Written Answers Nos. 468-484
468. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to increase the rate of pay for those working on jobs initiative schemes in light of significant increases in the cost of living, given that most of these workers are doing substantial work in their communities and are struggling to make ends meet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23082/23]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware Job Initiative (JI) is an employment support scheme which was designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities.
Participants on JI are employed full time for 39 hours per week. The current rate for JI participants is €495 per week. The JI rate benefits from any budgetary increase in the relevant social welfare payments along with any increase in the top up payment for participants on employment support schemes.
The 2023 budget increases, effective from January increased the JI weekly rate from €461 to €495, when the increase in weekly social welfare payment rates and the increase in the top up payment are taken into account. It is also worth noting that the JI rate has increased by €75 per week since 2016.
In addition, JI participants also receive social welfare benefits such as the annual Christmas Bonus and also received the Autumn Cost of Living double week payment in October 2022 and the recent Spring Cost of Living Bonus payment of €200. JI participants in receipt of Child Benefit for dependant children will also receive the Cost of Living Bonus payment of €100 in June 2023. The JI rate will continue to benefit from any increases introduced as part of the annual budgetary process.
There are currently 394 participants on JI. Recruitment to the JI scheme closed in November 2004.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
469. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications made for invalidity pension in 2022 and to date in 2023; and the number of applications made that were refused, in tabular form. [23099/23]
View answer470. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a disability payment for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23166/23]
View answerI confirm that my Department received an application for Disability Allowance (DA) from the person concerned on 2 November 2022. The processing time for individual DA claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria, the person’s circumstances and the information they provide in support of their claim.
Based on the evidence supplied in support of this person’s application, his application for DA was disallowed on the grounds that the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied. It was also refused on this individual having means in excess of the statutory limit for DA.
The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 4 January 2023, and they were given the right to a review or an appeal. The DA section of my Department was informed that person concerned requested an appeal with the independent social welfare appeals office (SWAO) on 24 February 2023 and the file in question was submitted to the SWAO for consideration. The person will be notified directly regarding the outcome of the appeal by the independent SWAO.
In the meantime, the person in question can apply to the Community Welfare Officer for the means tested Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) if he is in need of financial assistance, while awaiting the outcome of his appeal.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
471. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the programmes, further supports and initiatives for enterprise and business community that are funded under her Department; the capital, current and total 2023 budget allocation for enterprise under her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23178/23]
View answerAs part of our overall portfolio of schemes and services, My Department directly supports enterprise and the business community through a range of schemes. Budgetary allocations for these schemes for 2023 are listed below.
|
Scheme |
2023 Allocation (€000) (All current expenditure) |
|
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) (including Short-Term Enterprise Allowance) |
49,080 |
|
Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) |
24,000 |
|
JobsPlus |
4,900 |
|
Enterprise Support Grant (ESG) |
2,800 |
|
Reasonable Accommodation Grant |
1,170 |
|
Supports for Graduates with Disabilities |
483 |
|
Disability Awareness Support Grants |
390 |
|
Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme |
250 |
|
Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme |
50 |
|
Total |
83,123 |
The information set out below provides further details of the schemes and supports which my Department offers to enterprise and business communities.
The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme is designed to provide a monetary incentive for people who are in receipt of certain qualifying social welfare payments to develop a business while allowing them to retain a reducing proportion of their qualifying social welfare payment, plus secondary benefits in certain circumstances. The objective is to support certain Social Protection customers to commence self-employment through setting up a new enterprise.
Short Term Enterprise Allowance scheme (STEA) supports someone who loses their job and wants to start their own business. It provides an incentive to customers of Jobseeker's Benefit/Jobseeker's Benefit Self-Employed payment (JB/JBSE) to avail of self-employment opportunities by allowing them to retain their appropriate JB/JBSE payment rate for a maximum of 9 months. It ends when the entitlement to JB/JBSE ends (that is, at either 9 or 6 months).
Wage Subsidy Scheme - The Wage Subsidy Scheme gives financial incentives to private sector employers to employ people with a disability. The work offered must be for a minimum of 21 hours per week and the subsidy is available up to 39 hours per week.
