Written Answers Nos. 250-269
250. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the business start-up rates among men, women, young people and migrants for each of the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, and how this compares with the EU and OECD averages in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2819/24]
View answerThe data sets in question are not fully available in the manner requested by the Deputy. However, the following information represents the latest data available to my Department.
The most comparable statistics available are those included in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitoring (GEM) Report. This report includes a statistic on “New business owners” which is broken down by gender at national level. The reports do not include a breakdown in terms of young people and migrants. Of the years requested for comparison, Ireland participated in GEM in 2018, 2019 and 2021. The report provides comparable figures to an overall EU or OECD average for the years available (based only on participants in the year in question).
The statistics for the categories requested for the years available are set out in tabular form below:
|
Category |
Startup Rate |
Startup Rate |
Startup Rate |
|
2018 |
2019 |
2021 |
|
|
Ireland Men |
4% |
6% |
5.8% |
|
Ireland Women |
2.5% |
2.7% |
4% |
|
EU Average |
3.2% |
n/a |
3.3% |
|
OECD Average |
n/a |
4.4% |
n/a |
251. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the Government's approach in accessing and approving employment permits in Ireland, specifically the current guidelines and procedures for obtaining employment permits for companies who are trying to secure employment permission for foreign nationals who are seeking employment opportunities with their company; if he could provide details on the reason permit applications submitted by a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2821/24]
View answerIreland operates a managed employment permits system, maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. The regime is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills or labour shortages in the State in the short to medium term.
Details and information on the current guidelines and procedures for obtaining employment permits for companies who are trying to secure employment permission for foreign nationals who are seeking employment opportunities in Ireland are available on the Department website through the following link: enterprise.gov.ie/en/what-we-do/workplace-and-skills/employment-permits/employment-permit-eligibility/.
Before a decision is made on whether to grant or refuse an employment permit, the Department assesses all of the information provided in the application, to determine whether the role is eligible for a permit. As part of this process, the salary, job title, educational qualifications, description of the duties required for the role, job specification and the nature of the business are considered. Based on the overall assessment of an individual application, the Department arrives at a decision on whether the role is one in respect of which there is a critical skill need in Ireland that cannot be filled by an Irish or EEA national.
In this instance, both the processor and reviewing officer arrived at a determination that the type of work proposed to be performed by the applicant was not eligible for an employment permit. It should be noted that an employment permit for a chef position will not issue where the nature of the business is catering, fast food, or where food is prepared in bulk for speed of service rather than to individual order.
252. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the funding for the National AI Strategy and how this is being delivered; and for a year-by-year breakdown of funding. [2828/24]
View answer253. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total amount of funding provided to businesses for support digitisation over the past five years; and the funding allocated to support firms with digitisation in 2024. [2831/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 252 and 253 together.
Under the National Digital Strategy, Harnessing Digital – The Digital Ireland Framework, published early in 2022, Government has committed to driving a step change in the digitalisation of enterprise in Ireland. Growing the use of digital technologies by businesses will help to build the resilience of our enterprise base as we look to future-proof our economy. For businesses, investment in digitalisation brings increased efficiencies, easier access to and better services for customers, and greater cybersecurity and scalability. A number of different schemes are in place, administered by Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Local Enterprise Offices to support businesses of all sizes on their digital journey.
The National AI Strategy, AI – Here for Good , has been in place since 2021 and a progress report on its implementation was published in August 2023. This whole-of-government Strategy includes actions not only for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment but also for a number of Government Departments and state agencies. My Department has a particular role in delivering the actions related to enterprise adoption of AI, including enterprise innovation. Details of the funding allocated to enterprise digitalisation, which includes AI, are set out below.
The Digital Transition Fund is an €85m fund under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), running from 2022-2026 funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). The fund is administered by EI, IDA Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta through a range of schemes to boost uptake of digital technology. Draw down to date is €4.2 million. The provisional allocation for 2024 is €10.5 million, subject to approval by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (DPENDR).
