Marian Harkin
Question:132. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) is eligible to receive the carer's support grant. [15541/23]
View answerSocial Welfare Eligibility
Questions (132)
Written answers
The Carer's Support Grant (CSG) is an annual payment made to carers who receive Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance. The CSG is currently payable at a rate of €1,850 and is paid in June each year. The CSG can also be paid on a stand-alone basis to people not in receipt of these payments but who are providing full time care to a care recipient for a continuous period of at least 183 days and this period must include the first Thursday in June.
I understand that the person concerned has been paid the CSG for the 2022 year. In order to qualify for the CSG in 2023, the person must be providing full-time care and attention for 183 days in 2023 and this period must include the first Thursday in June 2023.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (133)
Catherine Murphy
Question:133. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of households in receipt of rent supplement. [15635/23]
View answerWritten answers
Rent supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme supporting 9,303 active recipients at the end of February 2023.
The scheme provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment or income, can continue to meet their rental commitments.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Legislative Measures
Questions (134)
Seán Crowe
Question:134. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has an indicative date for the implementation of section 6 of the of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014, specifically the recording of a father’s name on a birth certificate. [15689/23]
View answerWritten answers
Section 6 of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014 introduces changes to birth registration and the inclusion of the father where the parents are not married, and provisions relating to married mothers where the husband is not the father. This Section requires a technical amendment to be made prior to its commencement.
The required technical amendment is included in a forthcoming Bill to amend the Civil Registration Act 2004 which I am currently bringing to Government. If the proposals are approved, they will then be sent to the Oireachtas for pre-legislative scrutiny.
Once the proposals been enacted, Section 6 of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act will be brought into operation by way of one or more commencement orders. It is not possible at this juncture to give an indicative date for this as it is dependent on the progress of the proposed legislation through the Oireachtas.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (135)
Kathleen Funchion
Question:135. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Social Protection the options available to cover a pensioner (details supplied) with a medical card who is on disability and is not covered under the scheme. [15720/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Treatment Benefit Scheme provides dental, optical and aural services to insured workers, the self-employed, retired people and their dependant spouse/partners who have the required number of social insurance (PRSI) contributions.
The person concerned has the required number of PRSI contributions paid to qualify for the treatment benefit scheme and is qualified for life. As a result, he will be entitled to a free optical examination and a contribution towards the cost of optical appliances. He should contact his optician who will make the application on his behalf.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy
Social Welfare Schemes
Questions (136)
Emer Higgins
Question:136. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is considering extending the treatment benefit scheme to cover the cost of medical microblading for eyebrow replacement in those suffering hair loss due to illness, cancer treatment or alopecia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15738/23]
View answerWritten answers
In general, medical or health related benefits fall within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. However, my Department administers the Treatment Benefit scheme which provides certain dental, optical, and medical appliances benefits to insured workers, the self-employed and retired people who have the required number of PRSI contributions. These treatments are also available to their dependent spouse or partner if applicable.
As part of Budget 2022, I announced an expansion to the range of services available under the medical appliances strand of the scheme. A new grant was provided from 28 May 2022 towards the cost of wigs and hairpieces for people who suffer from hair loss due to disease.
The new grant is subject to medical eligibility requirements in addition to the general eligibility requirements for Treatment Benefit. The qualifying medical conditions and treatments are outlined in Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No.7) (Treatment Benefit) Regulations 2022 - S.I. No. 259 of 2022.
The treatments covered under this grant include non-surgical hair replacement relating to hair loss on the scalp area e.g. wigs or hair pieces. The grant does not cover micro-blading.
While I have no plans to expand the scheme further at this time, my Department keeps schemes under regular review to make sure they meet their objectives. Any changes to the current system would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Departmental Schemes
Questions (137, 138)
Richard Bruton
Question:137. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost of increasing the threshold for the maximum subsidy under the national childcare scheme from €26,000 annual income to €40,000, €45,000 and €50,000 on a full-year basis. [15515/23]
View answerRichard Bruton
Question:138. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated annual cost of increasing the upper income limit for the national childcare scheme from €60,000 to €80,000 and €100,000. [15516/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 138 together.
