Written Answers Nos. 200-215
200. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the current number of live studies, reviews and research undertaken or commissioned by her; and the date by which each study, review and research is scheduled to be completed, in tabular form. [26962/23]
View answerThe current number of live studies, reviews and research projects in progress, undertaken or commissioned by my Department is set out in the table below.
|
Title of current study/ review / research undertaken or commissioned |
End Date |
|
OECD Review of Calculated Grades and Accredited Grades |
Q2 2023 |
|
Thematic evaluation on provision and practice in relation to Creativity in settings and schools |
Q4 2023 |
|
Thematic evaluation on provision and practice in relation to Education for Sustainable Development in setting and schools |
Q4 2023 |
|
Review Anti-bullying procedures for Primary and Post Primary schools 2013 |
Q3 2023 |
|
Review of the School Transport Scheme |
Q2 2023 |
|
Section 29 Internal Review |
Q4 2023 |
|
The IPA Review of Risk Management |
Q2 2023 |
|
Review of EPSEN Act 2004 |
Q3 2023 |
|
Report on Nurture rooms |
November 2023 |
|
Enhancing the involvement of children and young people, and parents, in the school / setting inspection process |
Q4 2023 |
|
Small Schools Action Research Project |
December 2023 |
|
Evaluation of the Digital Learning Framework |
2023 |
|
Evaluation of the School Excellence Fund digital & STEM Programme |
2023 |
|
Independent evaluation of NTRIS STAR pilot |
2024 |
|
Review of resource allocation to address educational disadvantage |
2024 |
|
Research and Evaluation Study on the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme |
End 2024 |
|
Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2022) |
Publication of report due December 2023 |
|
Mapping ESD related CPD for Primary and Post Primary teachers |
Q2 2023 |
|
Independent Evaluation of the City Connects Pilot Project |
October 2023 |
|
Review of Guidelines on the use of School Buildings outside of School Hours |
Q3 2023 |
|
A report on the outcomes of inspection findings, including data from surveys of children, young people and their parents in relation to preventing and addressing bullying |
Q4 2023 |
201. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the key bodies and agencies in Irish education involved in dimension one of the longitudinal study exploring the implementation and impact of the Junior Cycle Framework in post-primary schools. [26963/23]
View answer202. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the criteria and benchmarks to be utilised as part of dimension two of the longitudinal study exploring the implementation and impact of the Junior Cycle Framework in post-primary schools to ensure adequate spread of DEIS school, gaelscoileanna, geographical location, Gaeltacht and gender. [26964/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 201 and 202 together.
The Framework for Junior Cycle (2015) has underpinned teaching, learning, assessment and reporting in post-primary schools for a number of years. A research study examining schools’ experiences of working with the framework is now taking place. Following a competitive tender process, a research team from the School of Education at the University of Limerick was commissioned by NCCA to carry out this mixed methods, multidimensional research study on the implementation and impact of the introduction of the Framework for Junior Cycle in schools.
Two interim reports in this series of research reports have been published to date, the first of which was published in October 2022 and the second in April 2023. Further data collection and reporting will be carried out over the lifetime of the study which runs from 2020 to 2024. Such research plays a valuable role in supporting the ongoing implementation of this major reform, and I look forward to the future phases of the study.
It is important to note that this report is being carried out by the University of Limerick on behalf of the NCCA and accordingly the criteria and benchmarks to be utilised within the Study are not a matter for me as Minister. However, I am advised that the criteria that were used to select the schools to ensure a representative sample are detailed in the ‘sampling process’ section of the introductory report, and that the sample of Second-Level schools was identified using the national list of schools as provided on education.ie. I can also draw the Deputy's attention to the details of the stakeholder bodies and agencies interviewed as part of Dimension 1, which I am advised are outlined on page 13 of the introductory report and within Appendix I to the report.
203. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education if the visiting teacher for the visually impaired will be reinstated to a family in light of correspondence (details supplied); the reason for the delay in responding to this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27008/23]
View answerMy Department provides funding to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for the provision of the visiting teacher service for children who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired.
As the management of the visiting teachers service is the responsibility of the NCSE, I have referred the matter raised by the Deputy to the NCSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
204. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Education if any consideration has been given to supporting education programmes surrounding alcohol and drug misuse in schools which can be delivered by the local alcohol and drug task force team; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27027/23]
View answerThe issue of alcohol misuse is addressed throughout the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme, which has a specific module on the use and misuse of a range of substances. As students progress through the SPHE programme from primary to post-primary, they encounter a wide range of issues, including substance misuse. Schools have a role to play in supporting their students to develop the key skills and knowledge to enable them to make informed choices when faced with difficult issues, including drugs, alcohol and gambling.
