Written Answers Nos. 90-109
90. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice the avenues a person with a three-month visa who has arrived in Ireland from Gaza can now use to apply for citizenship in Ireland whose close family member holds a work visa permit in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9469/24]
View answerThe granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
Applicants are required to have 5 years reckonable residence in the State prior to making an application, except for spouses of Irish nationals and people granted International Protection where the requirement is 3 years. In all cases, the final 12 months must be continuous residence in the State with up to 70 days allowed to facilitate foreign travel for business family or holiday purposes.
It is open to anyone to make an application for citizenship once they meet the criteria as set out in the 1956 Act, as amended. Once an application is received, a determination on whether the applicant satisfies the statutory criteria for naturalisation will be made.
Detailed information on how to apply for naturalisation is available on my Department's Irish Immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/
With regard to any person seeking to obtain permission to remain in the State, I can advise you that there are numerous legal immigration pathways to reside in Ireland. Details of these legal pathways can be found on my Department’s website: www.irishimmigration.ie.
91. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice the Garda divisions currently without a crime prevention officer in tabular form. [9534/24]
View answerI have contacted the Garda authorities for the information requested by the Deputy. Regrettably, this information was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy directly when it is to hand.
92. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the procedure to be followed by a person to obtain a visa (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9586/24]
View answerThe person referred to by the Deputy is advised to submit an application to the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division of my Department.
Any application submitted should explain their current circumstances and future intentions in the State and should include the following supporting evidence;
• A copy of the person's and their spouse's passports
• A copy of their marriage certificate
• A copy of the birth certificate for the Irish citizen child
• Bank statements for the last 12 months for the person and their spouse
• Evidence of joint accommodation such as rent book, joint tenancy/lease agreement, mortgage payments, proof of home ownership. Evidence should be provided supporting the applicant’s assertion that they have resided here for a long time.
• Evidence demonstrating the person's employment in the State for the last 3 years. Examples of evidence are P60s/Employment Detail Summary for last 3 years or, P21 Revenue Commissioner Statements or, Financial Statement for last 3 years or Payslips.
• Evidence of address in name of the person concerned and spouse – recent utility bills (for example – gas, electricity, water, television license, letters from children’s schools (if applicable).
This evidence along with an appropriate cover letter should be addressed to:
Change of Status Section
Unit C – Domestic Residence and Permissions Division
Immigration Service Delivery
Department of Justice
13-14 Burgh Quay
Dublin 2
DO2 XK70
If the Deputy could inform me through IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie when an application has been submitted, I will ensure it is brought to the attention of relevant officials.
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 at IMoireachtasmail@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 Question 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.
93. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review an application for BISS (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9406/24]
View answerOn 23 November, my Department advised the farmer in question that a Porcine number does not meet the definition of a herd number, therefore we are unable to link a porcine number to a BISS application.
In submitting a BISS 2023 application you declare you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of the Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme. As per the Terms and Conditions to receive support under BISS you must be a holder of a registered herd number or have applied for a herd number on or before 29 May 2023. To apply for a herd number you must complete a Form ER1: Disease Eradication Scheme – Application for registration as a keeper of animals under the Disease Eradication Schemes. www.gov.ie/en/service/f90f21-application-for-a-flockherd-number/
A Porcine number does not meet the criteria of a herd number, therefore we are unable to link a porcine number to a BISS application.
As previously advised to this farmer he has a right to appeal this decision to the Agriculture Appeals Office, which operates independently of my Department. The details of the appeals procedure were outlined to him in the correspondence of November 23rd 2023.
94. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 389 of 7 February 2024, the total amount approved for Rásaíocht Con Éireann to redevelop Shelbourne Park greyhound stadium; and the total amount of the grant sought by Rásaíocht Con Éireann towards development works at Kilkenny greyhound stadium. [9484/24]
View answerRásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
In 2018, conditional consent was granted for redevelopment works at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium. Following on from a further submission by RCÉ, in December 2023 my Department gave approval for RCÉ to proceed with the redevelopment works as provided for in the 2018 consent to include the proceeds held on deposit from the sale of Harold's Cross Stadium to partially fund the redevelopment which is estimated to cost in the region of €4.3m.
