Written Answers Nos. 546-565
546. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider reinstating one-member arrangements and make those with less than ten members exempt from the additional audit functions; if not, if she will allow for the readjustment of a personal retirement savings account product to allow contributions from employer to employee to be exempt from USC benefit-in-kind; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52468/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe IORP II Directive, which became effective from 13 January 2019, sets out minimum standards for the management and supervision of pension schemes, with the objective of ensuring the soundness of occupational pensions and better protections for scheme members and beneficiaries across the European Union.
IORP II requirements were transposed into Irish law by way of the European Union (Occupational Pension Schemes) Regulations 2021 (S.I. No. 128 of 2021) which came into force on 22nd April 2021.
The general principle followed in respect of the transposition of IORP II, in keeping with the Government’s Roadmap for Pensions Reform, is that the requirements of IORP II apply to all schemes and trust RACs, including one-member arrangements (‘OMAs’). This is in order to ensure that all members and beneficiaries are afforded equal protection irrespective of the size of the pension arrangement. It should be noted that the decision to apply the requirements of IORP II to all schemes and trust RACs was announced by the Government in 2019 and it was expected that trustees and insurance providers would have been preparing for compliance with these requirements in advance of transposition.
The Report of the Interdepartmental Pensions Reform and Taxation Group (IDPRTG) published in late 2020 set out a number of measures to aid in the harmonisation and simplification of supplemental pensions. One of these relates to the abolition of the differential treatment of PRSAs for funding purposes, and the BIK treatment of employer contributions to PRSAs.
The Group, chaired by the Department of Finance, comprising officials from the relevant Departments and organisations reconvened in 2021 to consider implementation of the various recommendations. Following enactment of a package of tax-related measures in the Finance Act 2021 a number of further proposals from the Report are currently being worked on, some of which are technical in nature and others which have wider policy implications necessitating careful consideration through the normal policy channels.
The progression of measures relating to the taxation of PRSAs is a matter for the Department of Finance.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
547. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of an application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51328/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation, 2018, we cannot comment on individual cases.
548. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when Tusla will publish its fostering service improvement plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51122/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Tusla Strategic Plan on Foster Care Services 2022 - 2025 was approved by the Tusla Board on the 30th of September 2022. The Plan was subsequently circulated to all Foster Carers and to members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. I can inform the Deputy that on the 12th October 2022 Tusla published the Plan on its website.
549. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the options available to a preschool (details supplied) in terms of getting additional space for 2023. [51126/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraLast month, I was pleased to announce a €10m Capital Grant for the Early Learning and Childcare Sector. The Building Blocks - Improvement Grant is part of a wider Building Blocks Capital Programme for Early Learning and Childcare under the National Development Plan. Grants will range from €35,000 to €75,000 across two separate strands: Green Energy and Retrofit. The Green Energy Strand/Strand A will support the Climate Action Agenda and the Programme for Government, which aim to transition to a carbon neutral economy by the end of 2050 and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030. Services that sign up for the Core Funding Scheme are eligible for funding under for the Building Blocks - Capital Programme. Applications from eligible services will be accepted in Q4 2022 and successful applicants will be notified in early 2023.The grant scheme is part of a wider Building Blocks Capital Programme designed to meet current and long-term Early Learning and Childcare infrastructure needs – with details of a €45m Building Blocks - Capacity Grant and a €15m Building Blocks - Innovation Grant to be announced in the coming months.
My Department advises the services to contact their local County Childcare Committees, who will provide information on this capital scheme in the coming months.
550. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports that he can make available to ECCE providers in respect of the administrative burden that the Hive hub presents to end users. [51132/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Hive is part of the new Early Years Platform which Pobal uses to administer various Early Learning and Childcare Schemes. It is a self-service portal which has been designed to meet the current and future needs of providers in an accessible and intuitive manner.
On an annual basis, up to 200,000 children are registered on the Early Years Platform for the NCS and ECCE.
The Early Years Platform is relatively new and as with any new IT system, it takes time to bed in for all parties. This September, another major new component, Core Funding, was added to the Hive. I am aware that the addition of this major component may have affected response times and user experience on the Hive, and that this came at a very busy and challenging time for the sector. My officials continue to work with Pobal, the scheme administrator, to identify potential issues and mitigate any problems during future peak periods of activity on the Hive.
