Written Answers Nos. 399-409
399. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing a payment equivalent to illness benefit for the five days medical care leave as proposed in the work life balance and miscellaneous provisions Bill 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31406/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 is a matter for the Department of Children, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Youth. It provides for unpaid leave in respect of medical care for sick children. There is no provision in the Bill for Illness Benefit or any other income support to be payable, and there have been no proposals for such an approach.
My Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability. Entitlement to these supports is contingent on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.
Illness Benefit is the primary income support provided by this Department to those who are unable to work due to illness of any type and who are covered by PRSI contributions. The maximum rate of Illness Benefit is €208, with increases for qualified adult and children where appropriate. Claimants must have a minimum of 104 social insurance contributions and must meet other conditions in relation to when these were paid and whether they are paid or credited contributions. In addition, a medical practitioner must provide a Certificate of Incapacity for Work in respect of their patient.
It is not possible to provide a costing as requested as this would involve a fundamental change to Illness Benefit which would have wider policy and budgetary implications that have not been considered.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
400. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount that she has paid to a firm (details supplied) in respect of its work for her Department regarding scope reviews in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022. [31420/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the Scope Unit of my Department has not engaged the services of the firm referred to by the Deputy and that no payments have been made to that firm in the years 2020 and 2021 or to date in 2022 in respect of Scope's work.
401. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection if a public service card was incorrectly issued (details supplied). [31422/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe original Free Travel card issued in this case also allowed the spouse of the person concerned to free travel when accompanying the person concerned. When a replacement card was being ordered in August 2021, it was established from the person concerned that the appropriate civil status in this case is 'separated'. The appropriate entitlement for a person who is separated is personal Free Travel only, and a personal Free Travel card issued to the person concerned on 6th August 2021. This card was revoked on 8th April 2022, as it was lost or damaged, and a replacement personal Free Travel card was issued to the person concerned.
There is no record of the person concerned having applied for a Free Travel Companion card. It is open to the person concerned, if considered unable to travel alone, to apply for a Free Travel Companion card. If approved for a Free Travel Companion card, this allows any one person, aged 16 years or over, to accompany the cardholder free of charge. The Under 70 Companion Free Travel application form is available to download on gov.ie, or can be picked up at any Intreo Centre or Post Office.
On receipt of a completed application form, the entitlement of the person concerned to a Companion Free Travel card will be examined.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
402. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to concerns raised by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31487/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe organisation referred to the Deputy was funded by my Department under the former Ability Programme. The Ability Programme, introduced in June 2018, was a three-year pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities. The funding for the programme amounted to approximately €16 million and was provided jointly under the European Union’s ESF 2014-2020 Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning Operational Programme and the Irish Exchequer. The Ability Programme concluded at the end of August 2021.
On 30 July last year I announced a new employment support measure for people with disabilities under Dormant Accounts Funding (DAF). The DAF Measures to Support the Employment of People with Disabilities programme began in September 2021 and runs up to the end of December 2022. In total, 45 projects were selected on foot of a competitive process and have been funded up to an amount of €7.6 million. The organisation referred to by the Deputy is funded as a standalone project under this DAF measure.
A new employment programme for people with disabilities will be included in the measures under a new Operational Programme for Ireland under the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027. The new disability focused employment measure will build on the learnings from the former Ability Programme.
The ESF Managing Authority in Ireland - based in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science - is currently compiling the Operational Programme which will be submitted for Government Approval in the summer, prior to formal submission to the European Commission. It is expected that Commission approval will be communicated in the latter part of the year.
It is anticipated that the new disability programme will be open by way of a competitive process in 2023 to applications from organisations across the country including the 27 former Ability Programme organisations and the specific organisation referred to by the Deputy.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
403. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the fullest extent to which disability-related allowances can be available to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31630/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra404. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the fullest extent to which disability allowance or another disability payment is payable in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31631/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 403 and 404 together.
Disablement Benefit is one of the benefits payable under the Occupational Injuries scheme to an insured person who suffers a loss of physical or mental faculty as a result of an occupational accident or prescribed occupational disease, on or after 1 May 1967. In order to qualify for Disablement Benefit, the person must be in employment which is insured at PRSI Class A, B, D, J or M.
