Written Answers Nos. 325-343
325. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if he will be reviewing the process whereby a consultant must prescribe the medication cariban rather than a general practitioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54347/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
326. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health how the accessibility to the medication cariban in Ireland differs to the international standard practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54348/23]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Good s) Act 2013. Only licensed indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) can be added to the formal reimbursement list.
Cariban® is an Exempt Medicinal Product (EMP), i.e., it is not licensed in Ireland and, therefore, cannot be added to the formal reimbursement list.
However, following the recommendations of the HSE Medicines Management Programme, and to address the unmet need of patients with hyperemesis gravidarum, reimbursement support for Cariban® (doxylamine/pyridoxine), an unlicensed Exempt Medicinal Product, has now been made available on an individual patient basis for those patients who meet the criteria and where Consultant Obstetrician initiated.
Under the community drug schemes, Exempt Medicinal Products must be Consultant initiated. However, whilst the original prescriber of Cariban® must be a consultant and specialist in the relevant field, the HSE will accept a GP prescription subsequent to the initial hospital prescription for approved patients.
The relevant HSE circular regarding the exceptional arrangement for Cariban® is available at:
www.hse.ie/eng/staff/pcrs/circulars/pharmacy/pharmacy-circular-001-23-cariban.pdf.
In order to obtain reimbursement support for Cariban® under this exceptional arrangement, the prescribing consultant must confirm whether the following apply:
• The individual has nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) which requires systemic treatment.
• The individual has been assessed using the pregnancy unique quantification of emesis and nausea (PUQE) assessment tool and the appropriate treatment algorithm has been followed.
• The individual has not responded to conservative management.
The consultant must also make an Unlicensed Product Declaration and submit the completed application form by email to the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS).
Once reviewed by the PCRS, the prescriber and dispensing pharmacy are emailed (via secure email) with the reimbursement decision. The community pharmacy then dispenses the product under the specific patient’s community drug schemes eligibility and submits the claim using the relevant administrative code in their monthly submission to PCRS.
While reimbursement support is offered on the basis of the patient’s eligibility under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme or the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS), Cariban® is not on the formal reimbursement list.
Within the international community, the pricing and reimbursement of medicines is a national competence. As different nations operate different pharmaceutical reimbursement systems across the world, a direct comparison of the reimbursement of products is not possible. The competent authority for pricing and reimbursement in Ireland is the HSE.
327. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the number of cariban prescriptions that have been processed through the drug payment scheme to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54349/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
328. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the percentage of private patients in beds in public hospitals as a total percentage of all patients in public hospitals for the 12 months ending October 2021, October 2022 and October 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54362/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
329. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the percentage of public patients being cared for in private hospitals as a percentage of the total number of beds available for the 12 months ending October 2021, October 2022 and October 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54363/23]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the there may be a delay in the Deputy receiving a reply from the HSE.
330. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the total amount of money collected from private insurers by public hospitals in the years in ending October 2021, October 2022 and October 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54364/23]
View answerThe information that the Deputy seeks is contained in the attached document. The table details figures for income received by Public hospitals from Private Insurers within the given timeframe. The figures up to October 2023 are currently unavailable so latest data to end August is provided.
Private Insurance Income to Public Hospitals
|
October YTD2021 |
October YTD2022 |
August YTD2023 |
|
|
€000s |
€000s |
€000s |
|
|
Private Insurer's Income |
327,202 |
355,344 |
295,923 |
Note: October data currently unavailable for 2023. The 2023 figure provided is the HSE draft figure for August.
331. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if a company will be in a position to begin the diabetic retina screening programme in January 2024 (details supplied); if this organisation has signed its contract with the National Screening Service; the reason the National Screening Service appointed a sole bidder for all of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54381/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
332. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in making a permanent appointment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54383/23]
View answerGPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients and the State does not regulate the number of GPs that can set up in a town or community.
Where a GP GMS vacancy is set to arise in a practice, the HSE is notified in advance and becomes actively involved in the recruitment process to find a replacement GP. As of the 1st of November, there are 23 GMS vacancies across the country, just under 1 percent of the total number of GMS panels.
I have asked the HSE to provide the Deputy with an update on GMS GP vacancy in Swanlinbar as soon as possible.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes.
