Written Answers Nos. 247-266
247. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when Transport Infrastructure Ireland will finalise clarification on issues raised as a result of a submission by Limerick City and County Council on speed limits on national roads in the county; and when this process to be completed. [14356/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.
248. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has engaged with the Department of Education and Skills to resolve the problem of invalidated capital sport grants for primary schools that applied for funds on lands they do not own; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14359/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn recent rounds of the Sports Capital Programme (SCP), an issue was identified for certain schools located on lands owned by the Minister of Education and Skills being able to fulfil the standard title requirements of the programme.
My officials have been engaging with the Department of Education and Skills with a view to resolving the issue and a draft mechanism has now been agreed. Subject to confirmation from the Departments' legal advisors that the proposed solution is in order, I expect that the relevant schools would be able to apply for funding when the next round of the SCP opens for applications.
More generally, my Department is undertaking a review of the 2017 round with a view to making recommendations on how to improve the process for future calls. This work is also looking at eligibility criteria and my officials will be engaging further with the Department of Education and Skills in this regard. I expect this review to be complete in the coming months and an announcement regarding the next round of the Sports Capital Programme will be made at that stage.
249. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons waiting for driver tests in County Kerry; the length of time they have been on the waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14390/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is a matter for the Road Safety Authority. I have referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days.
250. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there are plans to use laser and credit card facilities at tolls. [14410/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy in relation to roads. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects on national roads are a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the relevant local authority. For regional and local roads it is a matter for each respective local authority.
More specifically, the statutory powers to levy tolls on national roads as well as regional and local roads, to make toll bye-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors are vested in TII (for national roads) and each local authority (for regional and local roads) under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Roads Act 2007). The use of laser and credit card facilities at toll collection points is therefore within the operational responsibility of TII.
Noting the above, I am referring the question to TII for direct reply within 10 working days. Please inform my private office if you do not receive the information.
251. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the percentage of persons employed in his Department who have a disability expressed in whole-time equivalent terms and in head count terms; and the way in which the number of persons with disabilities employed compares with national targets. [14447/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is subject to specific legal obligations under the Disability Act 2005. Part 5 of the Act sets out a requirement for public service bodies to meet a target of 3% of employees with disabilities each year.
Staff in the Department provide information relating to disabilities on a voluntary disclosure basis and do not provide details as to whether or not they are registered disabled with the relevant representative disability organisation/agency.
In the most recent report on the matter submitted by my Department to the National Disability Authority in March 2018, there were 19 full-time employees, with a disclosed disability as at 31st December 2017, employed by my Department. In whole time equivalent terms this represented 3.9% of the total workforce. In terms of actual head count this represented 3.6% of the total workforce.
252. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if assistance will be provided to a person (details supplied) regarding a matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14398/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAIM is a model of supports designed to ensure that children with a disability can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. The key objective of AIM is to support pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that children with a disability can fully participate in the ECCE programme, thereby reaping the benefits of quality pre-school education.
AIM is a child-centred model, involving seven levels of progressive support, moving from the universal to the targeted, based on the needs of the child and the pre-school setting. AIM was launched in June 2016 and is administered by Pobal on behalf of the DCYA.
Level 7 of AIM provides additional assistance in the pre-school room where this is critical to ensuring a child’s participation in the ECCE Programme. In line with emerging best practice to support the integration and independence of children with a disability, AIM does not fund Special Needs Assistants (SNAs).
Once Pobal awards Level 7 support to a pre-school, the pre-school can decide to either reduce the child to adult ratio in the pre-school room or to buy in additional assistance to the pre-school room through a recruitment process (if the pre-school does not have access to a staff member to fulfil this role as is the case for most smaller pre-schools). In the normal course of events, the recruitment process can take several weeks as the pre-school will have to advertise, review applications, interview candidates, carry out Garda vetting and agree a start date with the successful candidate.
Neither Pobal nor my Department have a role in the recruitment of staff for pre-schools. However, the local CCC funded by my Department would be willing to support recruitment of additional assistance to deliver Level 7 supports and have done so for other settings in the county.
253. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which lottery grants and other capital grants are administered by her Department; if a group (details supplied) will be considered for a grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14340/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Children and Youth Affairs operated a discretionary National Lottery Funding Scheme some years ago in which grants were allocated to community groups and programmes to support children, young people and families. The scheme closed in 2014.
My Department currently has resources at its disposal to support a number of capital schemes, including youth related activities, and details of these are available on my Department's website. Unfortunately, the project mentioned by the Deputy does not appear to fall under the qualifying conditions of any of these schemes.
254. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if an extra year on the ECCE scheme will be awarded to a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14407/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraCurrent policy requires that any request for an overage exemption from ECCE eligibility criteria must be supported by a letter from a HSE/Medical Specialist (not a GP/PHN) specifically recommending an extra year of pre-school for the child. This requirement is not intended to undermine the view of any parent/teachers/GP/PHN etc. in relation to a child's needs but, rather, to maintain a clear and standard basis for applying for exemptions.
Examples of the type of specialist/medical letters accepted in order to approve an exemption are as follows:
Speech and Language Therapist
Occupational Therapist
Senior Psychologist
Neurologist
Psychiatrist
Cardiologist
Oncologist
Ophthalmologist
Otolaryngologist (ENT Specialist)
Gastroenterologist
This is not an exhaustive list, however it provides an example of what may be accepted.
All ECCE overage exemption requests must be sent to my Department via email: eyqueries@dcya.gov.ie or alternatively by post: Overage Exemptions, Early Years, Department of Children and Youth Affairs, 43-49 Mespil Rd, Dublin 4.
As soon as my Department receives the documentation requested, the application will be processed.
255. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the percentage of persons employed in her Department who have a disability expressed in whole-time equivalent terms and in head count terms; and the way in which the number of persons with disabilities employed compares with national targets. [14433/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraPart 5 of the Disability Act 2005 sets out the legal obligations of public service bodies to meet a target of 3% of employees with disabilities. Under the Act, the National Disability Authority (NDA) has the statutory role to report, on an annual basis, on compliance with the 3% target.
My Department reported a total of 6.32% of staff based on Headcount (6.72% of staff based on whole time equivalents) who had declared a disability as at the 31st December 2016.
Data in relation to end 2017 is currently being compiled.
256. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when an additional budget will be allocated to the Leader programme to meet the demand of qualified projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14464/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraLEADER is a multi-annual programme for the period 2014-2020 which has a total budget of €250 million over the programming period. The programme is administered by Local Action Groups (LAGs) which deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies that have been agreed for each LEADER sub-regional area.
€220 million of the available funding has already been allocated to the 28 LEADER sub-regional areas throughout the country. The allocation for each sub-regional area is provided for the duration of the programme rather than on an annual basis. This provides greater flexibility to the LAGs in managing their resources. Each LAG is responsible for deciding how their allocation is distributed to LEADER projects over the duration of the programme, based on the objectives in their Local Development Strategies. T
In addition to the €220 million which has been allocated to the LAGs, a further €30 million in funding is available for schemes which will be administered at a national level. These include a specific scheme to fund food projects which will be launched shortly, and funding to support LAGs that come together to jointly deliver a LEADER project.
Funding is available in my Department's Vote to meet the projected expenditure under the LEADER programme on a year-by-year basis.
As of 25 March 2018, 839 projects with a value of €24 million had been approved for LEADER funding by the LAGs, while a further 313 projects requesting over €17 million in funding are at various stages in the approval process. This funding will be drawn down as projects start to incur expenditure and submit payment claims.
I am confident that the funding available in my Department's Vote for 2018 for the LEADER Programme is sufficient to meet the expected draw-downs; however, the position will be kept under review by my Department.
257. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when he plans to launch a further round of the town and village renewal scheme in 2018; the status of phase 1 and phase 2 of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14406/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Town and Village Renewal Scheme was first launched in 2016, with funding of €10 million allocated for that year to 170 projects. An enhanced Town and Village Renewal scheme was announced in 2017, with an emphasis on projects that would have a sustainable and visible impact on towns or villages and their environs, and could demonstrate economic impact or potential.
