The Cabinet Committee on the Environment and Climate Change last met on Monday 21 February, and is next scheduled to meet on Monday 9 May.

No staff of my Department have been seconded to the university third-level sector over the past two years.

The Government’s Shared Island initiative is working to take up the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement to enhance cooperation and connection on the island, and engage with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future.

To support development of a more ambitious agenda for cooperation and connection on the island, the Shared Island unit in my Department is commissioning a wide-ranging research programme, working with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), the Irish Research Council (IRC), and other partners.

Strengthening social, economic, cultural and political links on the island and the promotion of all-island approaches to the strategic challenges facing Ireland, North and South, are key objectives. North/South and East/West collaboration is a key feature of the research work.

My Department is operating a joint research programme with the ESRI on ‘The Economic and Social Opportunities from Increased Cooperation on the Shared Island’ with a funding commitment of €220,000 in 2021 and 2022. Research published to date has focused on education systems and outcomes, primary healthcare, foreign direct investment and the services economy. Research in 2022 is examining productivity, renewable energy supports, migrant integration, and early years care and education on the island.

The National Economic and Social Council was requested by my Department to prepare a comprehensive report to Government on Shared Island, which was published on 12 April, following broad consultation by NESC across the island. NESC made recommendations on a range of environmental, social and economic issues, which the Government will positively consider in consultation with our partners in the Executive and UK Government. My Department provides annual funding to NESC for the delivery of its work programme and there was no specific funding for the Shared Island research work.

The Shared Island unit in my Department has partnered with the Irish Research Council (IRC) to issue a competitive call for academic contributions to the Shared Island research programme, as part of the IRC’s New Foundations scheme, with project awards of up to €20,000. Eleven successful research projects were announced by the IRC in December 2021 in areas extending across culture, science, education, law, equality and community relations. Final reports will be published through the second half of this year. A second Shared Island funding call with the Irish Research Council will issue later this month.

The Shared Island unit has also partnered with the Standing Conference on Teacher Education, North and South (SCoTENS), and a funding call was conducted for action-oriented research, to inform professional and policy development considerations in the education sector on a shared island basis across themes of educational attainment and curriculum delivery. Five projects received funding awards from SCoTENS of up to €25,000. Two projects on educational attainment issues will report in Q4 2022 and three on curriculum delivery in Q4 2023.

The Shared Island unit in my Department is also working with other Departments to co-commission research on Shared Island policy priorities for Government. The first instance of this is with the Department of Transport which issued a tender in January for research to examine the safety, regulatory and infrastructure frameworks for renewable hydrogen on the island of Ireland, and the result of this tender will be confirmed later this month.

Finally, the Shared Island unit has commissioned research to contribute to the Shared Island Dialogue series. Professor Deirdre Heenan conducted scoping research for the unit on ‘Collaborating on Healthcare on an All-Island Basis’ which was published as a discussion paper for the Shared Island Dialogue on Healthcare in July 2021.

Funding commitments to date for the Shared Island research programme led by my Department are set out in tabular form below.

Separately, the Government allocated €40 million from the Shared Island Fund to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for delivery of the new North South Research Programme, which is administered by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). In March, a total of €37.3 million in awards by the HEA to sixty-two collaborative research projects between academics and institutions in Ireland and in Northern Ireland were announced. The awards range in value from €200,000 over two years to €4 million over four years. A second call will be launched in 2023.

Shared Island unit research programme funding commitments*

*Payment of the above funding commitments to research partners is spread across calendar years, and funding is dependent on agreement of final costs for each research output.

Responsibility for the transposition of EU legislation into Irish law rests in each case with the relevant Minister. There are no EU directives that fall under the remit of my Department.

Ireland operates a managed employment permits system which maximises the benefits of economic migration while minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market.  The system is intended to act as a conduit for key skills which are required to develop enterprise in the State for the benefit of our economy, while simultaneously protecting the balance of the labour market.  The system is, by design, vacancy led and driven by the changing needs of the labour market, expanding and contracting in tandem with its inherent fluctuations.

The State’s general policy is to promote the sourcing of labour and skills needs from within the workforce of the State and other EEA states.  Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the State and EEA, an employment permit may be sought by an employer to hire a non-EEA national.

There has been a significant increase in applications for employment permits over the course of 2021 and into 2022 which has impacted on processing times.  From the start of January 2021 to the end of December 2021, some 27,666 applications were received, representing a 69% increase over the same period in 2020 (16,293) and a 47% increase on 2019 (18,811), which itself represented an 11 year high in applications. 

The increased demand was also driven by the extension of categories of employment permits following the Review of the Occupational Lists in October 2021.  Processing times have also increased as a result of the HSE cyber-attack which had a direct effect on employment permit applications associated with the July 2021 Doctors' rotation, which had to be processed manually. 

Cognisant of the significant impact the pandemic has had on the Hospitality Sector, when the sector reopened in July 2021, the Department committed to prioritise the processing of chef employment permit applications received in the processing queue at that time, in order to support the sector. 

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment recognises the impact delays in the processing times for work permits has for businesses and their workers and significant resources have been allocated to processing times. The Department is very conscious of the current timeframes for processing General Employment Permit applications and the Employment Permits Unit are committed to reducing these.

An plan of action has been implemented which has increased resources and implemented more efficient methods of processing applications in the permits system.  The processing team has trebled in size and daily output has more than tripled compared to 2021 levels.

Since the implementation of this plan, the Employment Permits Unit has made positive progress to reduce the processing time for applicants.

The Department is placing a particular focus on 'new' employment permit applications over renewal applications, however it is important to note that once a Renewal application has been submitted within the period prescribed, the non-EEA National can continue to work while the application is awaiting processing. 

Renewal applications will of course continue to be processed, however the focus of the Employment Permits Unit will be directed at new applications in the main processing queue.  From 7 March, Renewal applications have their own separate processing queue and timeline on the Department’s website. 

The Employment Permits Unit is currently processing Horticultural and Meat Sector General Employment Permits applications which were submitted in early December 2021, in addition to all other permits submitted then.  Given the large volume of applications from the Agriculture sector (c.1,000 horticulture applications and c.2,000 meat applications) we anticipate that it will take a further 1-2 weeks to fully process all these applications, in addition to normal processing workload.  The Department expects to see a consistent fall in waiting times for General Employment Permits from mid-May, with processing times considerably reduced by end Q2.

The Department published details of processing times on its website.  In addition, applicants can enquire about the status of a particular Employment Permit Application vis the status form on the Department’s website - enterprise.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Employment-Permit-Status-Form/.