As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
333. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if the Government intends to become a signatory to the WHO Pandemic Treaty (details supplied); if he will commit to putting this matter to the people in a referendum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54385/23]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his query in relation to the ongoing negotiations with regarding the proposed Pandemic Agreement (WHO CA+) at the World Health Organisation.
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that the global status quo in terms of pandemic preparedness and response is not adequate and requires revision. As such, Ireland strongly supports a multilateral approach to global health issues with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in a central leadership role.
On 1 December 2021, the members of the World Health Organisation (WHO) reached consensus to begin the process to negotiate a convention, agreement, or other international instrument to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, commonly known as the Pandemic Agreement. Ireland supports this WHO-led process to negotiate a binding legal instrument on pandemic preparedness and response. The aim of such a Pandemic Agreement is to protect public health and to help save lives in the event of future pandemics.
An Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) was established and met for the first time on 24th February 2022. The INB has met seven times to date and is currently meeting this week, to progress work on drafting this agreement. A progress report was delivered to the 76th World Health Assembly in May 2023, and it is anticipated that the instrument will be adopted in May 2024.
In relation to the Deputy’s question as to whether the Government intends to be a signatory to the WHO Pandemic Agreement, as the proposed instrument is currently being negotiated, it is not possible to determine the precise legal ramifications of this instrument, or what form the final instrument shall take. These negotiations are due to conclude in May 2024. Once concluded, the draft of the WHO Pandemic Agreement will be presented to Cabinet for Government agreement before adoption.
As provided for in the Irish Constitution, the conclusion of an international agreement is an exercise of the executive power of the State in connection with its external relations and is therefore concluded by or on the authority of the Government. In practice this means that Government approval must be sought for the signature, ratification, or approval of every international agreement.
In relation to the Deputy’s question on holding a referendum, the requirements of the Irish Constitution will, of course, be respected in Ireland’s position towards the agreement and my Department will engage with the Office of the Attorney General in relation to any concerns that may arise in this regard.
334. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the measures that will be implemented to deal with the shortage of home support workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54400/23]
View answerTo examine and address the significant workforce challenges in the home care and nursing home sectors in Ireland, in March last year I established a cross-departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group on Home Carers and Nursing Home Healthcare Assistants. The group was charged with identifying strategic workforce challenges in publicly and privately provided front-line carer roles in home support and nursing homes. Their report was published in October 2022 with 16 recommendations to address recruitment and retention issues. A link to the report is below:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/492bc-report-of-the-strategic-workforce-advisory-group-on-home-carers-and-nursing-home-health-care-assistants/
Implementation of the 16 recommendations of the Advisory Group is underway and being overseen by a cross-departmental Implementation Group, chaired by the Department of Health. The group met most recently in October and a progress update was recently published and is available at:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/66dd1-strategic-workforce-advisory-group-on-home-carers-and-nursing home-healthcare-assistants-implementation/
A new and improved HSE Home Support Tender has been in place since August. This delivers on commitments for sectoral reform such as payment for travel time for home support providers, paying carers the National Living Wage at a minimum, and bringing legacy rates in line with the new revised rates of funding.
It is expected that the new tender should assist in the sourcing of additional hours to address current unmet need within the total budget allocation.
Circa 330 employment permits for home care workers have issued since 16 December 2022. Recruitment continues amongst private and voluntary providers who deliver approximately 60% of home support hours via the HSE Home Support Tender.
335. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the current position in regard to the ongoing treatment at Blanchardstown Hospital in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54409/23]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently not in a position to answer PQs due to industrial action. It is hoped that normal services will resume soon. In the meantime, this Department will continue to refer PQs to HSE for their direct reply as soon as possible.
336. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if the eleven-year-old son of a person (details supplied) qualifies for dental benefit/assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54415/23]
View answerOral healthcare services for all children up to 16 years of age are provided by the Public Dental Service of the Health Service Executive (HSE) through its dental clinics.
Services provided to children by the HSE include oral health screening and necessary treatment for children at ages corresponding to second class in primary school, sixth class, and, subject to capacity, fourth class. Urgent (emergency) care for children up to 16 years of age is also provided, by appointment only. Urgent care can address uncontrolled bleeding, severe pain, trauma, abnormal tissue, abscess and swelling.
The HSE Dental Office for Kildare and West Wicklow can be reached at: HSE Dental Office, Vista Primary Care, Naas, Co Kildare, W91 DX53. Phone: 045 920 868.
