Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:380. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the current total number of recipients of fuel allowance payments. [41380/23]
View answerSocial Welfare Benefits
Questions (380)
Written answers
Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other longer-term social welfare dependent households with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs; it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two instalment payments. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household. Those who qualify for the payment do not need to reapply annually.
In Budget 2023, Government announced the largest ever expansion of the Fuel Allowance Scheme. The changes introduced were:
• from January 2023, the introduction of a new means threshold for people aged 70 years and over, of €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple;
• in addition, for applicants aged 70 or over, the amount of capital (savings and investments) disregarded in the means test for Fuel Allowance was increased from €20,000 to €50,000. (Savings over €50,000 are assessed on a proportionate basis only); and,
• from January 2023, Disablement Benefit and Half-rate Carer’s Allowance payments were disregarded when assessing means for Fuel Allowance purposes. Disablement Benefit also no longer debars a household from receiving the Fuel Allowance payment.
At the beginning of the 2022/23 Fuel Allowance season in September 2022, there were over 369,000 recipients of Fuel Allowance. By the end of the Fuel Allowance season in April 2023, the total number of households supported had increased to over 404,000. It should be noted that the number of qualified households continuously fluctuates, as recipients join and exit the scheme as their circumstances change.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Benefits
Questions (381)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:381. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the current total number of recipients of working family payments. [41381/23]
View answerWritten answers
Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income support for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them.
As of 20th September 2023, there are 45,856 families currently receiving Working Family Payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Benefits
Questions (382)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:382. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the current total number of recipients of carer's allowance and carer's benefit payments. [41382/23]
View answerWritten answers
Carers may be entitled to a number of supports from the Department. The two main Social Welfare payments for carers providing full-time care are Carer's Allowance and Carer's Benefit.
Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that, as a result, they require that level of care.
Carer’s Benefit (CB) is a payment made to insured people who may be required to leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a person(s) in need of full-time care and is payable within the European Union.
The total number of recipients currently in receipt of a CA payment is 94,705, while the total number of recipients currently in receipt of a CB payment is 3,806.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Benefits
Questions (383)
Fergus O'Dowd
Question:383. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection to respond to concerns raised (details supplied) in respect of a foster carer’s difficulties in accessing certain social protection supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41394/23]
View answerWritten answers
The provision of fostering services is a matter for Tusla (the Child and Family Agency), including the provision of financial supports. Tusla provides a Foster Care Allowance in respect of each child in foster care. The weekly Foster Care Allowance is currently €325 per child under 12, and €352 for children aged 12 and over. Foster care allowances from Tusla are not taxable and are not included in the means test for social protection payments.
There are a number of social protection payments which are available to foster carers:
Child Benefit: Where a child has been placed in foster care, by Tusla, and the child has been in the continuous care of the foster carer for 6 months, Child Benefit may be transferred to the foster carer.
Increases for Qualified Children (for person in receipt of a Primary Social Welfare Payments): A foster carer who is in receipt of a primary social welfare payment (such as Jobseeker’s Allowance) is eligible for an Increase for a Qualified Child in respect of a foster child (as long as no other person is in receipt of an Increase for a Qualified Child in respect of the same child).
Working Family Payment: The Working Family Payment is paid to low-income families. The payment is based on the number of children / foster children in the family and overall household income.
Back to Work Family Dividend: The Back to Work Family Dividend is paid over a two year period and aims to help families move from social welfare into employment. A foster carer who moves off Jobseeker's Allowance and who was in receipt of an Increase for a Qualified Child(ren) can retain these payments for two years - 100% of the payment(s) is paid in year one and 50% in year two.
To be eligible for One Parent Family Payment or the Jobseeker Transitional scheme, an applicant must be a qualified parent, as defined in the relevant sections of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, which includes:
- a widow
- a widower
- a separated spouse
- an unmarried person
- a person whose spouse or civil partner has been committed in custody to a prison or place of detention for not less than 6 months, or
- a surviving civil partner
- a civil partner who is not living with the other civil partner of the civil partnership, or
- a person who is not a party to a civil partnership who is the parent, step-parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian of at least one relevant child, who normally resides with that person.
As a foster carer is not the parent or legal guardian of the foster child, they are not eligible for these schemes. However, as outlined above, foster carers are eligible for the Foster Care Allowance from Tusla, which is paid at a higher rate than these two lone parent social welfare schemes.