I was in Lisbon on 28 and 29 April 2022 as part of an Enterprise Ireland-led trade mission to Portugal.

While in Portugal, I spoke at a number of Enterprise Ireland trade events and met with participating Enterprise Ireland client companies to learn about their export objectives. I also met with Portuguese buyers and highlighted potential opportunities for trade and partnership between Irish and Portuguese companies.

In addition, I also held bilateral meetings with my Portuguese counterparts to discuss areas in which Ireland and Portugal could deepen their trading relationships. 

The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a significant and ambitious policy agenda that concerns all Government Departments. The first National Implementation Plan, published in 2018, set out Ireland’s strategy to achieve the SDGs both domestically and internationally. Substantial progress has been achieved in recent months in respect of reviewing Ireland’s implementation of Agenda 2030 and identifying key priorities and actions for inclusion in the next National Implementation Plan. It is intended that the second national implementation plan will be published in the coming months.

My Department recognises the key role that businesses play in achieving sustainable development. Business and industry are one of the 2030 Agenda’s nine “Major Groups” which play a crucial role in sustainable development, underlining the importance of engaging with this sector and ensuring that they are supported in progressing the work of the SDGs.

The business sector is essential for the achievement of Irelands SDG targets and is explicitly linked to a number of SDGs such as Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Further, the majority of SDGs are reliant on business sector contribution. For example, business policies and practices play an integral part to the achievement of goals such as gender equality (Goal 5) and climate action (Goal 13).

Feedback received during the consultation process for the second national SDG implementation plan indicated a greater desire in the business community for engagement with the goals. Businesses also expressed an interest in the development of a mechanism for the sector to report on their current work and contribute to the progression of Irelands goals and targets. Based on this feedback, one of the actions envisaged under the forthcoming second implementation plan will be the exploration and development of a suitable mechanism or forum to facilitate and support the business sector in their contribution to the delivery of goals and targets.

In addition, my Department has begun initial discussions with the UN Global Compact regarding the establishment of a network here in Ireland. The Compact supports businesses globally to align their work with ten principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, as well as advance the SDGs. The establishment of an Irish network would be a positive development for encouraging sustainable practice among Irish enterprise in making progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal targets, and it is something which the Department will work to facilitate.

Over the past two years, there has only been one secondment arrangement between my Department and a university/third level sector. 

This secondment arrangement was in respect of an Assistant Principal Officer of my Department who was seconded, for two days a week, to University College Cork (UCC).  He was seconded to the position of Senior Policy Adviser to MaREI, SFI Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine Research and Innovation that is co-ordinated by the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) at University College Cork.  

For administrative purposes, given the nature of the secondment (2 day/3 day), the officer remained on my Department's payroll  but salary-related costs associated with the 2 days working in the research center were recouped from UCC.   As such, my Department was not liable for salary costs for the 2 days the officer worked in the research center. 

This secondment arrangement between my Department and University College Cork ended on 31 December 2021. 

My Department has not incurred any costs in relation to fines for non-transposition of EU directives into Irish law.

There are currently four Directives overdue for transposition:

Directive (EU) 2019/1 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 to empower the competition authorities of the Member States to be more effective enforcers and to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market

 DIRECTIVE (EU) 2019/770 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2019 on certain aspects concerning contracts for the supply of digital content and digital services

 DIRECTIVE (EU) 2019/771 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2019 on certain aspects concerning contracts for the sale of goods, amending Regulation (EU) 2017/2394 and Directive 2009/22/EC, and repealing Directive 1999/44/EC

 DIRECTIVE (EU) 2019/2161 of 27 November 2019 amending Council Directive 93/13/EEC and Directives 98/6/EC, 2005/29/EC and 2011/83/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the better enforcement and modernisation of Union consumer protection rule.

The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Act 2022 established a scheme for the making in 2022, of a once-off Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment to each domestic electricity account, having regard to the exceptional rise in energy prices. The credit of €176.22 (excluding VAT) is being applied to all domestic electricity accounts through April, May and June, and includes prepay meters.This scheme is in addition to the Government’s ongoing measures to address energy poverty and the protection of vulnerable customers, and is in addition to the measures introduced in the Budget. Additional measures have also been announced by Government to deal with rising energy costs.Prepay customers will be notified by their supplier via an email/text message/or message on the top-up note to advise them that the credit has been applied to their account. Suppliers will issue customers with a 40 code which is used when vending, to redeem the credit. For customers with Lifestyle or Smart prepay meters, the credit will be automatically applied to the vend after the supplier has activated the credit to the customer’s account.There is a small population of older prepayment meters which, due to their age and inbuilt monetary limits, will require the customer to redeem their credit over three separate transactions over the space of a few days. In these cases, to redeem each stage of the credit, customers will need to buy a (minimum) €10 top up. When they do this they will receive a new code which will credit their meter with the Government Electricity Credit when entered. Once the credit is applied to the customer’s account/meter they can access it by vending 3 times. The Deputy may also wish to note that updates on the electricity credit, including frequently asked questions, are available on gov.ie at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/4ae14-electricity-costs-emergency-benefit-scheme/

The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Act 2022 established a scheme for the making in 2022, of a once-off Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment to each domestic electricity account, having regard to the exceptional rise in energy prices. The credit of €176.22 (excluding VAT) is being applied to all domestic electricity accounts from April and includes prepay meters.This scheme is in addition to the Government’s ongoing measures to address energy poverty and the protection of vulnerable customers, and is in addition to the measures introduced in the Budget and those set out in the recently published National Energy Security Framework. The scheme applies to all domestic accounts and includes pre-pay customers. The scheme is operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks) and electricity suppliers with oversight by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities.This is an exceptional measure which uses the single eligibility criterion of a meter point registration number, to ensure payments to each domestic electricity account as early as possible in 2022, without any additional means testing. As such, it is being applied automatically to all domestic electricity accounts which were held with suppliers on 29 March. The payment is being applied to domestic electricity accounts i.e. those which are subject to distribution use of system charges at the rate for urban domestic customers (DG1) or the rate for rural domestic customers (DG2), as set out in section 1 of the Act. The Deputy may also wish to note that updates on the electricity credit, including frequently asked questions, are available on gov.ie at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/4ae14-electricity-costs-emergency-benefit-scheme/

I refer to the response to Question no. 317 of 26 April last. The Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) submitted a revised draft draft Western Lakes Management Plan to me earlier this year and I wrote to IFI to confirm my support for that draft last month. I understand that IFI now intends to conduct a public consultation on the draft plan. The draft plan sets out that appropriate assessments will be carried out for all projects and management actions on the western lakes.