JobsPlus - JobsPlus is designed to encourage employers and businesses to focus their recruitment efforts on those who have been out of work for long periods or on young people seeking employment. It provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers over two years, with two levels of grant payable - €7,500 or €10,000 provided that the employment is maintained. The level of payment depends on the length of time the person is unemployed and on the Live Register.
Enterprise Support Grant (ESG) - The Enterprise Support Grant (ESG) provides financial support to participants on the back to work enterprise allowance (BTWEA) or the short-term enterprise allowance (STEA). The grant aims to alleviate financial difficulties at the early stage of a new enterprise by assisting a participant on a co-funding basis with initial business start-up cost.
Reasonable Accommodation Grants - Under this scheme my Department offer a range of supports including:
- The Employee Retention Grant Scheme aims to assist employers to retain employees who acquire a disability by providing funding to Identify accommodation and / or training to enable the employee to remain in his/her current position; or re-train the employee so that s/he can take up another position within the company.
- The Job Interview Interpreter Grant. If a job seeker is deaf, hard of hearing or has a speech impairment and is attending job interviews with private sector employers, he/she can apply for funding to have a sign language interpreter, lip-speaker or other interpreter (with or without professional qualifications) attend the interviews with him/her.
- The Personal Reader Grant. This grant is available to blind or visually impaired persons who are employed in the private sector and who need to employ a Personal Reader to assist them with work related reading, which is part of their duties, but which they cannot do due to the nature of their visual impairment.
- The Workplace Equipment Adaptation Grant. Where a person with a disability has been offered employment, is in employment or is self-employed and requires a more accessible workplace or adapted equipment to do the job, s/he or the employer may be able to get a grant towards the costs of adapting premises or equipment.
Supports for Graduates with Disabilities - The Department funds AHEAD (Association for Higher Education Access & Disability) to deliver the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) Programme and the GetAHEAD Programme for third-level students and graduates with disabilities.
Disability Awareness Support Grants - The Disability Awareness Support Scheme provides funding for private sector employers to arrange and pay for disability awareness training for staff who work with a colleague who has a disability.
Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) - Under the 2020 July Jobs Stimulus Package the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) replaced the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) from 1 September 2020.
The EWSS is administered by my Department and ceased in February 2022.
Under the EWSS scheme, employers and new firms in sectors impacted by COVID-19 whose turnover has fallen 30% get a flat-rate subsidy per week based on the number of qualifying employees on the payroll, including seasonal staff and new employees.
Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) - Revenue operated the TWSS, which was administered by my Department, from 26 March 2020 to 31 August 2020. The TWSS replaced the Employer COVID-19 Refund Scheme. It enabled employers that were affected by the pandemic to:
- give significant supports directly to their employees
- keep their employees on the payroll throughout the pandemic. This meant employers could retain links with employees for when business picked up after the crisis.
Employers who were able to do so, could make an additional payment, with each wage subsidy, to employees.
Revenue reimbursed the employer for the wage subsidy they paid to employees after receipt of the payroll submission.
The TWSS ended on 31 August 2020 and was replaced by the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) on 1 September 2020.
472. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of international protection applicants not offered accommodation by IPAS who have been issued any payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, exclusive of the daily expenses allowance or equivalent payment, to date in 2023, broken down by month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23285/23]
View answer473. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of international protection applicants not offered accommodation by IPAS who have been granted the daily expenses allowance or equivalent payment, to date in 2023, broken down by month of application for the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23286/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 472 and 473 together.
The provision of material reception conditions, including food and health services, for applicants for International Protection who are awaiting a decision on their application is the responsibility of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) and the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS).
My department administers the Daily Expenses Allowance, which is paid to international protection applicants availing of material reception conditions, to meet incidental, personal expenses. This allowance is available to all applicants for international protection who are resident in, or waiting for IPAS accommodation. The current weekly rates of payment are €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child. Statistics on the number of recipients are compiled on a quarterly basis. The figures in the enclosed Table 1 show the number of people in receipt of the daily expenses allowance at the end of 2022 and at the end of March 2023.
