Written Answers Nos. 995-1005
997. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for the provision of accommodation for Ukrainians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1627/23]
View answerMy Department is focused on providing immediate, temporary accommodation to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. This has involved entering into arrangements with over 650 providers including hotels, guest houses and B&Bs, religious properties, with additional capacity operated by voluntary bodies and local authority emergency facilities.
The offer of accommodation has been noted and is appreciated. My Department continues to assess and review all accommodation offers received on an ongoing basis as to their suitability to meet the needs of BOTPs. The focus presently is on those offers of scale that can be activated in a timely fashion and fully meet requirements.
Procurement and contract negotiation with potential and existing providers continues on a daily basis. The Department is also working to pivot certain full board serviced contracts to bed only, to give effect to the recent Government decision. I am advised by my officials that due to unprecedented engagement from those making offers, there have been some delays in responding to some providers. Engagement with suitable providers will take place as soon as possible.
998. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will confirm the current portion of childcare fees that are paid by families, given the changes made to the national childcare scheme from 2 January 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1760/23]
View answerSince 2 January, all families accessing registered early learning and childcare receive a minimum hourly subsidy of €1.40 through the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). With the previous minimum hourly subsidy set at €0.50 per hour, this represents an additional €0.90 per hour, or up to €63 per week, off the cost of early learning and childcare.
There are two types of supports available under the Scheme:
- The Universal Subsidy is available to all families with children between 24 weeks and 15 years of age. This subsidy is not means tested and now provides €1.40 per hour towards the cost of a registered childcare place for a maximum of 45 hours per week.
- The Income Assessed subsidy is also available to families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years of age. However, the rate awarded will vary depending on the family income, child’s age and educational stage, and the number of children in the family. The maximum available income assessed subsidy, dependent on the aforementioned conditions, is €5.10 per hour or a maximum weekly subsidy of €229.50.
In terms of income, any family who is not already at the maximum hourly subsidy under the NCS (see table below) will have seen some increase in their subsidy. The exact reduction in costs will be unique to each family depending on their individual circumstances, as outlined above, and their early learning and childcare needs.
For income assessed awards, the highest level of subsidy goes to families at or below the reckonable income threshold of €26,000. The level of subsidy then tapers down to the minimum rate of €1.40 as the income increases towards the maximum reckonable income threshold of €60,000. As such, all families with a reckonable income above €26,000 will have seen some level of increase in their award.
Table 1: Maximum Income Assessed Subsidy
|
Child’s age |
Per Hour |
|
24 weeks to 12 months |
€5.10 |
|
12 to 35 months |
€4.35 |
|
3 years or older and not yet in school |
€3.95 |
|
School age (or 6 years to 15 years) |
€3.75 |
Owing to the variance in both the rates awarded, and fees charged by early learning and childcare providers, the exact portion of childcare fees that are paid by families cannot be calculated at this time. The Department expects to receive data in mid-February that will provide a clearer picture of participation and average subsidy rates for the month of January.
The calculations in Budget 2023 were based on fee data from the 20/21 Early Years Sector Profile. Fee data and by extension average co-payment details will not be available until later in 2023.
In the meantime, parents not currently availing of the Scheme may apply online for the subsidy using their MyGovID at ncs.gov.ie. Alternatively, parents may contact the NCS Parent Support Centre on 01 906 8530.
999. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total funding paid out to all ELC and SAC services, including a breakdown of core funding element, in the years 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [1761/23]
View answerMy Department operates a range of early learning and school-age childcare funding schemes. These funding schemes, including ECCE, NCS, AIM and Core Funding, are administered by Pobal on behalf of my Department.
I am advised that the 2022 figures are currently being finalised in advance of the completion of the Appropriation Accounts, due on 31 March 2023.
I am further advised that as a result of the different payment patterns for these four funding schemes, Pobal will not be in a position to provide details of January 2023 payments to services until later next month.
1000. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the goods and services that accommodation providers are contractually obliged to provide to beneficiaries of temporary protection, in addition to accommodation and meals. [1821/23]
View answerMy Department’s role is focused on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those who have fled to Ireland from the war in Ukraine. To date, more than 71,000 people have arrived in Ireland and in excess of 52,000 of those have been referred to this Department 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, my Department has contracted in excess of 37,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 650 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings. The priority is to place people fleeing the conflict in safe and secure accommodation.
Clauses and terms of individual contracts may vary depending on the type of accommodation being provided. However, generally speaking, accommodation providers are contractually obliged to provide the following for BOTP residents:
- Rooms serviced weekly (including bed linen change) and fresh towels supplied daily/on request.
- The Accommodation Provider must put in place a laundry facility for residents.
- The Accommodation Provider must allow access by NGOs authorised by the Client to the property to enable same to deal with welfare matters of the residents if required.
- A suitable private area at the accommodation setting available for the use of my Department and our state service partners, including but not limited to HSE, Department of Social Protection and Tusla Education Support Services.
