Written Answers Nos. 142-161
142. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding pay for home tuition teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27590/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFunding for the provision of Home Tuition was continued during the Covid-19 emergency restrictions where tuition was delivered by distance learning.
Where Home Tuition could not continue via distance learning, Parents were given the option to apply to the Department to bank the hours sanctioned for the period and use them to provide tuition once in-home tuition resumed.
Approximately 200 Parents took this option.
Parents can use the banked tuition hours at any time until the end of August 2021. This provides Parents with the flexibility to arrange tuition in the evenings or at weekends and during school holidays, including over the course of next summer.
As the Deputy may be aware, Home Tutors are paid on a fortnightly basis through the Non-Teaching Staff Payroll operated by my Department. My Department is making the necessary arrangements to issue the payments referred to by the Deputy as soon as possible during October.
143. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education the status and timeline for the construction of the new permanent build for a college (details supplied). [27591/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe project referred to by the Deputy is currently in architectural planning. Site surveys have commenced and a pre-planning meeting has been held with South Dublin County Council in advance of preparing the Planning Application, which will be the next key milestone in the progression of the project. Until such time as planning permission has been secured, it will not be possible to provide a timeframe for the progression of the project through tender and construction stages.
144. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education the status of progress on a school building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27602/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraA major project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department's building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). It is intended that the project, when completed, will provide capacity for 1,000 students. The project brief is expected to be completed shortly.
The project will be delivered by the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) as part of a programme of school building projects. My Department will be in contact with the school patron as the project progresses.
145. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if a bus service with a bus assistant will be provided for a student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27604/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department.
In the 2019/2020 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.
The purpose of the School Transport Scheme for children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability.
I am pleased to advise that the child in question is eligible for school transport and Bus Éireann is currently sourcing an individual service to provide transport to and from school; they will liaise directly with the family in this regard.
There is a facility within the Special Needs Transport Scheme for the appointment of a School Bus Escort where a child’s care and safety needs while on school transport are such to require the support of an escort.
An escort has been sanctioned to support the pupil refrerred to in attending school and the school which the pupil attends has been requested to appoint an escort.
146. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education the amount expended on access to online and hard-copy media publications since May 2020 to date; and the breakdown of online and hard-copy subscriptions, including the publications to which her Department subscribes. [27639/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe amount expended on access to online and hardcopy media publications since May 2020 to date is €2,999.35.
147. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she has engaged a third-party company in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020 to conduct media monitoring and-or provide reports on media coverage of her Department; and if so, the costs of same and the companies engaged. [27657/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department's costs in relation to media monitoring and licensing to permit the copying and sharing of press content within copyright in the years requested are set out below.
|
Year |
Cost (Euro) |
Company |
|
2017 |
17,644.96 |
Kantar |
|
2017 |
4,296.39 |
Newspaper Licensing Ireland + NLA Media Access |
|
2018 |
26,031.72 |
Kantar |
|
2018 |
4,425.29 |
Newspaper Licensing Ireland + NLA Media Access |
|
2019 |
25,756.20 |
Kantar |
|
2019 |
4,558.01 |
Newspaper Licensing Ireland + NLA Media Access |
|
2020 to date |
15,024.45 |
Kantar |
148. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education if the proposed extension project for a school (details supplied) will include provision for an ASD unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27670/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe building project for the school referred to by the Deputy includes the provision of a 4 classroom SEN base. This project is in the process of being devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (ETB).
The first step in this process is the execution of a Service Level Agreement between my Department and the ETB. Thereafter, the ETB will procure a Design Team for the project to design the buildings, obtain the necessary statutory planning permissions and move the project onward to construction in due course.
149. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education the status of progress on a school building (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27677/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe project at the school referred to by the Deputy has been re-tendered and the tenders are due back in the middle of October.
Subject to no issues arising during the balance of the tender process it is envisaged that the project will commence on site late in Quarter 4 of 2020 or early Quarter 1 of 2021 with a construction period of approximately 6 months.
150. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the circumstances under which a primary school may be closed as a result of Covid-19 safety guidelines and multiple cases of illness and-or suspected cases of illness; the authority that makes such a decision; if her Department has oversight of or a final say in such decisions and the role public health officials play in making such decisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27688/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0bff-reopening-our-primary-and-special-schools/
This guidance provides that the HSE Department of Public Health will liaise directly with schools regarding any actions to be taken following a Public Health Risk Assessment. In practice, this involves the HSE Department of Public Health liaising directly with the designated contact, usually the school principal of the public health instructions. These instructions are for implementation of public health measures required under Infectious Diseases legislation.
My Department has also recently published detailed FAQs for school principals in relation to the COVID-19 Testing Pathway for school communities. These FAQs will greatly assist principals to understand and manage situations as they arise in their schools and they include HSE contact details, including for out of hours for any queries that the FAQs do not address.
151. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the number of schools that have had to shut down or close specific classes since reopening as a result of either a Covid-19 outbreak or illness among staff or pupils or insufficient staff-pupil ratios; the number of teachers her Department's attention has been drawn to as having contracted Covid-19 since the reopening of schools; and the number of pupils, parents and guardians her Department's attention has been drawn to as having contracted Covid-19. [27689/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0bff-reopening-our-primary-and-special-schools/
This guidance provides that the HSE Department of Public Health will liaise directly with schools regarding any actions to be taken following a Public Health Risk Assessment.
My Department does not collect data in relation to the specific instances of COVID-19 in the school community. There has been no instances of where schools were required to close based on insufficient pupil to teacher ratios.
The Roadmap for the Full Return to School, along with a financial package of over €375 million to support its implementation, included provisions for additional staffing for schools. This funding supported schools to employ replacement teaching staff, SNA and administrative staff and also included funding for substitution to cover temporary teacher absences.
My Department is also engaging with Education Partners on the publication of further guidance for schools in situations where a partial or full closure is advised Public Health authorities.
152. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if businesses that were closed during the first 13 weeks of the Covid-19 lockdown are obliged to pay their employees for bank holidays that fell during the period; if so, the reason; her plans to prevent this additional pressure being placed on businesses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27461/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe determination of whether a person is entitled to payment from their employer in respect of a public holiday is governed by the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. Under the Act, for each of the nine public holidays in a year, an employee is entitled to either a paid day off on the holiday, a paid day off within a month of the holiday, an extra day’s annual leave, or an extra day’s pay. If a person is on temporary lay-off they are entitled to benefit for the public holidays that fall within the first thirteen weeks of lay-off.
Workers and employers, most of whom have been engaging for several months in reaching reasonable arrangements and accommodations in the current extraordinary circumstances, are encouraged to continue doing so in a constructive manner. No legislative amendments to an employee’s entitlement to public holidays are currently under consideration.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
153. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if support measures will be introduced for new mothers due to return to work in the coming weeks and months from maternity leave who are unable to do so due to Covid-19. [27383/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has agreed to extend the date for applications for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to the end of the year. The payment was due to close to new applications on the 17th September 2020 but it has been decided to extend this period at this time.
Where a person returning from maternity leave has lost her employment as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic they can make an application for the pandemic unemployment payment.
I trust that this clarifies the position at this time.
154. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection the criteria selection for the child maintenance review group. [27435/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra155. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason no representatives from civil society or NGOs that work with one-parent families or child poverty experts are on the child maintenance review group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27436/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 155 together.
The selection of the membership of the Child Maintenance Review Group is designed to include a cross-section of people with knowledge, experience and expertise in this specialised area.
I understand that the Child Maintenance Review Group will be consulting widely and requesting input from the civil society and non-governmental sectors in due course to assist with the work of the Group.
156. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) will be permitted to access the back to education allowance. [27437/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAccording to the records of the Department, the person concerned was awarded a Jobseeker's Allowance payment from 31/08/2020.
The person concerned was subsequently advised by letter on 23/09/2020 that his application for Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) had been provisionally approved pending the return of further documentation/information to the Tallaght Intreo Centre at the commencement of the academic year.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
157. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the process for persons applying for a public services card; if the process has changed due to Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27438/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe SAFE registration process, which my Department uses to authenticate a person's identity, is a face- to-face process which results in the issuing of a Public Services Card (PSC).