Part-funded by the by Digital Transition Fund and by the Digital Europe Programme are Ireland’s four European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs), one of which, CeADAR, has been designated Ireland’s innovation hub for AI. EDIHs are an EU-wide network providing digitalisation advice at low or no cost to SMEs and public sector organisations to support uptake of technologies, including AI and data analytics, and to enhance their cybersecurity and digital skills. The Irish EDIHs drew down €7m in the period 2022-2023. The provisional allocation for 2024 is €4.9 million, subject to DPENDR approval.
The Network of 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) support small businesses to attain basic digital intensity to help them to save time, money, and energy. Supports for digitalisation available through LEOs include the Trading Online Voucher (TOV), a voucher of up to €2,500 with 50% co-funding by the applicant, and Digital for Business , for businesses with up to 50 employees in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors to prepare and implement a plan for the adoption of digital tools and techniques. The TOV allocations to date are:
2021: €12.5 million,
2022: €3 million,
2023: €3 million.
Allocations for Digital for Business to date are:
2022: €0.9million,
2023: €1.1 million.
For both schemes, the 2024 allocation will be determined when the LEO Budget is presented and approved by the Enterprise Ireland Board.
Enterprise Ireland runs a number of schemes to support digitalisation of business. The Online Retail Scheme administered since 2019 supports Irish retailers in developing a more competitive online offer increase their customer base and build a more resilient business in the domestic and global marketplace both online and offline. Payments from 2019-2023 amount to €10.3 million. Future funding under this scheme is currently under review. The Digitalisation Voucher has seen payments of €2.04 million in 2022 and €0.46 million in 2023. Payments under the Digital Marketing Capacity Scheme from 2019-2023 totalled €4.59 million.
The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) , established in 2018, is one of four National Development Plan (NDP) 2018-2027 funds, and is aimed at encouraging collaboration and innovation in the development and deployment of disruptive technologies on a commercial basis, in order to tackle national and global challenges. It is managed by the Department and administered by Enterprise Ireland. Although not exclusively focused on digital technologies, the fund encourages projects that complement the priority enterprise policy objective on digital transformation as set out in the White Paper on Enterprise. There is a particular focus on SMEs, with SME participation a mandatory requirement for each collaborative project. Six DTIF calls for projects have been held to date, ranging in value from €8 million to €95 million, with a total of €365 million allocated to 103 collaborative projects to date.
254. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total amount of funding provided to businesses for support decarbonisation over the past five years; and the funding allocated to support firms with decarbonisation in 2024. [2832/24]
View answerOver the next decade the transition to a low carbon economy will substantially alter the business environment. My Department is actively promoting and financially supporting decarbonisation across our enterprise base. We have integrated climate action into all aspects of the Department remit and our enterprise agencies’ activities. 'Integrating Decarbonisation and Net Zero Commitments' has been a key policy priority under the White Paper on Enterprise.
The Government seeks to foster strong, resilient businesses, that are successful and sustainable, while preparing to meet our sector’s carbon reduction targets. We are determined to ensure decarbonisation happens in a way that improves the competitiveness and resilience of our economy, businesses and employment.
In the period 2019-2023 my Department provided €32,495,887 in grant funding to businesses through the Local Enterprise Offices, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland to support climate action initiatives.
The funding allocation for 2024 is approximately €18 million though the exact amount spent on decarbonisation programmes will still subject to change, as the agencies have scope to prioritise projects within their core budget and drawdown is subject to the delivery of supported projects. The demand for decarbonisation supports from enterprises is continuing to accelerate.
As with all funding, there remains an interim period between the allocation for a project and the payment drawdown, especially for larger decarbonisation investment projects. Our agencies continue to accelerate support for businesses through Environmental Aid, Energy Efficiency Grants, and Green for Business which was a relaunch of the successful Green for Micro scheme, expanded to included larger SMEs.
The Green Transition Fund commits €55 million in funding from 2022-2026 as part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan and funded through the EU’s RRF. We have seen a continued increase in the uptake of the fund by businesses, with further acceleration expected in 2024.