All applicants for international protection are eligible to apply for an additional needs payment under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme to help with essential expenses that they cannot meet from their own resources. Table 2 shows the number of additional needs payments made to applicants for international protection who are residing in, or waiting on an offer of, IPAS accommodation.
This department does not separately collate the number of daily expenses allowance claims awarded, or the number of additional needs payments that have been made, to international protection applicants who are waiting on an offer of accommodation from IPAS. The process of issuing accommodation offers is the responsibility of DCEDIY and IPAS.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to a payment under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme is encouraged to contact their local Intreo Centre. 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 People in receipt of a Daily Expenses Allowance |
||
|
2022 |
Mar-23 |
|
|
Number of claimants |
12,694 |
12,238 |
|
Number of dependent adults on claims |
1,741 |
1,705 |
|
Number of children |
5,063 |
5,238 |
|
Total number of people |
19,498 |
19,181 |
|
Table 2 Additional Needs Payments made to Daily Expenses Allowance Recipients. |
||
|
2022 |
Mar-23 |
|
|
Number of payments |
8,052 |
3,391 |
474. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the amount paid to the IMMA in respect of additional car parking spaces for staff based at the new Military Road Garda building; and if he will clarify whether the OPW has entered into a long-term lease for the car parking spaces or whether it is an annual renewal with the IMMA. [22464/23]
View answerI have contacted An Garda Síochána for the information requested by the Deputy, regretfully this information was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.
475. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice the consideration he has given to the establishment of a domestic independent body or bodies for the purpose of the monitoring implementation of the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence for victims set out in Article 10 of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence and for children to ensure their rights under Article 19 of the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of the Child are upheld. [22364/23]
View answerCombatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based remains a priority for me and this Government.
'Zero Tolerance,' the Third National Strategy (TNS) on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) which was published by Minister McEntee last year, sets out an ambitious five-year programme of reform to achieve a society which does not accept DSGBV and seeks to empower those who have suffered any form of these terrible crimes.
Implementation of the Strategy is ensured by diligent oversight and coordination at central Government level.
This whole-of-government priority is overseen by the Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Equality chaired by An Taoiseach, a High Level Oversight Board chaired by the Secretaries General to the Departments of the Taoiseach and Justice, with a secretariat in the Department of the Taoiseach to support this Government priority.
The High Level Oversight Board, which meets quarterly, is charged with ensuring that actions in the Strategy are implemented successfully and within the designated timelines across all relevant bodies.
Further to this, a monitoring committee comprising members of the DSGBV NGO sector will convene at the end of this month to examine the progress made in implementing all of the actions under the National Strategy Implementation Plan, as well as to identify best practice in implementation and propose how good practice can be copied and improved.
As the Deputy will be aware, a central element of delivering on the zero tolerance goal of the Strategy is the establishment of a statutory DSGBV agency under the aegis of the Minister for Justice, to be operational by 1 January 2024.
The agency will have a specific mandate to coordinate and drive the implementation of the strategy across Government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social issue.
The new agency will work collaboratively with the NGO and DSGBV services sector to ensure that the best possible services are in place to meet the needs of victims and survivors.
476. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice the amount that An Garda Síochána spent on hiring crowd control barriers in 2022 and to-date in 2023; when is this current contract to provide crowd control barriers due to expire; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22382/23]
View answerI have requested the information requested from the Garda authorities, however, the information was not received in time. I will contact the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.
477. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice the number of standard and advanced motorcycles courses held for gardaí within Carlow-Kilkenny Division in 2022 and to-date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22383/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including responsibility for the recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
I can however assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose, policing service, with the unprecedented allocation provided in Budget 2023 of €2.14 billion.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that no standard or advanced motorcycle courses have been held for Gardaí within the Carlow-Kilkenny Division in 2022 and to date in 2023.
478. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda roads policing unit cars that came into fleet in 2022 and to-date in 2023; the number of these vehicles withdrawn for the same period, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22384/23]
View answerThe Government is committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose, policing service. Budget 2023 provides funding of €2.14 billion for An Garda Síochána, of which €10m has been allocated for investment in the Garda fleet.
As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the purchase, allocation, and effective and efficient use of Garda vehicles. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
The table below, provided to me by the Garda authorities, outlines the number of Garda roads policing unit cars that were allocated to and removed from the Garda fleet in 2022 up to 30 April 2023.
|
|
Allocated |
Removed |
|
2022 |
7 |
13 |
|
As at 30 April 2023 |
11 |
2 |
I am advised that the purchase and allocation of vehicles by An Garda Síochána is made on the basis of identified operational demands, the availability of resources and is reviewed on a continual basis.
479. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Justice the estimated full year cost if 1,400 new gardaí were recruited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22385/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including responsibility for the recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
I am, however, assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review. I am advised that this is considered in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure the optimum use of these resources.
I can also assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose policing service, with the unprecedented allocation provided in Budget 2023 of €2.14 billion.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the current estimated payroll and subsistence cost of recruiting 1,400 Garda for a full year in 2023 is €35.5m.
I am advised this sum includes a basic training allowance for 33 weeks along with 19 weeks of salary, an estimation of certain fixed allowances and variable unsocial hours’ allowances, employer’s PRSI, and subsistence following deployment after attestation.
I am further advised the sum does not include other potential costs including the cost of equipment and accommodation. It should also be noted that the estimated figures do not take account of potential overtime costs or potential future pension costs.
480. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí assigned to Gaeltacht regions; how many assigned to each Garda station; how many are fluent in Irish; how many vacancies there are, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22392/23]
View answerI have contacted An Garda Síochána for the information requested by the Deputy, regretfully this information was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.
481. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if he can clarify, given the crisis in Sudan, the pathways that exist for family reunification for Irish citizens with family members still trapped in Sudan; the efforts being made to support the relatives and families still there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22395/23]
View answerI am very conscious of the grave humanitarian crisis in Sudan. I understand that this is a difficult situation for our Sudanese community and their loved ones and I can assure you that all current immigration avenues remain open for new applications, including visa and family reunification applications.
My Department will process any new applications received speedily and sympathetically and, with the Department of Foreign Affairs, is also working closely with all EU member states to ensure a coherent EU response to events in Sudan.
The Embassy in Nairobi and the Department of Foreign Affairs are maintaining contact with and advising Irish citizens and their families still in Sudan. Consular teams in the region continue to work with people as they are evacuated, helping to arrange accommodation when needed and supporting and advising and assisting on onward arrangements.
For those seeking further information the Department recommends that citizens should follow the Embassy of Ireland in Kenya on Twitter (@IrlEmbKenya) for updated advice.
482. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice the number of applications that have been made by persons seeking to have their deportation order revoked, pursuant to the provisions of section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), by year, in tabular form; the number of successful applications and the numbers of applications that have been rejected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22398/23]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that any person, who is the subject of a Deportation Order, can apply to the Minister, under section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), to have their Deportation Order revoked. That position applies equally to deportation orders made under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) or under section 51 of the International Protection Act 2015.
Any such request, to have a realistic chance of having a favourable outcome, would need to be founded on new information or changed circumstances which were not raised, nor were capable of being raised, when the decision to make a Deportation Order was taken. Where such a request is made, the outcome of that request will be that the existing Deportation Order will either be ‘affirmed’ or ‘revoked’.
