Written Answers Nos. 1006-1026
1006. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many small, independent early learning and childcare facilities are experiencing serious financial difficulties as a result of the introduction of his Department’s new core funding model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2107/23]
View answerThe Government is investing significantly in the early learning and childcare sector and there is an ambitious new funding model being introduced to improve stability and sustainability for providers. There are supports, financial and otherwise, available to services who need them.
On 15th September, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. This new funding model supports the delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families as well as stability and sustainability for providers.
Together for Better, the new funding model comprised of 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, is about getting the most out of the three early learning and childcare programmes, for children, parents, providers, the workforce, and society overall, and ensuring stability and sustainability in the sector.
Core Funding has a budget of €259 million in full year costs for year 1 of the programme (September 2022-August 2023). Core Funding is designed specifically as a supply-side funding stream, paid directly to providers, related to the costs of delivery. Core Funding is based on operating hours, number of places offered by services, and the age group of children for whom the places are offered, given the staffing requirements determined by the regulatory ratios for different care categories, as well as allocations for graduate leaders in services. Structuring Core Funding primarily based on capacity means that Partner Services have an allocation each year that does not fluctuate in line with children’s attendance. Core Funding allows for substantial increases in the total cost base for the sector, related both to pay and non-pay costs, without additional costs being passed on to parents.
Core Funding contributes to services’ sustainability and significantly increases income for the overwhelming majority of services and provides greater funding stability. Already 94% of services have signed up to Core Funding and the scheme remains open for applications.
Under Core Funding, the overwhelming majority of services will see an increase in their funding, most will see very substantial increases, and no services will see a decrease in funding if their circumstances remain the same. ECCE services without a graduate lead educator will see capitation increase by at least 9.5% through Core Funding. ECCE services with a graduate lead educator will almost all see increases in income, although it may be smaller proportionally given the significant level of funding available under the old funding model. A very small number of services, approximately 60 of the 4,100 signed-up, will see no increase with their income matched to 2021/2022. For this small number of services who do not experience an increase, a Funding Guarantee applies. This tops-up Core Funding payments to match the difference in ECCE higher capitation and PSP from last year, provided they offer the same amount of graduate led provision as last year. These are larger ECCE-only services – with 20+ children in a session
To date, the sector level data available to my Officials has not indicated widespread financial viability issues connected to these services. Likewise, my Officials have not seen other indications, such as increased closures or call on sustainability funding, to indicate financial viability issues for small, sessional services. However, I have been unequivocal that I do not want any services to be faced with financial sustainability issues and am fully committed to working with these services to support them in delivering early learning and childcare for the public good.
I have secured an increase in the Core Funding envelope for year two of operation (September 2023-August 2024) of €28 million (11% increase), the precise allocation of which will be determined by evidence and analysis emerging from year one of the operation of the scheme.
Given the concerns raised by some small, sessional services, and in order to provide additional timely and robust data in preparation for developments to Core Funding in year 2, I will be undertaking an independent financial review of sessional services.
This will involve services volunteering to participate in the review that aims to gather evidence on financial viability to underpin policy development and possible targeted measures through the new funding model.
Services that are experiencing difficulty and who would like support are encouraged to contact their City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) to access case management supports. Services can be assisted on an individual basis through this route and it also allows for trends and themes across the country to be identified that can inform a more systematic response if necessary.
CCCs are receiving very small numbers of services reporting cases of financial unsustainability. Just two services have applied for sustainability funding in 2022 and their difficulties pre-date Core Funding becoming available. Any provider who is experiencing challenges is encouraged to contact their CCC.
Budget 2023 allocates €1.025 billion 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 I am committed to working with Partner Services delivering early learning and childcare for the public good.
1007. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department’s new Core Funding Programme is putting service providers who only offer a preschool service at a financial disadvantage compared with larger providers who are in a position to offer the full range of early learning and childcare services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2108/23]
View answerThe Government is investing significantly in the early learning and childcare sector and there is an ambitious new funding model being introduced to, inter alia, improve stability and sustainability for providers. There are supports, financial and otherwise, available to services who need them.
On 15th September, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. This new funding model supports the delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families as well as stability and sustainability for providers.