RCÉ made an application to my Department for approval of a grant of €1m towards the redevelopment of Kilkenny Greyhound Stadium. This application is currently being considered by officials from my Department.
95. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on his review of a proposed 'buffer zone' around turbary areas, given it was understood that areas in which turf is cut would be scored separately to areas overall, and in consideration of concerns about the impact the introduction of such a rule would have on ACRES payments for farmers in those areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9555/24]
View answerThe objective of the €1.5 billion ACRES scheme is to improve environmental performance on farmland, including commonage.
In this context, my Department is obliged to ensure that the scheme meets its objectives, but also to ensure that applicants are treated fairly when it comes to scoring of environmental performance.
The original proposal in relation to the scoring of turbary areas was to have it applied and included in a single score for the entire commonage parcel.
Farm representatives brought their concerns to me, before any scoring of commonages took place, that this could disproportionately impact on the score of an overall commonage parcel.
It is against this background that my Department, in conjunction with the ACRES Co-operation Project (CP) teams, put a protocol in place that mitigated the negative impact that turbary would have on commonage scores.
The protocol provides that areas of active turf cutting, together with appropriate buffer area, are scored separately to areas of peatlands without turbary. The blending of these separate scores limits the potential impact of turbary on the relevant commonage parcel score.
The buffer area was applied to take account of the negative impact of active turbary on adjacent peatland hydrology. Without this zone, the environmental integrity of the scheme, and therefore the justification for substantial EU and national funding, would be undermined.
The buffer area is included in the turbary field, but is not itself differentiated from the active turbary area. In addition, the buffer area will often incorporate adjoining areas of turbary activity where a mosaic pattern of activity is evident on the relevant commonage parcel. This again helps to mitigate the impact of the turbary area on the commonage parcel score.
It is also very important to note that a farmer's payment under ACRES is made up of several different elements, in addition to the scoring of commonage lands, including farm size, actions chosen, and scores obtained on other, non-commonage, lands, which will not be impacted by the arrangements described above.
Commonage parcels with turbary have been fully scored and submitted by CP teams on this basis of this protocol. Recently farmer representatives have raised concerns with me about how the protocol applied to the turbary areas will affect the overall commonage parcel scores.
While it is difficult to be definitive at this point, because my Department is continuing to process the relevant data, my Department’s judgement is that this system will not have a significant overall impact on the payments received by commonage shareholders, although there may be some exceptions.
Overall, the objective of the approach taken has been to strike a reasonable balance between the need to protect the environmental integrity of the scheme, meet European objectives in relation to the CAP Strategic Plan, and the need to ensure that commonage owners are treated in a fair and proportionate way for effective environmental action.
96. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of dairy farmers and suckler farmers per county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9668/24]
View answerThe table below provides data, extracted from the AIM system, on the breakdown by county of herds with dairy cows and herds with suckler cows. A suckler cow is defined for this purpose as a female bovine who is named as the dam of at least one registered calf and is of a recognised beef breed.
|
County |
Number of Herds with dairy cows |
Number of Herds with suckler cows |
|
Carlow |
256 |
628 |
|
Cavan |
894 |
2701 |
|
Clare |
841 |
3857 |
|
Cork |
4401 |
4743 |
|
Donegal |
452 |
3431 |
|
Dublin |
55 |
177 |
|
Galway |
922 |
6531 |
|
Kerry |
1703 |
3136 |
|
Kildare |
290 |
796 |
|
Kilkenny |
1055 |
1352 |
|
Laois |
698 |
1304 |
|
Leitrim |
129 |
2238 |
|
Limerick |
1708 |
2159 |
|
Longford |
279 |
1332 |
|
Louth |
238 |
533 |
|
Mayo |
564 |
5609 |
|
Meath |
723 |
1539 |
|
Monaghan |
940 |
2020 |
|
Offaly |
639 |
1297 |
|
Roscommon |
354 |
3099 |
|
Sligo |
258 |
2148 |
|
Tipperary |
2117 |
2666 |
|
Waterford |
865 |
913 |
|
Westmeath |
497 |
1507 |
|
Wexford |
991 |
1355 |
|
Wicklow |
327 |
897 |
|
Total |
22,196 |
57,968 |
Individual herds may contain both dairy and suckler animals.
97. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a statement will be provided of the 2023 BISS, CRISS, ANC and Eco payments to a farmer (details supplied) in County Kerry; if an explanation will be provided on the reduction in direct payments in comparison to 2022 to the farmer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9674/24]
View answerAn application for participation in the 2023 Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme (BISS), Complementary Redistributive Support for Sustainability (CRISS), Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) and ECO schemes was received from the above named applicant on the 4th April, 2023.
Following a review of parcels by Satellite Imagery parcels within this application were identified as being burned between the 1st of March and the 31st of August. It is specified in the 2023 BISS Terms & Conditions that land burnt between the 1st of March and the 31st of August is not eligible for payment purposes under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme and other area-based schemes.
My Department received an appeal from the named person, the case was examined on its merits and the information supplied by the applicant was taken into consideration. The appeal was successful, the area was updated and a supplementary payment requested. Payment for BISS and CRISS was processed on the 8th of February.
Payment for ANC was processed on 7th of February, with payment for 2023 in line with payment under ANC 2022.
This applicant has received their full Eco-Scheme payment, the balance of which was paid in early December.
98. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the case of a person and a compensation scheme for TB can be examined (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9688/24]
View answerIn respect of the animals removed from the named herd under the On Farm Market Valuation Scheme, all animals received their full market value, taking into account both the factory salvage recovered and compensation paid on each animal by my Department.
As the herd lost more than 10% of its animals the named herdowner also qualified for payment under the Income Supplement Scheme. The herd received the existing Income Supplement rates until it was de-restricted in August 2023.
In 2023 enhanced rates were agreed across a range of TB compensation measures. Officials from my Department have been working to implement the necessary changes to our IT systems to reflect the agreed changes. A balancing payment to take account of the new rates will be made to the named herdowner in due course. The balancing payment will be paid in respect of Income Supplement rates from 1st February 2023 onwards.
99. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to examine if there has been any reduction in the numbers of applications for registration of enduring power of attorney (EPA) to the Decision Support Service since the commencement of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 as amended on 26 April 2023, in view of concerns raised by the legal profession (details supplied); and to provide a breakdown, in tabular form, of the number applications for registration of EPA for each of the past five years to date. [9543/24]
View answerThe Decision Support Service (DSS) is the organisation charged with operating the provisions of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, and as such is required to respond to the complex decision-making needs of people with capacity difficulties.
My Department is only able to provide figures of the numbers of applications of Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) made to the Decision Support Service since the commencement of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 as amended on 26 April 2023. This is because a different system was in place under the Powers of Attorney Act 1996, where EPAs were registered directly with the High Court.
In terms of EPAs registered under the 2015 Act, as amended, the figures below are correct as of 26th February 2024.
As per the table below, 697 EPAs have been submitted for registration with the Decision Support Service since 26 April 2023. A total of 2210 EPAs are deemed active, i.e. an applicant has commenced the process of making an EPA application to the DSS, and has reached at least the stage where the donor has completed the instrument and has taken up the supporting docs, including the capacity statement and legal practitioner statement to submit for registration.
In response to the concerns raised by the legal profession, it is important to note that the underlying purpose of the legislative changes under the 2015 Act, as amended, is to greatly increase the safeguarding aspect of the process and to avoid costly referral to the High Court. Amongst those safeguards, the Decision Support Service now has legislative responsibility to ensure that EPAs are appropriately articulated, registered, and notified. The DSS also holds an oversight role in relation to the operation of decision support arrangements.
In terms of persons completing the process the Decision Support Service is available to support all persons in the EPA process, including providing assistance to prospective donors, elderly persons, and legal practitioners, with application details and the online portal.
Since the commencement of the Assisted Decision-Making legislation in April 2023, there has been ongoing engagement between the Decision Support Service and the Law Society, with a view to supporting the implementation of the Act, stressing the importance of advance planning at all stages of life, and increasing understanding of the EPA making process by all stakeholders.
|
Total EPA Applications created since commencement |
5176 |
|
Total EPA Applications currently under draft by the donor |
4481 |
|
Total EPA Applications currently active (EPA forms completed, capacity assessment undertaken, legal practitioner statement completed) |
2210 |
|
Total EPA Applications submitted to the DSS for registration |
697 |
100. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will advise on how to establish a youth club/youth café in Kinnegad, County Westmeath. [9418/24]
View answerMy Department provides funding to the sixteen Education and Training Boards (ETBs) for the provision of local youth services. The two key funding streams under which support may be available for the establishment of a new youth club or youth café, are the UBU scheme, which funds youth worker led targeted youth services, and the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, which supports volunteer led youth clubs.