In December 2021, I announced major reforms to the funding model for early learning and childcare services. That month, 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)”
Recommendation 2 states that the new Core Funding stream should incorporate funding for administration and to support the employment of graduate staff. Core Funding is underpinned by the Employment Regulation Orders, and 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.
While Core Funding operates in addition to and alongside the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, including the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), it replaces ECCE higher capitation and incorporates funding previously allocated to the discretionary Programme Support Payments (PSP) from September 2022.
Pobal continues to provide support and assistance directly to early learning and childcare providers through their dedicated Early Years Provider Centre. There is a dedicated suite of training aids and reference material, including videos, available on The Hive to assist users.
My Department has engaged with Pobal on continued enhancements to the system to ensure it is responsive to early learning and childcare providers' business needs. Pobal is also arranging to engage with system users to see where further training or support may be required.
Providers experiencing issues using the Hive can also avail of assistance from the City and County Childcare Committees who are funded by my Department to provide supports directly to providers in their area, including one-to-one guidance, and training via a dedicated training platform for the Hive users.
I am further advised by my officials that they will also be engaging with all key stakeholders to explore how the system may be further enhanced to minimise administrative burden on providers as additional supports for families and the sector come on stream.
I would note that my Department has commenced a review of the ECCE programme which is expected to be completed by Q3 2023. The review will assess whether the ECCE Programme is meeting its core objectives and will identify any changes or improvements that can be made to the Programme, based on international evidence, experience to date as well as consultation from a wide number of stakeholders.
551. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has conducted a data protection impact analysis in respect of the HIVE system for the ECCE service; and if he will clarify whether his Department is the controller or processor of data in respect of the HIVE system. [51133/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department conducted a Privacy Impact Assessment on the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme in December 2016. This PIA was undertaken by a third party - Sytorus. The PIA is a process used to protect privacy by design when an organisation starts or acquires a new business, implements a new process, or launches a new product. The Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is an on-going process, regularly applied to personal data processing, identifying, and mitigating risks.
As the PIA was conducted prior to the GDPR coming into effect in May 2017, the Department was under no obligation to conduct a DPIA, but nonetheless conducted the PIA on ECCE as this was best practice in relation to new and existing projects.
The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) went live in November 2019, and this was the first scheme to be operated on the Early Years Platform/The Hive. The Department conducts DPIAs on any new schemes being operated on the EYP/The Hive. Sytorus also conducted a PIA on the NCS in May 2017, and Trilateral conducted a DPIA on the NCS in July 2019. Subsequent to this, Castlebridge/Sonas Innovation conducted a DPIA in June 2022 on Core Funding, which went live on in September 2022.
The Privacy Impact Assessment on ECCE identifies my Department as the data controller of data processed in respect of ECCE, and Pobal as data processor. The DPIAs conducted on the other new schemes on The Hive have also identified my Department as data controller and Pobal as data processor.
552. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of registered ECCE providers that have not drawn down and or accessed core funding in 2022. [51134/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 15 September, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. This new funding model supports the delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families.
Together for Better brings together three major programmes, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, including the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the new Core Funding scheme.
I am delighted that to date, 91% - well over 4,000 - providers have signed up. Out of all services which have an active ECCE contract, the figure is higher - 93%.
This is a tremendous level of uptake and will make a positive impact for parents and children using these services through investment in quality and in affordability with more funding for staff and a commitment not to increase fees.
3,869 services have an active ECCE contract. Of these services, 277 have not yet come into contract for Core Funding. These services include services that only offer the ECCE programme and mixed services that also offer additional provision in alongside the ECCE programme. Services may chose to come in to Core Funding at any point throughout the programme year.
While a large majority of providers have embraced Core Funding, some have raised concerns about the impact of the changes to the funding model on small services in particular. The rationale for the change in approach is to allow for a fairer distribution of supports for graduate staff and I have been unequivocal that no service will lose out in the funding this year compared to last year. The safety net of sustainability supports is available for the small number who may experience financial difficulty.