Together for Better, the new funding model comprised of 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, is about getting the most out of the three early learning and childcare programmes, for children, parents, providers, the workforce, and society overall, and ensuring stability and sustainability in the sector.
Core Funding is distributed in a fair and reasonable manner that is related to services’ costs of delivery. Core Funding is allocated to services based on the number of child places being made available (whether filled or not), the age group of children for whom the places are available and the number of hours the places are available for, as well as the graduate qualifications of leaders in the service. These are the primary drivers of services costs and this is therefore the most proportionate and transparent manner to allocate funding. It follows that service opening longer hours and operating more weeks in the year will receive more Core Funding.
The formula for distributing funding to services is based on the statutory adult: child ratios that underpin the type of provision being offered. Full day services are required to operate to lower adult: child ratios outside of the delivery of the ECCE programme than sessional pre-school services so consequently the allocation for this type of provision is higher on a per place, per hour basis. In fact, the value of funding offered is weighted in favour of sessional services for 2.5-6 year-olds. ECCE services receive proportionately more than other types of services relative to the staffing requirements of sessional pre-school provision.
Core Funding contributes to services’ sustainability and significantly increases income for the overwhelming majority of services and provides greater funding stability. Already 94% of services have signed up to Core Funding and the scheme remains open for applications.
Under Core Funding, the overwhelming majority of services will see an increase in their funding, most will see very substantial increases, and no services will see a decrease in funding if their circumstances remain the same. ECCE services without a graduate lead educator will see capitation increase by at least 9.5% through Core Funding. ECCE services with a graduate lead educator will almost all see increases in income, although it may be smaller proportionally given the significant level of funding available under the old funding model. A very small number of services, approximately 60 of the 4,100 signed-up, will see no increase with their income matched to 2021/2022. For this small number of services who do not experience an increase, a Funding Guarantee applies. This tops-up Core Funding payments to match the difference in ECCE higher capitation and Programme Support Payments from last year, provided they offer the same amount of graduate led provision as last year. These are larger ECCE-only services – with 20+ children in a session
With regards to financial viability, there is no evidence that the new funding model will render ECCE services unsustainable. My Department has extensive data on providers’ existing and projected income and delivery costs through data from Revenue, surveys and demographic and macro-economic information and has extensively analysed the question of sustainability.
Data available prior to the additional investment of Core Funding in the sector showed that the median surplus (income in excess of cost) for sector as a whole of 4%. However, services with the characteristics correlated with ECCE-only provision had higher levels of surplus than other types of provision – ranging from 14% to 23% depending on the characteristic.
- Do not offer full day: 17% income in excess of cost
- Do not offer wrap-around care: 16% income in excess of cost
- Open exactly 38 weeks each year: 19% income in excess of cost
- Low total numbers of childcare hours: 23% income in excess of cost
- Single-site services: 14% income in excess of cost
- Those whose only income source is ECCE funding: 19% income in excess of cost
Separately Sole Traders, which constitute a large proportion of ECCE-only provision had an average income in excess of costs of 23%.
This evidence suggests that ECCE-only services had the highest levels of income in excess of costs compared to other types of provision.
To date, the sector level data available to my Officials has not indicated widespread financial viability issues connected to these services. Likewise, my Officials have not seen other indications, such as increased closures or call on sustainability funding, to indicate financial viability issues for small, sessional services. However, I have been unequivocal that I do not want any services to be faced with financial sustainability issues and am fully committed to working with these services to support them in delivering early learning and childcare for the public good.
I have secured an increase in the Core Funding envelope for year two of operation (September 2023-August 2024) of €28 million (11% increase), the precise allocation of which will be determined by evidence and analysis emerging from year one of the operation of the scheme.
Given the concerns raised by some small, sessional services, and in order to provide additional timely and robust data in preparation for developments to Core Funding in year 2, I will be undertaking an independent financial review of sessional services.
This will involve services volunteering to participate in the review that aims to gather evidence on financial viability to underpin policy development and possible targeted measures through the new funding model.