SPHE is currently mandatory in all primary schools and in Junior Cycle, where it forms part of the mandatory 'Well-being' area of learning. Schools are also encouraged to deliver the SPHE programme in senior cycle.
Relevant topics in SPHE include student decision-making skills and safety and protection. Students learn how to exercise judgement, weigh up different possibilities, examine the steps and choices that guide them towards considered decision-making, begin to understand their own rights and the rights of others, and explore decision-making. In respect of safety, students’ ability to assess the consequences of risky behaviour is also developed.
In 2020, the NCCA established two development groups, one for primary and one for post-primary, to oversee work in the area of SPHE/RSE curricular redevelopment for Primary, Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle.
Following an extensive period of consultation, on 16 May, an updated Junior Cycle SPHE specification was published following the Minister’s approval and it will be introduced into schools in September.
This new specification provides clear direction on the knowledge and skills that all students should gain during the three years of Junior Cycle SPHE. It places a strong focus on the development of important life skills that young people need growing up in a fast changing and complex world. The Learning Outcomes of Strand 2, Making Healthy Choices, include that students should be able to “investigate how unhealthy products such as nicotine, vapes, alcohol and unhealthy food and drinks are marketed and advertised”, to “discuss the physical, social, emotional and legal consequences of using addictive substances –immediate and long term-, and to “consider scenarios where, for example, alcohol, nicotine, drugs, food and electronic devices might be used to cope with unpleasant feelings or stress, and discuss possible healthy ways of coping”.
The topic is also touched in Strand 4 - Emotional well-being, where students explore the potential impact of substance use on mental health.
Work on Senior Cycle specifications has begun and it is expected to be available for public consultation in Q3 2023. A background paper was already published for consultation in October last year. Development of a draft Primary specification is expected to be completed in early 2025, with public consultation on this specification planned for 2024.
In addition to this, the 'Know the Score' programme is a substance misuse programme published in 2019 for Transition Year or 5th year pupils. Know the Score can be found on HSE.ie, and training is available for teachers.
My Department is working with the Department of Health and other government departments and agencies to support full implementation of the Government’s national drug strategy - Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery 2017-2025 and participated in the 2021 mid-term review of the strategy. To address priorities over the remaining period, six strategic priorities were identified in the review, to strengthen the health-led approach to drug use and to align with the EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plan. The first priority is to strengthen the prevention of drug use and its associated harms among children and young people. My Department is participating in the work of the dedicated Strategic Implementation Group established to lead on this priority. It is also a member of the strategy’s National Oversight Committee established on the launch of the Strategy, to give leadership and direction to support overall implementation.
205. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the displacement on childcare places, as schools take back spare classrooms to accommodate ASD units and other school needs; the estimated scale of this displacement; and if she can draw up a plan with her colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on how such inevitable changes can be optimally managed to avoid disruption to badly needed childcare, perhaps taking advantage of the capital allocation in the NDP for childcare. [27034/23]
View answerThe Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is responsible for early years education and provision and school-age childcare outside of the formal education system. However, my Department has a key role in supporting quality within the sector and works closely with the DCEDIY.
My Department has historically funded a very small number of preschool services in schools in areas at particular risk of disadvantage and social exclusion. Outside of these initiatives, schools themselves are free to decide if they wish to make their facilities available for the running of early learning and care and/or school-age childcare services, and my Department understands that some schools do so. Any decision to make school facilities available lies with the relevant Trustees/ Property owners having regard to the requirements of the school, staff and students.
The policy of my Department is to support the use of school premises and facilities for community, recreational, education-related and other relevant purposes where possible. It is recognised that schools play an important role in their wider communities and many schools make their facilities available outside of school hours for a variety of different uses and users.
In 2017 guidelines, which were developed in consultation with school authorities, on the use of school buildings outside of school hours were published (Guidelines on the use of School buildings outside of School Hours) and a copy of these Guidelines is available on my Department's website. These Guidelines include information which school authorities should consider in the event that they receive an application for the use of their school in connection with a preschool. Where that proposed use may take place within school hours consideration has to be given to the impact on the capacity of the school to meet its requirements, including special education provision. The priority use for school accommodation is, necessarily, the provision of mainstream primary and post primary school places, as well as provision for children with special educational needs. Therefore, where a school is considering the letting of part of its property as an early learning and care setting during school hours, they must first have the prior approval of the Minister. In addition, where schools enter an agreement for the use of their facilities it should include a condition that the agreement may be terminated should the facility be required for education provision. The Guidelines recommend that any licence agreement here should be of a short-term nature and have appropriate break/termination clauses. The majority of school properties are not in State-ownership and my Department does not hold data on the termination of agreements with early learning and care providers.