Core Funding allows for a very substantial increase in the total cost base for the sector without requiring those costs to be passed on to parents. The vast majority of services are seeing substantial increases in funding. No service will see a decrease in funding. Core Funding will contribute to services’ sustainability and will significantly increase income for the overwhelming majority of services and provide greater funding stability. Core Funding is worth at least a 9.5 % increase to ECCE services. The value of Core Funding is greater if more hours of service or service for younger children is offered.
With Core Funding in operation for five weeks, key achievements already include:
- Fee management in place for 91% services meaning that fees cannot increase on September 2021 levels, and ensures that developments in National Childcare Scheme (NCS) are fully realised by parents.
- Agreement of Employment Regulation Orders covering staff at all grades in the sector and instituting differential pay rates for graduate staff in certain roles, putting in place a career framework for staff in the sector to support recruitment and retention.
- Improved pay for an estimated 73% of those working in the sector who will see their wages rise as a result of the Employment Regulation Orders, which would not have been achieved without Core Funding.
- A significant expansion of capacity, resulting in more hours of provision for parents and children and opportunities for staff to work more hours per week and weeks per year.
We are not seeing any evidence of a significant lack of sustainability for ECCE-only services or to suggest that services will face closure as a result of Core Funding. Services that are experiencing difficulty and who would like support are encouraged to contact their City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) to access case management supports. Services can be assisted on an individual basis through this route and it also allows for trends and themes across the country to be identified that can inform a more systematic response if necessary.
Across the country, the 30 CCCs have been working intensively to support individual providers and parents with the new scheme and continue to be available to do so.
Budget 2023 allocates €1,025m to early learning and childcare – a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector. Together for Better aims to transform the sector and I am committed to working with Partner Services delivering early learning and childcare for the public good.
553. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total spend by his Department and the agencies under his remit on cybersecurity measures since 2019 to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51167/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs of December 2019, the Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (OGCIO) provide my Department with its core ICT services. The provision of ICT security is part of that service, which implements a security-by-design and defence-in-depth approach to cyber security. Therefore it is not possible to provide the Deputy with a figure specifically relating to spend on cyber security measures for my Department.
My Department engages closely with the OGCIO on the issue of cyber security, who in turn engage with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to ensure best practice is followed as it relates to all aspects of cyber security, including hacking threats.
The agencies under the remit of my Department are responsible for the management of their own ICT security. I have asked each one to respond to the Deputy directly.
554. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the proportion of his Department’s IT data that is stored in the cloud; the proportion of the data held by all agencies and subsidiaries of his Department in the cloud; if this represents an improvement; if so, the development that has been made towards cloud storage since 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51191/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs of December 2019, the Office of the Chief Government Information Officer (OGCIO) provide my Department with its core ICT services and supports including the provision of our main infrastructure and data storage.
My department does not measure the portion of data it holds in the cloud verses on premise, therefore it is not possible to provide the Deputy with a proportionate figure of the amount of departmental data stored in the cloud.
The OGCIO produced the Cloud Computing Advice Note in October 2019 which moved the debate on the use of cloud from whether we should use it to what, how and when we should move to the cloud.
While my Department makes use of cloud services, the focus is on using the cloud to deliver efficient digital services rather than using it for the storage of data, in line with Data Protection guidance.
In addition any decisions made in this regard must take in to account cyber security considerations. My Department engages closely with the OGCIO on the issue of cyber security, who in turn engage with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to ensure best practice is followed as it relates to all aspects of cyber security, including hacking threats.
The agencies under the remit of my Department are responsible for the management of their own ICT infrastructure and data storage. I have asked each one to respond to the Deputy directly.
555. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on scheme A funding application (details supplied). [51231/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to achieving its vision of a safe, fair and inclusive Ireland where people are supported to flourish and to live inclusive, healthy and fulfilling lives, whatever their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics. Ireland’s first National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2022, published in November 2019, is the primary policy vehicle to achieve this vision.
The Strategy pursues objectives under four thematic pillars providing a vision of an Ireland where LGBTI+ people are visible and included, treated equally, healthy and feel safe and supported. To offset delays in the strategy's implementation due to the public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, I extended its lifetime into 2022. Work is continuing this year on the implementation of the strategy.
My Department is committed to providing ongoing support to the LGBTI+ Community that will enable them to feel safe and supported. During Pride in June, I launched the 2022 LGBTI+ Community Services Funding Call. This Funding Call will support and bolster community services that promote visibility and inclusion of LGBTI+ people. The Funding call was open to organisations and groups operating at national, regional and local level.