Services that are experiencing difficulty and who would like support are encouraged to contact their City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) to access case management supports. Services can be assisted on an individual basis through this route and it also allows for trends and themes across the country to be identified that can inform a more systematic response if necessary.
CCCs are receiving very small numbers of services reporting cases of financial unsustainability. Just two services have applied for sustainability funding in 2022 and their difficulties pre-date Core Funding becoming available. Any provider who is experiencing challenges is encouraged to contact their CCC.
Budget 2023 allocates €1.025 billion 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 I am committed to working with Partner Services delivering early learning and childcare for the public good.
1008. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a timeline for the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 to pass all legislative stages in Seanad Éireann; and the projected date for it to be signed into law. [2151/23]
View answerThe Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 was included in the Government Legislative Programme for Autumn 2022 as priority legislation for drafting and publication in that session. The Bill has since passed all stages in Dáil Éireann and is currently before the Seanad at Committee Stage.
The timing for progress of the Bill depends on the availability of time in the Committee, and the availability of time for report and final stages in the Seanad, and, of course, the due consideration by all Members. Decisions on the enactment of legislation are matters for the Oireachtas. It is my hope that the legislation, once resumed, will be considered by Members in a timely manner to allow all stages conclude by the end of next month.
1009. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the lack of support that is available to parents who have tragically lost a child who is over one-year-old; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2195/23]
View answer1010. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on whether one charity, which is partly funded by Tulsa, offering eight sessions of counselling is not adequate to support those facing the loss of a child; and if he will outline his Department’s plans to improve this and offer the supports needed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2196/23]
View answer1012. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason that supports are in place for those who have lost a child who is under one-year-of-age and not for those who lose a child that is over the age of one year; and if he will ensure that the supports needed are provided to all grieving parents. [2198/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1009, 1010 and 1012 together.
Tusla Family Support Service Counselling is delivered via commissioned community and voluntary sector organisations. In 2021, funding was allocated to 225 organisations around Ireland to deliver these services, including 90 Family Resource Centres. Tusla expenditure on Family Support Service Counselling was €6,798,000 in 2021. The FSS Counselling Budget will benefit by a 4% increase in 2023.
Family Support Service Counselling includes support to bereaved parents following the death of their child. This support is not restricted to parents who are bereaved of their child under the age of one year old.
Bereavement services funded that specifically support parents bereaved of a child or children include Firstlight and Anam Cara.
FirstLight’s range of services includes home visits where a newly bereaved family is offered a visit to their home by a professional therapist, one-to-one counselling, couples therapy, support groups with other bereaved parents; and adolescent counselling or play therapy for siblings. It is a national service with a network of therapists across Ireland and also offers a national 24-hour service helpline. Tusla funding for 2023 will be approximately €85,000.
Anam Cara operates monthly face-to-face and online support groups for bereaved parents that focus on peer support but are facilitated by a trained professional. Groups operate across Ireland. Anam Cara also offers bereavement support evenings which provide talks that focus on parental grief. In 2022 Tusla supported training offered by Anam Cara to community-based counselling/ psychotherapy Services focused on parental grief to support referrals by Anam Cara to counselling/psychotherapy services where parents may require one-to-one support. Tusla funding for 2023 will be approximately €22,000.
Other services funded by Tusla that also support bereaved parents include Bethany Bereavement Support, the Miscarriage Association of Ireland and A Little Lifetime Foundation. Tusla also funds a number of services that are focused on supporting children and their families, including following the death of a siblings. These include Rainbows Ireland, Barnardos Children’s Bereavement Service and the Irish Childhood Bereavement Network.
1011. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on whether it is acceptable for parents who are suffering from the loss of their child to have no concrete answers in relation to the reason that their child passed away; if he will ensure that a full investigation is carried out into the sudden death of any child and provide their parents with full information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2197/23]
View answerThis is a matter for my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Justice.
1013. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will immediately establish a new National Child Poverty Plan with a dedicated unit that encompasses an integrated and cross-governmental approach to address high levels of poverty in households headed by one parent. [2265/23]
View answerFirstly, responsibility for provision of welfare payments aimed at addressing the needs of those experiencing poverty rests with Dept Social Protection.
