Written Answers Nos. 321-340
321. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the annual cost of cleaning and sanitising roofs of buildings under his Department’s control for the past five years to date in 2022. [25589/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that my Department was established in August 2020 and commenced moving headquarters into existing State-owned office space in September 2021. I can also confirm that my Department currently has no cleaning or sanitising costs related to the roofs of the building under our control.
Building works have been ongoing since our move into my Departmental HQ and as such we are not in control or occupation of the top floor of the building and have no responsibility for the roof structure. The Office of Public Works is currently involved in a tendering process to carry out repairs to the roof of the building.
322. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which extra apprenticeship places are being created and available throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25626/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra323. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the degree to which apprenticeship places are being taken up by students; the extent to which sufficient places are available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25627/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra330. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which apprenticeships are likely to be taken up in County Kildare and throughout the country over the next five years with a view to strengthening the technical side of education in order to meet requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25634/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 322, 323 and 330 together.
Apprenticeships are employer led demand driven educational and training programmes, which aim to develop the skills of an apprentice in order to meet the needs of industry and the labour market. As apprentices are employees, the demand for and number of apprentices is primarily dictated by the employers in any area or sector.
The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021 – 2025 set a target of 10,000 annual registrations by 2025.
Apprenticeship registrations in 2021 were the highest they have been since 2007, with 8,607 apprentices registered. The current apprentice population is over 24,000, the highest it has been since 2009. Of last year’s registrations, 6,955 were in craft apprenticeship programmes, with over 60% of these in the Electrical, Plumbing and Carpentry and Joinery crafts. As of Monday, 16 May 2022, there have been 2,286 registrations (1,997 craft and 289 on post 2016/consortia led apprenticeships)
A key strength of the apprenticeship model, as highlighted in the Action Plan for Apprenticeship, is that it is a demand-led approach to meeting workforce and skill requirements in our economy. For example in the case of craft apprenticeship, the number of places is determined by employers, with off-the-job training provided to all registered apprentices. Apprenticeships established since 2016 have one or more intakes per annum with the take-up determined by employer engagement and available apprentice jobs provided by employers.
331. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which higher-education grants or registration fees are being monitored with a view to ensuring smooth and ready access to third and fourth-level education and high-level apprenticeships in sufficient numbers and with excellence to fill market requirements and compete on the marketplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25635/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 4th May I launched the Funding the Future framework which includes the Government's policy response to the Cassells and DG Reform Reviews on the future of higher education and which sets out my intention to implement a progressive range of measures to address costs as a barrier to education, in the context of overall Budgetary decision-making.
The policy sets out the vision and direction of higher education funding, our ambitions to drive reform and support agility and responsiveness in the sector, and the need to ensure that students are supported in accessing education and training.
The Government has now made important decisions about the sustainable model for future funding of higher education. Critically, we have definitively taken student loans off the table. We have instead chosen a mixed model of investment, which includes funding from the Exchequer, employers and from students.
I have been clear, however, that I want to see the student contribution in higher education reduced in a meaningful way over the course of future Budgets. I want this done in a way which does not negatively impact on the sustainable core funding for higher education. Higher Education Institutions currently receive c.€438m from student contributions (€248m from students and €190m from the Exchequer through SUSI). Reductions in such income must be offset through increases in other sources of revenue if the quality of higher education programmes and the ability of institutions to meet growing demand is not to be significantly undermined.
With respect to Further Education and Training, provision is largely already free or heavily subsidised. I took the decision as part of Budget 2022 to remove the €200 PLC levy with effect from the next academic year. PLC students who are in receipt of student grants will also benefit from the positive changes I have made to increase the maintenance grant, increase the income threshold and change the non-adjacency criteria.
With respect to apprenticeships, there is no fee levied for the components of apprenticeship training which takes place in an Educational Training Board.
Looking forward to future Estimates processes, my Department’s intention is to publish an annual cost of education paper in advance of each Budget. This will set out the options available to address financial barriers to education, including changes to the student grant scheme, reductions to the student contribution, and other measures. This will seek to inform Budgetary prioritisation to ensure that we fund the most impactful measures to support students and their families.
332. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice if Ireland has yet to ratify the United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25546/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland has signed but has yet to ratify the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT). Ireland has, of course, already signed and ratified the Convention itself.
The Protocol provides for the establishment of bodies known as National Preventive Mechanisms (NPM) which would inspect facilities where people can be held involuntarily. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to ratify OPCAT and my Department is leading on the development of the legislation needed to facilitate the introduction of a multiple institution NPM model in this State which will allow for the ratification of OPCAT.
I am pleased to advise that the General Scheme of the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill is currently being finalised and I expect to be in a position to submit it to Government shortly. If approved, it will then be referred for drafting and I hope that it will be possible to enact the Bill without undue delay. Once that is done, Ireland will be in a position to ratify the Optional Protocol.
333. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Justice if the Government plans to introduce tighter legislation to curb dog theft; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25416/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraPet theft is an incredibly cruel crime which causes huge trauma for pet owners all over the country. I fully appreciate the strong emotional attachment we all have to our pets and that theft not only leads to their loss in our lives, but also a high level of concern for their welfare. It is also a crime which often affects, and is indeed often targeted against, older and particularly vulnerable people, for whom their pet is of huge emotional importance.
It is important to emphasise that theft offences already apply to this crime, and can carry very heavy penalties. The Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 provides for a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment in the case of offences of theft and handling of stolen property; while a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment is provided for the offence of possession of stolen property.
When imposing sentence, judges are not limited to considering the monetary value of a pet – the emotional distress to the victim caused by the offence is absolutely relevant and can be, and is, taken into account where appropriate. However, I acknowledge that the existing offence considers the offence as being one against property rather than a person or an animal and I am committed to examining the options to address the issue, including, if necessary, making legislative changes.