Last October, I announced the allocation of €21.6 million to 281 projects in towns and villages across rural Ireland under the 2017 scheme. These projects will be delivered over a 15 month period. Local Authorities are currently in the process of completing or delivering the projects approved under the 2016 and 2017 schemes.
I intend to launch a new call for proposals under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme shortly, and will again be placing an emphasis on projects that can demonstrate strong economic benefits for towns, villages and their environs. I have secured an allocation of €15 million in my Department's Estimate for this year's Town and Village Renewal Scheme.
In addition, a pilot scheme to encourage residential occupancy in rural towns and villages is currently being developed as part of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. The pilot will consider ways in which properties that are currently not in use in town centres can be renovated to allow them to be used for residential purposes. This will help to rejuvenate town centres while also contributing to the housing needs of individuals. I have established a Steering Group to accelerate and oversee the design and delivery of this pilot scheme.
258. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the percentage of persons employed in his Department who have a disability expressed in whole-time equivalent terms and in head count terms; and the way in which the number of persons with disabilities employed compares with national targets. [14445/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Rural and Community Development was established on 19th July 2017 to provide a renewed and consolidated focus on rural and community development in Ireland.
The Department is an equal opportunities employer and is fully committed to addressing the health and safety needs of all employees, including employees with disabilities. Section 47(1) (a) of the Disability Act 2005 requires public bodies to take all reasonable measures to promote and support the employment of persons with disabilities. To assist the Department in fulfilling its obligations under the Act a Departmental Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) was appointed in December 2017. The Department’s DLO is a member of the Civil Service Disability Liaison Network, which promotes and disseminates best practice in relation to the employment of people with disabilities.
The role of the DLO will be to ensure that the Department meets its obligations under relevant employment legislation as well as adhering to best practice guidelines in relation to the employment of people with disabilities, including those outlined in the Code of Practice for the Employment of people with Disabilities in the Civil Service (2007).
The DLO will undertake a survey of staff in Q2 2018, to establish the proportion of staff (and those in the Agencies under our remit) with a disability.
Once identified, the DLO will take all appropriate measures to assist staff with disabilities, including the provision of training, support and guidance, as appropriate.
In addition the Department is currently participating in the WAM (Willing Able Mentoring) programme. The WAM programme offers graduates with disabilities work experience and gives practical effect to Government and Civil Service policy on improving the employment prospects for people with disabilities.
259. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the rate of PRSI payable is the same for S class self-employed persons at 4% and A1 class employees; if so, the reason they are not entitled to the same social welfare benefits, in particular jobseeker's benefit; her plans to extend the same benefits to self employed persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14401/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSelf-employed workers who earn €5,000 or more in a contribution year, are liable for PRSI at the class S rate of 4%, subject to a minimum annual payment of €500. This provides them with access to the following benefits: State pension (contributory), widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s pension (contributory), guardian’s payment (contributory), maternity benefit, adoptive benefit, paternity benefit, treatment benefit (from March 2017). Entitlement to invalidity pension was extended to the self-employed from December 2017.
This compares favourably with employees who, in general, are liable to the PRSI Class A rate of 4%. In addition, their employers are liable to PRSI at the rate of 8.6% on weekly earnings up to and including €376 or at the rate of 10.85% where weekly earnings exceed €376. Accordingly the combined rate of PRSI rate paid in respect of Class A employees is 12.6% or 14.85%, depending on the level of weekly earnings. These Class A employees are entitled to the full range of social insurance benefits.
The issue of extending additional social insurance benefits to the self-employed paying Class S PRSI was considered in the Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance fund (SIF) as at 31 December, 2015, which I published in October 2017. The review, required by legislation, was carried out by independent consultants, KPMG. It examines the projected income and expenditure of the SIF over the course of the 55 year period from 2016 to 2071.