My Department works with other Departments in ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to deliver a fair, equal and inclusive society.
A key plank in the cross-Government work is the delivery of Ireland's National Action Plan under the EU Child Guarantee. This Action Plan was approved by Government on 31 May 2022 and subsequently submitted to the European Commission and published on both www.gov.ie and ec.europa.eu.
(In 2019, the European Commission announced the creation of an EU Child Guarantee with a view to ensuring that every child in Europe at risk of poverty or social exclusion has access to the most basic of rights like healthcare and education. The objective of the Child Guarantee is to prevent and combat social exclusion by guaranteeing the access of children in need to a set of key services.)
The National Action Plan sets out the responses to barriers identified by Departments across Government, and informed by consultations with stakeholders, in the provision of services to children referred to in the EU Child Guarantee Recommendation.
Ireland’s National Action Plan details efforts, in accordance with the aims of the Guarantee, to address child poverty and social exclusion in Ireland and, in so doing, highlights key strategies currently in play. The key areas of the Plan refer to actions, objectives, targets and timelines - addressing some of the key barriers identified – in each of the sectors of Education, Early Years, Health, Nutrition and Housing. The successor framework to Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, the National Framework for Children and Young People, will provide an enabling policy framework for the Action Plan.
The National Action Plan references work by the Department of Social Protection to support lone-parents, through income supports such as the One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseekers Transitional Payment (targeted for lone-parents).
The publication of the National Action Plan was an important first step in the implementation of the EU Child Guarantee.
My Department is coordinating actions across Government in addition to holding responsibility for the delivery of actions contained in this Plan relating to Early Childhood Education and Care. The delivery of other key actions in the plan will be a matter for the parent Department holding policy and operational responsibility. In this regard, the Departments of Social Protection, Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Education and Health are critical stakeholders.
Identifying the most appropriate and effective structures to pursue the reforms necessary to improve outcomes for our most disadvantaged children and young people is a particular focus of work. In this regard, the new National Framework for Children and Young People, currently under development, and its cross-government and cross-sectoral engagement will inform the implementation of the Child Guarantee National Action Plan.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Taoiseach has recently announced his intention to establish a new child poverty and wellbeing unit in his department to co-ordinate cross-departmental activity in this area and my officials will work with colleagues across government in supporting this work.
1014. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps that he is taking in response to individuals being informed that they will not be provided with their personal information within the statutory 90 days, under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022, by a State body (details supplied). [2266/23]
View answerInformation and Tracing services, as provided for under the Act, opened to applications on 03 October 2022. As of 10th January, a total of 6251 applications for information have been received by the Child and Family Agency, Tusla and the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI), with 65% of that total being received within the first two weeks of commencement.
Processing the initial volume of information requests, reflecting decades of demand, is proving to be a challenge. However, as of 10th January, over 1000 applicants have received their information. In addition, the AAI have successfully identified 196 matches on the Contact Preference Register for people seeking to contact relatives and are working with the matched people to facilitate contact, with contact having been facilitated between 49 pairs of relatives so far.
An additional €1.05m was provided to the AAI and additional funding of €3m was provided to Tusla Adoption Services in 2022. These additional resources were to fund additional posts that year, including genealogical and archival expertise and support, as well as run a public information campaign on the legislation. Utilising these additional resources, both organisations undertook extensive recruitment campaigns and trained and onboarded additional staff in advance of the opening of information and tracing services.
Officials from my Department have been engaging with both the AAI and Tusla in respect of the ongoing implementation of services under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022. Both agencies advise that they are re-assigning further additional staff members to work exclusively on processing applications and that they will continue to keep every person who is waiting for information informed about their application.
I am deeply aware of the disappointment and frustration caused to applicants receiving a notification indicating that there will be a delay in the compilation and release of their information. I have been assured that both agencies are doing their utmost to respond to all the applications received within the shortest possible timeframe.
1015. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of additional staff who have been recruited to assist in processing applications for personal information made to a by a State body (details supplied) under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022. [2267/23]
View answerAs the subject matter of the Deputy’s question relates to an operational matter for the Adoption Authority of Ireland, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.