My Department also funds a number of national youth organisations which operate a network of, local youth clubs and youth cafes, including Foróige and Youth Work Ireland.
The youth services division in Longford and Westmeath ETB is best placed to provide information and support for local community groups who wish to establish a new youth club or youth café in Westmeath. The ETB can provide information on national youth organisations who may be able to offer support to those setting up a new group.
101. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for details of all properties offered to his Department for accommodation for either beneficiaries of temporary protection or international protection applicants in Clonmel, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9433/24]
View answer102. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for details of all properties offered to this Department for accommodation for either beneficiaries of temporary protection or international protection applicants in Cahir, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9434/24]
View answer103. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for details of all properties currently being assessed by his Department for accommodation for either beneficiaries of temporary protection or international protection applicants in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9435/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 101, 102 and 103 together.
The Department does not release data with respect to potential IPAS accommodation offers for security reasons and as a matter of operational policy.
The International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) carefully appraises each property that is offered for use as accommodation for International Protection (IP) applicants before contracts are issued.
The Department can only confirm use of a premises once a contract has been signed, and will, following this, inform local public representatives and statutory agencies through its Community Engagement Team (CET).
104. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the terms of reference for the awarding of tender in the provision of accommodation for persons seeking international protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9465/24]
View answerThe Bespoke Panel Agreement for the Provision of Accommodation Services and Related Services for Persons Seeking International Protection was published on 4th October 2022. The evaluation established two panels from which contracts are awarded based on:
a) singles and couples in settings with communal facilities, and
b) self-contained own door units for families.
Applicants must demonstrate an acceptable standard across a range of conditions including national standards for accommodation, centre management and staffing, and resident wellbeing.
The panel is active; inspections and the awarding of contracts are currently in progress. Based upon the tender responses, the RFT is expected to produce 2,677 bed spaces.
irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=225909&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE .
105. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what avenues are available for a person (details supplied) to access missing information from their early life report which they recently received from Tusla; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9487/24]
View answerThe Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 provides for the release of an individual's birth and early life information where records of it exists. Tusla and the Adoption Authority of Ireland hold the vast majority of records pertaining to the birth and early life of relevant persons under the Act, but more are being identified and transferred into the care of the Authority on an ongoing basis. As such, it is possible that records may need to be applied for from both Tusla and the Authority.
Unfortunately, in some circumstances recorded information pertaining to an individual's birth and early life may be limited, however information as defined in the Act will be released in all cases.
As Minister I cannot intervene in individual cases. However, if the applicant believes that information exists on his birth and early life which was not released to him, there are avenues through which he may engage with Tusla to request a review of his records. This can be done through Tusla's website under Feedback and Complaints. Tusla's officers would also be in a position to help the applicant understand what he has received, and direct him towards further avenues he could pursue.
Alternatively, if the individual provides their express written consent to share their personal details with Tusla, officials in my Department can ask Tusla to engage directly with the individual.
106. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if parents that avail of childminders will be able to access the national childcare scheme from September 2024; the engagement he has had with childminders; if he is optimistic that parents will be able to avail of the subsidy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9496/24]
View answerThe National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to opening the National Childcare Scheme to families that use childminders at the earliest possible opportunity, though it will be necessary first to amend the Child Care Act 1991, to develop and introduce childminder-specific regulations, and to give childminders adequate time and support to meet regulatory requirements.
The Childcare Support Act 2018, which provides a statutory basis for the National Childcare Scheme, specifies that only Tusla-registered providers are eligible to participate in the National Childcare Scheme. The restriction of public funding to Tusla-registered providers helps ensure that funding is only provided where there is assurance of the quality of provision.