From an enforcement perspective, An Garda Síochána takes this issue very seriously and has conducted several important actions against those responsible. Gardaí have also disseminated information through the national Crime Prevention Officer Network regarding keeping animals secure and preventing these forms of theft. The Garda National Crime Prevention Unit's advice on pet safety, which is in line with the advice from animal welfare groups and animal insurance companies about keeping animals safe, can be viewed on the Garda website.
I would like to emphasise the importance of microchipping. Every dog must be microchipped by the time it reaches 12 weeks of age, or earlier if it is sold or moved from its place of birth (Microchipping of Dogs Regulation 2015), and the microchip must be registered with an authorised database. Microchipping of all dogs protects the animals’ welfare, and assists with speedy identification of lost or stolen dogs and their owners. It is an offence to keep a dog over 12 weeks that has not been chipped and it is an offence to sell such a dog. Microchips can be easily checked at vets and by Gardaí. They are by far and away the most effective means of tracking and identifying dogs.
The Department of Agriculture have also made regulations covering the advertising for sale of animals under the Animal Welfare (Sale or Supply of Pets) Regulations 2019.
334. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice the position regarding travel documents for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25480/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that Travel Documents are processed by the Travel Documents Unit of my Department with the assistance of the Passport Office in the Department of Foreign Affairs.
In recent times, the Unit has experienced a very high volume of applications requiring processing and this, along with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, has unfortunately had a negative impact on processing times. Regrettably, the current lead time for the issuance of a travel document is 32 weeks.
Efforts are being made by my Department to process applications as quickly as possible, including the provision of additional staff to the Unit and the roll out of replacement technology.
The person referred to by the Deputy's can contact the Travel Document Section directly at: INISTravdoc@justice.ie at any time for an update on their application.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility (inisoireachtasmail@justice.ie) which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
335. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25488/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe application from the person referred to by the Deputy was received by the Undocumented Unit of my Department on 14 March 2022 and continues to be processed. Due to the large number of applications on hand it is not possible to provide a definitive timeframe for a decision to issue.
To be fair to all applicants, applications are processed in order of the date on which they are received. Processing times may vary depending on the complexity of the application, whether it is a single or family application, the supporting documentation and the vetting process with An Garda Síochána. Applications where there is an existing deportation order in place will also require additional processing.
Each application received is assessed individually in accordance with the published criteria, available on my Department's immigration website at: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Undocumented-Policy-Scheme-January-2022.pdf.
336. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice if a citizenship application by a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [25499/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI recognise and acknowledge the crucial role frontline workers are continuing to play in responding to the threat of COVID-19. They work in a challenging environment and deal with vulnerable people on a daily basis. Their exceptional commitment has been particularly clear throughout the pandemic, during which they have been playing a key role in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
However, all applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the legislation. There are no provisions to apply different criteria depending on the category of employment of the applicant. All applicants are required to meet minimum periods of reckonable residence and standard checks are carried out as part of the overall process to maintain its integrity.
An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, all applications for citizenship are processed in chronological order and due to the nature of the naturalisation process, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
In addition, the combined impact of the 2019 High Court judgment in the Jones case and the necessary health restrictions arising from the pandemic, has unfortunately resulted in the processing time for standard applications increasing.
However, my Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times.
In 2021, my Department issued 11,512 citizenship decisions, which is the highest number of decisions made since 2015, and reflects positively the significant changes undertaken to date.
It is open to the applicant to contact the Citizenship Division of my Department at: citizenshipinfo@justice.ie at any time for an update on their application.
337. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice the reason that was used by her Department in 2000 when the decision was taken to commence the direct provision system; the studies, risk assessments and policy deliberations and so on that were conducted by her Department at the time; the advice that the advisors Government and external advisors relied upon to support the decision to set-up and extend the direct provision system (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25508/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) and the International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) transferred to my colleague, Minister O'Gorman on 14 October 2020.
In line with the Disability, Equality, Human Rights, Integration and Reception (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020, all relevant records and staff working in these areas also transferred to that Department.
The Deputy may wish to contact the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth directly with regard to the information requested.
338. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice if persons who have moved to Ireland recently from Ukraine, due to the war there, can leave the State and return at-will without any further documentation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25538/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraA person who has moved to Ireland after fleeing the war in Ukraine and who has been granted temporary protection is free to leave and re-enter the State. However, it is important to note that the temporary permission permission letter given to those who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine is not a travel document. Before travelling to another country the person concerned should contact the immigration authorities of that country to find out about the requirements for entry.
If they are receiving a payment from the Department of Social Protection (DSP) they should inform them of their travel plans. The locations of Intreo (DSP) offices can be found at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/directory/category/e1f4b5-intreo-offices/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/en/service/40cf48-find-your-local-intreo-office/.
339. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the annual cost of cleaning and sanitising roofs of buildings under her Department’s control for the past five years to date in 2022. [25592/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that all properties occupied by my Department are owned or leased by the Office of Public Works, who undertake all building-related projects and maintenance on behalf of the Department. My Department has not incurred any expenditure on cleaning and sanitising roofs of buildings under its control in the time period in question.
340. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice if the adjudication of the case for residency status and citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied) can be expedited given the severe condition of their health and lack of housing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25641/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person referred to by the Deputy is the subject of a Deportation Order made on 1 February 2019. However, they have made a request under section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), to have that Order revoked. This will be considered as soon as possible. All applications are examined on a case by case basis, on the documentation supplied and as provided for under Section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended). The decision will be that the existing Deportation Order will be either ‘affirmed’ or ‘revoked’. As a person is subject to a Deportation Order, they remain legally obliged to comply with any reporting obligations placed on them by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) during this time. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility (inisoireachtasmail@justice.ie) which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
