Written Answers Nos. 512-531
514. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if employers who were banned from the JobBridge scheme for abusing the scheme have been prevented from advertising positions on the work placement experience programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46523/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) is a key policy initiative under the Government's new national employment services strategy; Pathways to Work 2021-2025. WPEP is a funded work placement scheme to provide work experience for jobseekers who have been unemployed for more than six months, including time spent on the pandemic unemployment payment (PUP). Participation on WPEP is entirely voluntary. All participants are paid €306 per week plus any social welfare increases for qualified adults and children. The intention is to provide quality and valuable work experience to unemployed persons and the scheme has been designed on this basis.
All WPEP placements are advertised on the Department’s online recruitment service website; jobsIreland.ie. All host organisations and individual placements are vetted for compliance and quality assurance purposes prior to being published on jobsireland.ie to ensure that each placement provides quality work experience and training opportunities for jobseekers.
In advance of advertising any placement opportunity, host organisations’ tax compliance is verified by the Department. Host organisation must confirm appropriate insurance and health and safety measures in place and accept the terms and conditions of the programme.
Each work placement published on JobsIreland is reviewed in advance to ensure that it provides sufficient information on the nature of the work experience and training being offered by the host. The provision of training to participants, is a pre-condition for host organisations to participate on the scheme. Options include a new accredited QQI work placement module available to all WPEP participants and delivered by the Education and Training Boards at QQI levels 3, 4 and 5. Host organisations must also demonstrate that they can provide supervision and mentoring to participants. Where the above requirements are not satisfied the placement will not be approved or advertised on jobsireland.ie.
Host organisations and individual placements are approved in accordance with these stringent WPEP eligibility criteria and not for any other reason.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
515. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Social Protection if social insurance credits will be awarded to self-employed persons who have been in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment in 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46526/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe attribution of contributions measure is intended to ensure that persons entitled to and in receipt of certain Covid-19 income supports, including the pandemic unemployment payment, will not be disadvantaged in accessing social insurance benefits in the future.
The legislation underpinning the measure makes provision for the Minister for Social Protection, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and having considered certain matters set out in the legislation, to prescribe the number of self-employment contributions to be attributed to a self-employed contributor.
A self-employed contributor has a period of time following the end of the contribution year to remit and pay his or her social insurance liability for that contribution year. For example, self-employed contributors have until the end of October 2021 to file their self-assessment tax returns for 2020, including the payment of social insurance contributions where they are liable to do so for that year.
Once data on the social insurance returns made by self-employed workers in respect of 2020 are available towards the end of this year or early in 2022, I and my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform will be in a position to prescribe, as appropriate, the number of self-employment contributions required to protect the social insurance entitlements of self-employed workers who were in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment in 2020 and who were not in a position to discharge their social insurance liability for that year. The matter of the attribution of contributions in respect of self-employed workers for the 2021 contribution year will be considered towards the end of 2022.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
516. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons transitioning from illness benefit to partial capacity benefit will continue to be eligible for the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46579/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIllness Benefit (IB) is a payment made to people who are unable to work due to illness and who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions. Illness Benefit is a short term scheme and is not a qualifying payment for fuel allowance.
Persons in receipt of Invalidity Pension (IP) or Illness Benefit (IB), the latter for a minimum of 26 weeks, who wish to enter or re-enter employment or self-employment can apply for the Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme.
PCB is a scheme which extends the IP and IB schemes to recognise and respond to the reality that some people with an illness or disability have a capacity to engage in open market employment while continuing to need to receive some income support from the State. The duration a person can be in receipt of PCB is linked directly to the payment they moved from, subject to a maximum of 156 weeks.
The personal rate of payment of PCB is based on a medical assessment of a person’s restriction regarding their capacity for work and the payment they are moving from, i.e., IP or IB. After the medical assessment, if a person's restriction regarding their capacity for work is rated as moderate, severe or profound their payment continues at 50%, 75% or 100% of their previous rate, respectively. If assessed as ‘mild’ they will not qualify for PCB.