1016. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timeline for the working group to publish proposals in relation to Government-funded transport and mobility schemes, including the disabled drivers and disabled passenger schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2310/23]
View answerThe issue of mobility supports for people with disabilities is a key priority for me as Minister of State with responsibility for Disability.
Action 104 of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy contains an important cross-Government action to review transport and mobility supports for people with disabilities and to advance proposals for the enhancement of these supports going forward. The Action 104 Transport Working Group was established in 2020 to make progress in this regard.I have chaired meetings of the Transport Working Group since January 2022, from which point the participation of the Department of Finance in the work of the Group was facilitated for the purposes of including the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme in the Group's holistic considerations. This was arranged following correspondence between Minister Donohoe and Minister O'Gorman on the matter.
The discussions at the Transport Working Group have been particularly enriched by the contributions of Disability Stakeholder Group representatives, and other disability organisations, who have ensured that the lived experience of people with disabilities remains at the centre of considerations.
The Group's work has now concluded, and the final report which synthesises submissions made by members of the Transport Working Group for this purpose is presently being finalised. Once this is concluded I will be in a position to consider next steps.
It will be incumbent on colleagues across Government with responsibility for transport and mobility supports to carefully consider how the recommendations of the Transport Working Group ought to be advanced.
1017. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a person can avail of parental leave immediately after maternity leave eligibility expires; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2311/23]
View answerThere are a range of leaves available to support working families to manage their work life balance, many of which have been extended or expanded in recent years.
Under the Maternity Protection Acts 1994-2004, an employee who has given birth is entitled to 26 weeks paid maternity leave and may also be entitled to Maternity Benefit. An additional 16 weeks leave can be taken immediately after the 26 weeks with no entitlement to Maternity Benefit.
The Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced an individual entitlement to Parent's Leave for each parent of a child to be taken in the first two years of a child's life. Parent's Benefit was also introduced as part of that legislation. Since July 2022, the entitlement to Parent's Leave is seven weeks which may be taken as a block or in individual weeks. An employee must provide six weeks notice to their employer of their intention to take parents leave and the employer may postpone the leave for up to 12 weeks for business reasons.
Parents of children under the age of 12 are entitled to 26 weeks of Parental Leave under the Parental Leave Acts 1998-2019. There is no form of benefit available for this leave and it must be taken in one block or in blocks of six weeks, however, it can be taken in smaller periods with the agreement of the employer. An employer must be given six weeks notice of the intention to take the leave and may also postpone the leave for up to six months for business reasons.
There are no restrictions in the legislation on taking Parent's Leave and Parental Leave immediately following Maternity Leave. However, there are provisions which allow for a limited postponement of these leaves by an employer for business reasons.
1018. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on removing the State’s reservations to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2417/23]
View answerIreland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) on 20 March 2018. This marked an important milestone in a process to strengthen the rights of people with disabilities in Ireland that has gathered momentum since Ireland became a signatory to the Convention in 2007. Both I, and the wider government, are committed to the advancement of rights under the UNCRPD, and progress in this area is a key focus of mine.
At the time of ratification, Ireland entered three reservations, in relation to Articles 12, 14 and 27 of the Convention.
As reported to the UN Committee in Ireland’s Initial State Report under the UNCRPD, under the declaration and reservation in respect of Article 12, Ireland has declared its understanding that the Convention permits supported and substituted decision-making arrangements that provide for decisions to be made on behalf of a person, where such arrangements are necessary, in accordance with the law, and subject to appropriate and effective safeguards. To the extent that Article 12 may be interpreted as requiring the elimination of all substitute decision-making arrangements, Ireland reserves the right to permit such arrangements in appropriate circumstances and subject to appropriate and effective safeguards. The rationale for this declaration and reservation is to ensure that difficulties are not encountered in the operation of provisions in Part 5 of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, which allows for the appointment of a decision-making representative to take specified decisions on behalf of a person, strictly in line with that persons will and preference and in a manner supervised by the Decision Support Service, and for the taking of certain decisions by a court on behalf of a person in urgent and limited circumstances, as set out in the Act.