The Newbridge Dental Clinic can be reached at: Newbridge Health Centre, Henry Street, Newbridge, Co Kildare, W12KV12. Phone: 045 446 373.
337. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the main policy achievements of his Department in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54292/23]
View answerMy Department has made significant changes in the further and higher education, research, innovation and science sectors since its establishment in 2020, and has since seen encouraging progress across these sectors over the past number of years.
With 400,000 people enrolled in learning across further and higher education, the Department is responsible for a sizeable sector. Learning outcomes have a significant influence on people's life paths.
Compared to the EU and OECD averages, Ireland has high levels of higher education attainment.
Below is a list of my Department's policy priorities and achievements over the course of 2023 and information on the Budget for 2024 and the years to follow:
Unified Tertiary System: Work continued on the development of a new Tertiary Education Strategy, as provided for in the Higher Education Authority Act 2022, including through a series of regional dialogue meetings involving all regional actors, to shape and guide policy and ensure the achievement of major cross-Government policy objectives.
My Department established a new National Tertiary Office. For the first time in September 2023, students entered new tertiary programmes outside of the CAO system. Starting their programme in further education, they will progress seamlessly to guaranteed place to complete a fully-accredited degree in higher education.
The Research and Innovation Bill 2023: The Department continued development of a landmark Research and Innovation Bill to amalgamate the functions of Science Foundation Ireland and the Irish Research Council into a new Research Agency, to maximise the impact of approximately €300m of national competitive research funding (almost 40% of Government expenditure on R&D).
Impact 2030: The Department is leading a whole of government approach to the implementation of Ireland’s National Research and Innovation strategy, Impact 2030, so as to ensure the national research and innovation system supports key Government strategies such as the White Paper for Enterprise, the Climate Action Plan and Smart Specialisation of regions.
Delivering greater engagement between the research sector and public policy development is a key action in increasing the impact of Ireland's research sector in the evidence base for public policy. The Civil Service Research Network has been established to bring together all Government Departments to improve engagement with higher education researchers. The results of a public consultation on researcher experience with public policy development are under review and will inform an integrated national framework in the early part of 2024
The Department is also continuing to pursue Ireland's application for membership of CERN, which has recently received approval from Government.
European Social Fund: My Department is continuing to lead Irish participation in the European Social Fund, where some €1bn has been drawn down to date.
International Education and Research Strategy: A new international education and research strategy will be published shortly. The Strategy will emphasise the importance of the Shared Island agenda, and the promotion of European and Global Ireland engagements across the spectrum of further education, higher education, skills, research and innovation.
Higher Education Utilising enhanced funding and the Funding the Future reform programme, my Department has worked to drive performance & governance reform and improved outcomes.
2024 saw further expansion in the training of healthcare students, with the creation of over 600 additional healthcare places in disciplines such as medicine, nursing, and speech and language therapy. For the first time ever, this included the Government funding places in universities in Northern Ireland for students from the Republic.
Implementation of the Higher Education Authority Act 2022 continues to be a priority; through this new legislation, we are able to bring additional support to the modernisation of governance and accountability mechanisms.
The implementation of the International Education Mark is also being progressed. This will serve to strengthen Ireland’s reputation as a trusted destination and an educational hub with excellent standards for international learners seeking a high quality education experience.
Enabling Technological Universities: The Department is continuing to support technological universities in their post-establishment phase. In the summer, I announced a €50m fund, the Technological Sector Advancement Fund, to further this work.
Apprenticeship, Further Education and Training & Skills
Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021–25: In 2023, the Department continued to: - address current backlogs in apprenticeship training and meet future demand projections as set out in the recent report on Skills for Residential Construction and Retrofit. - deliver on the Public Service Apprenticeship Recruitment Plan demonstrating public service commitment and leadership through increased availability of apprenticeship opportunities across the public sector. - develop a high-quality single national apprenticeship model embodying greater flexibility and responsiveness to workforce requirements and enterprise needs. - advance social inclusion measures to aid the apprenticeship population in becoming more representative of wider society.
Further Education and Training (FET): My Department continues to support SOLAS and the ETBs in implementing the FET Strategy: Transforming Learning. The provision of an additional €3m in Budget 2024 will consolidate and expand the progress made across the three core pillars of building skills, fostering inclusion, and facilitating pathways to deliver a more strategic and integrated FET system.