My Department is currently undertaking a review of these Guidelines. As part of this review process my Department is consulting with relevant stakeholders, including representatives of schools and other government Departments, including the DCEDIY. Part of the consultation has included a school survey to inform the updating of the Guidelines. The survey was recently issued to patron bodies of a sample of selected primary and post-primary schools for distribution. The survey invited schools to share their views on topics related to the use of school buildings outside of school hours. It included questions on whether there is a preschool located on the property and the number of children attending.
The responses to the survey are currently being collated and analysed in order to inform the review of the Guidelines. Following the review, and in consultation with school authorities, the Guidelines will be updated as necessary and all schools will be notified of the changes. The updated guidelines are expected to be published towards the end of Quarter 3 2023.
In general, capital funding by my Department is reserved for the provision of mainstream school accommodation for primary education upwards, as well as for children with special educational needs. Funding for preschool services is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
206. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she has met with national Traveller organisations on the development of Traveller-specific cultural and heritage initiatives and investments to create the conditions for Travellers' effective participation in cultural life, a complementary State obligation under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26887/23]
View answer207. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the resources allocated to preserve Traveller culture and heritage from 2017 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26888/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 206 and 207 together.
The Deputy may wish to note that I have previously advised the House of initiatives and investments, in Traveller communities, in my responses to Dáil Questions No. 11 of 17th November 2022 and No. 368 and 369 of 23rd May 2023.
Officials and Agencies under my remit, engage with and provide Traveller communities with a wide range of supports for effective participation in Cultural, Artistic and Sporting life. My Department is also represented on the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) Committee, chaired by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY).
The table below highlights a synopsis of various programmes and initiatives, for Traveller communities concentrated investments, by my Department and Agencies under my remit since 2017. The Deputy may also wish to note that further detailed information on programmes and supports may be found on my Department’s website www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-tourism-culture-arts-gaeltacht-sport-and-media/.
Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (TCAGSM) Traveller-specific cultural and heritage initiatives and investments
|
Title of Sectoral programmes/initiatives |
Details and funding |
|
Creative Ireland Programme (Traveller Well-being through Creativity) |
Funding of €140,712 has been allocated for Traveller Well-being through Creativity pilot projects into 2023. |
|
(Creative Youth Nurture Fund) |
For 2023, my Department will provide funding for a new pilot Creative Youth Nurture Fund to support specific priority cohorts of children and young people to develop and engage in youth-led creative projects. Children and young people from the Traveller Community are one of the target cohorts. |
|
(Local Creative Youth Partnerships) |
My Department and the Department of Education, continue to develop links with younger members of the Travelling community. There are initiatives to support younger Travellers such as the Young Beoirs Gathering in 2022 for Guth na Mincéirí, a six-month celebration of Traveller culture in Limerick. |
|
(Creative Communities) |
Since 2017, my Department has provided a range of funding to local authorities through Creative Communities. I am assured that many local authorities have used this funding to support Traveller-specific cultural and heritage initiatives, including Mincéirí Ag Canadh – i.e. Travellers singing supported by Waterford City & County Council. |
|
The Arts Council |
The Arts Council is the national agency for funding, developing and promoting the arts in Ireland. In 2022, I secured an amount of €130m for the Council and this level of funding is retained in 2023. I am advised that the Arts Council set up a partnership with Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre and through Pavee Point will be working with other Traveller organisations in order to increase Traveller inclusion, visibility and participation in the arts in Ireland. |
|
Culture Ireland (Basic Income for Artists) |
The Basic Income for the Arts Pilot research scheme includes 14 people who identified as Traveller or Roma when applying, who are now receiving the BIA payment. |
|
The National Library (NLI) (Family history research) |
The NLI has collaborated over a number of years with Pavee Point and other organisations on family history research projects with the Traveller Community. In 2022, family trees researched and produced by Traveller families, supported by NLI funding and in partnership with Mincéirí Port Láirge, were donated to the NLI’s collections. |
|
(National Photographic Archive (NPA)) |
The Traveller community is represented in the People and Places exhibition at the National Photographic Archive (NPA), which opened in January 2023 and will run until 2025. The NPA is part of the National Library of Ireland. |
|
Sport Ireland |
The Sport Ireland Diversity and Inclusion in Sport Advisory Group, formed in November 2022, provides guidance to Sport Ireland about its actions regarding the implementation of the Sport Ireland Policy on Diversity and Inclusion in Sport, and the promotion of an inclusive sport sector in Ireland. Membership of this group includes representation from the Traveller community. |
|
Sports Capital Programmes |
Many projects that receive allocations under the Sports Capital Programmes have benefited members of the Traveller community. Traveller organisations can receive funding directly under my Department’s grant schemes particularly the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme which seeks to increase Traveller communities participation in Sport. |
|
Irish Travellers / Mincéirs |
My Department has provided funding of €26,800 to support the Irish Travellers / Mincéirs and the State, 1922-2022 Conference, which took place in September 2022. The 2-day conference was organised and led by the National University of Ireland Galway with support from my Department as part of the Decade of Centenaries Programme 2012 to 2023. |
208. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will provide a full list of public bodies under the aegis of her Department; and Oireachtas contact details for each. [26921/23]
View answerA list of public bodies under the aegis of my Department and their Oireachtas contact details is provided below.