As further reported to the UN Committee in Ireland’s Initial State Report under the UNCRPD, in respect of Articles 12 and 14, Ireland recognises that all people with disabilities enjoy the right to liberty and security of the person, and a right to respect for physical and mental integrity on an equal basis with others. When ratifying the Convention, Ireland declared its understanding that the Convention allows for compulsory care or treatment of persons, including measures to treat mental disorders, when circumstances render treatment of this kind necessary as a last resort, and the treatment is subject to legal safeguards. The rationale behind this declaration is to preserve the insanity defence under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006, to preserve the unfitness to be tried process, and to allow for the treatment of persons who may be likely to cause harm to themselves or other under the Mental Health Act 2001. The Deputy will be aware that in relation to the Mental health Act 2001, significant reforms are planned in amending legislation being developed by the Department of Health.
While Ireland accepts the provisions of Article 27 of the Convention, it has entered a reservation that this Article is subject to the understanding that none of its obligations relating to equal treatment in employment and occupation shall apply to the admission into or service in any of the Defence Forces, An Garda Síochána, the Prison Service, the Fire Brigade, the Irish Coastguard, and the Ambulance Service. The rationale behind this reservation is to allow for the continued operation of appropriate occupational health assessments in recruitment to front line posts where there are particular requirements with regard to performance of duties. This arises in the case of operational roles in the Defence Forces, An Garda Síochána, the Prison Service, and the Emergency Services. The reservation is not intended to preclude recruitment of persons with disabilities into alternative and appropriate roles but rather it is accepting of the fact that an accident or fire scene, for example, may not be a safe or appropriate working environment for a person with certain types of disability. Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 makes provision for certain conditions for the employment of people with disabilities in public service employment. It does not currently apply to the Defence Forces, the Garda Síochána or prison officers of a prison. Employment Exemptions are provided for in s. 37(5) of the Employment Equality Act as amended.
There are no plans to remove the State’s reservations at this time as the rationale for these reservations has not changed.
1019. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the ratification of the Optional Protocol of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2418/23]
View answerIreland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) on 20 March 2018. This marked an important milestone in a process to strengthen the rights of people with disabilities in Ireland that has gathered momentum since Ireland became a signatory to the Convention in 2007.
Ireland's approach to meeting the obligations of the UNCRPD is one of continuous advancement - each year moving forward on key reforms to consistently strengthen and uphold obligations and rights arising from the Convention.
I recognise the importance of the Optional Protocol to the UNCRPD. As the Deputy will be aware, the Optional Protocol is an international treaty that establishes procedures aimed at strengthening the implementation and monitoring of the Convention, and both I and my colleagues across Government support this fully.
Ratification of the Optional Protocol is a commitment in the Programme for Government. The timeline for ratification was originally anticipated to follow the conclusion of Ireland’s first review period before the UN Committee.
Due to delays at UN level Ireland’s appearance before the Committee will now be delayed. Due to this delay, Minister O'Gorman and I have indicated that we are open to the earlier ratification of the Optional Protocol.
My Department is continuing to scope out the requirements for earlier ratification. This scoping work is required due to the long-standing position of the state in relation to honouring international agreements. As a matter of foreign policy, Ireland does not enter into binding international treaties until we are confident that the obligations set out within can be complied with. As such, the ongoing scoping exercise is procedurally necessary.
While I am not yet in a position to give an exact date for ratification, it is a priority for me to ensure that the Optional Protocol is ratified at the earliest possible date.
1020. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure that the core funding for childcare-preschool services recognises the experience of persons working in the sector for many years in the provision of funding staff. [2419/23]
View answerIn September I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. This new funding model supports the delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families as well as stability and sustainability for providers. 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 worth €259 million in full year costs to start this partnership for the public good between the State and providers. Its primary purpose is to improve pay and conditions in the sector as a whole and improve affordability for parents as well as ensuring a stable income to providers.
Core Funding is distributed in a fair and reasonable manner that is related to services’ costs of delivery. Core Funding is allocated to services based on the number of child places being made available (whether filled or not), the age group of children for whom the places are available and the number of hours the places are available for, as well as the graduate qualifications of leaders in the service. These are the primary drivers of services costs and this is therefore the most proportionate and transparent manner to allocate funding.