My Department continues to provide non-financial supports such as the Climate Toolkit 4 Business, which is a carbon calculator and action plan generator tool and it provides businesses with an understanding of their current carbon footprint and provides information on resources available to reduce their emissions. The target audience for the Toolkit is SMEs and micro enterprises who wish to start their decarbonisation journey and that do not yet have a sophisticated understanding of their carbon emissions or the steps they should consider reducing their emissions. The toolkit directs businesses to the appropriate financial support to their business size and sector.
255. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of FDI investments won by IDA Ireland over the past five years, by year, in tabular form. [2834/24]
View answer256. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of FDI investments won by IDA Ireland over the past five years which have been in the regions, by year, in tabular form. [2835/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 255 and 256 together.
Attracting foreign direct Investment (FDI) and the pursuit of balanced regional development remain key priorities for my Department and for IDA Ireland.
248 investments were won in 2023, 83 of which were new name investments from companies investing in Ireland for the first time and 67 were expansions by companies already established here. Moreover,
19,000 new jobs were created in FDI companies in 2023, with the total number of people employed in the FDI sector in Ireland standing at 300,583, holding above 300,000 jobs for the second consecutive year. These results illustrate the continued substantial growth in FDI in 2023 despite a difficult global economic environment.
The IDA is targeting at least half of all investments - that is 400 of 800 - from 2021 to 2024 to regional locations. Of the 248 investments won in 2023, 132 went to regional locations, which is 53% of all projects and 56% of all jobs approved. IDA clients now employ 163,471 people regionally, which represents 54% of client employment.
The strong growth in regional investment was supported by IDA Ireland’s property programme as a robust property and infrastructure ecosystem has been shown to be an important differentiator in winning FDI projects.
The table below details the number of FDI investments won by IDA Ireland over the past five years, including in the regions.
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
|
Investments won |
250 |
246 |
249 |
242 |
248 |
|
Investments won in the regions |
110 |
128 |
133 |
127 |
132 |
257. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total client expenditure by IDA Ireland companies over the past five years, by year, in tabular form. [2836/24]
View answerIDA is now in the final year of its current strategy Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth Strategy for 2021-2024 and is focused on delivering on its targets of
• 800 investments with 50% outside Dublin,
• 50,000 additional jobs and increased economic activity,
• 170 RD&I investments,
• 130 training investments
• 60 sustainability investments, and
• a 20% increase in client expenditure in Ireland to maximise the impact of FDI.
248 investments won by IDA Ireland in 2023, reflecting the continued attractiveness of Ireland as a location for FDI and an enduring commitment amongst FDI companies and confidence in Ireland as a location in which to make complex, innovative, and impactful investments at scale. There were 132 regional investments in 2023 which represents 53% of all projects and 56% of all jobs approved. IDA clients now employ 163,471 people regionally, which represents 54% of client employment.
These investments are delivering sustained levels of highly skilled employment across the country with 1,800 IDA client companies directly employing more than 300,000 in Ireland for the second consecutive year, against a backdrop of the global tech reset and severe global challenges including global inflation, changing industrial policy, and ongoing geopolitical disruption across the world. Employment in FDI companies now accounts for some 11.3% of the workforce. Additionally, my Department estimates that for every 10 jobs generated by FDI directly, another eight are created in the wider economy. This translates to over 540,000 direct and indirect jobs supported by FDI at the end of 2023 – almost 1/5th of the workforce.
The Annual Business Survey of Economic Impact (ABSEI) conducted by my Department includes data on the impact of IDA Ireland client companies on the Irish economy. In this regard, in additional to the employment figures already quoted, expenditure within the economy by FDI companies increased during 2022 despite challenging conditions. Payroll was up 12% to €22.1bn, Irish services and materials spend increased by 15.7% to €13.8bn, and capital expenditure was up 49% to €15.5bn. Exports of €383.1bn represent an increase of 11.2% year-on-year. Between 2020-2022 direct expenditure in Irish economy by IDA clients increased by 24.0% from €28.9 billion to €35.8 billion.
