Written Answers Nos. 197-216
197. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person who is living alone and who is renting a room with a tenancy agreement in an owner-occupied property will be affected in relation to their additional benefits such as the living alone allowance and fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47624/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Rent-A-Room means disregard applies to social welfare customers who rent a room in their own home. This allows for up to a limit of €269.23 per week in respect of income from renting a room in their own home to be disregarded. The prescribed conditions for benefitting from this disregard can be found in the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims. Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No 10) (Income Disregard) Regulation 2022 (SI 397/22).
Household composition criteria must be satisfied for a person to continue to receive or to qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment.
I also introduced a change in the rules for those who receive the Living Alone Allowance. The change facilitates continued payment of the Living Alone Allowance to those who accommodate people (but not immediate family members or employees), via rental or otherwise, in their own home.
Research has consistently shown that those living alone are more at risk of poverty than those who live as a couple or family. This is particularly true of older people who live alone. The main objective of the Living Alone Allowance payment is to compensate for the additional individual costs of living alone, when compared to a couple or a family unit.
I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
198. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for fuel allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47625/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned applied for fuel allowance on 23 September 2021. Following a means assessment, they were awarded Fuel from 24 September 2021 and were notified in writing on 04 December 2021. They are currently in receipt of the allowance in the form of lump sum payments.
The person concerned submitted another application for fuel allowance on 7 September 2022. As self-employed income was declared for 2021, their entitlement will be reviewed. The Fuel Allowance will remain in payment pending this review. They will be notified of the outcome of the review in writing.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
199. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a payment will be processed for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47643/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the Department received an application for disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned on 19 September 2022
On 23 September 2022, the person concerned was requested to supply supporting documentation required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on her eligibility.
On receipt of this information a decision will be made on her DA application and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.
I can confirm that the local office received an application for supplementary welfare allowance (BASI) from the person concerned on the 25 August 2022.
On 29 August 2022 the person concerned was requested to supply supporting documentation required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on her eligibility.
A further information request was sent to the person concerned on 23/09/2022. On receipt of this information a decision will be made on her BASI application, and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
200. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will implement a proposal by an organisation (details supplied) regarding improved access to the free travel scheme for persons with epilepsy in Ireland in budget 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47656/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are approximately 1,043,000 customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2022 is €95 million.
It is important to note that, in general, access to a free travel pass for those aged under 66 is linked to a person being in receipt of certain primary Social Protection payments such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Carer’s Allowance, Blind Pension and Partial Capacity Benefit. Crucially, as many illnesses or physical conditions have an impact across a spectrum from mild to severe, entitlement to these social welfare schemes is not provided on the basis of a diagnosis but on the basis of the impact of that diagnosis on the individual concerned. In this way, resources can be targeted to people in most need.
Therefore, while a diagnosis of a particular medical condition will be required to establish if a person may be eligible for certain social welfare schemes, evidence of impact is also required before entitlement to the scheme or the related free travel scheme is established. The sole exception to this general approach is in respect of people who are blind.
While consideration is always given to any requests to improve or extend eligibility to the free travel scheme, uncoupling the link between receipt of particular social welfare payments and eligibility for the free travel scheme would so fundamentally alter the scheme that it would move it away from being a social welfare measure to being a general transport initiative. As the Deputy will be aware, no changes to the Free Travel Scheme were included in the comprehensive Budget 2023 measures announced on 27 September 2022.
I am aware of an ongoing campaign by Epilepsy Ireland and recognise the issues and difficulties that can arise due to a person being diagnosed with epilepsy and who is unable to drive as a result of their condition. I have met with representatives of Epilepsy Ireland to discuss its proposal in detail.
Following the meeting, I asked my Department officials to examine the issues raised by Epilepsy Ireland. This work is still ongoing.
Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers and include help towards recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the person's own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
201. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection when a payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47686/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, Community Employment (CE) supervisors and CE assistant supervisors sought for several years through their union representatives, SIPTU and Forsa, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme for CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors who are employed by CE scheme sponsoring organisations.
Following an agreement between the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Social Protection, a final settlement was reached with unions representing CE supervisors and assistant supervisors at the end of 2021. This settlement resolves this long-standing issue through the payment of a once off ex-gratia payment rather than a pension to eligible CE supervisors and assistant supervisors. On the 23rd December 2021, both unions involved confirmed acceptance of this settlement which will benefit approximately 2,500 people employed by CE schemes going back to 2008. It is estimated to have a total cost of over €24 million.