As the State does not employ early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners, I cannot set wage levels or determine working conditions for staff in the sector. However, September marked an historic development with the setting of new minimum hourly rates for various roles in the sector through the establishment of Employment Regulation Orders (EROs).
Core Funding is underpinned by these EROs and is designed to support a range of objectives, including supporting the new minimum rates of pay for different roles in the sector, as well as supporting career pathways and graduate employment. Core Funding includes Graduate Premiums to incentivise the employment of graduates as Lead Educators across ELC and as Managers in ELC or combined ELC and SAC services.
For year 2 of Core Funding, I have secured an increase of €28 million, approximately €4 million of which will be used to remove the experience requirement on both Graduate Premiums under Core Funding, underpinned by new EROs. This move was widely welcomed in the sector. The remaining €24 million will be used for further developments and enhancements to the scheme, the precise allocation of which will be determined by evidence and analysis emerging from year one of the operation of the scheme and must be evidence based.
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.
1021. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure that the core funding for childcare-preschool services provides funding for staff engaging in CPD to reach the required NFQ levels, including funding to provide in lieu staff coverage. [2420/23]
View answerIn December 2021, I launched Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028. Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in early learning and care and school-age childcare. It contains a range of commitments to raise the qualification levels for those working in the sector including a move to a graduate-led ELC workforce and a target of increasing the proportion of early years educators who have a level 6 (or higher) qualification from 72% in 2021 to 85% by 2028.
To support the professional development of those working in the sector, Nurturing Skills commits to the provision of funded places on flexible education programmes at levels 6 to 8 for current early years educators. This new funding will support upskilling and strengthen career development pathways for those working in the sector, reducing the cost to educators of undertaking further and higher education qualifications. Nurturing Skills also includes a commitment that the new funding scheme, separate to core funding, will include financial support for ELC services to help meet the costs of releasing staff to go on student practice placements and study leave. Plans for the new funding scheme are currently being developed.
This planned new funding for educators to upskill is in addition to financial supports that are already in place for educators undertaking qualifications. Existing financial supports include the Free Fees Initiative as well as the Learner Fund, which currently provides a bursary of €750 for staff who complete a relevant degree-level qualification (Level 7 or Level 8).
1022. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding the review of the conditions of PhD work in Ireland; if his attention has been drawn to the demands from an organisation (details supplied) with regards to this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63156/22]
View answer1024. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when the review of the conditions of PhD work in Ireland will be complete; the considerations that he has given to the fair postgraduate workers agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63326/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1022 and 1024 together.
My Department has begun a national review of State supports for PhD researchers.
In this regard, I was pleased to recently appoint Dr Andrea Johnson and David Cagney as Co-Chairs for the review.
The scope of the review includes:
- Current PhD researcher supports including financial supports (stipends, SUSI supports and others);
- The adequacy, consistency and equity of current arrangements across research funders and higher education institutions, including equity and welfare considerations;
- The status of PhD researchers (student, employee) including a review of international comparators and models;
- Impact on the funding of research programmes of any adjustments to current supports;
- Graduate outcomes for PhD graduates including return on investment/benefits to the researcher;
- Visa requirements and duration for non-EU students.
The Review, informed by a robust evidence base, will be completed in early 2023. The review will look at issues of adequacy, taking account of costs and other issues, such as the exemption of the PhD stipend from income tax.
A list of the stakeholders that will be consulted as part of the review has not yet been agreed. However, it is anticipated that key stakeholders will be consulted as part of the review including, importantly, those representing PhD research students.
Any submissions received are being considered in the context of the review.
1023. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide further details in relation to the National Research Bill 2023. [63300/22]
View answerThe Programme for Government Our Shared Future includes a commitment to ensure that Ireland is a global leader in research and innovation across the arts, humanities, social sciences and STEM. Consequently, Impact 2030: Ireland's Research and Innovation Strategy, which I launched on the 18th of May, positions research and innovation at the heart of addressing Ireland's societal, economic and environmental challenges.