Social Insurance
Questions (384)
Robert Troy
Question:384. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is an entitlement to PRSI benefits for an Hungarian national who is working part-time during the college term and full-time on holidays in order that his contribution record while here is kept up to date. [41409/23]
View answerWritten answers
Under EU regulations, EU nationals working in Ireland pay PRSI on the same basis as Irish nationals and those PRSI contributions allow them to gain entitlement to social welfare payments in the same manner.
If an EU national were to claim a social welfare payment in Ireland their contribution history from abroad can be combined with their Irish contribution record to enable them qualify for a payment in Ireland. Similarly, if an EU national were to return to their home country, their Irish contribution record could be used to enable them qualify for a payment there.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Irish Language
Questions (385)
Cian O'Callaghan
Question:385. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in the interests of promoting the Irish language and boosting employment opportunities, she will consider introducing a new Irish-language training course for people in receipt of social welfare payments, as no such course currently exists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41445/23]
View answerWritten answers
The responsibility for provision of training is Solas which falls under the aegis of my colleague, Deputy Simon Harris, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
The role of my Department’s Public Employment Service is to encourage, support and assist jobseekers to secure and sustain employment. In that regard, the Employment Services team support jobseekers to equip themselves with the education, qualifications and skills necessary to compete for jobs, including the promotion of suitable further education and training opportunities delivered by Solas, Education and Training Boards, etc.
My Department takes it's responsibilities under the Official Languages Acts seriously. The Scheme for promoting the Irish language is published here:
gov.ie - Language Scheme 2023 – 2026 (www.gov.ie)
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (386)
Colm Burke
Question:386. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if there will be a provision for an increase in optical benefit (eye examinations) payments claims by dispensing opticians and optometrists under the treatment benefit scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41481/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Treatment Benefit Scheme provides dental, optical and aural services to insured workers, the self-employed, retired people and their dependant spouse/partner who have the required number of social insurance (PRSI) contributions.
The Department is not currently considering an increase in optical benefit payments. However, should a review of the optical Treatment Benefit scheme be considered in the future, any such review would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Benefits
Questions (387)
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
Question:387. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the criteria and policy for which a parent is paid children’s allowance where custody is shared, with particular reference to instances where children spend equal time with each parent; and to outline the reasoning behind the policy. [41500/23]
View answerWritten answers
Child Benefit is a universal monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. As a universal payment, Child Benefit assists parents with the cost associated with raising children and contributes towards alleviating child poverty.
Child Benefit is paid to the person with whom the qualifying children normally resides and the payment is based on the rules of residency which state that, where a qualified child resides with his or her mother, the child is deemed to be resident with the mother and with no other person. In effect, the mother is the qualified person to receive the benefit in respect of that child. This applies even where the child’s father also resides in same household. Where the child resides with both parents, the payment can be transferred to the child’s father on request from the qualified person.
In cases where the parents have an equal custody arrangement, individual payments follow the rules of the scheme concerned. In the case of Child Benefit, the payment is awarded to the mother in equal custody arrangements as the mother is deemed to be the qualified person to receive this payment under social welfare legislation.
Legislation does not provide for splitting the payment between both parents. To do so would reduce its effectiveness in terms of poverty reduction. There are no plans at present to change the payment arrangements for Child Benefit.
Social Insurance
Questions (388)
Ged Nash
Question:388. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected yield in 2024 from increasing the employers' PRSI rate of 11.05% by 1%, and what the full year yield in 2025 would be; how many people would be impacted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41538/23]
View answerWritten answers
The estimated additional yield that could be raised from increasing the higher employers' PRSI rate of 11.05% to 12.05% while leaving the lower employers' rate unchanged at 8.8% would be €910 million in 2024 and €964 million in 2025. The estimated number of employments impacted by the increase would be 1.95 million in 2024 and 2.05 million in 2025.
The 2024 estimate is a full year figure as my Department does not have a first year estimate given that such an estimate would require a fuller analysis to be undertaken.
These estimates do not take into account any possible changes in employer behaviour arising from changing the rate of employers' PRSI.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Benefits
Questions (389)
Neasa Hourigan
Question:389. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that those in receipt of the disability allowance payment do not lose their current level of payment when they choose to marry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41558/23]
View answerWritten answers
Disability Allowance is a means-tested social assistance scheme, which is also subject to a medical assessment and habitual residency requirement. It is the nature of means-tested schemes that above a certain level of means a person is not entitled to any payment, as their means are deemed to be sufficient to provide for their needs.