The National Childcare Scheme income assessment system is a complex and multi-faceted tool to support a fair an progressive approach to calculation subsidies.
Models to support calculations arising from parameter changes to the income assessment system are equally complex.
Officials in my Department are currently assessing the change in uptake of the NCS due to the increase in the universal subsidy in January of this year and the increase in eligibility in September 2022 prior to undertaking such modelling. As a result, a model to inform the requested estimates cannot be developed within the timeline for reply to the parliamentary question.
Officials will revert to the Deputy in the coming weeks once the model is finalised with a response to scenarios offered.
Question No. 138 answered with Question No. 137.
Sports Facilities
Questions (139)
Paul Murphy
Question:139. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will implement legislation that makes it compulsory for all pools or gyms with pools to provide access days or times for those with low incomes and people with disabilities who are on welfare payments where they are offered a reduced rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15538/23]
View answerWritten answers
I thank the Deputy for his question and his suggestion, and I note with interest the details supplied.
While there are no current plans for legislation along the lines suggested, as Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, I am wholeheartedly committed to ensuring that people with disabilities are supported to live the lives that they want to live and are provided with equal opportunity to do so. I do not believe that legislative change is necessarily the answer to such issues, and believe that the Deputy's question speaks to the need to address issue related to the cost of disability and to Ireland's journey to meaningful inclusion of persons with disabilities in everyday life.
This is in line with the State's commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which Ireland ratified in 2018.
Since ratification, Ireland's approach to meeting the obligations of the UNCRPD is one of continuous advancement - each year moving forward on key reforms to consistently strengthen and uphold obligations and rights arising from the Convention. To date such efforts have been coordinated through the National Disability Inclusion Strategy. Over the course of 2023 my Department will be developing an ambitious successor strategy to the NDIS.
In addition, the Deputy will also be aware that my colleague the Minister for Social Protection is responsible for social welfare supports related to disability, and that my colleague the Minister for Tourism, Art, Culture, Sport and Media holds policy responsibility for accessible sport.
Rights of the Child
Questions (140)
Joan Collins
Question:140. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when in 2023 he intends to ratify the second optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, namely, the optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, OPSC in 2023; and as it stands now, what are the specific legislative barriers that are preventing Ireland from ratifying the OPSC. [15605/23]
View answerWritten answers
This is a matter for my cabinet colleague, the Minister for Justice.
Missing Children
Questions (141)
Joan Collins
Question:141. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to ensure that the 116 000 EU missing children hotline number be on public display at airports and ports. [15611/23]
View answerWritten answers
Under EU telecoms rules agreed in 2009, the 116 000 number is reserved in all EU member states for a missing children hotline. In Ireland, the 116 000 Missing Children Hotline (MCH) number is operated by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC). The MCH is not an emergency number but is available to provide emotional support and advice to young people and adults in relation to missing children. Any caller seeking to report a missing child is advised to notify the Gardaí at 999 or 112. The MCH can be contacted for free 24 hours a day, every day and a Missing Children Website is also in operation.
My Department provides annual funding to the ISPCC towards the cost of operating the MCH.
The ISPCC advertise the MCH online and across social media where they target parents and children to raise awareness of the service. Facebook is a key platform for the promotion of the service. Children and young people that go missing are, when officially notified by the Gardaí, profiled on the Missing Children Website and shared on social media. The ISPCC also cover the role of the MCH when completing outreaches in schools or Transition Year events nationally. The ISPCC have advised that they do not advertise the MCH in airports or ports and do not have any plans to do so currently.
Mother and Baby Homes
Questions (142)
Marian Harkin
Question:142. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider a thorough forensic investigation of the existing grounds at the Bessborough mother and baby home site in Blackrock, County Cork, in order to establish whether there is a mass grave on the site. [15614/23]
View answerWritten answers
I am very conscious of the hurt that continues to be felt by survivors and family members of the people who died while resident in Mother and Baby institutions. One of the most tragic aspects of what happened in the former institution in Bessborough is the uncertainty regarding the burial place of many children who were resident there.