A key initiative in Impact 2030 is to bring a landmark Research Bill to Government to create a new competitive research and innovation funding agency, combining and building on the missions of the Irish Research Council and Science Foundation Ireland. The new agency will not only support research across all disciplines, but it will enable greater interdisciplinary research activity in Ireland. This amalgamation will also improve coordination of funding activities, administrative efficiencies and it will simplify the suite of supports for researchers, while building on both funders’ respective existing track records and international reputations.
The contribution of this new agency to the national research and innovation system and the alignment with the broader tertiary system and policy developments within my Department must be considered. In addition, the agency will have a role in ensuring a cohesive delivery of Ireland’s international research and innovation strategic engagements.
The first step in this task was to establish a high level workgroup for the Research Bill involving DFHERIS and the key organisations involved (Science Foundation Ireland, the Higher Education Authority and the Irish Research Council) which will consider the legislative process, transitional arrangements and establishment of the new agency. This high level workgroup has been established and work on developing Heads of legislation has commenced within my Department, in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
The timeline to publish the Research Bill will be informed by this work.
1025. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if all sections of all Acts passed in the past ten years have been commenced; the number of sections that are outstanding; the number of Acts that have review periods; if the reviews have taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63383/22]
View answerThe table at the following link sets out details of Acts that have been passed in the past ten years. The Deputy will note that the Acts with all sections passed have no sections outstanding. Details regarding the review periods and if they have taken place are also outlined.
Whilst the Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015 is currently under the remit of the Department of Education, it is included in the table attached as it is more appropriate to my Department. Officials in my Department liaised with colleagues in that Department and it was agreed that it would be more appropriate for my Department to include this Act in its response to the Deputy's question.
With regard to the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Act 2019, the sections of this Act which have yet to be commenced pertain to a number of new statutory functions for Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) which will empower the Agency to conduct due diligence assessments of education providers, to establish a new national fund for the protection of enrolled learners, to broaden the range of awards that are included in the national framework of qualifications and to introduce the International Education Mark (IEM) which will provide a full quality framework for the provision of education to international learners. A number of enabling precursor measures are required to underpin the introduction of these new functions including the drafting of relevant Ministerial Regulations. The Department has been working closely with QQI since the introduction of this legislation to develop and implement these enabling measures and is continuing to work with the Agency. These new functions are sequential in nature and it is expected that all remaining sections of the Act will be commenced on a phased basis over the course of this year.
1026. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the situation which many apprentices find themselves in, whereby due to Covid-19 restrictions, off-the-job training phases were cancelled, leaving many without a definitive date for qualification, despite having spent more than four years in training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63435/22]
View answer1027. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to deal with the backlog in off-the-job training phases for apprentices which were cancelled due to Covid restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63436/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1026 and 1027 together.
Apprenticeships are employer led demand driven educational and training programmes that aim to develop the skills of an apprentice in order to meet the needs of industry and the labour market. As apprentices are employees, the demand for and number of apprentices is primarily dictated by the employers in any area or sector.
Between early 2020 and 2021, the capacity for off-the-job training was severely impacted by the Covid-19 public health measures. Over that period, off-the-job training capacity was reduced to zero for the majority of the time, and less than 50% for other periods. The impact of this was to create a surge in the waiting lists that normally ran at approximately 3,619 as of October 2019 pre-pandemic, reaching a peak of over 11,000 by August 2021.
Considering the context of the Covid-19 public health measures, the impact on capacity and intake over the immediate emergency period of 2020/21, as well as the post-emergency period in 2022 where the system was not only in “restart” mode but also trying to make up for ground lost during the pandemic, it becomes clear how and why some apprentices who were impacted over that period will ultimately take extended training time to complete their apprenticeships.
Based on end of December monthly figures, there are currently 4,960 apprentices waiting longer than expected to access off the job training.
With the commitment of a further €17.2m in capital investment into 2023, this need for increased capacity continues to be actively managed. The funding means that SOLAS are able to continue the progress already made to address those programmes with the highest numbers of apprentices waiting to be placed.
My officials are in continuous engagement with SOLAS, the HEA, and other partners. As strong registrations on craft programmes continue, SOLAS are working, and will continue to work, to provide further places to address high numbers of apprentices needing off-the-job places.