Generally, under the terms of this settlement, on reaching retirement age, eligible CE supervisors and assistant supervisors will receive a once off ex-gratia payment in respect of time employed by CE schemes since 2008. People who retired since 2008 and who have reached retirement age are now able to apply for this payment.
Over the past number of months, an administrative and ICT system to accept applications and process payments was put in place within the Department of Social Protection. The first group of ex-gratia applications have been received - these relate to persons who retired since 2008. While I cannot comment on individual applications, I can confirm that my Department is processing applications received to date. Discussions are ongoing with the Department of Expenditure and Reform (DPER) as regards the timing of issuing of these payments.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
202. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the up-to-date position on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47727/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department recently completed a significant expansion of employment services across the State. This includes the provision of a State-wide intensive employment service for those furthest from the labour market - the new Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Service (IPLAES). This new service will for the first time provide a single comprehensive service for all of County Kerry.
In a competition run in accordance with EU procurement rules, 17 community and voluntary sector organisations were successful and were awarded contracts to provide the new IPLAES. These contracts replace the previous Local Employment Service and Job Club contracts. 16 of these contracts are now in place and the new service is being mobilised with the support of my Department.
County Kerry became a single lot for the purposes of the new employment service. The successful bidder was North East and West Kerry Development (NEWKD), with another Kerry-based community body, South Kerry Development Partnership, as sub-contractor.
The Kerry IPLAES is part of a State-wide expansion that represents a significant increase in state investment in these services from €23m per annum to €39m per annum, exclusive of VAT. The services represent a substantial expansion on employment services previously available to the long term unemployed cohort who will benefit from this new expanded service.
It is forecast that this new service will mean that in County Kerry over €1.4 million per annum will be spent engaging with those furthest from the labour market, maintaining existing funding but with a greater focus on employment outcomes.
Some former providers of LES and Job Club services, including those who successfully bid for the new contracts, have issued redundancy notices to some of their staff. This is despite the increased overall investment in services. My Department cannot direct or determine the employment and staffing of third-party contractors.
My Department is not the employer of contracted staff and therefore the responsibility for any redundancy payments rests solely with the employer. Where an employer is unable to pay statutory redundancy, they can make an application to the my Department’s Redundancy and Insolvency service.
I trust this clarifies the position.
203. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the organic farming scheme was not included in the expanded list of schemes as of June 2022 that are assessed differently concerning the disregard within farm assist; the estimated cost of including the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47745/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFarm Assist is a statutory income support specifically for farmers on low-incomes. There are approximately 4,600 claims in payment at present. The Government has provided €53.9 million for the scheme for 2022.
Further to the commitments in the Programme for Government and in the Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, my Department reviewed the means assessment disregards for the Farm Assist. One of the key recommendations of the report was to expand the list of agri-environmental schemes as provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I recently introduced this measure effective from June 2022. Under the Farm Assist means test, income from these schemes currently attract a disregard of €2,540, with 50% of the balance assessed as means. The report is available on the Government's website.
I have introduced another improvement to the Farm Assist means test as part of Budget 2023. From January 2023, the amount of income from agri-environmental schemes that is disregarded will rise to €5,000.
The Review of the Farm Assist disregards also recommended that the two Departments would work together to identify schemes in Ireland's upcoming CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 which may be considered for inclusion in the list of schemes which attract the disregard in the means test for the Farm Assist Scheme. I am committed to this and will consider any additional schemes in that context.
Figures available on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's website indicate that the average level of payment under the Organic Farming Scheme is €5,460. The total cost of extending the disregard would depend on the number of farmers in receipt of Farm Assist who are receiving the Organic Farming Scheme and the level of payment being made. This information is not currently to hand.
I trust this clarifies the position.
204. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of farmers or agricultural workers who have sought jobseeker's allowance, jobseeker's benefit or family income support in each of the past ten years and to date in 2022. [47786/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs of the end of August 2022, there were 332 farmers or agricultural sector workers in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance, and 5,171 in receipt of Jobseeker's Benefit. Due to the movement of the Working Family Payment (WFP) scheme, formerly called Family Income Supplement, from a legacy system to a current system, the number of farmers or agricultural sector workers in receipt of WFP at the end of August is unavailable.
Table 1 below shows the number of farmers or agricultural sector workers in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit or Working Family Payment at the end of December over the last 10 years.