The investigation of burial arrangements in Mother and Baby institutions, including the institution in Bessborough, was an important part of the work of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters. The Commission concluded that it is likely that some of the children who died at Bessborough are buried in the grounds but was unable to find any physical or documentary evidence of this. The Commission carried out cartographic and landscape assessments of possible unrecorded burial arrangements and also followed up with people on responses to its appeal seeking information about burials in Bessborough. As no evidence of locations was found, the Commission did not consider it feasible to excavate the full available site, which amounts to 60 acres.
The Institutional Burials Act 2022, which came into effect on 15 July last, provides the underlying legislative basis for an intervention, whereby the remains of those who died in residential institutions, and who were buried in a manifestly inappropriate manner, may be recovered and re-interred in a respectful and appropriate way. Under the legislation, a relevant Minister may bring a proposal to Government for an intervention at a site if manifestly inappropriate burials are discovered there. The Government can, by Order, direct an intervention at the site where it is satisfied that the criteria set out in the legislation are met.
The legislation was developed in response to the abhorrent situation at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, Co. Galway. To avoid delays in responding to any similar situations that may arise in the future, the Act is not site specific and allows for excavations and identification programmes at other institutional sites should manifestly inappropriate burials be discovered.
In the case of Bessborough, the location of burials is, sadly, unknown. Therefore, a proposal to establish an Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention to oversee excavation, recovery and identification of inappropriately buried remains at that site cannot be brought forward under the Act.
Last November, the Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage wrote to all City and County Councils requesting that Development Plan processes give adequate consideration to incorporating appropriate measures to ensure the protection of unrecorded burial sites associated with an institution.
I have also publicly emphasised my views that any proposed development in the grounds of Bessborough should have due regard to the Commission's reports and give adequate consideration to the views of all survivors and family members, including requests for appropriate access and respectful memorialisation in due course.
International Protection
Questions (143)
Michael Ring
Question:143. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline in detail specific information (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15639/23]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, my Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge following the invasion of Ukraine with over 78,000 people arriving in Ireland, including 57,000 who have sought accommodation from this Department.
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 47,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 750 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings.
The priority is to place people fleeing the war in safe and secure accommodation.
I am advised by my officials that in respect of accommodation for beneficiaries of temporary protection contractual arrangements are in place between my Department and 26 providers in County Mayo. Details of the contractual capacity in the 26 anonymised locations are set out in the below table. Information sought on the amounts payable were not readily available within the timeframe to respond to this Parliamentary Question.
|
Accomm |
Type |
Capacity |
|
Accomm 1 |
B&B |
5 |
|
Accomm 2 |
Guesthouse |
52 |
|
Accomm 3 |
Guesthouse |
53 |
|
Accomm 4 |
Hostel and Cottages |
114 |
|
Accomm 5 |
Suites - Self Catering |
76 |
|
Accomm 6 |
B&B |
68 |
|
Accomm 7 |
Hotel |
61 |
|
Accomm 8 |
B&B |
28 |
|
Accomm 9 |
Hotel |
69 |
|
Accomm 10 |
Hotel |
44 |
|
Accomm 11 |
Holiday Homes |
18 |
|
Accomm 12 |
Self-Catering |
32 |
|
Accomm 13 |
Guesthouse |
38 |
|
Accomm 14 |
B&B |
|
|
Accomm 15 |
Guesthouse |
31 |
|
Accomm 16 |
Hostel |
30 |
|
Accomm 17 |
Hostel |
32 |
|
Accomm 18 |
Guesthouse |
18 |
|
Accomm 19 |
Holiday Homes |
48 |
|
Accomm 20 |
B&B |
9 |
|
Accomm 21 |
Hotel |
55 |
|
Accomm 22 |
Hotel |
90 |
|
Accomm 23 |
Hotel |
131 |
|
Accomm 24 |
Holiday Homes |
73 |
|
Accomm 25 |
Apartments |
50 |
|
Accomm 26 |
B&B |
12 |
In respect of International Protection accommodation , the following information for County Mayo has been extracted from our records and is provided in tabular form below.