|
Arts Council |
pqs@artscouncil.ie |
|
Coimisiún na Meán |
info@cnam.ie |
|
Chester Beatty Library |
docarroll@cbl.iecdukes@cbl.ie |
|
Crawford Art Gallery |
director@crawfordartgallery.ienormacuddihy@crawfordartgallery.ie |
|
Fáilte Ireland |
oireachtas@failteireland.ie |
|
Foras Teanga (Foras na Gaeilge) |
socoinn@forasnagaeilge.ie |
|
Foras Teanga (Ulster-Scots Agency) |
Icrozier@ulsterscotsagency.org.uk |
|
Fís Éireann | Screen Ireland |
info@screenireland.ie |
|
Irish Museum of Modern Art |
fintan.mcdonald@imma.ie |
|
National Concert Hall |
robert.read@nch.ie, Barry.Walsh@nch.ie |
|
National Gallery of Ireland |
directorsoffice@ngi.ie |
|
National Library of Ireland |
oireachtasqueries@nli.ie |
|
National Museum of Ireland |
directorsoffice@museum.ie, pq@museum.ie |
|
RTÉ |
companysecretary@rte.ie |
|
Sport Ireland |
oireachtas@sportireland.ie |
|
TG4 |
Noramaire.ui.mhochain@tg4.ie |
|
Tourism Ireland |
FNugent@tourismireland.com |
|
Údarás na Gaeltachta |
bridie@udaras.ie |
209. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if there is any additional funding available to recipients of the 2022 tranche of the sports capital programme in order to cover the excess costs due to inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27032/23]
View answerThe Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas.
The 2020 round of the SCEP closed for applications on Monday 1 March 2021 and by the deadline a record 3,106 applications were submitted. The final allocations under the 2020 round were announced on 31 May last year and the total allocation of €166.6 million represents the highest level of allocation ever made under the SCEP. Details of all allocations can be found on the Department's website. While it is not possible to provide additional funding in respect of these existing grants, it is open to all grantees to again apply for funding under the next round of the SCEP.
In this regard, following completion of the appeal process, my Department commenced a full review of all aspects of the 2020 round of the SCEP. This Review has now been published and is available on the Department’s website. My officials are now drafting the "Guide to Making an Application" for the 2023 round to reflect the recommendations in the Review and I hope to have this finalised in the coming weeks. Once completed, the Guide will be published on my Department's website.
Furthermore, my officials and I continue to engage with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to the launch of the next cycle of the SCEP. Once this engagement is complete I will announce the exact date on which the 2023 round of the SCEP will open for applications.
210. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will confirm the cost of The Hare Release Survey, conducted jointly by an organisation (details supplied) and the NPWS. [26814/23]
View answerThe Hare Tracking Study was managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department. It was subject to a public procurement process through eTenders. The contract was awarded to Queens University Belfast and Dr Neil Reid, an international expert on hares, was the lead investigator. The total cost of the contract was €153,048.77 (€124,999 ex VAT). The fieldwork for the study took place during 2022 and the final results were published earlier this year. The full report can be accessed on the NPWS website at the following link: www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/IWM145.pdf.
211. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will increase the qualifying threshold from €36,000 to €40,000 for couples who are working and who wish to apply for local authority social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26766/23]
View answerGovernment increased the baseline social housing income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities from 1 January 2023.
As a result, the baseline thresholds increased to a net income of €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for local authorities in Bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The corresponding thresholds for a couple with no children increased to a net income of €42,000, €36,750 and €31,500.
Notwithstanding these changes, my Department is currently scoping options for a revised social housing income eligibility model and I expect proposals to be submitted for my consideration later in Q2 2023.
There are no plans, pending completion of this work, to make any further changes to the thresholds.
212. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify whether the recently announced croí cónaithe grant is only payable on houses that are accessible by a public road, and that it is not payable for houses not accessible onto a public road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26783/23]
View answerPathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock.
In July 2022 the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched to support bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use.
From 1 May 2023, a grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent, including the conversion of a property which has not been used as residential heretofore, subject to appropriate planning permission being in place.
Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €50,000, a maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed by the applicant to be derelict or where the property is already on the local authority’s Derelict Sites Register, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000.
The grant is available in respect of vacant and derelict properties built up to and including 2007, in towns, villages, cities and rural areas.
A maximum of two grants are available to any applicant, of which one must be in respect of a home they intend to occupy as their principal private residence and the other may be in respect of a property which will be made available for rent.
refurbishment of a vacant property for occupation may involve development that requires planning permission. Where appropriate, an applicant under the scheme will be required to submit evidence that planning permission has been attained prior to final grant approval. In cases where a question arises in relation to whether a proposed development needs planning permission or is an exempted development, an applicant under the scheme will be required to submit a declaration of exemption under Section 5 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended.
The administration of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, including the application, assessment, approval and payment to applicants, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority.
When the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund was launched, a commitment was given that the schemes funded by it would be kept under ongoing review. A comprehensive review and evaluation of the schemes under the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund will be undertaken by mid-2024.
213. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if persons looking to receive grant assistance under the croí cónaithe scheme can also be eligible for grant assistance under the SEAI for different renovations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26808/23]
View answerPathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock.
In July 2022 the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched to support bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use.
From 1 May 2023, a grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent, including the conversion of a property which has not been used as residential heretofore, subject to appropriate planning permission being in place.
Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €50,000, a maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed by the applicant to be derelict or where the property is already on the local authority’s Derelict Sites Register, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000.
The grant is available in respect of vacant and derelict properties built up to and including 2007, in towns, villages, cities and rural areas.
A maximum of two grants are available to any applicant, of which one must be in respect of a home they intend to occupy as their principal private residence and the other may be in respect of a property which will be made available for rent.
A Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Better Energy Home Scheme Grant may be available in combination with this grant. Works covered by SEAI Better Energy Homes Scheme will not be covered under the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. The local authority must satisfy themselves that proposed works are not claimed for under any other grant.
214. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if permission was given, overriding the section 42 licence, for pregnant deer to be shot at a location in County Meath on 3 April 2023 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26832/23]
View answerA licence issued under Section 42 of the Wildlife Acts allows for the control of protected wild animals where serious damage is being caused. This can include male and/or female deer. Licence holders are requested to make every effort to avoid shooting pregnant females.
All hunters are expected to humanely dispatch any deer that they hunt. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department has approved three deer hunting training courses for all first-time deer hunters, details of which can be accessed on the NPWS website at the following link: www.npws.ie/licencesandconsents/hunting/deer-hunting-licences-2023-2024/mandatory-certification-deer-hunters. As part of this training hunters are taught about the biology and life cycle of the deer species in question which allows them to make informed decisions as to how and when to hunt or cull deer notwithstanding the legal rights of landowners and land managers to protect their farms, woodlands and conservation sites from damage by deer, that impact on their livelihoods and on biodiversity.
215. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has undertaken a study to determine, or if he has access to any data pertaining to, the number of homeless people in the country who are pregnant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26836/23]
View answerMy Department currently gathers and publishes data on a monthly basis on the number of homeless persons accommodated in emergency accommodation funded and overseen by housing authorities. These reports are based on data provided by housing authorities, produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS). The monthly homelessness report includes details of individuals, families and the dependants of these families who accessed emergency accommodation during the relevant count week of the month in question. The most recently published data is in respect of April 2023. The reports are collated on a regional basis and are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/80ea8-homelessness-data/ and are also published to the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform's open data portal data.gov.ie/.
The specific data sought in the Question is not available in my Department.