The review found that the fund currently has a modest surplus of income over expenditure. In 2016 there was a surplus of €0.4 billion on expenditure of €8.8 billion and receipts of €9.2 billion. However, this will reduce over the next two years and will return to a small shortfall in 2020. The annual shortfalls are projected to increase from 2021 onwards as the ageing of the population impacts. Projections indicate that, in the absence of further action to tackle the shortfall, the excess of expenditure over income of the fund will increase significantly over the medium to long term. The shortfall in expenditure over income is projected to increase from €0.2 billion in 2020 to €3.3 billion by 2030 and to €22.2 billion by 2071. It should be noted that as self-employed workers were to be eligible to apply for invalidity pension from December 2017, the cost of this introduction has been factored into the actuarial review’s findings.
As part of the review the independent consultants were required to project the additional PRSI expenditure if invalidity pension and illness, jobseeker’s and carer’s benefits were extended to Class S self-employed workers and the PRSI contribution rates required to provide these benefits on a revenue neutral basis.
The review found that the combined cost of introducing the invalidity, illness, jobseeker’s and carer’s benefits for PRSI Class S contributions is estimated to be €118 million in 2018, rising steadily to €223 million in 2020. By 2025 the projected cost is €413 million and, over the period of the review the cost would rise to €1.3 billion in 2071.
The review indicates that, where these benefits are extended to the self-employed, the Class S rate of PRSI contribution would need to increase substantially in order to ensure that the benefits are delivered in a revenue neutral manner. It estimates that when expenditure on the additional benefits is considered over the entire projection period, PRSI rates would need to increase by 94% under a scenario of no subvention from the exchequer. This is equivalent to an increase of the Class S contribution rate from the current 4% rate to 7.8%.
This increased contribution is attributable to the costs of extending these additional benefits to PRSI Class S contributors. It does not take account of the value to PRSI Class S contributors of access to the range of existing benefits, and in particular State pension contributory. The consultants estimated that the typical cost of State pension (contributory) on its own is of the order of 10% to 15%, depending on other factors including rate of average earnings and date of commencing paying PRSI. Adding in the other benefits referenced the total Class S rate of contribution to ensure revenue neutrality would be of the order of 20% per annum.
The Actuarial Review provides government with a timely and evidence-led opportunity to undertake a full review of our social insurance system and to consult with stakeholders. The review will take account of the financial sustainability of the Fund given the expected demographic challenges and consideration of extending the scope of benefits for workers generally, including the self-employed.
260. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of referrals made to the local employment service in each of the years 2013 to 2017. [14286/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocal Employment Services form part of the State’s public employment service. This service is managed by the Department of Social Protection and delivered directly by its own Intreo service as well as by contractors, such as JobPath, Local Employment Service, and Job Club providers.
The expansion of the department’s activation capacity with the introduction of JobPath and the welcome reduction in the live register has allowed the department over the last two years to develop the activation service provided by the Local Employment Services (LES) across 12 Counties.
In 2016, LES providers were asked to increase the frequency with which they engage with activation jobseekers to enhance the quality of the services they provide. To facilitate this more intensive engagement, the Department reduced the number of people referred to the LES for the purpose of reducing caseloads so as to maintain a maximum caseload 120:1 per case officer.
The LES were also requested to increase the time they allocate to work with each individual jobseeker and in 2017 bands were introduced with set engagement patterns so that a LES case officer with 101-120 clients would be expected to have monthly meetings with the clients, 81-100 clients every three weeks and 80 or fewer client every two weeks.
Smaller caseloads are key to providing the one to one intensive type of engagement which long term unemployed clients benefit from most.
The following table shows the referrals to the Local Employment Service each year from 2013 to 2017.
|
Referrals 2013 |
Referrals 2014 |
Referrals 2015 |
Referrals 2016 |
Referrals 2017 |
|
63,270 |
67,314 |
N/A* |
21,209 |
18,498 |
*Due to a change in the Department’s case management system during 2015, it is not possible to provide accurate referral figures for that year.
261. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of referrals made to community employment in each of the years 2013 to 2017. [14287/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not record the numbers who are referred to Community Employment (CE) centrally but rather the numbers who take up CE.