Table 1: The number of recipients of Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit or Working Family Payment as at end December, 2012 to 2021.
|
Year |
Jobseeker's Allowance |
Jobseeker's Benefit |
Working Family Payment |
|
2021 |
5,721 |
343 |
284 |
|
2020 |
6,584 |
372 |
568 |
|
2019 |
7,043 |
482 |
650 |
|
2018 |
7,719 |
474 |
727 |
|
2017 |
8,752 |
521 |
816 |
|
2016 |
10,041 |
587 |
849 |
|
2015 |
11,548 |
748 |
862 |
|
2014 |
12,910 |
880 |
773 |
|
2013 |
13,494 |
1,002 |
561 |
|
2012 |
14,199 |
1,359 |
449 |
205. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection when a reply will issue to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47829/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the Department received an application for disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned on 03 August 2022
On 26 August 2022, the person concerned was requested to supply supporting documentation required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on her eligibility.
A further information request was sent to the person concerned on 17 September 2022
On receipt of this information a decision will be made on her DA application and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
206. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a partial carer's allowance will be offered to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47858/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care.
Carer’s benefit (CARB) is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a person(s) in need of full-time care and attention.
A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment, self-employment or on training courses for a maximum of 18.5 hours per week, provided that they can show to the satisfaction of a deciding officer that adequate care is being provided for the care recipient in their absence.
To date, no application for CA or CARB by the person concerned has been registered. If the person concerned wishes to make an application, they should complete and return an application form, CR1 for CA or CARB1 for CARB to Carer's Section in the social welfare services office, Longford, as soon as possible.
Applications forms for both CA and CARB can be found at any Intreo Centre, Social Welfare Branch Office or Citizens' Information Office nationwide or can be downloaded from the Department's website, www.welfare.ie.
It is only upon receipt of a fully completed application form that entitlement to CA or CARB can be examined.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
207. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an exceptional needs payment will be made available in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47859/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall Social Welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single additional needs payments.
Under the SWA scheme, my Department can make additional needs payments to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the person’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary.
Payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, taking into account the requirements of the legislation, and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
According to the records of my Department, the persons concerned have not applied for an Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP). Following your representation, an ENP application pack has issued to the persons by post.
The completed application and any supporting documentation can be returned by FREEPOST to P.O. Box 1107, Newbridge, Co. Kildare.
When the application has been received, accompanied by the required supporting documentation, a Community Welfare Officer will consider the claim and the person will be advised of the outcome in writing.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
208. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the jobseeker's allowance will be restored immediately in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47862/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraJobseeker's Allowance is a means-tested payment made to people who are unemployed and, amongst other qualifying criteria, are available for full-time work.
According to the records of my Department, the person concerned was in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) from 21/03/2022 until 30/08/2022. Eligibility to JA ceased when my Department was advised by the Revenue Commissioners of the person’s commencement of employment.
My Department was advised the person had received wages from her employer on 02/09/2022 for training she had undertaken. No further wages have since been paid to the person pending completion of the Garda vetting process.
While awaiting wages from her employer, the person concerned applied for a basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) on 26/09/2022 which has been awarded at a weekly rate of €254 with effect from 15/09/2022. The person will receive her first payment and any arrears due in her nominated bank account on 29/09/2022.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
209. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of ECCE centres, playschools and day care service in the State; the physical education requirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47724/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTusla is the independent statutory regulator for the sector and is responsible for maintaining the register of all Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services. The latest data on the number of registrations of ELC services supplied by Tusla shows that there were 4,061 ELC services registered at the end of July 2022. Please note this figure does not include school age childcare services.
Under the Regulations for ELC services, service providers are required to ensure that each child’s learning, development and well-being is facilitated within the daily life of the pre-school service through the provision of the appropriate activities, interaction, materials and equipment, having regard to the age and stage of development of the child. The Regulations also require that children have access to a suitable outdoor space.
ELC services are also guided by Aistear, the early childhood curriculum framework. One of the guiding principles for good practice as set out in Aistear is learning and developing through play. The adult in the ELC setting is expected to create an indoor and outdoor environment that provides a wide range of play possibilities. One of the characteristics of play is to be active, meaning children use their bodies and minds in their play, interacting with the environment, with materials and with other people.