Childminders who are currently minding four or more preschool children, or seven or more children of any age, are already required to register with Tusla and can already access the National Childcare Scheme. While only a small number of childminders are currently registered with Tusla, it is intended that the National Action Plan for Childminding will result in the opening up of the National Childcare Scheme to a much wider cohort of childminders.
Phase 1 of the National Action Plan, which is nearing completion, involves the amendment of the primary legislation to enable childminders to register with Tusla; the development of new, childminder-specific regulations that are proportionate and appropriate to the home environment in which childminders work; development and roll-out of new, bespoke training for childminders; and re-examining the funding and financial supports available for childminders.
The General Scheme of the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2023 was published in April 2023 and pre-legislative scrutiny was completed in June 2023. The Bill, when enacted, will revise and update the Child Care Act 1991 to reflect changes in child welfare and protection services in Ireland and will revise and update the regulation of early learning and childcare services. The Bill deals with a number of reforms including the removal of the exemption of childminders, allowing for the extension of regulation and supports to all paid, non-relative childminders.
The Department continues to engage with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate throughout the drafting process. The Bill is included in the Spring Legislative Programme for 2024 and the current intention is to complete all stages of the legislative process of the Oireachtas by Q3 of 2024.
Work on drafting the childminding-specific regulations began in 2022. A public consultation on the draft regulations opened on 8th February and will close on 2nd May. Possible revisions to the draft regulations will be considered once the public consultation has ended. There may also need to be consequent amendments to preschool and school-age service regulations.
Childminders have been consulted on and involved in all aspects of the process that has led toward the regulation of childminding. Consultation with childminders underpinned the development of the National Action Plan itself: the Draft Action Plan was based on the report of a working group chaired by Childminding Ireland, and there was extensive consultation with childminders – and parents – on the Draft Action Plan. The Steering Group for the National Action Plan and its four Advisory Groups – including the expert Advisory Group on Regulation and Inspection of Childminding – all include childminders and Childminding Ireland as a representative body of childminders.
The General Scheme of the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2023 included a proposed transition period of three years, during which childminders would be able to register with Tusla (and therefore take part in the National Childcare Scheme) but would not be required to do so. This proposed transition period is intended to give childminders time to meet the regulation and registration requirements that are put in place.
107. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of HSE funded therapists that have been allocated to special schools in County Tipperary in tabular form. [9531/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. The Deputy will likely be aware that the industrial action by certain Forsa grades in the HSE has been suspended. The HSE has indicated that they have recommenced issuing replies to questions but there is a significant backlog of PQs and Reps to be responded to and has advised that they are working to get through these as soon as possible while at the same time managing the volume of current PQs and Reps.
108. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if and when access to speech and language services will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9544/24]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. The Deputy will likely be aware that the industrial action by certain Forsa grades in the HSE has been suspended. The HSE has indicated that they have recommenced issuing replies to questions but there is a significant backlog of PQs and Reps to be responded to and has advised that they are working to get through these as soon as possible while at the same time managing the volume of current PQs and Reps.
109. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he could intervene in a case of a person who recently arrived from Ukraine (details supplied) and wishes to be reunited with her family, who are already in sponsored accommodation. [9549/24]
View answerMy Department has updated its reunification protocol due to the mounting challenges in procuring additional accommodation places for new arrivals into Ireland. The updated reunification protocol seeks to maximise the availability of beds in the system while also acknowledging the exceptional need of certain individuals. People can request to move into a room of existing contacts if there is a bed available in the room that is already being occupied. If an additional room is required for reunification this will only be possible when someone is joining a close family member and the reunification is required for caring or support reasons.
The Ukrainian Crisis Temporary Accommodation Team (UCTAT), which can be contacted at ukrainetempaccom@equality.gov.ie, evaluates applications for exceptional reunification on a case by case basis.
I am advised by my officials that the person referred to by the Deputy has been in contact with UCTAT and that their application for exceptional reunification is currently being evaluated.
Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection are entitled to make their own private arrangements for accommodation using supports provided by the Department of Social Protection or by asking their Local Authority or Irish Red Cross for pledged accommodation. Those wishing to avail of pledged accommodation in any given area should contact the Local Authority in that area or the Irish Red Cross pledge process. The Irish Red Cross can be contacted by email at registerofpledges@redcross.ie or by phoning 1800 50 70 70.