All income and capital, such as savings, investments and property other than the family home, where applicable, are assessable for means calculation purposes.
If a claimant is married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting, the means of the couple will be assessed. This is the case even if only one of the couple is claiming a payment.
This approach reflects the policy of ensuring that those with the least amount of income or capital receive the maximum available support from the State, while those with larger amounts of income, savings or property contribute, partially or fully, towards meeting their needs.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Regulatory and Poverty Impact Assessments
Questions (390)
Catherine Connolly
Question:390. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of Bills prepared by her Department in the 33rd Dáil to date; the number and title of those Bills that included a regulatory impact assessment; the title of the RIAs published by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41597/23]
View answerWritten answers
I have published five Bills since taking office as Minister for Social Protection, all of which have been enacted. Details of these Bills are set out in the table below.
A Regulatory Impact Analysis is not ordinarily undertaken on the package of tax, welfare and other measures announced in the annual Budget Day Statements. Three of the Social Welfare Bills, which have been published since February 2020 have provided for the implementation of various budgetary measures. Earlier this year, a short technical Bill was enacted to allow a Child Benefit bonus to assist parents with children under 18 with coping with the increased cost of living.
The one remaining Social Welfare Bill related to Covid-19-Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and a RIA was not undertaken due to the emergency nature of these measures.
Bills Initiated by Minister for Social Protection since February 2020
|
Title of Bill |
Status |
RIA Undertaken |
|
Social Welfare (COVID-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020 (Bill No. 14 of 2020) |
Enacted on 5th August 2020 as the Social Welfare (COVID-19) (Amendment) Act 2020 (Act No. 12 of 2020) |
Not undertaken due to the emergency nature of putting Pandemic Unemployment Payment on a discrete statutory basis. |
|
Social Welfare Bill 2020 (Bill No. 66 of 2020) |
Enacted on 22nd December 2020 as the Social Welfare Act 2020(Act No. 30 of 2020) |
Budget Bill - budget measure are not known until Budget Day and must be enacted by end of year to ensure increases to pensions and other social welfare payments can occur on time. |
|
Social Welfare Bill 2021(Bill No. 152 of 2021) |
Enacted on 18th December 2021Social Welfare Act 2021 (Act No. 44 of 2021) |
Budget Bill - budget measures are not known until Budget Day (October) and must be enacted by end of year to ensure increases to pensions and other social welfare payments can occur on time. |
|
Social Welfare Bill 2022(Bill No. 107 of 2022) |
Enacted on 15th December 2022Social Welfare Act 2022(Act No. 43 of 2022) |
Budget Bill - budget measures are not known until Budget Day and must be enacted by end of year to ensure increases to pensions and other social welfare payments can occur on time. |
|
Social Welfare (Child Benefit) Bill 2023 (Bill No. 41 of 2023) |
Enacted on 25th May 2023Social Welfare (Child Benefit) Act 2023 (Act No. 13 of 2023) |
This was a short Bill (two Sections) so a RIA was deemed unnecessary. |
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (391)
Brendan Griffin
Question:391. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection when a payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41605/23]
View answerWritten answers
My Department does not have any record of an application from the person concerned for Jobseeker's Allowance/Benefit for the period referred to.
Should contact be made with the local Intreo Centre by the person concerned I have been assured that this case will be treated as priority and dealt with promptly.
Social Welfare Benefits
Questions (392)
John McGuinness
Question:392. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for DCA now under appeal in the name of a person (details supplied) will be expedited and approved. [41643/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that there is no record of any appeal by the person concerned having been received by that office. In light of your request, an appeal will be registered and in accordance with statutory requirements the Appeals Office will contact the person concerned to ask him to set out the complete grounds of appeal i.e. the reason why he disagrees with the conclusions of the Deciding Officer. On receipt of his response the relevant Department papers will be requested from the Domiciliary Care Allowance Section. When these are received the appeal will be assigned to an Appeals Officer for consideration.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Benefits
Questions (393)
John McGuinness
Question:393. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection , further to Parliamentary Question No. 501 of 13 July 2023, if she will explain the ongoing delay in processing an application for DA in the name of a person (details supplied); if the appeal lodged by this Deputy will be expedited and approved; if, in the event of a negative response, she will arrange an oral hearing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41646/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision-making functions.