The Midlands region is the first in Ireland to directly experience the negative impacts of the transition away from fossil fuels, with the ending of peat extraction for power generation, and Government has implemented financial measures to combat the negative effects of this transition in the region. Just transition funding has not been provided for the purposes of subsidising the importation of peat moss or the adaptation of facilities to mill peat. The National Just Transition Fund is supporting projects across the wider Midlands region that will have significant employment and enterprise potential in the areas of: business development; education, training and upskilling; development of co-working and enterprise hubs; renewable energies and retrofitting; tourism, heritage and recreation; community development and capacity building; and greenways and walking. 

The Department has finalised grant agreements with 55 projects under the national Just Transition Fund. These projects will see investment of approximately €30 million in the region and will aim to create an estimated 154 direct jobs and 932 indirect jobs. Further details of these projects can be found at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/ed10d-just-transition-fund/

Funding of €84.5 million has also been secured from the EU Just Transition Fund for investment in the longer-term transition of the region over the coming decade. This fund will be complemented by Exchequer funding. The Department is preparing a Territorial Just Transition Plan to support investments under this Fund. This will be submitted to the European Commission for approval during the course of 2022.

The EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) is investing up to €108 million in the Enhanced Decommissioning, Rehabilitation and Restoration Scheme which will create over 350 jobs and will be delivered by Bord na Móna to rehabilitate 33,000 hectares over 82 Bord na Móna bogs.

The Midlands region is the first in Ireland to directly experience the negative impacts of the transition away from fossil fuels, with the ending of peat extraction for power generation, and Government has implemented financial measures to combat the negative effects of this transition in the region. Just transition funding has not been provided for the purposes of subsidising the importation of peat moss or the adaptation of facilities to mill peat. The National Just Transition Fund is supporting projects across the wider Midlands region that will have significant employment and enterprise potential in the areas of: business development; education, training and upskilling; development of co-working and enterprise hubs; renewable energies and retrofitting; tourism, heritage and recreation; community development and capacity building; and greenways and walking. 

The Department has finalised grant agreements with 55 projects under the national Just Transition Fund. These projects will see investment of approximately €30 million in the region and will aim to create an estimated 154 direct jobs and 932 indirect jobs. Further details of these projects can be found at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/ed10d-just-transition-fund/

Funding of €84.5 million has also been secured from the EU Just Transition Fund for investment in the longer-term transition of the region over the coming decade. This fund will be complemented by Exchequer funding. The Department is preparing a Territorial Just Transition Plan to support investments under this Fund. This will be submitted to the European Commission for approval during the course of 2022.

The EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) is investing up to €108 million in the Enhanced Decommissioning, Rehabilitation and Restoration Scheme which will create over 350 jobs and will be delivered by Bord na Móna to rehabilitate 33,000 hectares over 82 Bord na Móna bogs. 

The phased introduction of the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) has already begun with the commencement of the MSS solar PV grant on 16 February last for domestic applicants who can apply for a capital grant up to a maximum of €2,400 from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) without any minimum BER requirement and homes built up to 2021 are now eligible. The SEAI plan to introduce a grant in July for installations up to 6.0kW for non-domestic applicants, e.g. businesses, farms, schools, community and sports organisations etc., at the same grant amounts as domestic customers. Larger non-domestic applicants will be able to apply for a Clean Export Premium (CEP) tariff for installations greater than 6kW up to 50kW. The CEP will be offered at a fixed rate for 15 years, and eligible volumes will be capped at 80% of generation capacity to encourage self-consumption.On the 15 February this year I signed the Regulations that transpose Articles 21 and 22 of the recast Renewable Energy Directive which brings these Articles into force. These Regulations allow the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff to become available for eligible micro-and small-scale generators so that they will receive payment from their electricity supplier for all excess renewable electricity they export to the grid, reflective of the market value. I am aware that some suppliers have published their CEG tariff.ESB Networks has confirmed that over 21,000 micro-generators have met the eligibility criteria, are accruing the benefit of their supplier's CEG rate for electricity they export to the grid and can expect an initial payment or credit from their suppliers from 1 July depending on their billing cycle.

The application referred to in the question is under consideration by my Department. All applications for petroleum authorisations are assessed against a number of criteria in accordance with Section 9A(1) of the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, 1960 and Section 3 of the Licensing Terms for Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration, Development and Production. This includes the technical competence of the applicant and the financial resources available to it in order to undertake the work programme and any other commitments pursuant to the relevant petroleum authorisation.

My Department does not publish information on individual applications for authorisations whilst they are under consideration.

The Excellence in Energy Efficiency Design (EXEED) programme was reviewed and relaunched in early 2021, with significant enhancement in both supporting deeper emissions reductions and more efficient processing and approvals cycles. Since its relaunch it has attracted significant interest, and a strong pipeline of projects has developed.   

A key element of the 2021 review was the requirement for SEAI to conduct an interim review by the end of Q2 2022, and this has been commenced. The review will seek to highlight possible enhancements to the scheme, both through lessons learned since its reintroduction in 2021, and through further consideration being given to the need to maximise the potential grant funding available to industry to improve energy efficiency in the sector.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is mandated to produce annual national greenhouse gas inventories and projections to meet reporting obligations to the European Commission and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This evidence informs climate policy development by tracking progress against targets, highlighting national sectoral trends, and the main sources of emissions. Ireland’s legal reporting obligations require that the EPA submit final data to the EU and UNFCC by prescribed dates during the 13 -16 month period after the year end (data for the period 1990-2021 will be submitted in January, March and April 2023). However, to assist national users, the EPA publishes a provisional inventory within a shorter timeframe. These figures are based on the SEAI’s final energy balances released in September 2021 and are estimated using methodologies employed in the inventory in accordance with UNFCCC reporting guidelines, and the latest available input data. The report can be found online at the following link: www.epa.ie/publications/monitoring--assessment/climate-change/air-emissions/irelands-provisional-greenhouse-gas-emissions-1990-2020.php