At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, my Department temporarily postponed the SAFE registration process. This decision was taken to comply with HSE and WHO guidelines in respect of social distancing.
I am happy to confirm that the SAFE registration service has now resumed in most Intreo Centres and Branch Offices. This is being done in line with all relevant guidelines to ensure the health and safety of the Department's customers and staff and I expect that the service will be fully resumed nationwide over the coming weeks.
To help manage social distancing in its offices, my Department has suspended the online appointments system for SAFE registration appointments. Any person wishing to book an appointment should contact their local Intreo Centre and they will be assigned one.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
158. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) is not receiving their full pension; if she will review same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27451/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned reached pension age on 24 September 2018. According to the records of my Department, they have a total of 929 qualifying full-rate paid contributions and 674 credited contributions from their date of entry into insurable employment on 6 August 1969 to end-December 2017. This equates to a yearly average of 33 contributions and gives them an entitlement to a standard State pension (contributory) at 90% of the maximum rate. They were notified in writing of this decision on 27 September 2018.
An interim Total Contributions Approach (TCA) was introduced in January 2018 as an alternative to the ‘yearly average’ method of calculating pension entitlement for those State pension (contributory) customers born on or after 1 September 1946 and therefore affected by post-2012 Budget pension rates. The TCA provides for up to 20 years of HomeCaring Periods in their pension entitlement calculation for applicants who took time out of the workplace for parenting or caring duties.
When the person’s State pension (contributory) was reviewed under this approach, they were awarded 433 HomeCaring Periods. This increased their rate of pension entitlement from 90% to 90.48% of the maximum rate. They were notified in writing of this decision on 1 April 2019.
Since the person concerned was employed in the public sector and paid a modified contribution from 1971/72 to 1980/81, their entitlement to a mixed insurance pro rata State pension (contributory) was also determined, based on their combined modified and full-rate social insurance records. However, their rate of pension entitlement would be lower than their current pension rate.
Accordingly, the person concerned is in receipt of the correct rate of State pension (contributory) commensurate with their social insurance record as held by my Department. If they consider that they have additional contributions or credits that have not been recorded, it is open to them to forward documentary evidence to my Department and their pension entitlement can be reviewed.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
159. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated additional cost to reinstate the pre-17 September 2020 payment rates of €203 and €350 for the pandemic unemployment payment for the time period of 1 January to 31 March 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27459/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe cost of reinstating the pre-17 September 2020 rates from January to end-March 2021 is estimated at an additional €148 million. This estimate is subject to change as trends in the numbers of PUP recipients evolve in the coming weeks and months.
160. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of persons in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment leaving the State and their payment eligibility. [27464/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have advised that jobseekers can apply for payment for up to two weeks while on holiday outside the State in line with the General Covid-19 Travel Advisory in operation. These arrangements apply to travel to one of the countries on the "Green List" where the ‘normal precautions’ security status rating applies as published by the Department of Foreign Affairs. For countries that are not on the "Green List", people can travel for essential reasons only.
Similar arrangements are applied to the pandemic unemployment payment.
Any person intending to travel should contact their Intreo Centre to discuss their situation. I trust that this clarifies the matter at this time.
161. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if recipients of the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment are eligible to take up a free Springboard course and keep their payment at the same time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27471/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments that pursue courses of education at second or third level. Government has provided almost €57 million for the Back to Education Allowance in 2020. This represents a considerable investment in supporting participants to acquire the necessary education and skills to re-enter the labour market.
Under the July Stimulus the back to education allowance has been extended to people who have been in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. In advance of commencing a full-time SpringBoard course, a person in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be required to establish an entitlement to a qualifying social welfare weekly payment, generally a Jobseeker’s payment. A person will be required to transfer from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to the relevant qualifying social welfare scheme to continue to receive income support while pursuing education.
The qualification period will be deemed to have been met for a person transferring from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. This means someone applying for a full-time SpringBoard course will be deemed to have satisfied the required 9 month qualification period when they transfer from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
Any person seeking to return to education should engage with their local intreo office to assess their options.