PCB allows people to continue to receive a percentage of their previous payment while in employment. In addition, the scheme has been designed so there are no restrictions on the number of hours a person in receipt of the payment can work and there are no restrictions on earnings. PCB is not a qualifying payment for the purposes of the fuel allowance.
The Department also provides supports under its Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, including a heat supplement, which may be awarded in cases where a person has exceptional essential heating costs due to ill health or infirmity and who cannot provide for such costs from within his or her own resources. Where a person wishes to apply for a heat supplement, s/he should contact their local Intreo Centre.
The Department continues to keep the range of supports available under review. Any proposed change would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
517. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a community employment scheme placement will be extended in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46616/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their communities. Participation limits on these schemes are necessary to allow for the maximum utilisation of places amongst qualifying persons. It is important to note that participation is intended to be for a temporary fixed term and the positions offered are not full-time sustainable jobs. Instead, the placements are designed to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness, thereby improving a person’s opportunities of returning to the open labour market.
In general, placements for new entrants aged between 21 and 55 years are for one year. Those participants who are working towards a Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) major award can seek to extend their participation on CE by up to two years to enable them to reach the required standard of qualification. Participants aged 55 years or older can remain on CE for three years and do not have to work towards a QQI major award.
In both instances, a maximum of three consecutive year’s participation is permissible. A person may re-qualify for CE after a 12 month break once they satisfy the qualifying conditions. An overall lifetime limit of six years applies to all CE participants (seven years for those on a disability payment).
The lifetime participation limit for the person concerned (312 weeks / 6 years) has been exceeded, their time having been extended due to the Covid 19 Pandemic. The person concerned is scheduled to leave the scheme on the 19th November 2021 under a phased exit programme. The Departments' Employment Support Service will work with former CE participants to ensure the benefits and experience they received during their time on CE are maximised.
518. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons who are in receipt of a disability allowance who post-leaving certificate take up college offers outside of this jurisdiction are entitled to continue to receive their disability allowance during their studies abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46669/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraDisability Allowance (DA) is a means-tested payment for people with an injury, disease or disability that has continued, or may be expected to continue, for at least one year and, as a result of this disability, the person is ‘substantially restricted’ in undertaking work that would otherwise be suitable.
Legislation provides that the DA means test takes account of the income and capital/assets of the person (and spouse/partner, if applicable) applying for the scheme.
The scheme is also subject to a habitual residency requirement. Persons who are studying abroad are not eligible for the scheme.
519. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing hot school meals for every DEIS school in Ireland; and the number of DEIS schools already part of the hot school meal programme. [46789/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra520. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing hot school meals for every primary school in Ireland; and the number of primary schools already part of the hot school meal programme. [46790/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra521. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing hot school meals for every post-primary school in Ireland; and the number of post-primary schools already part of the hot school meal programme. [46791/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 519 to 521, inclusive, together.
The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,506 schools and organisations benefiting 230,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
A budget of €65.1 million has been provided for the scheme in 2021.
The programme provides funding towards food services for disadvantaged school children through two schemes: the urban school meals scheme and the school meals (local projects) scheme. The Urban School Meals Scheme for primary schools is operated and administered by local authorities and is part-financed by my Department.
As part of Budget 2019, funding was provided for a pilot scheme from September 2019, providing hot school meals in primary schools at a cost of €1m for 2019 and €2.5m in 2020. The pilot involved 37 schools benefitting 6,744 students for the 2019/2020 academic year and was aimed at primary schools with no onsite cooking facilities.
In Budget 2021, I announced that an additional €5.5m would be provided to extend the provision of hot school meals to an additional 35,000 primary school children, currently receiving the cold lunch option.
There are currently 186,205 pupils in 887 DEIS schools in Ireland. To provide a hot meal, at a cost of €2.90 per child, per day, to all students in these schools would cost €93.8m for a full school year. There were 25 DEIS schools in the hot school meals pilot and an additional 171 DEIS schools have been included in the extension this year.