These results reinforce the scale of the contribution of FDI to Ireland and the role that inward investment continues to play in providing jobs and opportunity for people right across the country. While they are reassuring in the context of an increasingly challenging and competitive global environment for enterprise and for FDI, Government recognises that Ireland must stay agile and ambitious to win investment as we pursue implementation of the policy mix articulated in the White Paper on Enterprise. To these ends, IDA Ireland’s focus remains on winning investment for Ireland, building partnerships with client companies and supporting them in their growth & transformation as they build competitiveness, grow, and further embed themselves in Ireland.
As requested by the Deputy, the table below details the Direct Expenditure in the Irish Economy (Payroll, Irish Materials, Irish Services) of IDA Ireland companies. In this regard, overall direct expenditure in the Irish Economy by IDA Ireland companies has increased year-on-year over the 5-year period from 2018 to 2022 (please note figures for 2023 are not currently available, 2022 are the most recent figures available).
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
|
Investments won |
250 |
246 |
249 |
242 |
248 |
|
Investments won in the regions |
110 |
128 |
133 |
127 |
132 |
259. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total research and development funding provided under his Department for 2023, in tabular form corresponding by agency and/or scheme; and the total funding allocated for 2024 by agency and/or scheme. [2838/24]
View answerThe answer to this PQ is deferred to allow for clarification with agencies under the remit of the Department.
My Department will supply the information requested once it has been collated.
260. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total number of WRC inspectors; how many more inspectors it is planned to hire in 2024; and how many are expected to retire. [2839/24]
View answerThere are currently 63 WRC Inspectors, comprising 55 EO Inspectors and 8 Inspector Team Managers (ITM) at the HEO level. Additionally, there are 6 vacancies at the EO Inspector level and 1 ITM
Workforce planning has identified a requirement for an additional 10 Inspectors, bringing the total number of WRC Inspectors to 80. My Department continually plans recruitment campaigns to fill all Departmental vacancies including those at the WRC. An internal competition to identify suitable candidates for assignment as a WRC Inspector occurred during December 2023, and further plans are being finalised to recruit Inspectors for all regions during 2024.
All WRC Inspectors are required to provide a minimum notice period of one month of their intention to retire. My Department has been notified of one upcoming inspector retirement to take place during 2024.
It should be noted by the Deputy that retirement age under the Public Service Superannuation Schemes and Acts varies depending on the date of entry to the civil or public service. The range of options for retirement can vary from age 50 under the Cost Neutral Early Retirement Scheme to compulsory retirement age of 70 for those who joined the civil or public service before 2004 and on or after 1 January 2013.
For civil and public servants whose superannuation terms are in accordance with the The Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) 2004 Act. This Act removed the compulsory retirement age for certain categories of new entrants. These public servants who are deemed to be ‘New Entrants’ in accordance with 2004 Act generally have a minimum pension age of 65 and have no compulsory retirement age. Those public servants who are deemed not to be ‘New Entrants’ in accordance with the 2004 Act generally have a minimum pension age of 60 and a compulsory retirement age of 70. Members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme have a minimum retirement at of 66 but must retire at 70.
My Department engages with annual workforce plan exercises to ensure that effective succession planning is underway for all areas of the Department including at the Workplace Relations Commission.
261. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total number of Health and Safety Authority inspectors; how many more inspectors it is planned to hire in 2024; and how many are expected to retire. [2840/24]
View answerThe Health and Safety Authority has sanction for 317 staffing positions, made up of those in administration and inspector grades. The inspector grades comprise of Grade I (senior inspectors) as well as Grade II and Grade III inspectors. Inspectors operate across all of the Health and Safety Authority’s broad mandates which include occupational health and safety, chemicals, accreditation, and market surveillance.
As of 31st December 2023, the Health and Safety Authority employed 147 staff as inspectors at Grade I, Grade II and Grade III.
Across its entire staff, including administrative staff, the Health and Safety Authority has 55 WTE positions currently vacant, 38 of which relate to the position of Grade III inspector. As of 31st December 2023, there were 19 pending appointments to Grade III positions, whereby candidates who were successful following a recruitment campaign in Q4 2023 are under consideration for appointment to vacant positions across various grades. The necessary pre-clearance processes are now underway, after which contracts will be issued to successful candidates.