National emissions inventory data is not compiled in real-time due to the complexities of availability, gathering and validating the information. National emission inventories must take account of national statistical information such as GDP growth and livestock numbers. Therefore, there is no time delay in the preparation of detailed annual inventories by the EPA and they are produced in line with the agreed EU and UN timelines. All reporting deadlines are met annually. Greenhouse gas inventories are reviewed annually by the UNFCCC and by the European Commission under the European Effort Sharing Regulation.To respond and support significant policy, climate governance and legislative advancements in 2021, grounded in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, publication of EPA greenhouse gas inventory and projections reports will be adjusted to meet new national climate governance timeframes. This will see publication of EPA greenhouse gas reports published several months earlier than has been the case in the past. The earlier publication will facilitate the monitoring and reporting processes associated with carbon budgets, annual review of the Climate Action Plan, a greater level of sectoral reporting, and more in-depth assessment and reporting of policies and measures.Eurostat’s Estimates of Quarterly Greenhouse Gas Emissions Accounts are not an inventory compiled in the same way as annual national greenhouse gas inventories. They are estimates produced using available (monthly or quarterly) indicator data. Some of the indicators that are used include sectoral gross value added data, fuel sales data and temperature data. The methodology used by Eurostat is described in the following document: ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/1798247/6191529/Methodological-note-on-quarterly-GHG-estimates.pdf/6bd54bde-4dd7-ebac-6326-f08c73eb9187?t=1644394935594

The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Act 2022 established a scheme for the making in 2022, of a once-off Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment to each domestic electricity account, having regard to the exceptional rise in energy prices. The credit of €176.22 (excluding VAT) is being applied to all domestic electricity accounts from April and includes prepay meters.This scheme is in addition to the Government’s ongoing measures to address energy poverty and the protection of vulnerable customers, and is in addition to the measures introduced in the Budget and those set out in the recently published National Energy Security Framework. The scheme is operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks) and electricity suppliers with oversight by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities.This is an exceptional measure which uses the single eligibility criterion of a meter point registration number, to ensure payments to each domestic electricity account as early as possible in 2022, without any additional means testing. The payment will only be applied to domestic electricity accounts, and will be made to the account rather than an individual.The type of coin operated meters the Deputy is referring to are not installed by ESBN and are not regulated by the CRU. Such meters are usually installed behind the meter, and are contractual matters between residents and the operators of such parks.In cases where residents of mobile homes hold a tenancy agreement, disputes relating to terms of the tenancy can be referred to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) for resolution. Section 78 of the Residential Tenancies Acts prescribes a non-exhaustive list of matters or complaints that can be referred for RTB dispute resolution. The Deputy may also wish to note that regular information updates, including frequently asked questions, are being made available on gov.ie at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/4ae14-electricity-costs-emergency-benefit-scheme/.

The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers free energy upgrades for eligible homeowners in low-income households who are most at risk of energy poverty. It is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Since the start of the scheme in 2000, over 145,000 free upgrades have been supported by the scheme. In 2021, the average cost of the energy efficiency measures provided per household had increased to €17,620.Free upgrades available under the Warmer Homes scheme are available to households who are in receipt of certain Department of Social Protection payments such as:  - Fuel Allowance;

- Job Seekers Allowance for more than six months (and having children under 7);

- Working Family Payment; One-Parent Family Payment;

- Disability Allowance for more than six months (and having children under 7);

- Domiciliary Care Allowance; Carer’s Allowance where you live with the person you are caring for.Further information can be found on SEAIs website www.seai.ie/grants/home-energy-grants/free-upgrades-for-eligible-homesI understand that the Invalidity Pension is a qualifying payment for the Fuel Allowance, which is a means tested payment. Households can contact the Department of Social Protection to check whether they meet the relevant means test.The eligibility criteria for the scheme were selected as they represented my Department’s view on those areas where the limited resources available to the scheme could have the greatest impact. They are kept under ongoing review with the Department of Social Protection to ensure they are consistent with and complementary to the other income support schemes offered by that Department .

The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Act 2022 established a scheme for the making in 2022, of a once-off Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment to each domestic electricity account, having regard to the exceptional rise in energy prices. The credit of €176.22 (excluding VAT) is being applied to all domestic electricity accounts from April and includes prepay meters.This scheme is in addition to the Government’s ongoing measures to address energy poverty and the protection of vulnerable customers, and is in addition to the measures introduced in the Budget and those set out in the recently published National Energy Security Framework. The scheme is operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks) and electricity suppliers with oversight by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities.This is an exceptional measure which uses the single eligibility criterion of a meter point registration number, to ensure payments to each domestic electricity account as early as possible in 2022, without any additional means testing. As such, it is being applied automatically to all domestic electricity accounts which were held with suppliers on 29 March. The payment is being applied to domestic electricity accounts i.e. those which are subject to distribution use of system charges at the rate for urban domestic customers (DG1) or the rate for rural domestic customers (DG2), as set out in section 1 of the Act. The Deputy may also wish to note that updates on the electricity credit, including frequently asked questions, are available on gov.ie at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/4ae14-electricity-costs-emergency-benefit-scheme/

The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Act 2022 established a scheme for the making in 2022, of a once-off Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment to each domestic electricity account, having regard to the exceptional rise in energy prices. The credit of €176.22 (excluding VAT) is being applied to all domestic electricity accounts from April and includes prepay meters.This scheme is in addition to the Government’s ongoing measures to address energy poverty and the protection of vulnerable customers, and is in addition to the measures introduced in the Budget, as well as more recent measures announced by Government to deal with rising energy costs as set out in the National Energy Security Framework.  

The scheme is operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks) and electricity suppliers with oversight by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities.The payment is being applied to domestic electricity accounts as identified by their Meter Point Registration Number (MPRN). While the majority of residential tenants will hold their own domestic electricity accounts, and therefore receive the payments directly, others would have tenancy agreements where tenants pay their actual share of each bill and, in those cases, will benefit from the payment because the amount of the bill will be reduced by the amount of the payment. A small proportion would have other arrangements in place whereby electricity costs are part of the rental cost.Where tenants have a disputes relating to tenancies including any terms relating to electricity payments, these can be referred to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) for dispute resolution.Section 78 of the Residential Tenancies Acts prescribes a non-exhaustive list of matters or complaints that can be referred for RTB dispute resolution. I encourage tenants to examine their tenancy agreements and if appropriate, to refer a dispute to the RTB for resolution .

All projects supported under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, onshore and offshore, are required to make mandatory contributions to Community Benefit Funds for the local communities at a rate of €2 for every MWh of energy generated. Owing to the larger scale of offshore wind developments, these contributions are expected to be significantly larger than those of onshore wind projects.  