2021
|
Accommodation Centre |
Occupancy |
Amount |
|
Property 1 |
211 |
€3,742,157.94 |
2022
|
Accommodation Centre |
Occupancy |
Amount |
|
Property 1 |
243 |
€3,978.075.74 |
|
Property 2 |
61 |
€409,920.00 |
|
Property 3 |
192 |
€338,766.00 |
Rights of the Child
Questions (144)
Claire Kerrane
Question:144. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with regard to the most recent United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child report on Ireland, if he will advise what measures the State will implement to ensure the elimination of discrimination towards children of Catholic priests, as recommended by the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15650/23]
View answerWritten answers
On 24 and 25 January 2023, I led a delegation of officials from relevant government departments for the hearing before the Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva. I was pleased to discuss in detail Ireland’s progress towards realising the rights of children and young people, and pleased to hear the views articulated by the Committee of independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention.
In February, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child published its Concluding Observations on the combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of Ireland, setting out its recommendations for Ireland across a range of thematic areas, and across all of Government. Among these Concluding Observations, it recommended strengthening measures to eliminate discrimination against Traveller and Roma children, children of African descent, children of minority faith or non-faith backgrounds, children in socioeconomically disadvantaged situations, LGBTI children, children without regular residence status, children of unmarried parents, and asylum-seeking, refugee and migrant children, and children of Catholic priests.
Officials in my Department have previously raised this issue with the Irish Episcopal Conference and the Episcopal Commission for Pastoral Care. The Conference have advised that the “Principles of responsibility regarding priests who father children while in ministry” produced by the Irish Episcopal Conference, still stand as the guidance for any of their members who finds himself in that situation. In order to ascertain the scope of the number of children that may be impacted by this issue, my Department has written to each male Catholic religious congregation in Ireland to ask that they advise if they aware of any current member who has declared himself the father of a dependent child/children. Replies are still coming in from the congregations, and the next steps will be informed by the responses received. To date, 17 responses have been received and no cases of children or young people currently under 18 have been identified.
International Protection
Questions (145)
Eoin Ó Broin
Question:145. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on IPAS’s plans to use Dolcain House, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 for the provision of temporary accommodation for people seeking international protection in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15673/23]
View answerWritten answers
There are remedial works are being carried out currently in Dolcain House, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 to enable the property to receive a fire certificate for residential use.
An application for a valid fire certificate for residential use has been applied for through the Local Authority.
While the owners of the site continue to progress works on site, the timelines for approval on the application for a fire certificate lie with the Local Authority. It is intended that the property will be used for IPAS accommodation once that the remedial process has been completed and the fire certificate issued.
Emergency Accommodation
Questions (146)
Pearse Doherty
Question:146. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that payment to a commercial premises housing Ukrainian refugees (details supplied) has been outstanding for the past four months; if an indication can be given as to when payment will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15680/23]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, my Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge following the invasion of Ukraine with over 78,000 people arriving in Ireland, including 57,000 who have sought accommodation from this Department.
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 47,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 750 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings.
The priority is to place people fleeing the war in safe and secure accommodation.
I am informed by my officials that no formal agreement is currently in place between my Department with the accommodation provider referred to. My Department is examining the situation to put in place arrangements as necessary. Any payments due will be processed as soon as possible.
International Protection
Questions (147)
Pa Daly
Question:147. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he plans to fully implement HIQA inspections of IPAS-contracted properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15703/23]
View answerWritten answers
It is the Government's intention that the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) will monitor permanent International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres against national standards as part of transitional arrangements for moving to the new model. It is important that compliance with the national standards should be measured through on-site assessment. Planning is well advanced on this process.
My Department has worked intensively with HIQA over the past two years to prepare for its monitoring role, and it is my intention that HIQA will commence inspections in 2023, once legislation is in place. The aim is that this will be done by means of regulation. In advance of the introduction of independent monitoring, IPAS has taken steps to support adherence to the National Standards through its contract arrangements with accommodation centres.
All properties selected under IPAS’ most recent tender process are required to be able to implement the National Standards. The National Standards meet the requirements of the relevant legislation – the EU (recast) Reception Conditions Directive which Ireland opted into in June 2018. These standards were adopted by Government in 2019 and have been in effect since the beginning of 2021.