Recruitment processes are planned within the Health and Safety Authority to fill a range of positions including inspector roles throughout 2024. Recruitment campaigns will be launched in 2024 for various inspector roles at Grades I, II and III.
The age at which a public servant may retire (minimum retirement age), and the age at which they must retire (compulsory retirement age), varies across public service groups and depends on the terms and conditions which prevailed at the time of their recruitment. Seven serving inspectors are eligible to avail of retirement in 2024.
262. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when he last met the Director General of the Corporate Enforcement Authority; and when he is next scheduled to meet the Director General. [2946/24]
View answerThe Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) was established as an independent statutory agency on 7th July 2022. Section 944D(4) of the Companies Act 2014 provides that the CEA shall be independent in the performance of its functions.
Minister Coveney visited the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) and met with the CEO and all of the staff at their office in Parnell Square on 12 July 2023.
I provided the opening address at the inaugural conference of the CEA at King's Inns on 19th October 2023 where I met with the CEO and staff of the CEA.
263. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will clarify whether the transfer of data and/or records from his Department that is transferred to other departments, State bodies and local authorities is in aggregated form or on an individual basis; and the reason the data and/or records are provided. [3079/24]
View answerFurther to the information provided to the Deputy last week, I wish to clarify that both aggregated data and person-specific data sets are transferred by my Department to other departments, State bodies and local authorities. These transfers only occur where validation of data sets is required in order to deliver my Department's official functions.
For example, a weekly transfer of person-specific employment permit data is sent by my Department to the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). This is required in order to allow my officials to process employment permit applications.
Aggregated data transfers are also undertaken for the administration of certain support schemes for business with the Revenue Commissioners and in certain cases with local authorities. For example, over the last 5 years data transfers have occurred for the administration of a number of loan schemes, including the Small Business Assistance Scheme; Long Term Investment Scheme and Brexit Impact Loan Scheme. Small amounts of person-specific data may also be shared for the purposes of post audit review of these schemes to prevent fraud and to ensure value for money for the Exchequer.
Sharing of personal data may also take place in response to a valid lawful request from another public body or in accordance with existing legislative obligations. For example, my Department may share personal data with a competent authority under the EU Law Enforcement Directive for the purposes of the prevention, detection, or prosecution of criminal offences, including safeguarding against and preventing threats to security or the execution of criminal penalties. This transfer of personal data sets is generally person-specific and relates to a specific incident under investigation.
Lastly I’d like to state that, data privacy, minimisation and security are key criteria adhered to by my Department for all data transfers. All data sharing activities are underpinned by Data Sharing Agreements and Data Protection compliance processes to ensure data privacy is maintained. Person-specific personal data is only shared by my Department where there is a legitimate reason to do so, a valid lawful basis, and in strict accordance with data protection principles.
264. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education if she will consider including the counties Sligo and Leitrim in the pilot voluntary redeployment scheme, given that this scheme has not been deployed in either county since 2014 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2826/24]
View answerThe Post-Primary Redeployment Schemes are reviewed annually by my Department and Education Stakeholders, including Teacher Unions. The criteria for the allocation of teachers to schools including the redeployment arrangements for the 2024/25 school year will shortly be available on the Department's website. It is at this stage that counties relevant to the pilot voluntary redeployment scheme for the 2024/25 school year will be notified to schools.
265. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education the current status of the planned improvement works and extension to a school (details supplied) [2349/24]
View answerThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has recently completed Stage 2(b) Detailed Design. The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) report has been reviewed by the Department.
As the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) have implemented Revised Public Works Contract documents as of July 27th 2023, the Design Team have been requested to further review their tender documents, as the Stage 2(b) Submission for this project predates this revision.
The Design Team are to confirm to the Department in writing that they have made the necessary revisions to their tender documents.
In parallel, a revision to the Fire Safety Certificate is also being carried out.
Only upon confirmation that both of the above actions are complete will the project be eligible to progress to tender stage.
266. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education for an update on the IT funding for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2370/24]
View answerThe Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 was published last year and is underpinned by an investment of €200m to support its implementation, committed to under Ireland’s National Development Plan (NDP). The first tranche of €50m issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in late 2021. The previous Digital Strategy for Schools 2015 to 2020 saw overall investment of €210m issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in annual grant funding. This funding enabled schools to invest in appropriate digital infrastructure to enable the embedding of the use of digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment.Funding of €50m secured as part of Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan under the NextGenerationEU Recovery and Resilience Facility also issued to all recognised schools in the free education scheme to support learners at risk of educational disadvantage through the digital divide in late 2021.My Department intends to pay the next tranche of ICT grant funding before the end of the 2023 to 2024 school year. The specific timing for issue of the ICT grant is subject to the availability of Exchequer funding and the wider capital needs of the Department including the building programme to ensure the supply of school accommodation.As part of the forthcoming Review of the National Development Plan, my Department’s aim is to provide better clarity and certainty for schools on the timelines for payment of minor works and ICT grant funding.
267. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education if school principals and deputy principals are permitted to work from home; to outline in general terms her Department's policy on this issue including the maximum number of days which can be worked from home; and to outline how she feels that it is possible to carry out the duties of principal or deputy principal from home given the importance of these positions in enforcing school policies on-site on a day-to-day basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2378/24]
View answerMy Department has no policy in place which facilitates School Principals or Deputy-Principals to work from home. The right to request remote working will be available to all employees under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 and a Code Of Practice in relation to this issue is currently being developed by the Workplace Relations Commission.
It is understood that the legislation giving effect to this element of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 will come into force as soon as possible following the publication of the code being developed by the WRC. My Department will review the Code of Practice once it has been published and it's application to the education sector.
268. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education to facilitate a school (details supplied) with the school bus they were promised to aid students travelling to a location from areas in the previous locality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2381/24]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.
There has been an overall increase in both applications and tickets issued for the 2023/2024 school year in comparison to the 2022/2023 school year.
Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann has reported challenges in sourcing drivers and contractors in certain areas. This is against a backdrop of significant shortages of drivers in the labour market overall and competing demands for drivers to deliver additional public transport initiatives such as Connecting Ireland and Bus Connects/Local Link services.
Bus Éireann has advised that the service referred to by the Deputy is currently in the procurement process. Bus Éireann’s local office are in the process of sourcing a suitable contractor/driver. Once a suitable contractor/driver is sourced transport will commence, families will been informed in this regard.
Families can contact the Bus Éireann local office if they have any queries and can also submit queries via the ‘contact form’ which can be found on Bus Éireann's website (buseireann.ie/schooltransport)
The Department has established an “Exceptional No Service Interim Grant” to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements families may have to put in place until their service begins. The Department has contacted families directly in regard to this payment.
Funding is not provided to private bus contractors operating outside of the Department’s School Transport Scheme. Bus Éireann plans and manages the countrywide network on behalf of the Department to ensure that services are provided in line with the specific requirements of the Department. Bus Éireann is responsible for contracting private operators in line with procurement legislation and as part of this process, ensures the utmost safety standards are complied with.
Contractors who are interested in becoming a school transport provider can contact their local Bus Éireann office, further details can be found at: Becoming a School Transport Provider - Bus Éireann - View Ireland Bus and Coach Timetables & Buy Tickets (buseireann.ie)
269. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she and or her officials have developed a central register of school enrolments; and if she will provide the metrics that are captured by the system. [2390/24]
View answerThe Department has two pupil enrolment systems. For primary enrolments, schools use the Primary Online Database. For post-primary, schools use the Post-Primary Online Database.
The Department is currently exploring options with regard to a unified system and database for both primary and post-primary enrolments.
Please find attached POD and PPOD privacy notices which outline data captured in both systems.
data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/debates/questions/supportingDocumentation/2024-01-23_pq269-23-01-2023_en.pdf
data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/debates/questions/supportingDocumentation/2024-01-23_pq269-2-23-01-2024_en.pdf