From 12 December 2022, in line with the Government decision of 28 October, a serviced accommodation contribution policy came into effect. The policy applies to certain serviced accommodation (for example hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses and hostels) where self-catering options are not available. As contracts for full board come up for renewal, terms will be renegotiated and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP) will be required to make a contribution towards the cost of their meals in order to avail of this State provided accommodation. The contribution will be €10 per adult and €5 per child per day. Following consultation with providers, the purchase of meals in serviced accommodation will be compulsory. BOTPs must pay this contribution directly to the accommodation providers, and they will be notified of the start date 2 weeks in advance.
As part of implementation of the Government Decision, personal laundry will no longer be included in accommodation contracts. Beneficiaries will need to pay the cost of personal laundry and any other additional services, including for example costs arising from accommodation of their pets, to service providers directly. Room cleaning and other standard ‘room only’ services will continue to be included in my Department's contracts with providers.
1001. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has worked to identify local accommodation solutions for those who are currently accommodated at an accommodation centre (details supplied) in County Louth; if he will provide an update on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1941/23]
View answerDeputy, the accommodation of international protection applicants (IPAs) is a demand-led process with applicants arriving in the country and seeking accommodation spontaneously. In 2022, over 15,000 IPAs arrived in Ireland, making it by far the highest yearly arrival figure to date. For context, the average arrival figure for IP applicants for the 3 year period from (2017 to 2019) was 3,500.
As of 9 January 2023, there are over 19,300 people accommodated in International Protection Application Services (IPAS) accommodation centres. This compares with 7,500 people accommodated at the same time last year.At the same time, Ireland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since 24 February 2022, the Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge from the invasion of Ukraine, coming to almost 55,000 people.
The pressure to accommodate almost 75,000 people in such a short period of time has led to significant shortages, particularly for the international protection cohort. The Department has been forced to avail of all offers of accommodation made, including the use of office buildings, in order to address the accommodation shortfall. While the Department is aware that some types of accommodation such as office buildings and tented solutions are less than ideal it is working hard to find solutions, through the use facilities management companies in some cases, to offer emergency food, shelter and sanitation provision to both cohorts.
With regard to Carroll Village this property was recently successful in a 2022 tender competition titled ‘Bespoke Panel Agreement for the Provision of Accommodation Services and Related Services for Persons seeking International Protection’. The apartments in Carroll Village under contract with IPAS now require renovation in order to meet the terms of the tender contract.
The renovation works are planned to commence at the end of January and the residents will be required to vacate the accommodation to facilitate the works.Furthermore, three families on site have been offered alternative accommodation and they will be transferring from Carroll Village to their new centres on Friday 3 February. IPAS is continuing to source alternative accommodation for the remaining families. It is anticipated that they will be transferred during the month of February. IPAS is in regular contact with the residents to appraise them of the situation. Finally, it should also be noted that 18 of the 22 families currently residing in Carroll Village have been granted refugee status or permission to remain in the State. IPAS continues to provide assistance through case workers in NGOs such as DePaul and Peter McVerry Trust to support their transition out of accommodation designated for international protection applicants and into accommodation into the community.
I trust this information clarifies the matter.
1002. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will intervene on the issue of core funding for a childcare service (details supplied) with both Tusla and Pobal and thereby ensure that these services can remain open whilst outstanding planning matters are resolved. [2000/23]
View answerIn September, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. Together for Better brings together three major programmes, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, including the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the new Core Funding scheme.
Core Funding is the new funding stream worth €259 million in full year costs. The majority of Core Funding is distributed based on a service's capacity - the opening hours, opening weeks and the age group of children for whom services are provided as well as number of places available. There is an allocation to contribute to support graduates to be Lead Educators across ELC and to support graduates as Managers in ELC or combined ELC and SAC services.
Capacity is the number of child places a service can provide while adhering to the requirements under the Regulations for age ranges, session types, space, and ratios. A service’s capacity cannot exceed the number of children the service can accommodate (overall service capacity) as stated on the Tusla Register.
Tusla is the independent statutory regulator for the sector and is wholly responsible for the registration of all early years and school age services. A change in circumstance application is a request to make a change to the registration of a service, and so a change in circumstance application is also solely the responsibility of Tusla and my Department does not have a role in this process. Tusla does not have any role in relation to the funding schemes for ELC and SAC services. The funding of services is administered by Pobal, on behalf of my Department.
It is a legal requirement for all services proposing to make a change of circumstance to submit an application under section 58D(2) of the Child Care Act 1991 at least sixty days in advance of the change coming into effect. It is the responsibility of the providers of early years services to ensure that they have all of the documentation required in place, including evidence of compliance with planning permission where applicable, when submitting their application. Tusla cannot process incomplete applications. It must also be noted that services can only implement any changes to their registration, such as increasing the number of children in attendance, after they have received approval from Tusla for these changes.
Tusla can only register services or approve changes to the registration of services where it is satisfied that the premises, operation and location of the service poses no unmanaged risk to children. This includes, where relevant, checking that services have the appropriate planning permissions in place. It is a matter for the registered provider to ensure that they are in compliance with planning regulations. Any delays in or issues with planning applications or approvals are a matter between the provider and their local authority.