Aistear further notes that "Physical play involves children developing, practising and refining bodily movements and control. It includes whole body and limb movements, co-ordination and balance. These activities involve physical movements for their own sake and enjoyment. Children gain control over their gross motor skills first before refining their fine motor skills."
210. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will support a campaign by an organisation (details supplied) for 2023 to increase funding for youth work and youth work organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47703/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has faced significant pressures across a number of key areas, but I have secured in Budget 2023 a total funding package to support youth clubs and services of €75.65 million.
In Budget 2023, I secured an additional €2.36 million in funding for youth services nationally, comprising €1.16 million in current funding and €1.2 million in capital.
My officials and I are currently analysing the detailed breakdown of how this funding will be used in 2023 and as such, I am not in a position as yet to share this, but I would hope to do so shortly.
In general terms however, I can say that this additional funding will consolidate the gains achieved with the additional €10 million I secured across Budgets 2021 and 2022.
The allocation will support the delivery of universal and targeted youth services nationwide, with a particular view to the role played by youth services in supporting mental wellbeing, fostering resilience and developing the social and personal competencies of young people, including those that are disadvantaged, marginalised or vulnerable.
211. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if Ukrainian childcare qualifications are recognised in Ireland for those seeking to work in the childcare sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47706/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, all staff working directly with children in a pre-school service must hold at least a Level 5 major award in early childhood care and education on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), or a qualification deemed to be equivalent.
For school-age childcare, there is no qualification requirement.
My Department has published a list of qualifications that meet both regulatory and contractual requirements for working in early learning and care services. The list can be found at this link:
www.gov.ie/en/service/000073-recognition-of-an-early-years-qualification/
While there are currently no Ukrainian qualifications on this list of DCEDIY Early Years Recognised Qualifications, it is open to any individual to apply for recognition of their qualifications and experience. An individual can submit an application to my Department for recognition of their qualifications if they believe their qualifications and experience are equivalent to the minimum requirements The application form and details of what information must be submitted can be found on my Department’s website. This assessment is carried out on a case-by-case basis.
My Department is making reasonable accommodations in order to support the recognition of Ukrainian early years educators who have been granted Temporary Protection under the EU Temporary Protection Directive. If a Ukrainian early years educator wishes to apply for recognition of their qualifications, they can email EYQualifications@equality.gov.ie.
212. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons from Ukraine who have come to Ireland since the beginning of the Russian attack who have been provided with housing in private residential properties by the Government and an organisation (details supplied) since the beginning of the war; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47742/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra213. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons who have agreed to provide residential accommodation to Ukrainian refugees through an organisation (details supplied) since the beginning of the war; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47743/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 212 and 213 together.
Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the Temporary Protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis.
The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are significant. Our country has never experienced an influx of displaced persons like the one that we have seen over the past months.
My Department’s role is focused on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those who have fled here. To date, more than 49,000 people have arrived in Ireland and in excess of 38,000 of those have been referred to us seeking accommodation from the State.
Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this timeframe for all those who require it remains immensely challenging. Due to the urgent need to source accommodation, a broad range of accommodation types have been contracted, including emergency accommodation.
The priority is to place people fleeing the conflict in safe and secure accommodation.
The Government is committed to delivering a humanitarian response to welcome people seeking protection in Ireland as part of the European Union's overall response. The scale of response to this crisis has been unprecedented and Irish people have displayed an incredible level of generosity in their support and pledges of accommodation.
The Irish Red Cross (IRC) has put in place a national pledge as the mechanism for channelling the offers of accommodation which many members of the public wish to provide. The website through which offers of accommodation are pledged is registerofpledges.redcross.ie. Implementing partners include Local Authorities, IRC, International Organisation of Migration (IOM) and Peter McVerry Trust.
To date, 4,339 beneficiaries have moved to 1,585 properties and this figure increases on a weekly basis.
Placement of people in need into pledged properties also occurs outside the pledged process.
The process of placing people in pledged accommodation does take time, but it is a complex process and needs to be done correctly for the safety and security of those fleeing.
My Department is working to advance this process to the greatest extent possible.
214. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the early learning and care services that are in receipt of the graduate premium for lead educators and the graduate premium for graduate managers; and the sum allocated to each service, in tabular form. [47748/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraServices with Early Learning and Care (ELC) graduate Lead Educators/Managers will receive an additional allocation through the ELC Graduate and Manager Premiums where they apply.