There are 561,411 students in 3,241 primary schools in Ireland and 379,184 students in 730 secondary schools. The total cost of providing a hot meal to every student in every primary and secondary school at a rate of €2.90 per child, per day, would cost €474.5m in a full school year. (€293.1m for primary schools; €181.4 for secondary schools)
There are currently 226 primary schools and 42,744 children participating in the Hot Meals Scheme. In addition, 24,614 students in 118 secondary schools receive funding for a dinner clubs at the rate of €1.90, per child, per day. Dinner clubs provide a hot meal, but are different from the Hot Meals clubs, in that they tend to be provided by schools with onsite cooking facilities, whereas food for Hot Meals clubs is cooked offsite and either delivered hot or reheated in the school.
I am committed to continuing to grow the hot school meals element of the school meals programme and building further on the significant extension announced as part of Budget 2021.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
522. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of complaints received by her Department against social welfare inspectors; and the breakdown of complainants by gender in each of the years 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021. [46792/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information that the Deputy has requested will take time to collate. Once the information has been collated the Department will provide this information directly to the Deputy without delay. When an individual registers a complaint with the Department of Social Protection, the Department does not collect the gender of the complainant.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy at this time.
523. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount that has been allocated to organisations that provide services that combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in each of the years 2016 to 2020, in tabular form. [46498/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue with overall policy coordinated by the Department of Justice. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of DSGBV. My Department provided the following funding to Tusla for the provision of DSGBV services:
|
Year |
Funding (million) |
|
2016 |
€20.6 |
|
2017 |
€22.1 |
|
2018 |
€23.8 |
|
2019 |
€25.3 |
|
2020 |
€25.3 |
In addition, further supports of up to €2m were made available by Tusla to DSGBV service providers for once-off costs mainly that have arisen as a result of Covid-19.
The Department of Justice provides funding to promote and assist the development of specific support services to victims of crime, including domestic and sexual crime, within the criminal justice system. This year, funding of more than €3.2 million has been secured for raising awareness of DSGBV of which over €1.4m is to organisations whose primary focus is on combatting DSGBV. Furthermore, over €4.2 million is allocated to support victims of crime. This includes funding allocated to organisations whose remit is supporting victims of crime in general. Within this amount, over €2.8 million is granted to organisations whose primary focus is supporting victims of DSGBV.
I do not currently have the tabular information sought be the Deputy in respect of the funding by Department of Justice that it allocated to DSGBV services in previous years. I am informed that the Department of Justice will write directly to the Deputy with this information.
The following was received on 4 Febuary 2022.
As the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O'Gorman T.D., stated in his reply to you, his Department has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) and are the primary funders of organisations that deliver frontline services.
In order to be of assistance and ensure you get the comprehensive response, Minister O’Gorman asked that I write to you with information about funding my Department has provided, under our Victims of Crime Scheme, to organisations that assist victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.
Under this scheme, my Department provides funding to promote and assist the development of specific support services to victims of crime within the criminal justice system, which of course includes victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. These services provide important information and support to victims such as emotional support, court accompaniment, and accompaniment to Garda interviews.
The amount of funding provided from this funding scheme to organisations that support victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in each of the years from 2016 to 2020 is laid out in the following table:
|
Year |
Funding |
|
2016 |
€806,599 |
|
2017 |
€950,736 |
|
2018 |
€938,860 |
|
2019 |
€983,390 |
|
2020 |
€1,125,028 |
I think it is important to state that the details on the funding provided relate only to organisations whose primary remit is to support victims of domestic, sexual violence and gender-based violence. It is important to note that many other organisations that my Department provides funding to under this scheme, while providing services to victims of crime more generally, also play a vital role in helping domestic, sexual and gender-based victims recover from the trauma that they have been subjected to.
524. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason a family (details supplied) in County Kildare are not being offered free after-school tuition given it was previously received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46609/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am strongly committed to supporting all children to develop to their full potential, especially those who are most disadvantaged. The National Childcare Scheme provides financial support to help parents to meet the cost of childcare and to support better outcomes for children. The schemes objectives are to promote (i) a reduction in child poverty, (ii) positive child development outcomes, (iii) labour market activation and (iv) improved quality.