Together for Better is about getting the most out of the three early learning and childcare programmes, and ensuring stability and sustainability in the sector. I do not want any services to be faced with financial sustainability issue. My Department offers one to one support to services which may have operational difficulties through a Case Management Process. My Department oversees this process, through which local City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to early learning and childcare services experiencing difficulties. The CCC should be the first point of contact for any service seeking support; I would therefore urge any ELC or SAC service in difficulty to contact their local CCC as soon as possible.
Budget 2023 allocates €1,025m to early learning and childcare – a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector. Together for Better aims to transform the sector and entails greater public management of the sector, including new conditions in relation to fees controls, quality improvements, and financial and operational transparency. I am committed to working with Partner Services delivering early learning and childcare for the public good.
1003. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a further payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in respect of accommodation being provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2051/23]
View answerI am advised by my officials that the next payment in respect of the referred party is in process and is due to issue this month.
1004. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will investigate the reason an organisation is refusing to accommodate a person (details supplied) who is deaf with an interpreter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2073/23]
View answerAccessibility is an essential precondition for ensuring that people with disabilities, including those with hearing difficulties, can fully participate in our society. As such, the promotion of accessibility is an important priority for this Government.
However, I have no remit as Minister of State with responsibility for Disability to formally investigate a complaint of this kind. As a result, I am not in a position to advise directly on the matters raised by the Deputy.
I would instead direct the Deputy, and the person referred to in his question, to anti-discrimination processes set out in law.
The Equal Status Acts 2000-2018 prohibit discrimination and harassment on specified grounds, including that of disability, in the access to and supply of goods and services. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) have a statutory function in providing information to the public in relation to human rights and equality and providing practical assistance to persons in vindicating their rights.
The independent, statutory body established to hear complaints in relation to both employment equality and equal status legislation is the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). For information on how to refer a complaint to the WRC, one may consult IHREC or also contact the WRC directly.
Regarding the provision of Irish Sign Language, the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 (ISL Act 2017) was signed into law on 24th December 2017 and the Act was commenced jointly by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O' Gorman T.D., and I on 23rd December 2020, following the transfer of equality functions from the Minister for Justice.
The Act recognises the right of ISL users to use ISL as their native language, and to develop and preserve it. Of relevance to the case highlighted by the Deputy, Section 9 of the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 gives power to the Minister for Social Protection to establish a support scheme to allow access to ISL users free interpretation to access events, services, and activities. In 2021, the Citizens Information Board (CIB) and the Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS) launched a pilot project, supported by the Department of Social Protection, which involved the creation of a Voucher Scheme for users of Irish Sign Language (ISL) to access free ISL interpreting for social, educational and cultural events and services (including medical) and other activities.
Initially, it was planned that the Irish Sign Language (ISL) Voucher Scheme Pilot Project 2021 would run for a 3-month period, from 30 June 2021 to 30 September 2021. However, an additional month (October 2021) was subsequently added. An evaluation of the pilot was completed in July 2022, commissioned by CIB. Findings from the evaluation are under consideration and will form part of any future voucher scheme. CIB is currently exploring with SLIS the options as to how a Voucher Scheme can be rolled out, using lessons from the pilot.
1005. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if provision will be made to ensure the ongoing viability of small, rural preschools, which offer a vital service to communities in their local areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2106/23]
View answerBudget 2023 allocates €1,025m to early learning and childcare – a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector. Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare, aims to transform the sector and entails greater public management of the sector, including new conditions in relation to fees controls, quality improvements, and financial and operational transparency. I am fully committed to working with Partner Services delivering early learning and childcare for the public good, and recognise the important role of early learning and childcare services in our communities.
Support is available to all services with sustainability concerns through a Case Management process. My Department oversees this process through which local City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) and Pobal work together to assess early learning and childcare services experiencing difficulties and provide support as necessary. Pobal co-ordinate the overall case management process with the CCC administering on-the-ground case management assistance. This can include help with completing and interpreting analysis of staff ratios and cash flow, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances.
My Department also has in place a Sustainability Fund to support early learning and childcare services which can be accessed through the aforementioned Case Management Process. Within this Sustainability Fund, there is a specific fund which has the purpose of providing support to not-for-profit community services in isolated rural areas, who may face revenue challenges due to sporadic levels of enrolment in the service stemming from natural fluctuations in a small local population.
Normally financial supports accessed through the Case Management process, are only available for community (not-for-profit) services presenting with sustainability issues following a financial assessment by Pobal. However, a new strand of the Sustainability Fund is available to all private and community providers who are in contract for Core Funding who may experience financial difficulties. As with previous strands of the Sustainability Fund, it focuses on operational as well as financial supports to assist services to manage their immediate difficulties and transition to sustainability and can be accessed through the pre-existing Case Management Process which the Department oversees.
The CCC should be the first point of contact for any service seeking support; I would therefore urge any early learning and childcare service in difficulty to contact their local CCC as soon as possible.
My Department, Pobal and the CCCs continue to closely monitor trends concerning services entering Case Management and will continue to maintain the availability of Sustainability Funding for individual services at risk.