Following direct engagement with LGBTI+ community groups, Scheme A of the Funding Call was expanded to include a ‘core support’ model that was open for larger style projects. The Scheme was also open to applications from existing LGBTI+ NGOs for funding to maintain and enhance existing services and initiatives. This will assist these organisations build capacity and maintain existing and well-established LGBTI+ supports. A robust assessment process is ongoing for all applications and applicants will be informed of the outcome in the coming weeks.
556. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will commit to including the cuts in childcare costs announced in Budget 2023 in aspects of the ECCE given that all providers are not registered with the national childcare scheme and not all parents will benefit from the Budget 2023 announcements as it stands. [51248/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) is a universal free two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. As there is no cost to the parent for a place on this Programme, the elements of Budget 2023 dealing directly with reducing parental early learning and care costs focus on the National Childcare Scheme (NCS).
I secured additional funding of €121m for the NCS to reduce average parental co-payments for early learning and childcare. From 2 January 2023, all families accessing registered early learning and childcare will receive a minimum hourly NCS subsidy of €1.40, an increase of €0.90 per hour.
On 15 September, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. This new funding model supports the delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families.
Together for Better brings together three major programmes, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, including the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the new Core Funding scheme.
Participation in the Core Funding scheme is optional but I am delighted that, to date, 91% - well over 4,000 - providers have signed up. This is a tremendous level of uptake and will make a positive impact for parents and children using these services through investment in quality and in affordability with more funding for staff, and a commitment not to increase fees.
Core Funding Partner Services must contract to the ECCE programme and/or the NCS in the 2022/23 programme year and offer ECCE/NCS to all eligible children, where appropriate (for example, a service registered with Tusla as a Pre-school Sessional Service only is not required to offer NCS). In relation to the NCS, this requirement includes offering income assessed, universal and in particular “sponsor” NCS arrangements to all eligible children up to the age of 15.
3,279 early learning and childcare providers are currently contracted and available to offer the NCS.
I would encourage any parent who has questions relation to early learning and childcare to contact their local City/County Childcare Committee who can provide support and guidance, contact details available here: myccc.ie/where-is-my-nearest-ccc.
557. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the names of all special advisers working in his Department; the Minister and Junior Minister who each advisor is associated with and their respective salaries, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51250/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have appointed two Special Advisers in my Department, Mr Eoin Wilson and Mr Tom Sheppard. The appointments were made in accordance with Instructions for Ministerial Appointments as published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. These instructions set specific conditions to be met in respect of such appointments including salaries to be applied. Details can be found on www.gov.ie/en/publication/9ad159-special-advisers-pay/.
558. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide the timeframe for the completion of the transfer of disability functions from the Department of Health to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51268/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe transfer of policy, functions and funding responsibility relating to specialist community-based disability services (SCBDS) from the Department of Health to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is a very significant transfer of functions, from the perspective of improving services for persons with a disability, involving in the region of €2.4bn in funding.
The responsibility for the delivery of these services will be retained within the Health Service Executive. I will assume responsibility for financial governance and performance oversight of the HSE’s disabilities budget, once the transfer is completed. My priority is to ensure that the transfer happens in a seamless and efficient way so that services are maintained and enhanced and that all necessary and appropriate governance and financial oversight arrangements are in place.
The Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 was signed by the President on the 12th of April 2022 and provides the overarching legislative framework for the transfer. In developing the legislation, and since then, there has been intensive engagement between the two Departments, to facilitate the transfer of functions.
The relevant Departments, in consultation with DPER, and working with the HSE, are finalising financial governance arrangements and addressing all outstanding policy matters, with the expectation of bringing a memo to Government in the shortest timeframe possible, to facilitate the transfer.
My Department continues to plan for the Transfer of Functions with significant knowledge transfer on-going, particularly in recent weeks with an emphasis on the estimates process and the development of the HSE National Service Plan. My Department is also putting in place the appropriate organisational structures and resources to enable a smooth and efficient progression of all matters once the Transfer takes place.
559. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will clarify the way in which his Department will interact with the Minister of State for Older People and Mental Health in relation to psychosocial disabilities once the transfer of disability functions is complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51269/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, work is on-going to facilitate the transfer of policy, functions and funding responsibility relating to specialist community-based disability services (SCBDS) from the Department of Health to my Department.