My Department published draft Terms and Conditions for the first offshore auction under the scheme, ORESS 1, in October of last year. Following review of the submissions received in response to this consultation, my Department is developing final Terms and Conditions which will include provisions for the proper regulation and management of Community Benefit Funds associated with offshore wind projects, where the local community can participate in fund decision-making inclusively and equitably, including local fishing and seafood stakeholders. All applications for funding under the Community Benefit Fund received will be assessed in a fair, reasonable, non-discriminatory and transparent manner and all funding from the Community Benefit Fund shall be used for the sustainable environmental, economic, social and cultural wellbeing of the local community, including the fishing community.

A formal response to the ORESS 1 consultation will issue in May, and final Terms and Conditions are expected to be published this summer, following Government approval. The ORESS 1 auction is planned to launch by end-year.

My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their existing properties. Since 2000, over 465,000 homeowners have upgraded their homes with support from these schemes, representing nearly one home in four across the country. This has resulted in warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes that are easier to heat and light.

These schemes have terms and conditions in place to ensure the transparent administration of public funds. These terms and conditions must be adhered to consistently by SEAI to ensure fairness as well as value for money for the Exchequer.

Grant assistance for residential retrofitting measures provided by Government through these schemes is intended to incentivise future behaviour. Therefore, homeowners who have not applied and been approved for grant support through the SEAI prior to commencing works on their properties will not be entitled to retrospective awarding of grants.

The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Act 2022 established a scheme for the making in 2022, of a once-off Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment to each domestic electricity account, having regard to the exceptional rise in energy prices. The credit of €176.22 (excluding VAT) is being applied to all domestic electricity accounts from April and includes prepay meters.This scheme is in addition to the Government’s ongoing measures to address energy poverty and the protection of vulnerable customers, and is in addition to the measures introduced in the Budget and those set out in the recently published National Energy Security Framework.The scheme applies to all domestic accounts and includes pre-pay customers. The scheme is operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks) and electricity suppliers with oversight by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities.This is an exceptional measure which uses the single eligibility criterion of a meter point registration number, to ensure payments to each domestic electricity account as early as possible in 2022. Therefore, it will apply automatically to all domestic electricity accounts, on basis of there being one domestic electricity account per Meter Point Registration number. Only one credit can be allocated per MPRN.While the majority of residential tenants will hold their own domestic electricity accounts, others would have tenancy agreements where tenants pay their actual share of each bill and, in those cases, will benefit from the payment because the amount of the bill will be reduced by the amount of the payment. A small proportion would have other arrangements in place whereby electricity costs are part of the rental cost. Where tenants have a disputes relating to tenancies including any terms relating to electricity payments, these can be referred to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) for dispute resolution.

I propose to take Question Nos. 92 and 93 together.

The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers free energy upgrades for eligible homeowners in low-income households who are most at risk of energy poverty. It is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Since the start of the scheme in 2000, over 145,000 free upgrades have been supported by the scheme. In 2021, the average cost of the energy efficiency measures provided per household had increased to €17,620.

Activity under the scheme, and the associated expenditure, were significantly impacted in both 2020 and 2021 by the COVID pandemic, when construction activity was paused for approximately 12 months in total. Furthermore, access to properties during restricted periods, in line with Government guidelines, was often challenging. SEAI data indicates that for homes completed in Quarter 1 2022, the average cycle time from application to completion was approximately 27 months. While this delay was largely driven by COVID related issues, the deeper measures being provided under the scheme since 2018, also involve more substantive works.

Reducing the waiting times on the Warmer Homes scheme waiting list  is a top priority for my Department and SEAI and in order to reduce this timeline to completion and target a monthly average of 400 completions this year, the following actions have already been taken:

The budget, at €109 million, is nearly three times the 2021 outturn (€38 million) and funding has also been sought through the European Regional Development Fund;

SEAI has been allocated additional staff for the Warmer Homes Scheme;

SEAI is working to Increase contractor output through active contract engagement and management.

Any necessary further measures identified as required by SEAI to increase output under this key Scheme will also be taken.

I understand the number of completions under the scheme in April 2022 rose to 376 which represents real progress. SEAI confirm that data in relation to average wait time by county is not routinely collected presently but will be monitored going forward.

The administration and management of applications under the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) schemes are an operational matter for the SEAI. As Minister, I have no function with regard to individual grant applications. The SEAI has established a specific email address for queries from Oireachtas members so that such queries can be addressed promptly, in line with SEAI’s objective to deliver services to the highest standards. The email address is oireachtas@seai.ie

The electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime wherein electricity and gas markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive. Operating within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity and gas markets following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA), 1999.The National Smart Metering Programme is overseen by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) and ESB Networks is delivering the electricity meter rollout. To date over 750,000 smart meters have been installed and 1.1 million due to be reached by the end of this year ESB Networks publishes on their website details of the number of smart meters installed and their geographic distribution www.esbnetworks.ie/existing-connections/meters-and-readings/smart-meter-upgrade.CRU estimates that the total cost of the programme will be €1.2 billion. Details of the expenditure costs are included in CRU’s annual review of the network tariffs the most recent of which is available at www.cru.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CRU20084-The-Electricity-Distribution-Network-Allowed-Revenues-for-2021-and-the-DUoS-Tariffs-DLAFs-for-2020-21-1.pdf The Deputy may wish to note that CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them raise questions on general energy regulatory matters to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.

My Department has not seconded any employees to the university third level sector over the past two years. Secondments in my Department are managed in line with the DPER Secondment Policy for the Civil Service 2021 and guideline’s and procedures governing secondments between civil and public service organisations Secondments provide staff members with opportunities to broaden their skills and continue their professional and personal development while retaining the right to return to their substantive or equivalent position at the end of the secondment. It also provides an opportunity for the Department to fill a temporary position, and the Department benefits from shared learning, good practice, new ideas and experience.

The national Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme is operated, maintained and monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rather than my Department. However, my Department has provided funding for a significant upgrade to the network in recent years, such that the number of monitoring stations has increased from 29 in 2017 to 102 today. All stations collect air quality data for a range of pollutants in order to provide information to the public, and for assessment against European legal limit values and World Health Organisation guideline values. Details of the locations of all monitoring stations currently in operation, along with real-time and historic data from each station, can be found at: www.airquality.ie The final expansion of the network will be completed this year and will increase the number of official stations to 110. I have no function in determining the location of new monitoring stations. The EPA decide upon the most appropriate locations based on best practice and EU requirements, and questions in relation to proposed sites may be addressed to them directly.