In order for a service to be allocated an ELC Graduate Premium, the Lead Educator in an ELC room and/or the Manager of an ELC or a combined ELC and School Age Childcare (SAC) service and must hold an appropriate qualification (QQI Level 7 or higher) as per the Department’s Higher Capitation Qualifications list. They must also have a minimum of three years’ experience in the sector.
The ELC Graduate Premium is calculated based on the number of ELC graduate Lead Educators in ELC rooms and the hours that they lead in those rooms; and if the ELC or combined ELC and SAC service has an ELC graduate as the manager, the premium is calculated on the hours the Graduate Manager works or the hours of operation of the service whichever is the lesser.
The definition of a Lead Educator is taken from ‘Nurturing Skills – The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028’: “An Early Years Educator who leads practice with a group of children will be termed ‘Lead Educator’. The term ‘Lead Educator’ is used to reflect the important pedagogical leadership role played by these individuals with a group of children and with other Early Years Educators who are also working with that group of children. For the purposes of Core Funding, each ELC room can only have one Lead Educator at any one time; even if the children are organised into groups within the room.
The definition of a Manager is also taken from Nurturing Skills – The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028’: “The term Manager is used in the Workforce Plan to refer to the person in charge of a setting, as defined in the Early Years Regulations 2016 and SAC Regulations 2018, i.e. ‘the person who has day-to-day charge of the service’. This person may or may not be the Registered Provider. While ELC and SAC services vary considerably in their legal and organisational structures, every service must – as a condition of its registration – have a designated person in charge (here termed the ‘Manager’) who is responsible for the daily running of the service and – unless deputised by a named person – must be on the premises at all times when the service is being carried on.” The Core Funding Graduate Manager premium can only be attracted by this designated person in charge, not by any of the other members of staff who may deputise when the manager is not present.
Attached is a list of services contracted into Core Funding and the amount of funding they are expected to receive under the Graduate Premium and the Manager Premium, and the sum total of these two premiums. This data capture was taken on the 27th of September 2022. This list does not contain services that have submitted applications but have not yet contracted nor services with applications in draft.
Where services have graduate Lead Educators or graduate Managers, details and evidence of the qualifications of these staff are required in order to pay the graduate premium part of Core Funding. The process of appraising this evidence is ongoing. Although the final calculation will be subject to appraisal of any accompanying evidence submitted with it, payments are being made on a provisional basis using the results of this calculation while the appraisal process takes place.
215. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to make public the list of signatories to the new core funding model; and the consequences for organisations that sign up to the scheme but do not pass on the benefit of a fee freeze to parents. [47750/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAffordable, accessible, high-quality and sustainable early learning and childcare is a key priority for Government, as demonstrated in the recent investment exceeding €1 billion in Budget 2023.
In December 2021, Government adopted the 25 recommendations contained in an Expert Group report, Partnership for the Public Good: A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC). The new funding model, Together for Better, including Core Funding, the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and ECCE, incorporating the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), will support delivery of ELC and SAC for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families.
Core Funding, which began in September, is the new funding stream with an allocation of €266 million in 2023 to start this partnership for the public good between the State and providers. Its primary purpose is to improve pay and conditions in the sector as a whole and improve affordability for parents as well as ensuring a stable income to providers.
A central condition of Core Funding is that providers agree not to increase fees above those which were charged last year. Providers who had increased their fees since September are required to revert to September 2021 levels under Core Funding from the point of coming into contract for the scheme. This gives parents greater certainty about what they will be charged and ensures that the significant increases to NCS subsidies are not absorbed by fee increases. The approach to fee management will be developed further over time.
Participation in the Core Funding is optional and, to date, 90% of services are signed-up and thereby agreeing to operating the fee conditions. The full list of participating Partner Services is available here: first5fundingmodel.gov.ie/together-for-better/
The Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement outlines the terms and conditions of the Grant, including specific clauses on Fee Management. The Funding Agreement is publicly available here: first5fundingmodel.gov.ie/core-funding/
The Funding Agreement states clearly that failure to comply with the terms of the Agreement may result in a service's exclusion from the Grant, suspension of the Grant, and/or a termination of the Agreement, including remedy of breaches or refund of any excess charges to families.
I encourage any parent or provider who has queries in relation to Core Funding to contact their local City/County Childcare Committee for support and guidance at: myccc.ie/
216. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a list of all special care units in operation in Ireland is maintained and published; and if the location and details of certain units are kept confidential for security reasons. [47756/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.