I confirm that the person concerned is in receipt of disablement benefit in respect of an occupational accident and was awarded a disablement benefit life pension based on an assessment of a loss of faculty of 60%. The weekly rate is €143.40.
The person concerned can submit further medical evidence to disablement benefit section and request a review if they feel that their condition has deteriorated as a result of their occupational accident.
The person concerned is also in receipt of the maximum rate of State Pension Contributory.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
405. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department and public bodies and agencies under her remit that operate in direct contact with members of the public have policies in place for members of the public to report instances of sexual harassment or assault that occur on the property of her Department or public body or agency under her remit; if so, if these policies are publicly accessible on the relevant website; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31750/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with the general policy across the Civil Service, my Department aims to promote respect, dignity, safety, and equality in the workplace. This policy applies equally to persons working in my Department and members of the public who need to attend at offices of the Department. My Department is clear that that all forms of bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment are unacceptable. Both staff and the public have a duty to behave in an acceptable and respectful manner while attending the Department’s offices. My Department’s Customer Charter, which is available on Gov.ie, commits my Department to ensuring that our public offices are fully accessible for all and comply with Health and Safety standards. This includes ensuring zero tolerance for instances of sexual harassment or assault.
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has a number of offices that operate in direct contact with members of the public. In that regard, internal policies and guidelines are in place for all staff regarding how to best assist distressed customers and in relation to dealing with and reporting health and safety incidents of all kinds, including reports of sexual harassment or assault that might occur in our offices.
In addition, officials of my Department will act on any reports they receive of alleged abuse of customers, consulting or involving as appropriate other relevant agencies such as the HSE or An Garda Siochána and in conjunction with National Policies and Procedures such as ‘Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons at Risk of Abuse’ and ‘Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children’. Where staff observe individuals behaving in an unacceptable manner in an office they will also take immediate action.
Customers also have the facility to register complaints, either directly with a staff member or by email, and details in this regard are also available on my Department’s website.
406. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under her remit have policies in place for employees to report instances of sexual harassment or assault that occur involving other employees or members of the public or on the property of her Department or each public body or agency that operate under her remit; if so, if these policies are publicly accessible on the relevant website; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31769/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Dignity at Work policy is the anti-bullying, harassment and sexual harassment policy for the Irish Civil Service. This policy came into effect on 20th February 2015. The Dignity At Work policy is available to all employees on the Department’s intranet site, Stór and is publicly available on the gov.ie website.
My Department is committed to creating a working environment free from bullying, harassment and sexual harassment. Complaints from employees of the Department made under the Dignity at Work policy are treated seriously and managed in accordance with the procedures set out in the policy and in the Code of Practice for Employers and Employees on the Prevention and Resolution of Bullying at Work (SI 674 of 2020) and the Code of Practice on Sexual Harassment and Harassment at Work (published this year by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission).
My Department also provides support and guidance for employees who wish to report instances of any type of mistreatment by members of the public. This guidance includes clear procedures for managers on how to deal with such instances and is set out in office notices titled '04/2018 Mistreatment of DSP staff by members of the public' and '08/2022 Social Media and Health and Safety Guidelines'. Both of these documents are internally available to all employees on the Department’s intranet site.
Agencies operating under the remit of the Department have similar policies and procedures in place. The Citizens Information Board policy is available internally to its employees on their intranet site and the Pensions Authority policy is available internally to its employees as part of the Pensions Authority Employee Handbook.
407. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if discussions are expected to provide additional funding for crèches to enable them to reduce the cost per child, given that parents are struggling with the cost of childcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31395/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirst 5 sets out a commitment to increase State spending on Early Learning and Childcare to at least €1bn by 2028.
Already, more than 100,000 children avail of the Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) programme, a universal two-year pre-school programme available free to all children within the eligible age range. In addition, the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides financial support to thousands of families to help with the cost of early learning and childcare. There are two types of subsidies available under the NCS:
- Universal subsidies are available to all families with children under 3 years old. They are also available to families with children over 3 years who have not yet qualified for ECCE. This subsidy is not means tested and provides 50c per hour towards the cost of a registered place for a maximum of 45 hours per week.