Adult Literacy for Life strategy: €1m was allocated to the 51 successful projects under the Strategy’s Collaboration and Innovation Fund and the National Literacy Coalition and Regional Literacy Coalitions are up and running.
The Prison Education Taskforce launched in May 2023 is pursuing education and training opportunities for prisoners and Budget 2024 provides for €1.5m to drive the work of the Taskforce.
Quality Assurance in FET - The Sectoral Report on the inaugural review of Quality Assurance of FET in the ETB Sector was published in March 2023.
Support for Ukrainians - Since the outbreak of the war, up to end September 2023, 31,980 availed of FET programmes, predominantly English language courses.
Reconfigure Ireland's Skills system
In response to the key recommendations of the OECD Ireland Skills Strategy Review my Department continues to reform the National Skills Council by:
1. Advancing a NSC with reconfigured membership, to act as a platform for strategic engagement with industry, enterprise community and other non-governmental stakeholders with a strong interest in skills and workforce development policy, facilitating a high-level and broad perspective on skills challenges, policies and priorities, and;
2. Establishing a High Level Skills Implementation Group (HLIG), intended to deliver the whole-of-government and whole-of-tertiary engagement on national skills policy and delivery, as recommended by the OECD. The HLIG, chaired by DFHERIS, will have a lead role in driving the implementation of the 2023 OECD Skills Strategy Review Recommendations and ownership of skills issues across relevant stakeholders, as has been called out as critically needed in the OECD Report.
The reform is well under way as the first meeting of the HLIG took place on the 27 November 2023 and the inaugural meeting of the reformed NSC is expected to take place in Q1 2024.
National Digital Strategy:
The Department continues to engage on the Skills dimension of the National Digital Strategy.
The Department is working in partnership with the ESRI on a research programme on Irish Skills Requirements.
The first project under the programme examines in-demand skills needs for emerging technologies in key occupations, and is nearly complete.
Construction Skills:
The Dept. progressed work to enact the Construction Safety Licensing Bill, 2023 to enhance certification and regulation of construction sector skills.
It also began work, through the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, on an analysis of the skills for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), to inform skills provision in 2024 onwards.
In addition, the development of the National Demonstration Park for MMC, based at the National Construction Training Campus in Co. Offaly has been advanced.
We have also seen an enhancement to the range of skills provision for construction, through initiatives such as the joint Laois-Offaly ETB and St. Andrew’s Resource Centre accredited construction skills course, which provides introductory training and links with employers to place graduates in employment.
Green Skills:
The Dept. continued to expand retrofit training through the programmes offered by the network of NZEB/Retrofit Centres of Excellence, with record numbers of students enrolling in 2023.
It is leading, with DECC and in collaboration with Wind Energy Ireland, on the skills responses required for the development of Ireland’s offshore wind industry, including through the establishment of a skills work stream as part of the cross-government Offshore Wind Energy Programme, and undertaking a detailed skills assessment report.
We have taken action to develop the skills required for the maintenance of electric vehicles, including through the announcement of the future development of a national e-mobility capability centre by Longford-Westmeath ETB in Mullingar.
Housing for All: We have progressed work to enact the Construction Safety Licensing Bill, 2023 to enhance certification and regulation of construction sector skills.
Adult Career Guidance:
In line with the recommendations of the Indecon Review of Lifelong guidance report and the OECD Ireland Skills Strategy Review (2023) which have identified the need to increase the navigability of the skills ecosystem, my Department set up an Oversight Group for a Single Portal for Career Guidance and Information.
The aim of the group was to provide advice on the next steps to support the establishment of a single portal/one stop information resource in relation to all tertiary learning options by my Department.
The work of the Oversight Group concluded in October 2023 with a comprehensive report outlining the recommended approach to the development of a Career Guidance and Information Portal and I am now considering its findings.
Access
The Department has continued to develop the national access plan to help underrepresented groups to gain access to Higher Education.
PATH 1: Three centres (MU, DCU, and UCC) requested additional once-off bridging funding totalling €347,549 to maintain project activities for the 2023/24 academic year. In addition, three centres (NISE, DCU, and UCD/NCAD) were approved no-cost extensions up until 2024 and 2025.
PATH 2: The roll-out of ESF assisted funding means we have increased the number of Tier 1 and Tier 2 bursaries from 373 to 600 for the 23/24 academic year, comprising of 400 Tier 1 at €5000 and 200 Tier 2 at €2500 each. A centralised application system for these bursaries has been approved and rolled out this year.