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Legal Aid
Questions (394)
Ged Nash
Question:394. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Justice when she plans to address the serious issues raised by the Bar Council on the need for fees paid to barristers practising criminal law in respect of the legal aid scheme to be increased in the context of cuts to the fees schedule which were first introduced in 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41204/23]
View answerWritten answers
My Department is aware of the serious issues raised by the Bar Council, in particular, regarding the retention of barristers at the criminal Bar owing to the cuts to fees imposed between 2008 and 2011. I can assure the Deputy that I recognise the important role played by barristers in undertaking criminal legal aid work and I have been clear in my support for the restoration of fees paid to barristers. To that end I am engaged in discussions with the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform on the restoration of the fees as part of the budgetary process.
Visa Applications
Questions (395)
Paul McAuliffe
Question:395. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Justice to provide an update on the critical skills employment visa application of (details supplied). [40974/23]
View answerWritten answers
I can advise the Deputy that the application referred to was created on the 4 March 2023. Supporting documentation was received in the Tehran office on the 13 March 2023. The application was received in the Dublin visa office on the 31 March 2023 where it awaits examination and processing.It is not possible to give a definitive date as to when this application will be finalised. All applications are processed in chronological order, based on date order of receipt. While every effort is made to process applications as soon as possible, processing times will vary having regard to the volume and complexity of applications, the possible need for the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) function of the Department to investigate, inquire into, or seek further information, and the resources available.The applicant will be notified as soon as a decision has been reached by a Visa Officer.Processing times and decisions at the Dublin Visa Office can be checked at the following link which is updated each Tuesday:
www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/It should also be noted that the granting of a work permit by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) has no bearing on whether a visa will be subsequently granted. There are two very distinct application processes with different checks and procedures in place in each respective Department.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 (inisoireachtasmail@justice.ie ), 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.
An Garda Síochána
Questions (396)
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
Question:396. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice the number and name of each of the Garda Youth Diversion programmes currently operating in each of the Garda divisions in the Dublin Metropolitan area; the number of officers assigned to the juvenile liaison teams and to set out, in tabular form, the numbers for each of the following years - 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40983/23]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy will be aware, Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) are a fundamental support to the operation of the statutory Garda Youth Diversion Programme. Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) are community based, youth crime prevention initiatives which divert young people involved in or at risk from criminal/anti-social behaviour away from crime by facilitating personal development and improving their long-term prospects.
Programmes run by individual YDPs are outcomes focused, taking account of the needs, issues and circumstances surrounding referred young people including their offending behaviour as identified through the assessment process. The crucial work being carried out by these YDPs covers Youth Diversion for 12-17 year olds, as well as early intervention for 8-11 year olds, and family supports.
My Department is currently funding 36 Youth Diversion Projects covering the Dublin Metropolitan Region. To be of assistance, I have provided the information as requested by the Deputy in the spreadsheet attached.
As the Deputy will also be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes decisions on the deployment of personnel among the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no role in these matters.
I am informed that Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLOs) are specially trained to fulfil a key role in implementing the Garda Diversion Programme. Their role includes the administration of formal and informal cautions as well as appropriate supervision of children who have been admitted to the Diversion Programme, as provided in Part 4 of the Children Act 2001.
The table below displays the number of JLOs assigned to the Dublin Metropolitan Region between 2018 and to date in 2023, as requested by the Deputy.
|
JLOs assigned to DMR |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 (as of 31.8.23) |
|
DMR East |
5 |
5 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
|
DMR North |
5 |
12 |
7 |
8 |
13 |
14 |
|
DMR North Central |
12 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
|
DMR South |
6 |
9 |
10 |
9 |
10 |
9 |
|
DMR South Central |
10 |
10 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
|
DMR West |
11 |
11 |
9 |
11 |
10 |
9 |
Legislative Reviews
Questions (397)
Emer Higgins
Question:397. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Justice when the review of the Multi-Unit Developments, MUD, Act 2011 will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40984/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 was enacted with the primary purposes of reforming the law relating to the ownership and management of common areas of multi-unit developments, and facilitating the fair, efficient and effective management of owners' management companies (OMCs). Well-functioning OMCs are key to maintaining and sustaining higher-density residential developments, such as apartments.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to conduct a review of the existing management company legislation, to ensure that it is fit for purpose, and that it acts in the best interests of residents. This is referring to the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011.