Enforcement action against breaches of the Air Pollution Act (Marketing, Sale, Distribution and Burning of Specified Fuels) Regulations 2012 is a matter for Local Authorities. My Department does not compile statistics in relation to the number of complaints received, prosecutions taken or fines imposed. Local Authorities report information to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) annually regarding enforcement activities under environmental legislation. Details of Local Authority enforcement of environmental legislation are available from the series of Local Authority Environmental Performance Assessment reports compiled by the EPA. These reports can be accessed at: www.epa.ie/our-services/compliance--enforcement/support-and-supervision-of-local-councils/la-performance/  It should be noted that discussions with the Local Authority sector have commenced with the intention of establishing dedicated resources to provide co-ordination, expertise and advice to support consistent implementation of air quality legislation across the country. I have secured funding of €1.2 million for 2022 to enhance enforcement expertise, including through the provision of additional supports for the most effective model of enforcement.

The Urban Transport Related Air Pollution Working Group (UTRAP) was formed in Autumn 2019 to consider and address rising concerns about the level of transport-generated air pollution. An interim report was published in 2021, which can be accessed at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/3f634-urban-transport-related-air-pollution-utrap-working-group/   Since the publication of the interim report, the group has met to consider a number of developments, such as the publication of the Five Cities Demand Management Study and the Dublin Air Quality Management Plan. The group has also been tracking the progress of the original recommendations and preparing its final recommendations based on consideration of the original objectives.  

The preparation of the final report is currently underway and is expected to the completed in the coming months in conjunction with the publication of the Clean Air Strategy.

The SEAI’s Support Scheme for Energy Audits (SSEA) offers SMEs a €2,000 voucher towards the cost of a high-quality energy audit. In most cases, this will cover the total cost of the audit.

SMEs from all sectors can apply. The criteria for the SSEA include that businesses applying to the scheme must be:

- non-obligated entities

- tax compliant

- registered in the Republic of Ireland

- spend at least €10,000 on energy per year at the site being audited.

The €10,000 threshold has been put in place to ensure value for money.

For businesses who spend less than €10,000 on energy per year, the SEAI provides free energy management training carried out by an energy expert. This training helps SMEs develop an energy action plan for their business, which can help them save energy and money. Businesses can also access a full suite of online training modules on the SEAI Energy Academy, which have been designed to support SMEs looking to reduce their energy use and transition to renewable energy.

There is no minimum number of employees that a company needs to have to be eligible to apply for the scheme.

More information is available at www.seai.ie/business-and-public-sector/small-and-medium-business/supports/energy-audits/.

My Department has been reconfigured on several occasions over the time period referenced by the Deputy. In view of this, the information sought by the Deputy is not readily available and its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time.

In relation to the current position, the Deputy may wish to note that there are no cases where fines have been levied or are being paid resulting from non-compliance with EU Directives by my Department.

The table below, relating to the last 5 years, sets out information on Directives which have yet to be fully transposed.

The National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme introduces a new, highly customer centric, way to undertake home upgrades. SEAI registered One-Stop-Shops will provide an end-to-end service for homeowners. This includes surveying; designing the upgrades; managing the grant process; helping with access to finance; engaging contractors; and quality assurance.  The Scheme offers unprecedented grant levels, increased from circa 30% to 50% of the cost of a typical B2 home energy upgrade with a heat pump. Furthermore, many of the grant supports available under the new Scheme have also been aligned to other relevant schemes including the Better Energy Homes Scheme to support a step-by-step, self-managed approach to retrofit; and, the Community Energy Grant Scheme for homeowners that want to retrofit their homes as part of a community project.

Following Government approval, the SEAI registration portal opened for companies to apply to be a One-Stop-Shop, building on the preparatory work already undertaken. SEAI are focused on engaging organisations capable of professionally managing all aspects of a One Stop Shop service. Therefore, the registration process, for this new service, must be robust. The new Scheme will also be grounded in robust governance and oversight processes to ensure the OSSs are meeting the necessary customer and quality performance indicators.

The SEAI advise that five One Stop Shops have now been registered and SEAI is actively working with other applicant organisations to support them through this registration process.

Details of the registered One Stop Shops, including their contact numbers, are available on the SEAI website.  A guide to advise homeowners through the various steps to completing a whole house upgrade under the One Stop Shop Service is also available on the SEAI website. The other schemes operated by SEAI are also available for applications.

I am confident that the higher grant levels, in tandem with the scaling up of the infrastructure to support a much larger level of retrofit activity, will deliver very positive results for consumers, the overall economy and society in general .

Mobile coverage obligations are set out in licences granted by the independent regulator, ComReg, to mobile operators. ComReg advises that the current minimum coverage obligations in those licences are being considerably exceeded by all operators. Capital investment by telecommunications operators over the last 5 years was in the order of €3.3 billion for both fixed and mobile services. This has significantly enhanced the availability of services, both voice and data, throughout Ireland, including in rural areas.  ComReg is currently in the process of running another Multi-band Spectrum Award to assign rights of use in four spectrum bands. The award comprises 470 MHz of spectrum and represents a 46% increase in the harmonised spectrum assigned for the provision of wireless broadband services in Ireland. This will significantly enable the market to provide improved services to meet increasing consumer demand for mobile data and new services. The proposals include significant coverage obligations for prospective winning bidders.  

To assist consumers to choose the network provider that best meets their needs, ComReg has developed a national outdoor coverage map (available at this link). This map provides consumers with very clear information on where operators have good 2G, 3G and 4G coverage.

The Shared Rural Network programme which sees the UK Government working in partnership with the four UK mobile network operators was developed to improve digital infrastructure and increase connectivity. This is similar to the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce ('the Taskforce') which has been in operation since 2016 and has been a driving force for improving access to telecommunications services nationwide. It has completed over 70 targeted actions to alleviate connectivity barriers and continues to tackle issues impeding the rollout of mobile and fixed connectivity. The Taskforce is co-managed by my Department and the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD).

Relevant links associated with the work of the Taskforce can be found at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/db7f83-mobile-phone-and-broadband-taskforce/.

As set out in the 2018 Report, Government initiatives, including the National Broadband Plan (NBP) and the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce, are fundamental to making high-speed broadband fixed connectivity available to all premises in Ireland, and to identifying solutions to barriers obstructing the provision of improved mobile phone and broadband coverage. Mobile coverage obligations are set out in licences granted by the independent regulator, ComReg, to mobile operators. ComReg advises that the current minimum coverage obligations in those licences are being considerably exceeded by all operators.

In terms of regulatory interventions, ComReg is currently in the process of running another Multi-band Spectrum Award to assign rights of use in four spectrum bands The award comprises 470 MHz of spectrum and represents a 46% increase in the harmonised spectrum assigned for the provision of wireless broadband services in Ireland. This will significantly enable the market to provide improved services to meet increasing consumer demand for mobile data and new services. 