The National Childcare Scheme represents the first statutory entitlement to financial support for early learning and childcare. By making this fundamental shift away from the legacy schemes where subsidies are grounded in medical card and social protection entitlements, and by tangibly reducing the cost of quality childcare for thousands of families.
I have followed up with Pobal the scheme administrator for the NCS they have informed in relation the child in question, it would seem was awarded a NCS subsidy of 20 hours, this is the subsidy awarded where parents are not engaged in work or study. This award can be used in term time only.
The definition of work or study is broad, covering all forms of work or study arrangements: full-time, part-time, week-on/ week-off and zero hour contracts. This makes the scheme as flexible as possible. The minimum hours required to engage in work or study to qualify for enhanced hours is very low – at just two hours per week.
I am committed to keeping the scheme under review and to assess whether it is meeting its objectives. I have contracted Frontier Economics to undertake a review of the National Childcare Scheme in line with Section 26 of the Childcare Support Act.
Variations on the concept of a work/study test is widely used around the world and I have also requested that Frontier review the usage and evidence of efficacy of this approach in other countries.
This work is due to be finalised in the final quarter of this year and will inform in an evidence based manner the future development of the scheme.
525. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the proposed introduction of baby boxes for all new parents will begin. [46735/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra526. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the proposed introduction of baby boxes for new parents will include all parents regardless of immigration status.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46736/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 526 together.
Baby Boxes for newborns are to be piloted under First 5 A Whole-of -Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028. Piloting Baby Boxes is just one initiative which is part of a wide ranging strategy addressing various aspects of the lives of children from birth to age five including supports for parents to balance working and caring, developments in early learning and care and health initiatives.
The gift of the Baby Box is intended as a welcome from the State for a new arrival to a family and an acknowledgement of this very significant moment for parents. The universal distribution of Baby Boxes also reflects an important equality principle that each child is given something of equal value at the start of their life. The concept of Baby Boxes has been implemented in a number of countries whereby parents receive a package of items to assist with the transition to parenthood. The pilot will undertake research and consultation to determine items for inclusion in the pack, informed by the commitments in the First 5 strategy, and these may include safety items, toys to support early development and books.
Key objectives with the Baby Box and linked communications will include support for parent-infant bonding, information on baby development and early learning, advice and support for breastfeeding and promotion of infant health and safety.
Owing to Covid-19, work on the pilot project was delayed. However, a First 5 Project Specialist has now been recruited in my Department and will lead on this project. A working group will be established for this project and terms of reference will be developed to guide its development. Key tasks for the working group include agreeing the full scope of the project and developing a detailed project plan. Considerations will include the scale and focus of the pilot, optimal timing and channel of distribution for the baby box and the possible contents. That stage of the project will consider how parents from will be informed about the project and how they can register their interest. There will be a clear emphasis in the project for it to be as inclusive as possible of all parents. Research and engagement with parents will also be undertaken to inform the pilot.
Following an initial scoping phase, the working group will oversee a process to appoint suitable partners to develop and distribute the baby boxes and undertake a full evaluation of the pilot.
527. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department as a data controller will grant access to the medical records for those survivors of mother and baby homes who did not nominate a medical practitioner when requesting their records as he is obligated to do under Article 15 of the General Data Protection Regulation. [46117/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraCurrently, under Data Protection Regulations, a data controller who is not a health practitioner is required to consult with an appropriate health practitioner before supplying any health data to the data subject concerned. My Department, as a data controller, must apply the Regulations when records contain health data. The Regulations do not enable the exercise of any discretion by the data controller and require consultation with an appropriate health practitioner in all cases.
What this means in practice, for the moment, is that where health data is included in the data due to be provided to a data subject, my Department is releasing all other non-health related information in the first instance, but, to give effect to the Regulations, is asking the requestor for the details of their health practitioner in order to consult him/her, before releasing the health data. Once the requestor’s health practitioner has reviewed the health data and has determined that it can be released, my Department will release the personal data in question to the requestor. My Department has already done this for a number of requestors.
I am not satisfied with this requirement and am working in conjunction with the Minister for Health, to amend the regulations.