The first table below shows the number of applications that have been made by persons seeking to have their deportation order revoked, pursuant to the provisions of section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 from 1 January 2018 to 11 May 2023.
|
2018 |
451 |
|
2019 |
648 |
|
2020 |
512 |
|
2021 |
294 |
|
2022 |
522 |
|
2023 to 11 May 2023 |
217 |
|
Total |
2,644 |
Total number of decisions issued from 1 January 2018 to date:
|
2018 |
Order Affirmed |
100 |
|
Order Amended |
11 |
|
|
Order Revoked |
317 |
|
|
Order Revoked and PTR Granted |
4 |
|
|
Year Total |
432 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2019 |
Order Affirmed |
101 |
|
Order Amended |
11 |
|
|
Order Revoked |
375 |
|
|
Order Revoked and PTR Granted |
10 |
|
|
Under Consideration |
1 |
|
|
Year Total |
498 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2020 |
Order Affirmed |
24 |
|
Order Amended |
1 |
|
|
Order Amended and Affirmed |
2 |
|
|
Order Revoked |
262 |
|
|
Order Revoked and PTR Granted |
51 |
|
|
Under Consideration |
1 |
|
|
Year Total |
341 |
|
|
|
||
|
2021 |
Order Affirmed |
11 |
|
Order Revoked |
174 |
|
|
Order Revoked and PTR Granted |
85 |
|
|
Year Total |
270 |
|
|
|
||
|
2022 |
Applied |
1 |
|
Order Affirmed |
43 |
|
|
Order Amended and Affirmed |
1 |
|
|
Order Revoked |
573 |
|
|
Order Revoked and PTR Granted |
44 |
|
|
Year Total |
662 |
|
|
|
||
|
2023 to 11 May 2023 |
Order Affirmed |
3 |
|
Order Revoked |
209 |
|
|
Order Revoked and PTR Granted |
27 |
|
|
|
Year Total |
239 |
It should be noted that a decision made in a particular year may relate to an application made in a previous year.
483. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice when a decision will be made by the International Protection Appeals Tribunal on an application from a person (details supplied) who arrived in Ireland in July 2021, who is a Somali national and who has endured great hardship in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22400/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, for reasons relating to applicant confidentiality, it is not my Department's practice to comment on whether an application for international protection has been made in the State.
An applicant for such protection status, or their legal representative, should contact either the International Protection Office (IPO) or the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) directly, as appropriate if they wish to receive an update on the status of their case.
The International Protection Office may be contacted: by email to info@ipo.gov.ie; by telephone to the IPO Customer Service Centre at 01 6028008 or in writing to Customer Service Centre, International Protection Office, 79-83 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.
The International Protection Appeals Tribunal may be contacted either: by email to info@protectionappeals.ie; by telephone at 01-4748400 (or Lo-Call 1890 201 458), or in writing to Corporate Services Division, The International Protection Appeals Tribunal, 6-7 Hanover Street East, Dublin D02 W320.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the parliamentary questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
484. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice where and when he will meet the representatives of an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22401/23]
View answerAs I previously advised the Deputy, I established the Firearms Expert Committee (FEC) on a non-statutory basis with representation from stakeholders, my Department and An Garda Síochána.
The purpose of the FEC was to serve in an advisory capacity to me as Minister, providing guidance on a wide range of matters related to firearms licensing in the State. In line with its comprehensive terms of reference, which were made publicly available, the FEC was tasked with making recommendations on a range of firearms matters for my subsequent consideration, including carrying out an assessment of all types of firearms to determine their current use under the existing licensing system and their suitability for future licensing.
The final meeting of the FEC took place on 3 March 2023 and I published the final report on Friday, 31 March 2023 on Gov.ie.
As I have emphasised throughout the process, any proposed changes to policy or legislation arising from any of the recommendations of the FEC will be subject to prior consultation with firearms stakeholders.
On the, 3 May 2023, I launched the FEC consultation online on Gov.ie.
The online consultation can be accessed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/consultation/411f7-consultation-on-the-recommendations-of-the-reports-of-the-firearms-expert-committee/. I would encourage as many people and organisations as possible to engage with this survey in order to make their views known.
In addition to this, I have also sought written submissions on the recommendations of the FEC from a range of stakeholder organisations and intend to meet with such groups, having received their written submissions and following the conclusion of the wider public consultation, which runs until 2 June. This will ensure that stakeholder organisations can engage fully in this consultation. I have written to the organisation referred to by the Deputy as part of this process and I am looking forward to receiving their submission in due course and to then arranging to meet with them to discuss it.
