Written Answers Nos. 307-317
307. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the steps she is taking to encourage active travel modes to and from work in her Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under her remit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17373/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has a number of initiatives in place to encourage and facilitate employees to use active travel to commute to work. Such initiatives include: Cycle to Work scheme:The Cycle to Work scheme is a tax incentive scheme to encourage staff to cycle to work and is in operation in my Department since 2009.
Travel pass scheme: The travel pass scheme for public transport is also available to Department staff. It allows staff to purchase an annual travel pass for bus, Dart, train or Luas by tax free salary deductions.
Business travel policy: My Department's policy in relation to the claiming of travel and subsistence expenses specifies that all travel should be by the shortest practicable routes and by the cheapest practicable mode of transport. Officers are encouraged to use public transport whenever practicable, with private transport to be used only in limited circumstances.
Health and Wellbeing
The Human Resources (HR) Unit of my Department circulates information on events/webinars/initiatives that encourage all types of physical activity, including walking where possible. Bicycle racks, lockers and shower facilities are available for staff who walk, cycle or jog to commute to work.
In addition, my Department promotes the annual European Mobility week which takes place in September each year and focuses on a particular topic related to sustainable mobility. The Department also supports the car-free day, as part of that week, by encouraging staff who regularly drive to work to leave their cars at home.
The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with this query.
308. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the way in which she is encouraging active travel to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17397/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
The purpose of the Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Safe Routes to School is an initiative of the Department of Transport and supported by the Department of Education. It is operated by the An Taisce Green-Schools Programme in partnership with the National Transport Authority (NTA) and the local authorities.
As the Deputy is aware, my Department commenced a review of the School Transport Scheme in February 2021. The review is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme and how it currently operates, its broader effectiveness and sustainability and that it adequately supports the provision of services to students and their families.
The review encompasses the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs and the Primary and Post-Primary School Transport Schemes in terms of how each element of the schemes currently operate, to include eligibility criteria, trends, costs and cost drivers, and overall effectiveness in meeting the objectives of the schemes.
The review will also examine the potential for integration of different strands of the scheme and a more co-ordinated approach with other Government Departments that also use transport services. The review will consider issues such as climate action, supporting rural development and promoting where possible initiatives that encourage walking and cycling to school.
Wider considerations relating to operation of the scheme are now taking place in the next phase of the review which is currently underway. The Steering Group will continue to report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses.
309. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection if community employment scheme guidelines can be updated to mandate that supervisors facilitate scheme members who have work in a relevant field even if that work overlaps with scheme hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17144/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work experience and training opportunities within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis to improve their prospect of returning to employment.
CE participants work part time on CE schemes and can take up other work, including paid employment, and activities that do not clash with their commitment to CE hours of work.
Therefore participants who wish to take up other part-time work during their placement should ensure that it does not clash or overlap with their CE hours agreed with the CE sponsor organisation. Payment for any such work is subject to normal PAYE/PRSI conditions. Where a participant is taking up paid employment, they should check with my department if there are any implications in relation to receipt of DSP payments or secondary benefits.
A sponsor organisation may, at their own expense, employ a participant under a separate contract of employment for additional hours outside of the participant’s normal CE hours, on the condition that the participant is not employed for more than an additional 234 hours in any given 12 months employment contract. The sponsor organisation must declare all such hours to the department on a monthly basis.
The Department keeps all aspects of its employment and activation programmes under review to ensure that they have the best outcomes for participants.
I am fully committed to the future of this programme and will continue to support and improve the programme for the benefit of the CE participants and the valuable contribution being made to local communities through the provision of services.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
310. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an allowance, additional payment or reduced hours can be made for applicants pursuing certain community employment scheme courses (details supplied) who are mandated to achieve a level 5 award as part of that course. [17145/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the Community Employment (CE) Scheme is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work experience and training opportunities within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis to improve their prospect of returning to employment.
I understand the Deputy's question relates to CE Childcare schemes. The aim of the CE Childcare Training and Development Programme is to provide CE participants interested in pursuing a career in childcare with training and qualifications in the childcare sector, quality experience, and a clear career path.
Under the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Amendment) Regulations 2021, all staff working directly with children in a pre-school service must hold at least a Level 5 major award in childcare on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), or equivalent as deemed by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The purpose of the Level 5 award is to enable the learner to acquire the skill, understanding and competence to work independently and under supervision in a range of childcare settings and or to progress to higher education and training. By the end of the course learners will be able to understand a range of theoretical concepts relating to child development and education and demonstrate many of the skills required to provide for the holistic needs of babies and young children in a childcare setting.