- Income Assessed Subsidies are available to families with children aged between 24 weeks and 15 years. This subsidy is means tested. The subsidy varies depending on family income, child(ren’s) age and educational stage, and the number of children in the family. The maximum available income assessed subsidy, dependent on the aforementioned conditions, is €5.10 per hour or a maximum weekly subsidy of €229.50.
A recent review of the NCS revealed that, as a proportion of total family early learning and childcare costs, 6% of families receiving NCS support reported that all early learning and childcare costs were covered by the NCS, while 38% reported that half or more of their costs were covered by the NCS.
Since the review took place, I announced a further package of measures to directly address the costs of early learning and childcare in Budget 2022, including:
- an extension of the NCS universal subsidy to all children under 15, benefitting up to 40,000 children from September this year.
- an end to the practice of deducting hours spent in pre-school or school from the entitlement to NCS subsidised hours from spring 2022, benefitting an estimated 5,000 children from low income families since 2 May.
- a new core funding scheme – worth €221m in a full year – to support:
- improved quality through better pay and conditions for the workforce by supporting agreement on an ERO through the JLC;
- the employment of graduate staff; and
- improved sustainability and stability for services.
The new funding model being implemented aims to transform the sector to one that is increasingly publicly funded and publicly managed, delivering a service for the public good, through a partnership between the State and providers, to the benefit of children, parents, educators and practitioners, and society overall.
A new fee management system, attached to core funding, will mean no increase in fees from pre-pandemic levels for the September 2022 to August 2023 programme year, which, in tandem with developments to the NCS will together deliver significantly improved affordability for parents.
We will continue to build on this in Budget 2023 and into the future and as I have indicated before, in this year's budget my focus is on reducing the cost for parents by increased investment in the NCS.
408. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the process by which a childcare provider can extend their opening hours in order to provide additional services (details supplied). [31397/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department funds Tusla registered early learning and childcare services to provide a number of Early Learning and Care schemes to eligible children.
The level of care that early learning and childcare services provide must be in accordance with their registration with Tusla and in line with planning conditions set out by the Local Authority.
While the level of care is determined by their registration with Tusla planning conditions, early learning and childcare services are free to set their own opening hours to provide this service.
My Department funds City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) who offer a wide variety of services locally including, advice and support on applying for the various funding schemes administered by the Department. Contact details for all of the CCCs are available at myccc.ie
409. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which it may be possible to provide sufficient childcare places at an affordable rate to ensure that parents may plan for the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31481/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnsuring the availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key priority for me.
Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in early learning and childcare has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. Every year, more than 100,000 children participate on the universal pre-school programme (ECCE) and the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) subsidises up to 80,000 children.
My Department’s Transition Fund operating from May-August this year and the new Core Funding Scheme to roll out from September include a fee freeze condition, which will ensure that parents feel the full affordability benefits of the ECCE programme and the NCS, including the enhancements to the NCS, which I announced as part of Budget 2022.
The reforms I am implementing will for the first time provide Government with the means to meaningfully reduce the cost of early learning and childcare for parents. With these reforms in place, preparations are now underway in my Department to seek significant investment into the National Childcare Scheme in the context of the forthcoming budget that will lead to a substantial reduction in fees for parents without adversely affecting the sustainability and availability of services.
I am also taking a range of steps to address issues of under supply. Some €70m has been allocated to my Department through the revised National Development Plan (NDP) – with the majority of this funding earmarked for new places. Under the National Action Plan for Childminding, I have committed to opening up access to the NCS to parents who use childminders following the extension of regulation to childminders, which is expected to happen within the first 2-3 years of the Plan.
My Department, in partnership with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government, is in the process of updating the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings. In addition, City/County Childcare Committees have been mobilised to engage proactively with services to identify vacant places and to explore possibilities for expansion among services, particularly where there is unmet need.