The responsibility for the delivery of these services will be retained within the Health Service Executive (HSE) with the HSE then reporting to two separate Ministers for different elements of its functions.
The Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022, which was signed by the President on 12th April 2022, provides the overarching legislative framework for the transfer, including legislative requirements for co-operation between the Minister for Health and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on areas where there will be overlapping and shared interests. Both departments worked closely in developing these provisions, recognising the need for administrative and strategic alignment on many key areas.
Once the Transfer of Functions has taken place, three-tiered co-operation agreements will guide the working arrangements between the two Departments. These administrative arrangements include a high-level agreement by both Ministers and a Memorandum of Understanding between the Secretaries General, to be signed off at the commencement of the transfer. In addition, a number of operational agreements have been prepared at unit level between both Departments where ongoing engagement is essential for integrated service delivery, performance and oversight of the HSE and future policy development, including policy as it relates to older people and mental health. Within these agreements a number of guiding principles are set out which have shaped the planned working arrangements for both departments, these include recognising that the needs of service users and their families as paramount and a commitment that no disruption to service delivery occurs as a result of the transfer. Further, it is recognised that there is an emphasis on maintaining the principles of mainstream first and integrated service provision, within both departments and the HSE; in this context acknowledging the continued interdependence of both Ministers with respect to some aspects of their scope of responsibilities, including funding and service delivery.
560. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on the childminding steering group; and when the group is expected to publish its report. [51274/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra561. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will release the minutes from the childminding steering group meetings. [51275/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 560 and 561 together.
The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 sets out a plan for extending State support and regulation to childminding on a phased basis over the coming years. The overall objective of the Action Plan is to improve access to high quality and affordable early learning and care and school-age childcare through childminding. The National Action Plan can be found at www.gov.ie/childminding.
A Steering Group was formed in September 2021 to drive, oversee and monitor implementation of the commitments published in the National Action Plan. The Steering Group is chaired by my Department and includes representation of childminders, parents and other key stakeholders. The Steering Group is supported by four Advisory Groups (membership of which includes representation of childminders, parents and other key stakeholders) in relation to: regulation and inspection; training and support; funding and financial supports; and stakeholder engagement, consultation and communications.
The roles of the Steering Group include: providing strategic direction for the National Action Plan, drawing on the advice of the Advisory Groups, and drawing on any consultation and research that the Steering Group deems necessary; advising my Department on policy, regulatory and budgetary measures that may be needed to ensure effective implementation of the National Action Plan; monitoring identified and emerging risks, and identifying measures to mitigate risks. The Steering Group meets at least 4 times per year.
The Steering Group is required to submit an annual progress report to myself. I am looking forward to receiving the Steering Group's first annual progress report over the coming months.
The minutes of the meetings of the Steering Group are published on my Department's website. They can be viewed at www.gov.ie/en/publication/dc71a-latest-news-information-upcoming-events/.
562. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress that has been made to amend the policy regarding parents' leave and benefit to allow lone parents to avail of full-time entitlement as is the case with two-parent families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51276/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere have been significant advances in the provision of family leaves in recent years to support parents to play a greater role in their children's early development.
Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 (as amended), working parents are entitled to seven weeks of paid parent’s leave for each relevant parent, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child.
The intention of this leave is to enable parents to spend time with their child in the earliest years. As stipulated in the EU Work Life Balance Directive 2019/1158, the leave is non-transferable between parents to ensure that both parents are encouraged and supported in taking time out from work to bond with their child. This is further supported through the provision of Parent’s Benefit.It is important to note that the entitlement under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 (as amended) is for each parent in their own right and it is not an allocation per family. The Act was drafted in such a way as to take account of the broad complexion of family life and allows for an entitlement for the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the parent. This means that each parent of the child, and their respective spouse, civil partner or cohabitant, is entitled to take parent’s leave in respect of that child. In effect this means that, if the parents of a child are not a couple but are in a separate relationship then their partner is entitled to parent’s leave to care for the child.
Family leave entitlements are kept under review to ensure that they are effective and respond to the needs of families. The EU Work Life Balance Directive requires nine weeks paid parental leave for each parent by August 2024. However, there are no amendments to parent's leave currently planned.
563. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an application for ECCE time extension exemption for a child (details supplied) which was refused will be reviewed on the basis that this child is waiting on an assessment with the child and disability team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51320/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides universal, free pre-school to children in the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months.
The child referred to was eligible for ECCE in September 2020 and for a second year in September 2021.
The upper age limit of 5 years and 6 months for ECCE was set in consultation with the Department of Education and ensures that children transition into primary school with their peers.
In certain circumstances an over age exemption can be given to enable children with additional needs to remain in ECCE past this age limit. Current policy requires that any request for an exemption from ECCE eligibility must be supported by a letter from a medical specialist / Social Worker (not a GP/PHN) specifically recommending an exemption for the child.
This requirement was communicated to the parent of the child referred to and once the documentation is received, the application can be processed. Applications cannot be considered without this documentation.
In making determinations on applications for over age exemptions, my Department is guided by a review of the over-age exemption process, which was carried out in 2018 by the National Disability Authority (NDA) for this Department and the Department of Education.
In their published report, the NDA concluded that it is in the best interest of children with additional needs to transition to primary school with their age cohort, rather than being held back with children of a younger age. The report also sought to ensure that schools offer all the assistance necessary to meet the child's needs, with the assistance of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
564. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of transfers between different IPAS accommodation centres for each month to date in 2022, in tabular form. [51486/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra574. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a breakdown of the average transfer notice period provided, by month, to those in IPAS accommodation to date in 2022, broken down by the status of the those receiving notices, for example TPD, leave to remain, current applicants for protection and so on in tabular form. [51898/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 564 and 574 together.
Deputy, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) does not collate the number of transfers in the manner requested.
Transfers between different International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation centres take place for a wide variety of reasons. For example, there are weekly transfers from the National Reception Centre (NRC) - where new arrivals are orientated when they arrive in the country.
In addition, individuals and families request transfers for a variety of reasons and IPAS facilitates those requests as appropriate and where possible. These transfers are more difficult in the current context of extremely limited available accommodation.
Currently, newly arrived international protection applicants are allocated to Citywest transit hub and once new accommodation is available, they will be transferred.
In the context of the current crisis, some of the emergency accommodation that comes on-stream is very short-term in nature and necessitates transferring people to alternative accommodation when it's use for IPAS expires. In the same manner, when accommodation comes on-stream, IPAS will arrange transfers for international protection applicants to that accommodation.
The accommodation situation is currently very fluid and necessitates international protection applicants be moved, on occasion, to a number of different locations. IPAS works to minimise this as they understand the disruption this causes to international protection applicants. However, unfortunately, it has been necessary on some occasions.
I trust this information clarifies the matter, Deputy.
565. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will intervene in the case of a number of Ukrainian refugees who are currently accommodated in Killarney attending a college (details supplied) and are completing courses for progression to third level, who have received two days’ notice that they will be moved to another hotel in County Mayo; the rationale for this repeated upheaval of Ukrainian refugees; if the uprooting of this particular group of students will be reconsidered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51536/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 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 53,000 people have arrived in Ireland and in excess of 42,000 of those have been referred to this Department 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, my Department has contracted in excess of 33,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 500 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings. 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 a commendable level of generosity in their support and pledges of accommodation.
I can inform the Deputy that this particular planned move of BOTPs from Killarney did not proceed. My Department worked intensively to source alternative accommodation for those affected in Killarney and have been in touch with those concerned. However I need to be clear that it remains the case that we are not in a position to offer bespoke accommodation arrangements for everyone, particularly due to the increasing scale of the crisis.
Accommodation for new arrivals will continually need to be found throughout the Autumn/Winter period as my Department expects a further 10,000 people to arrive from Ukraine by year-end. The wider situation in regards to accommodation remains extremely challenging. Ireland is now accommodating 55,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection applicants, compared to 7,500 last year.
Beneficiaries of temporary protection are of course entitled to make their own private accommodation arrangements, including potentially availing of pledged accommodation if they wish, and can avail of some supports to do so. To date, 4,665 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection have been placed in 1,748 properties and this number continues to increase weekly. Those wishing to avail of pledged accommodation in a given area should contact the local authority in that area for assistance.
