international protection have also increased adding to accommodation capacity issues.
Due to the large volume of correspondence received and the demands placed of providing safe and secure accommodation, it has not always been possible to reply within the desired timeframe. My Department is working to advance this process to the greatest extent possible.
My Department has established a dedicated contact helpdesk for BOTP related queries. This contact address is available to view on the accommodation page within the GOV.ie web portal. Queries can be submitted directly for follow up to ukrainetempaccom@equality.gov.ie.
621. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children in State care who have become pregnant whilst in State care. [31855/22]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, the question has been referred to Tusla for their direct reply to the Deputy.
622. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will elaborate on his plans for student accommodation to be used to house Ukrainian refugees during the summer months; the legal and contractual basis on which these arrangements will be made with both third-level institutions and the owners of privately owned student accommodation; the locations in which refugees who are housed in such accommodation will be re-housed once third-level education resumes in September; if he will give a commitment that no student accommodation will still be used to house refugees once the college term resumes in view of the shortage of student accommodation in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31905/22]
View answerSince the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the temporary protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis.
The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are significant. Our country has never experienced an influx of displaced persons like the one that we have seen over the past months. My Department’s role is focused on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those who have fled here.
To date, more than 35,000 people have arrived in Ireland and just in excess of 25,000 of those have been referred to us seeking accommodation from the State.
Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this timeframe for all those who require it remains immensely challenging. Due to the urgent need to source accommodation, a broad range of accommodation types have been contracted, including emergency accommodation. While this is not ideal, the priority is to place people fleeing the conflict in safe and secure accommodation.
Numbers seeking international protection have also increased adding to accommodation capacity issues.
There are 19 providers of student accommodation covering 30 sites, commencing mid-May, whose provision will, in the main, end at various points in August, representing a capacity of c. 4,500 from both third-level institutions and with the owners of privately-owned student accommodation.
Legal contracts are in place with both third-level institutions and with the owners of privately-owned student accommodation.
A small number of the privately-owned student accommodation contracts extend past August.
My Department sits on the cross-sectoral and cross-departmental Humanitarian Crisis Housing Taskforce which is chaired by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and which is leading cross government consideration and development of medium and long-term accommodation solutions. Advancing these properties will involve further engagement with all relevant stakeholders.
Due to the scarcity of accommodation available, all options remain under consideration.
623. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will review a case (details supplied) regarding an age exemption for a child attending ECCE due to additional educational needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31912/22]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range.
A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible for the September start date and a child cannot turn 5 years and 6 months of age during the course of the ECCE programme year.
Overage exemptions are available in certain exceptional circumstances for children who will be over 5 years and 6 months by the end of the ECCE term.
With regard to the child referred to by the Deputy, the application to permit him to remain in ECCE for the 2022-23 programme year has been accepted following the submission of a recommendation from a Senior Medical Officer in the HSE.
624. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number and percentage of ECCE services that have signed up to the transition fund; if this information is available by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31916/22]
View answerThe Transition Fund is intended to provide financial support to Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) providers in the period of time between the end of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme in April and the introduction of the new Core Funding from September.
The Transition Fund will make a payment to providers between 2nd May and 31st August 2022. The primary conditionality is that the service will not impose any increases to the Registered Fees List that was in place on 30th September 2021. This means that the full affordability effects of the NCS and ECCE programmes are felt by parents.
I am pleased that, as of 20th of June, 4,060 services have signed up to the Transition Fund, which represents 94% of eligible services. Of these, 3,638 or 90% are contracted to deliver the ECCE programme.
Please find below, a list of the ECCE contracted services signed up to Transition Funding broken down by county.
Carlow – 43
Cavan – 62
Clare – 115
Cork – 341
Donegal – 138
Dublin – 893
Galway – 233
Kerry – 118
Kildare – 162
Kilkenny – 83
Laois – 73
Leitrim – 28
Limerick – 157
Longford – 30
Louth – 101
Mayo – 111
Meath – 169
Monaghan – 57
Offaly – 54
Roscommon – 53
Sligo – 63
Tipperary – 151
Waterford – 82
Westmeath – 70
Wexford – 112
Wicklow - 139
A list of services participating in the Transition Fund is available here: first5fundingmodel.gov.ie/core-funding/.
I am encouraged that the high uptake of providers participating in the Transition Fund bodes well for the future of the sector as we move towards greater public investment and public management, and the introduction of Core Funding in September.
625. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department considered adding a cloth nappy to the new baby bundle initiative considering the climate emergency at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31919/22]
View answerFollowing my recent announcement of the Little Baby Bundle pilot scheme, my Department are now overseeing a procurement process for a Managing Agent to design the bundle, procure its contents, to handle storage and coordinate delivery.
I am happy to advise the Deputy that the sample contents list, designed in collaboration with the Advisory Group and reflected in the Request for Tenders (RfT), includes reusable nappies, with the option for a reusable nappy voucher as an alternative.
The RfT also welcomes creative thinking from tenderers on how to build sustainable solutions and supply chains for Ireland, and invites tenders on how to reduce the carbon footprint and climate impact of the Little Baby Bundle.
The closing date for receipt of tenders is 1 August 2022. An RfT for the Little Baby Bundle Evaluation Partner, who will examine whether the Little Baby Bundle is suitable for wider roll-out, will be published later this Summer.
626. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children who were taken into State care in each of Tusla’s 17 service areas in each of the years from 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022 who were returned home to their birth mothers. [32049/22]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, the question has been referred to Tusla for their direct reply to the Deputy.
627. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of social workers in each of Tusla’s 17 service areas in each of the years from 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022 who were sanctioned for professional misconduct. [32050/22]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.
628. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of social workers in each of Tusla’s 17 service areas for each of the years from 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022 who were sanctioned for a failure to meet professional standards. [32051/22]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.
629. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of social workers in each of Tusla’s 17 service areas in each of the years from 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022 who were dismissed for professional misconduct. [32052/22]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.