Since 2016, the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce has been a driving force for improving access to telecommunications services nationwide. The Taskforce met last week to agree a new work programme focused on ensuring access to high quality telecommunications connectivity across Ireland to support social and economic development. 

Capital investment by telecommunications operators over the last 5 years was in the order of €3.3 billion for both fixed and mobile services. This has significantly enhanced the availability of services, both voice and data, throughout Ireland. Telecommunication operators have committed to continued investment programmes in the coming years, estimated to be in the region of €700m per annum. 

Ireland’s level of connectivity to support digital activity has improved significantly in recent years. The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) is a composite index summarising relevant indicators on Europe’s digital performance. Ireland ranked 5th in 2021 among EU countries, compared to 11th in 2019. The continued investment by commercial operators and by the State through the NBP will ensure that Ireland is set to become the EU leader in connectivity by the second half of this decade. 

The National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in almost 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools. I am advised by NBI that as of 22 April 2022, over 321,000 premises have now been surveyed and over 173,000 premises are under construction or complete across 26 counties, demonstrating that the project is reaching scale. I am further advised that almost 64,000 premises are now available to order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection across 22 counties, with over 47,100 premises passed across 19 counties and available for immediate connection. NBI has further advised that almost 10,200 premises have been connected, as of 22 April, and that this is increasing on a daily basis. To date, the level of connections is in line with projections and some areas are exceeding expectations.

In County Cork surveying is complete in the Deployment Areas of Clonakilty, Templemartin, Tallow, Kanturk and Fermoy, main works are underway in the Deployment Areas of Midleton and Youghal and network build is complete in the Deployment Area of Carrigaline. To date over 39,100 premises in County Cork have been surveyed, with over 16,300 premises under construction or complete and over 6,700 premises now available to order or pre-order. With regard to the area referred to in the Question, NBI has advised that surveying is due to commence in the Dunmanway Deployment Area in H1 2023.

Further details are available on specific areas within County Cork through the NBI website which provides a facility for any premises within the intervention area to register their interest in being provided with deployment updates through its website www.nbi.ie.  Individuals who register with this facility will receive regular updates on progress by NBI on delivering the network and specific updates related to their own premises as works commence. NBI has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries.

Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network. As of 22 April, 556 BCP sites have been installed by NBI and the high speed broadband service will be switched on in these locations through service provider contracts managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development for publicly accessible sites and the Department of Education for school BCPs. In County Cork 23 BCP’s have been installed to date.  The site at Castletownkenneigh Community Centre, which is now connected, is located approximately 12km from Dunmanway. Further details can be found at nbi.ie/bcp-locations/.  

In County Cork 40 schools have been installed by NBI to date for educational access. My Department continues to work with the Department of Education to prioritise schools with no high speed broadband, within the Intervention Area. Further details of schools in scope are available on the NBI website at nbi.ie/primary-schools-list/.

As the Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport companies. 

The issue raised by the Deputy in relation to the possible creation of an offshore renewable energy hub at Rosslare is an operational matter for the company and I have therefore forwarded the Deputy's question to Iarnród Éireann for direct reply. 

Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.

As Minister for Transport I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the Public Spending Code and the necessary statutory approvals.

The N25 Rosslare Europort Access Road scheme was allocated €1 million for 2022. Allocations for national roads in 2023 will be determined later this year. I have referred your question to TII for a direct reply as to the latest status of this project. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.

As the Road Safety Authority has responsibility for producing such statistics, I am forwarding this query to the Authority for direct response.

I would, however, point out that in general the RSA does not publish statistics until all of the data has been verified and incidents have been concluded.  In relation to court cases, inquests, coroners' reports, etc., this may take a number of years.  The RSA may therefore not be in a position to immediately provide completely up to date information.

If the Deputy has not received a response within 10 working days he should contact my office directly. 

As the Road Safety Authority has responsibility for producing such statistics, I am forwarding this query to the Authority for direct response.

I would, however, point out that in general the RSA does not publish statistics until all of the data has been verified and incidents have been concluded. In relation to court cases, inquests, coroners' reports, etc., this may take a number of years. The RSA may therefore not be in a position to immediately provide completely up to date information.

If the Deputy has not received a response within 10 working days he should contact my office directly.

Prosecutions of road traffic offences are matters for the Director of Public Prosecutions and An Garda Síochána. My Department has no role in prosecutions and does not have any figures in this regard.

Providing a sustainable, low-carbon transport system is a key priority of my Department. The Programme for Government commits to 7% average annual emissions reduction to 2030; ultimately, the goal is for a zero-emission mobility system by 2050. Electrification will be key to achieving this objective in the transport sector.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are the most prominent transport mitigation measure in the  Climate Action Plan and Ireland has set an ambitious target of 945,000 EVs on our roads by 2030. This target is challenging but indicates the scale of the transformation that is needed across all sectors if Ireland is to achieve its climate targets in the coming years.

I am aware of initiatives to retrofit internal combustion engine cars to electric vehicles, and have asked my officials to give the matter active consideration. Innovations that provide reliable solutions for people willing to transition to electric vehicles are to be welcomed, particularly if they provide options for people who might be unable to purchase a new vehicle. At present, the Department is advised that this initiative is yet not commercially viable at scale but we are keeping this technology under review.

My Department is responsible for the Irish Coast Coast Guard building programme – essentially aimed at ensuring Coast Guard Units along the coast are fit for purpose. The programme is managed through The Commissioners of Public Works (OPW) from planning design to build and on-going maintenance, with legal assistance as necessary from the Chief State Solicitor’s Office.

The Greystones project has been a priority build on the Building Programme for the IRCG  for a number of years. It has been the subject of a number of significant revisions in terms of plans primarily owing to  excessive cost and affordability. The location of the site identified for the new Coast Guard station has also presented challenges particularly in terms of the requirement to ensure adequate storm resilience.

The OPW are actively engaged with Wicklow County Council in relation to the formal transfer of the site. Agreement has been reached with Wicklow County Council on site layout and parking requirements within the Harbour area subject to final approval and  the formal site transfer is now progressing.

Final technical assessments of the agreed site and areas to  be used by Coast Guard vehicles have been completed.

Planning Permission has been granted and once the site if formally transferred, the Department, the Irish Coast Guard and the Office of Public Works will progress the procurement process for a Contractor to complete the construction.