Path 4: Phase 1. An additional €1.8m has been provided for the roll-out and implementation of Universal Design across the HEIs. This is in addition to the $3m already provided.
Path 4: Phase 2. A call for proposals for courses for people with Intellectual disabilities has been completed and final assessment is underway. This will be completed by the Expert panel shortly.
Mental Health: An additional €3m has been provided in funding this year
Student Assistance Fund: An extra €8.54m has been provided this year to the SAF fund.
Ukrainian SAF: I have again approved €300,000 this year which is dedicated to the Ukrainian SAF
Pathfinder Programmes: We continued to implement the Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation Pathfinder Programme for the Higher Education Sector to test decarbonisation approaches, build capability, provide an evidence base and establish a pathway for a large-scale building decarbonisation programme as well as development of an equivalent programme for FET in 2023.
Student Accommodation: In the area of Student Accommodation, the Dept. continued to prioritise both short term solutions and longer term measures, including through commitment of funding where appropriate. The Development of Technological University Capacity to borrow from the Housing Finance Agency and others to fund student accommodation is also being supported.
Capital Programme
Four programmes, with a combined funding envelope of €395 million to 2025, are being progressed:
• a Technological Sector Strategic Projects Fund focused on investments that provide essential additional capacity and strengthen the role of Technological Universities as drivers of regional development
• a second round of the Higher Education Strategic Infrastructure Fund, which is open to all higher education institutions and will co-fund strategic projects to a maximum of 50%
• a FET College of the Future Major Projects Fund, which will support projects that can help drive reform of the FET sector, including consolidation of provision in high quality facilities, integration of further education and training, realisation of centres of excellence, and unified tertiary planning
• a Strategic Infrastructure Upgrade Fund, which will support smaller-scale investments in existing FET infrastructure, ensuring that works are progressed within the context of an overall strategic plan for the building and aligned with FET College of the Future principles
Delivery on NDNA Commitments
Support for Northern Ireland Higher Education student mobilities.
€2.4 million has been allocated by DFHERIS to support HE students in NI to avail of mobilities and internships across Europe. Following detailed engagement with DFHERIS, QUB and UU have each been allocated €1 million each, while St Mary’s University College and Stranmillis University College was allocated €70k and €50k respectively. Further allocation (estimated at €153k) will be made to the Regional Colleges within the next week.
Co-centres Programme
The Co-Centres programme takes forward an Irish Government commitment in the Programme for Government and under the New Decade, New Approach Agreement to establish all-island research and innovation hubs, working with partners in NI and the wider UK. The programme is jointly funded up to €70 million by Science Foundation Ireland, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in NI (DAERA) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and will focus on Climate/ Biodiversity and Water, and Co-Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems.
HE Funding and Student Supports
In 2023 and into 2024, €192 million will be provided to higher education including €60 million in core funding to address student staff ratios, plus a further €35 million to address pay shortfalls.
In addition to the above, the recent Budget announcements also saw positive developments for this sector. These include: - A €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students eligible for the free fees initiative. When taken together with the new €500 student contribution grant the student contribution fee will be halved to €1,500 for eligible families with a household income of between €62,000 and €100,000.
- An increase to the Postgraduate Fee Contribution Grant from €4,000 to €5,000.
- A once-off reduction of 33 percent in the contribution fee for apprentices in higher education.
- A further €8.1 million investment in the Student Assistance Fund for the 2023/24 academic year bringing the total to over €17 million.
- The removal of Post Leaving Cert (PLC) fees from September 2024
-An increase to all non-adjacent maintenance rates by €615 and adjacent maintenance rates by 10% from September 2024, with a pro-rata increase effective from January 2024.
- The full restoration of student maintenance grants for post graduates from September 2024 for the first time since the financial crash. A pro-rata increase will also be effective from January 2024.
- From September 2024, student contribution fees will be abolished for all incomes under €55,924. For the first time ever, this will include students on specified undergraduate part time/part-time online courses. In addition, maintenance grants will be available to households with incomes up to €50,840 (up from €46,790).
- Renters’ tax credit is being extended to parents who pay for student children’s rent in the case of Rent a Room accommodation or “digs”. This change will also apply retrospectively for the years 2022 and 2023
Budget 2024 saw a budget of €4.148 billion for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science including: - funding of € 4.1 million to increase the number of medicine places.