The following table provides detail on the number of the participants which started each year in the period 2013 – 2017.
|
Year |
Participants |
|
2013 |
9,614 |
|
2014 |
12,102 |
|
2015 |
11,915 |
|
2016 |
11,010 |
|
2017 |
10,527 |
The following table outlines the position in relation to the number of persons engaged in Community Employment as at the end of December for each year from 2013 to 2017.
|
Year |
Participants |
Supervisors |
Total |
|
2013 |
22,575 |
1,368 |
23,943 |
|
2014 |
23,249 |
1,396 |
24,645 |
|
2015 |
22,813 |
1,405 |
24,218 |
|
2016 |
22,356 |
1,377 |
23,733 |
|
2017 |
21,832 |
1,357 |
23,189 |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
262. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of referrals made to Tús in each of the years 2013 to 2017. [14288/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested is not readily available and is currently being compiled by my Department. The information will be provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.
263. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of referrals made to the rural social scheme in each of the years 2013 to 2017. [14289/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe rural social scheme (RSS) is an income support initiative which provides part-time employment opportunities in community and voluntary organisations for farmers or fishermen who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and underemployed in their primary occupation. The RSS is a supplementary income support scheme.
RSS is delivered through 35 Local Development Companies and Údarás Na Gaeltachta. Participants must continue to be actively farming/fishing and retain entitlement to the underlying qualifying DSP payment in order to retain eligibility for participation on RSS. The Department do not refer people to the RSS. Participation is by voluntary self-selection and is dependent on the availability of vacancies in the relevant locality. Applications are made direct to the relevant Local Development Company.
264. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of referrals made to JobPath in each of the years 2015 to 2017. [14290/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, JobPath is a service that supports people who are long-term unemployed to obtain and sustain paid employment. The service was launched in 2015 on a ‘rolling basis’ with referral numbers gradually increasing over time.
As of the end of February 2018, just over 151,000 people had commenced their engagement period with the service. This figure is broken down by year in the following table.
|
Year |
Number of clients to commence engagement with service |
|
2015 |
6,588 |
|
2016 |
65,253 |
|
2017 |
73,122 |
|
2018 |
6,399 |
|
Total |
151,362 |
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
265. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will examine the possibility of allowing those on a qualified adult payment to access schemes such as community employment, Tús and the rural social scheme to avail of upskilling, thus benefitting local communities through these schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14291/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraWithin the social welfare system and subject to the qualifying conditions of the particular scheme, a primary claimant may apply for payment of an increase for a qualified adult (IQA) in respect of a dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant.
Generally, persons in respect of whom IQA payments are being made are free to make an application for a social welfare payment in their own right. For example, where a person of working age is a qualified adult on their spouse’s jobseeker’s benefit or allowance claim that person may claim jobseeker’s benefit or allowance in their own right. If the claim is successful, the increase for a qualified adult ceases to be payable to the spouse. In this way equality of access is provided.
Access to work schemes for job-seekers, such as Community Employment and Tus, is conditional on a person having been continually unemployed – that is, available for, seeking and failing to find employment for a period of time, typically at least a year – and thus having been shown to be particularly in need of assistance. There are no plans to alter these requirements, and it would be administratively impossible to establish such continual unemployment other than by reference to continuous receipt of a relevant income support payment.
The Deputy should note that qualified adults may be eligible for the rural social scheme (RSS), which is aimed at low-income farmers and fishermen/women through spousal swaps. If a person eligible for the RSS does not wish to participate on the RSS, his/her dependent spouse/civil partner/cohabitant can apply in their place. In these instances, the person originally qualified must give up his/her qualifying social welfare payment if his/her spouse/civil partner/cohabitant is accepted on the RSS.
266. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a carer's allowance was ceased for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14292/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to a person who is providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require this level of care.
The Department periodically reviews claims in payment to ensure that there is continued entitlement.
Following a review in this case, which involved an investigation by a local social welfare inspector, it was decided that the person concerned was no longer providing full-time care and attention as required.
The person concerned was notified on 24 January 2018 of this decision, the reason for it and of his right of review and appeal.
The person concerned has recently submitted additional evidence in support of a review and on 21 March 2018, the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) notified us that an appeal had been requested.
A submission in support of the decision is being prepared and will be forwarded along with the file to the SWAO for determination.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