There is a requirement for the participant to demonstrate a commitment to engage in sector specific certified training during their time on CE, leading to the achievement of a Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Major Award at Level 5. The CE Childcare Training and Development Programme has three phases and is a three-year programme.
There are no changes foreseen in the operation of this programme. All CE schemes have standard terms and conditions for participants, including hours worked and payment rates.
My Department keeps all aspects of its employment and activation programmes under review to ensure that they have the best outcomes for participants.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
311. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for disability allowance will be processed (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17178/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraBased on the evidence supplied in support of this person’s application, their application for disability allowance (DA) was disallowed on the grounds that the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied. The person in question was notified in writing of this decision on 25 November 2021.
Further medical evidence was received and a review of this decision was carried out. The original decision was upheld and the person concerned was notified in writing on 10 February 2022. They were also advised of their right to request a further review or to appeal the decision to the independent social welfare appeals office (SWAO). To date no request for a further review or for an appeal of the decision has been received from the person concerned.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
312. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection further to deficit projections for the Social Insurance Fund provided in the report of the Pensions Commission, if she will further disaggregate the forecast deficit by year, in each of the years to 2030. [17202/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra313. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection further to the revenue projections provided in the report of the Commission on Pensions, the revenue raised by each percentage point increase in each of the years 2023 to 2040 in class S PRSI and class A employers' PRSI at both the lower and higher rates. [17203/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra314. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the economic growth rates upon which the deficit projections for the social insurance fund provided in the report of the Pensions Commission are predicated, disaggregated by year from 2023 to 2040. [17204/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 312 to 314, inclusive, together.
The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund, in fulfilment of a Programme for Government commitment. The Commission was an independent body comprised of knowledgeable and experienced academics, pension experts, members of civil society and representatives of workers and employers. The Commission’s terms of reference were very demanding, and every effort was made to make sure that they were met. The Commission established a Technical Sub-Committee to examine financial, actuarial and demographic information. The Sub-Committee prepared four Working Papers which covered Population and Labour Force Projections; Expenditure Projections; Poverty Prevention and State Pensions; and Benchmarking and Indexation.
The Commission carefully considered the scale of the fiscal sustainability challenge facing the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund, based on analysis from a range of sources, including the Department of Finance and the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, demographic projections from the Central Statistics Office, and material from the Commission’s public consultation process. KPMG updated the most recent Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund (published in 2017) in order to have up-to-date projections of shortfalls in the Social Insurance Fund.
The forecast deficit in the Social Insurance fund used by the Commission is set out in the table below for the years to 2030 -
|
Year |
Deficit (€Bn) |
|
2022 |
0.30 |
|
2023 |
0.51 |
|
2024 |
0.71 |
|
2025 |
0.91 |
|
2026 |
1.22 |
|
2027 |
1.62 |
|
2028 |
1.72 |
|
2029 |
2.03 |
|
2030 |
2.36 |
As part of updating the work on the Actuarial Review of the SIF, KPMG updated macro-economic parameters to reflect the long-term projections run by the European Commission and sent to Member States, including Ireland, to form the basis of the 2021 Ageing Report.
The economic growth rates used for the period 2023 to 2040 (i.e. the assumption percentages) are set out in the table below.
|
Years |
Real GDP Growth |
Price Inflation |
Real Earnings Growth |
Unemployment Rate |
Employment Growth |
|
2022-2025 |
3.6 |
1.7 |
1.7 |
6.1 |
1.3 |
|
2026-2030 |
1.7 |
2 |
1.3 |
6.6 |
0.8 |
|
2031-2035 |
1.8 |
2 |
1.2 |
6.8 |
0.6 |
|
2036-2040 |
1.8 |
2 |
1.5 |
6.7 |
0.2 |
The revenue projections used in the Report of the Commission on Pensions in relation to Class S and Class A PRSI are set out in the table below for the years 2023 to 2040. The Commission did not disaggregate employer and employee rate changes (i.e., they increased both in parallel).
|
Year |
Class A +1% EE, ER |
Class S +1% |
|
2023 |
1.7 |
0.2 |
|
2024 |
1.8 |
0.2 |
|
2025 |
1.8 |
0.2 |
|
2026 |
1.9 |
0.2 |
|
2027 |
1.9 |
0.2 |
|
2028 |
1.9 |
0.2 |
|
2029 |
2.0 |
0.2 |
|
2030 |
2.0 |
0.2 |
|
2031 |
2.0 |
0.2 |
|
2032 |
2.1 |
0.2 |
|
2033 |
2.1 |
0.2 |
|
2034 |
2.2 |
0.2 |
|
2035 |
2.2 |
0.2 |
|
2036 |
2.2 |
0.2 |
|
2037 |
2.3 |
0.2 |
|
2038 |
2.3 |
0.2 |
|
2039 |
2.4 |
0.2 |
|
2040 |
2.4 |
0.2 |
It is important to note that all figures shown here are subject to rounding.