- funding to support the National Tertiary Office in expanding the number of joint degree programmes outside the CAO.
- funding of €67 million for continued growth of apprenticeship from 13,000 places in 2022 to over 16,000 places in 2024, helping boost skills development.
- the start of a new scheme to help employers with the cost of upskilling and reskilling staff.
338. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason NCEF courses are not included in the Government HEA cost of living package; the reason for their exclusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54295/23]
View answerBudget 2024 contains a package of measures to support households with the cost of living. These cost of living measures include the provision of one off funding that has allowed for a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students that are eligible for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI) in 2023/24.
As the Deputy will be aware, the student contribution only applies in circumstances where a student is eligible for free fees; it is the student’s contribution towards their tuition fee within the terms of the FFI.
Where a course is not part of the FFI, including any NCEF courses offered outside the scheme, the student contribution towards free fees does not apply and instead students pay the applicable tuition fee to the higher education institution attended.
Where any individual student has a query in relation to their eligibility for free fees or their eligibility for the cost of living measure, they should contact the fee office in the institution attended for advice appropriate to their individual circumstances.
339. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when the new International Education Strategy for Ireland is due to be published; and if he will make a statement on the need to have an International Education Strategy in place. [54351/23]
View answerIt is my intention to publish Ireland’s new international Talent and Innovation strategy, ‘Global Citizens 2030’ in January 2024.
Global Citizens 2030 will be my Department's first International strategy which encompasses the breadth of tertiary education. It builds upon Ireland’s many achievements over the past decade and seeks to confirm Ireland as a first choice destination for international learners, researchers and innovators.
340. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of a number of third-level institutions which are refusing to accept cash on-site in college restaurants, shops, and other establishments; and if he is aware of the difficulties this is causing many students. [54374/23]
View answerHigher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational affairs, including the management of commercial arrangements and provision of services for students on campus. As such, they retain the right to determine their own policies and procedures.
It should be noted that the regulation of commercial affairs and legislative governance of financial transactions is a matter for the Department of Finance and the Central Bank.
As such, it is worth pointing out that in November last year the then Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe TD, published the Retail Banking Review which set out a number of recommendations for Government, the Central Bank and industry. One recommendation was that the Department of Finance should lead on the preparation of a new National Payments Strategy.
The since published terms of reference for the strategy recommend the development of a roadmap for the future evolution of the entire payments system, taking account of developments in digital payments, cash usage and how future changes should be made to the legislative criteria relating to Access to Cash.
While Minister Donohoe has stated in the Dáil that is still permissible (eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32010H0191&qid=1604311928631) for businesses and other service providers not to accept cash (as long as the customer is notified in advance), it is worth noting that an objective of the new Strategy as set out in the terms of reference will be to consider and consult on whether to legislate to give the Minister for Finance the power to require certain classes of firms, sectors or sub-sectors to accept or facilitate the acceptance of cash.
It is expected that this new strategy will be published in 2024.
341. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether the excessive rent costs in the case of a person (details supplied) can be reconsidered on hardship grounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54405/23]
View answerThe student outlined by the Deputy has exhausted the appeals process.
The application was reviewed with reference to income for the reference year of 2021 and 2022 on the 07th November 2023.
The total household reckonable income remained above the maximum threshold for funding.
To assist renters with the cost of rent the Rent Tax Credit was increased to €750 per individual and €1,500 per jointly assessed couple for 2024 and 2025. Payments made by parents in respect of “digs” or rent-a-room arrangements for their children to attend an approved course will now qualify for the Rent Tax Credit. This is provided the claimant and their child are not related to the landlord. This change will apply retrospectively for the years 2022 and 2023.
342. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department will provide funding for women's sheds; if so, when the scheme will be open for applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54250/23]
View answerMy Department provides a range of supports which are available to Women’s Sheds, depending on the works being completed.
The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) has provided supports to 62 Women’s Sheds, for example in facilitating training courses and holding focus groups. To date the programme also awarded small grants totalling over €10,000 to 7 Women’s Sheds. This support remains available through SICAP.
In October 2022, I was delighted to announce funding of €100,000 to support Women’s Sheds throughout the country with running costs, such as electricity and insurance bills. This funding was ring-fenced under the €10 million Community Support Fund 2022.