In the interim, and in order to facilitate the timely release of information, my Department is also making requestors aware that Freedom of Information legislation, which is separate to the General Data Protection Regulation, provides an alternative route or additional route by which they may also access the health data concerned. Under that legislation, the involvement of a health professional in relation to releasing health records is discretionary rather than mandatory.
My Department is seeking to ensure that individuals are aware that it is open to them to make a request under both GDPR and FOI if that is their wish and my Department provides health data to individuals in accordance with each legislative framework.
528. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way the new UBU Your Place Your Space contract will allow detached youth work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46130/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe UBU Your Place Your Space scheme provides funding to youth organisations supporting disadvantaged, marginalised and vulnerable young people between the age 10 and 24. The scheme focuses on improving the personal and social development outcomes of those engaged.
Funding for the provision of targeted youth services is administered on behalf of my Department by the Education and Training Boards (ETBs). Funding is allocated following applications to the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme. This operates generally on a 3-year cycle with an annual renewal process. This is the first full year of the scheme.
The UBU Policy and Operating Rules allows for a number of different intervention types, including outreach and detached youth work. This provides for UBU funded youth services to engage young people in their own space, with a view to bringing them into youth services. Detached youth work is therefore an existing allowable intervention type under UBU.
In addition to UBU Your Place Your Space, my Department funds the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme. This is operated by ETBs across the country and qualifying clubs or groups may apply for up to €3,000 in a given year.
Local ETBs will be able to provide more information to youth services. Their contact details are available at the following link: www.ubu.gov.ie/etb-information.
529. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if St. Kyran’s in Rathcoole, County Wicklow was included in investigations regarding mother and baby homes; if the files from this institution were handed over to the State; if so, if they are with his Department or Tusla; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46181/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe institution to which the Deputy refers is not one the institutions examined by the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters).
I understand that St. Kyran's was an Industrial School for Junior Boys, located in Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow and was included in the Schedule of eligible institutions for the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002. The Deputy may wish to direct her query to my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, as I am advised that her Department holds some records in relation to this institution.
530. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 497 of 15 September 2021, if tenders for the courses and training provided were issued; if so, the persons who responded; the criteria by which the course provider was ultimately chosen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46201/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to inform the Deputy with regard to PQ 46201, which seeks further information subsequent to PQ 43233/21, staff identify their learning and development needs as part of the annual process relating to their performance management development system (PMDS). This approach is in line with civil service practice and would have been followed with regard to the selection of the courses referenced in PQ 43233/21.
The annual PMDS process includes the identification of suitable training and development opportunities and this is informed by considering an individual’s skills and experience and identifying any gaps they may have with regard to their role.
The identification of training for individuals to address specific gaps is not subject to tendering processes however, it would be normal practice that a range of options would be considered during the selection of suitable training.
531. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost in 2022 if the budget for better start early years specialist within his Department increased by 10%. [46288/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraBetter Start, which is located within Pobal, was established in 2014 by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) in association with the Department of Education to co-ordinate the work of existing State-funded supports for quality in early learning and care settings.
The Better Start team of specialists work across three areas: the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), the Quality Development Service (QDS), and a Learning and Development Unit.
Under AIM, Better Start Early Years Specialists work collaboratively with parents, pre-school providers, and with other professionals to support the development of inclusive learning environments in pre-school services. Better Start provides early learning and care practitioners across the country with timely access to advice and support from experts in early learning and care (and disability in particular) to assist them meet each child's needs. Better Start also provides coaching and mentoring to the pre-school staff on supporting children with disabilities to participate in the ECCE pre-school programme.
Specialists in the Quality Development Service (QDS) work with early learning and care settings in a mentoring capacity to promote and develop the quality of practice, as set out in Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education, and Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework.
The Better Start Learning and Development Unit co-ordinates the roll-out of a range of training options for early learning and care practitioners, to support them to deliver quality early learning and care experiences for all children.
The overall budget for Better Start in 2021 (across the QDS, AIM and the Learning Development Unit) was €14.2 million. If this budget were increased by 10% in 2022, the additional allocation would amount to €1.42 million, given a total budget allocation of €15.62 million.