In regard to the review, my Department is engaging with the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage to ensure that it is fully informed by that Department’s appreciation of the key problems and issues requiring to be addressed in this sector.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has brought forward a number of important initiatives in relation to multi-unit developments.
These include the remediation scheme which Minister O’Brien announced earlier this year, and which will provide support for the remediation of apartments and duplexes with fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects, constructed between 1991 and 2013. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage also published in July this year, a Code of Practice for remediation of such defects to ensure a consistent approach nationwide to remediation, which will allow stakeholders such as OMCs and industry to align their work with its provisions.
The Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is also currently working with the Housing Agency on advice and guidance on the steps OMCs should take when carrying out such safety works. This includes funding mechanisms for interim fire safety measures in extreme cases, and the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further states that further details of this will be published in the Autumn. That Department is also working to draft the necessary legislation to underpin the scheme.
In addition, the Government’s housing plan, Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland, also provides for Regulations to be made under the MUDs Act relating to the:
• management of annual service charges by OMCs; and
• expenditure incurred of a non-recurring nature by OMCs (i.e. ‘sinking fund’ expenditure)
My Department is also working with the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to progress the drafting of these Regulations.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the work of my Department in relation to multi-unit developments will be guided by that of the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to overall housing policy, in view of its central role in this area. It is also important that the review of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 would be informed by key ongoing developments such as the above remediation scheme. As the above initiatives are being prioritised, it is not possible to say when the review of the Act will be published.
Courts Service
Questions (398)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:398. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the progress made in establishing an environmental court within the High Court; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41001/23]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy will be aware, both the Programme for Government and the Government's Housing for All Strategy commits to the establishment of a new division of the High Court dealing with planning and environmental issues.
I can inform the Deputy that whilst the new court has been operationally established as such for some months now, it is expected to be fully and formally in place shortly. For the Deputy’s information, the background to this is as follows:
On 2nd November 2022, I received Government approval to proceed with establishing a dedicated planning and environmental division of the High Court in line with the commitments mentioned. This approval followed on from work undertaken by officials in my Department who worked in partnership with the Courts Service and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and consulted with other Departments that have significant interests in planning and environmental cases.
An operational structure - a Planning and Environmental Court Steering & Implementation Group – was put in place in March 2022 for the three bodies to work together. This work of this group has informed the arrangements being put in place. On 29th March 2023, the President of the High Court signed a new Practice Direction which is necessary for the establishment for the new court.
Practice Direction 119 contains a radical overhaul of the procedures being applied in the renamed “Commercial Planning and Environmental List”, previously known as the “Commercial Planning and Strategic Infrastructure Development List”. The Practice Direction came into effect on 17 April 2023 and there are two Judges of the High Court assigned to this list.
In parallel with this process, Government approved the recommendations of the Judicial Planning Working Group on 21 February 2023. The Courts Act 2023 was signed into law on 19 May 2023 creating six additional posts in the High Court. As of 25 September 2023, five of the Judges of the High Court have been appointed.
A number of vacancies in the High Court, including the last remaining additional post, are due to be filled shortly. The President of the High Court has indicated that one of these judges is to be appointed to the Commercial, Planning and Environmental List which will then formally become the Planning and Environmental Court.
The range of cases which will be dealt with by that court will be further expanded from those which are being dealt with in the Commercial Planning and Environmental List and the Practice Direction has been prepared in a way which will enable this to happen seamlessly once the additional judge is assigned.
Citizenship Ceremonies
Questions (399)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:399. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice when the next citizenship ceremony will take place; the venue where this ceremony will be held; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41009/23]
View answerWritten answers
I am pleased to say that the next Citizenship Ceremonies will take place on Monday 2 October 2023 at the Convention Centre Dublin (CCD).
Citizenship Division have issued approximately 3,000 invitations to successful applicants for the Ceremonies.
Information on Citizenship Ceremonies is available on the Department’s website here: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/citizenship-ceremonies/
All invitees attending a Citizenship Ceremony should ensure that they have an up to date IRP Card that provides details of their permission to remain in the State on the date of the ceremony.