It is important to note that there are inspections carried out under the current system. At present, all IPAS permanent accommodation centres are subject to three unannounced inspections per year. In 2022, inspections were carried out in each centre by an independent inspections company (QTS Ltd) and one by officials of the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS).
In 2022, all IPAS centres with the exception of 2 permanent centres had 2 inspections carried out. 5 centres had 3 inspections carried out. The third round of inspections were not carried out as the usual mid-year round of inspections were delayed due to the Department’s response to the Ukraine crisis.
A total of 110 inspections were completed by QTS Ltd. 59 of the above inspection reports have been published to date. Inspections cover a wide range of issues including fire safety, appropriate signage and information for residents, the condition of communal areas and sleeping quarters, the quality of food provided and adherence to hygiene and other health and safety requirements.
Legislative Measures
Questions (148)
Patricia Ryan
Question:148. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to bring legislation to protect the rights of vulnerable people to prevent them from been placed in care against their will; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15724/23]
View answerWritten answers
This is a matter for my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Health.
Adult safeguarding is an important matter for all of society, agencies, and Government Departments. I take all concerns regarding the abuse/mistreatment of vulnerable adults very seriously.
Significant work is ongoing in the health and social care sector to further strengthen adult safeguarding policy and legislation, led by the Department of Health, building on the robust structures already in place. I understand the Department of Health is currently finalising the development of an overarching national policy on adult safeguarding in the health and social care (including disability) sector. My Department will liaise with the Department of Health on how this policy relates to specialist community based disability services.
Third Level Staff
Questions (149)
Claire Kerrane
Question:149. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update on engagement between an organisation (details supplied) and his Department regarding pensions for staff in the technological university sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15513/23]
View answerWritten answers
I am firmly of the view that there should be access to public service pensions for research staff in all higher education institutions across the sector.As such, my Department has been engaging positively with management bodies, the Department for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the Department of Education on a business case to support access to the single public service pension scheme for those researchers who are not currently able to join the scheme.This is a complex matter and is admittedly taking some time to resolve, but I wish to assure the Deputy that officials are working to achieve a resolution as soon as possible.
Third Level Fees
Questions (150)
Richard Bruton
Question:150. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the budgeted cost of the increase in the income threshold for the 50% student contribution grant from €55,240 to €62,000 per year, which is scheduled to come into effect this autumn. [15517/23]
View answerWritten answers
I recognise that third level education can be a significant cost for families and students.
In addition to once-off cost of living measures, over the course of the past three Budgets, I have delivered a range of enhancements to the Student Grant Scheme to put more money into the pockets of students and their families.
One of these measures was to increase the income threshold for the 50% student contribution grant from €55,240 to €62,000 per year which is scheduled to come into effect this autumn. This will mean the student contribution fee will be €1,500 for such students. The budgeted cost of this increase is estimated to be in the region of €12 million. This cost will be driven by how many people apply for the reduction.
As I did for the first time last year, it is my intention to publish a cost of education options paper which will set out options for further enhancement of student supports for consideration as part of the Budgetary process in the Autumn.
Third Level Fees
Questions (151)
Richard Bruton
Question:151. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the budgeted cost of the €500 reduction in the student contribution charge for families earning between €62,000 and €100,000 per annum, and the estimated annual cost of doubling this reduction to €1,000. [15518/23]
View answerWritten answers
I recognise that third level education can be a significant cost for families and students.
In addition to once-off cost of living measures, over the course of the past three Budgets, I have delivered a range of enhancements to the Student Grant Scheme to put more money into the pockets of students and their families. As part of Budget 2023, I created a new income threshold for student contribution grant support for families on qualifying incomes earning between €62,000 and €100,000. This will mean the student contribution fee will be reduced to €2,500 for this cohort.
The budgeted cost for this measure is expected to be in the region of €21 million. This cost will depend on how many people apply for the reduction. The estimated annual cost of doubling this reduction to €1,000 based on the current estimated cost would be an additional €21 million.
As I did for the first time last year, it is my intention to publish a cost of education options paper which will set out options for further enhancement of student supports for consideration as part of the Budgetary process in the Autumn.