Women's Sheds were also eligible to apply for funding under the Community Support Fund (CSF) that was announced last November under the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP). The €10 million CSF was set up to help small community groups with their energy/running costs but also to provide funding for small capital works projects. The fund was administered by Local Community Development Committees on behalf of the Department and is now closed. Details of successful Women’s Sheds is available at www.gov.ie/DRCD.
There is likely to be a new iteration of the CEP in late 2023, however, details of the fund, the allocations available and the focus have not yet been confirmed. I would encourage all groups to check my department’s website www.gov.ie/drcd, and to engage with their Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs), Local Development Companies and Public Participation Networks (PPN) to ensure they are aware of funding opportunities as they become available.
Separately, funding under the LEADER programme is not targeted at any particular group or sector in rural communities. It is, rather, focused on a thematic approach to rural development. The budget for the LEADER programme is allocated for the duration of the programme rather than on an annual basis to allow more flexibility to the LAG in the allocation of funding.
Organisations, such as Women’s Sheds, may be eligible for LEADER funding but in the first instance contact should be made with the local implementing partner. Contact details for the Implementing Partners are available on my Departments website at www.gov.ie/en/publication/c45498-local-action-groups/.
343. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the main policy achievements of her Department in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54289/23]
View answerEach year my Department produces an Annual Report which provides a comprehensive overview of the wide range of policies, programmes and initiatives developed and delivered by the Department in the previous year. These reports are available at www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-rural-and-community-development/ and the 2023 Annual Report will most likely be published in Quarter 3 of 2024.
Our most recent Statement of Strategy was published in August 2023, and this sets out the Department's mission as “to promote and support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland”. The Department has two overarching policies which support delivery of this mission, firstly, Our Rural Future the Governments Rural Development Policy for 2021-2025, and secondly Sustainable Inclusive and Empowered Communities, the 5 year strategy (for the period 2019-2024) to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland.
The very successful ongoing implementation of Our Rural Future in 2023 has been a significant achievement of the Department. The rural development investment programme continues to support investment throughout rural Ireland by delivering schemes including the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the LEADER Programme, Town and Village Renewal, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and the CLÁR Programme. Furthermore, policies and strategies which form part of Our Rural Future, including the Towns Centre First Strategy and the National Outdoor Recreation Strategy continue to be successfully implemented.
Of particular note is the publication of the new national islands policy, Our Living Islands, which was published in June 2023. It is the first whole-of-Government policy for the islands to be published in 27 years. It is an ambitious ten year national policy designed to support sustainable island communities and is accompanied by an Action Plan for the period 2023-2026. The Action Plan consists of 80 new time-bound actions agreed with and to be implemented by various stakeholders, led by a nominated Government Department or State Agency.
Cross Government implementation of Our Rural Future is also progressing very well. Progress updates are published every six months and a specific work programme is developed for each year of the policy.
With regard to the Community Development area in 2023, key funding programmes including the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the Community Services Programme (CSP) and the Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) have been successfully delivered by the Department. Once-off funding measures to help support the response for Ukrainian refugees, and the communities they are settling in, have also been successfully delivered. For example, €10 million was made available to the SICAP programme to ensure supports for Ukrainian refugees as they settle in communities throughout the country.
2023 has also seen ongoing implementation of existing polices which support Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities, including the National Volunteering Strategy and the National Social Enterprise Strategy. Furthermore, the new National Public Library Strategy 2023-2026 was published in July 2023. More recently, in November, the Dormant Accounts Action Plan 2024 was published, setting out the measures across Government that will be funded from the Dormant Accounts fund in 2024.
Also in November, at the 5th National Social Enterprise Conference, I, along with the Secretary General of the OECD, launched a report commissioned by my Department on the implementation of our social enterprise policy, entitled “Boosting Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise Development in Ireland”. A successor social enterprise policy is currently being developed in partnership with the sector and it is expected to be launched in early 2024. It is also worth noting that the second National Civic Forum for dialogue between the state and the community and voluntary sector took place in November, with the forum examining how to develop and strengthen deliberative and participative approach to public policy making at a national and local level.
Finally, my Department is also in the final stages of developing a National Philanthropy Policy. The policy, which will be launched shortly, will set out specific actions to enable philanthropy to grow and thrive in Ireland for the public benefit and for the social good.
Further information on the above, and indeed a range of other work undertaken by the Department in 2023, is available on the Department's website and, as noted, the Department’s Annual Report will be published in due course.