In the interests both of older people and future generations of older people, this Government intends to consider the comprehensive and far reaching recommendations in the Pensions Commission’s Report very carefully and holistically. The views of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands and the Commission on Taxation and Welfare will be considered as part of the Government’s deliberations over the coming weeks. My officials are also examining each of the recommendations and consulting across Government through the Cabinet Committee system. I will be bringing a recommended response and implementation plan to Government in April.
As the bedrock of the pension system in Ireland, the State Pension is very effective at ensuring that our pensioners do not experience poverty. This Government is committed to ensuring that this remains the case for current pensioners, those nearing State Pension Age and today’s young workers including those who are only starting their careers.
I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
315. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details on the parent benefit scheme; the number of applications that have been received from counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath in the past 12 months, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17209/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraParent’s Benefit is a scheme for parents in the first 2 years after their child’s birth or adoption. It is paid while on parent's leave from work if he or she has sufficient PRSI contributions.
The number of applications for Parent's Benefit are not available at county level. Table 1 below shows the number of claims registered and claims awarded in each quarter from the beginning of 2021 to 28th February 2022. Table 2 below shows the number of recipients of Parent's Benefit in Cavan, Monaghan and Meath in the period from Quarter 1 2021 to Quarter 2022. Information on quarterly recipients are available in the Quarterly Statistical Report on gov.ie/dsp/statistics, and also in open data form on data.gov.ie/organization/department-of-social-protection.
Table 1: Number of registered and awarded Parent's Benefit claims, by quarter.
|
Quarter |
Registered |
Awarded |
|
Q1 2021 |
7,975 |
7,771 |
|
Q2 2021 |
16,191 |
15,737 |
|
Q3 2021 |
14,379 |
14,418 |
|
Q4 2021 |
13,427 |
13,469 |
|
Q1 2022 (To 28th February 2022) |
11,128 |
10,794 |
Table 2: The number of recipients of Parent's Benefit in Cavan, Monaghan and Meath, by quarter.
|
Quarter |
Cavan |
Monaghan |
Meath |
|
Q1 2021 |
123 |
108 |
293 |
|
Q2 2021 |
219 |
183 |
618 |
|
Q3 2021 |
288 |
274 |
779 |
|
Q4 2021 |
316 |
286 |
806 |
316. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who availed of the enhanced fuel allowance scheme announced by the Government; the number of persons who benefited in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17212/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraA total of 353,355 individuals have availed of a supplementary fuel allowance payment of €125 in March 2022. Around 6,496 of these individuals were based in Cavan, 5,084 were based in Monaghan and 10,860 in Meath.
Note that the above figures do not include people on the Community Employment, Tús or Rural Social Schemes who were also in receipt of the supplementary fuel allowance.
317. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the payment rules for the training support grant; if consideration has been given to providing reimbursement for courses which have been completed and paid for by the participant given that many training courses require payment before the course is completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17243/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Training Support Grant (TSG), available through my Department, is designed to support quick access to short-term training where the training is not delivered by a State provider. A grant of up to €1,000 per jobseeker can be provided where an immediate skills gap is identified that represents an obstacle to taking up a job offer or accessing other opportunities. Funding for short courses up to and including QQI level 6 is available. €11m has been provided by my Department for this grant in 2022.
A case officer or Job Coach can approve a grant to meet an identified training need which forms part of the jobseekers agreed personal progression plan (PPP) or action plan to enter the labour market. All applications under the scheme require prior approval. As part of this process customers are required to submit a quotation from a training provider. After the training has been completed, the TSG is paid directly to the training provider on submission of an invoice. The scheme does not provide payments to jobseekers to reimburse training costs incurred outside of this process.
If the Deputy has a query in respect of an individual, she should provide the details of the case to my Department for review.
Full guidelines for the TSG scheme are available on www.gov.ie
I trust this clarifies the matter.