The Climate Action Plan 2021 set a target of 945,000 EVs by 2030. The Deputy will be aware that the Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle charging network over the coming years, to facilitate the expansion of EVs in the Irish car fleet. A draft National Charging Infrastructure Strategy has been published for public consultation which sets out a pathway for the provision of charging infrastructure to stay ahead of demand.

The EV Home Charger Grant Scheme has been in operation since January 2018 to support the installation of home chargers for purchasers of new and second-hand BEVs and PHEVs. The grant provides generous support towards the full cost of installation of a home charger up to a maximum of €600.

Work is currently being progressed to expand the EV home charger grant to include multi-unit developments. The final legal checks are being completed and this scheme will be launched shortly.

An exemption, pursuant to Article 5 of the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders, 1973 and 1989, permitting the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft was issued for the aircraft detailed for the date specified by the Deputy.

The application for this exemption detailed the destination point as OKBK Kuwait International Airport.

My department has no statutory function with regard to the number of military personnel that are onboard such flights. The air operator's application for an exemption did indicate, however, that there were to be 135 troops carried. This number should be treated as provisional, as the actual number may have changed by the time of the flight.

The operation of the driving test service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority and I have therefore referred the question to the Authority for direct reply.

I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.

Issues in relation to CIÉ pension schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the schemes, the CIÉ Group and their employees.That being said, in relation to the Regular Wage Scheme (RWS), CIÉ has prepared and submitted draft Statutory Instruments (SIs) to give effect to the proposed changes as agreed by vote at the Labour Court. These changes have been agreed by the trustees of the Scheme, the employees and the CIÉ Group following extensive and prolonged engagement between all parties.

There are a number of steps before an SI can be made, including the statutory consultation process. In accordance with the provisions of Section 44(3) of the Transport Act 1950, I directed CIÉ to publish a statutory notice of the draft SIs in Iris Oifigiúil, which was advertised on the 14th of January 2022. Within 45 days from the publication of this notice, any person may make objections and representations in relation to the Scheme to me. I must consider any objections or representations which have been made during this period, prior to confirming a Scheme or any amendments to such Scheme.

The consultation period ended on the 28 February 2022. Officials in my Department examined the submissions received and submitted a report to me for consideration, which I have now approved. My Department will now consult with the Minster for Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the S.I.s.

I expect to be in a position to confirm the SIs in the next number of weeks.

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling of those services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators.   

In light of the Authority's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's specific question in relation to the possibility of increasing the number of trains between Dublin Heuston to Roscommon from four times daily to five times daily from Mondays to Saturdays, to the NTA for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 119 together.

The Road Traffic (Recognition of Foreign Driving Licences) (Ukraine) Order 2022, which came into effect on 22 April 2022, allows Ukrainians admitted to Ireland under the Temporary Protection Directive to exchange their Ukrainian licences for Irish licences. Such licences are valid for 12 months and will only apply to cars and light vehicles. This measure was taken in response to the immediate and extraordinary humanitarian crisis arising from the conflict in Ukraine.

The Road Safety Authority, as the licensing authority in Ireland, does not recommend the exchange of Ukrainian HGV licences at this stage. Anyone with an EU car licence, which a Ukrainian will have once they exchange their licence, can apply for an HGV licence in the normal way (theory test, learner permit and driving test). The underlying principle in resolving the issue of Ukrainian driving licences is the safety of Irish road users.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 125 together.

Licensed bus and coach operators are an integral part of the overall public transport system particularly in areas which are not covered by existing public service bus and rail services. In recognition of this, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic the Government have provided temporary financial supports for certain licensed commercial services with a view to protecting capacity across the public transport sector throughout the crisis.

In acknowledgement of the continuing difficulties facing the sector, these supports have been extended up to 30 June 2022 and to date, over €60 million has been provided to support the commercial bus operators.

The Government is strongly committed to helping combat the rising cost-of-living being experienced throughout the country. In this context, as part of the suite of new measures being introduced, a 20% average fare reduction on all PSO public transport services is being made available nationwide until the end of 2022.

These discounted fares will benefit the hundreds of thousands of people across the country who use PSO public transport every day. The Government allocated €54m in Exchequer funding to provide this measure; however, this funding does not include an extension of the scheme to commercial operators. As the Deputies will be aware, unlike with PSO services, the National Transport Authority (NTA) do not set, monitor or regulate fares on services run by commercial operators.

However, in recognition of the importance of incentivising young people to use public transport, as part of Budget 2022 I secured funding to provide for the introduction of a young adult card (YAC) on both PSO and commercial services. This exciting initiative will entitle anyone between the ages of 19 and 23 to discounted travel costs and to increase the level of discount over and above the current student discount level to an average of 50% across all services, including city, intercity and rural services.

The discount will initially be made available on all subsidised PSO bus, rail and Luas services next month. It will then be broadened to include commercial operators later this year. Intensive work is underway with representatives from the commercial bus sector, the NTA and the Department to devise a mechanism to implement and expedite the deployment of the Young Adult Card in the commercial bus sector.

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from Councils' own resources supplemented by State road grants.

The Killaloe Bypass, Shannon Bridge Crossing and the R494 improvement scheme is one of the limited number of strategic regional and local road improvement schemes being undertaken under the National Development Plan. Clare County Council is the contracting authority for the scheme.

Ministerial approval to award the public works contract for the Killaloe Bypass, Shannon Bridge Crossing and the R494 improvement scheme was given in December 2021 and following the conclusion of the due diligence process Clare County Council issued the Letter of Acceptance to the successful tenderer in February 2022 with an expected start date in March 2022.

As the Deputy is aware the construction industry is currently experiencing significant inflationary pressures and supply chain constraints. These factors have implications for progress on construction projects, including the Shannon Crossing/Killaloe Bypass/R494 upgrade scheme, while the industry takes stock of the options available to them and the consequences of any decisions taken. In this context the scheme Project Team are actively engaged with the contractor regarding the issues affecting the commencement of the scheme.

As regards the overall position regarding the impact of construction inflation on public works contracts, as the Deputy will be aware, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP), which operates as an office of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, is responsible for implementing national policy on public procurement, particularly in relation to construction procurement. I understand that the Minister for Public Expenditure is considering options at present with regard to the impact of construction inflation on public works contracts.

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport, nor decisions on fares. It is the National Transport Authority (NTA) that has responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services, provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts.

In recognition of the importance of incentivising young people to use public transport, as part of Budget 2022 I secured €25m of funding to provide for the introduction of a young adult card (YAC) which will allow any person nationwide who is between 19 and 23 years old, to avail of an entitlement for discounted travel costs, and to increase the level of discount over and above the current student discount to an average of discount of 50% across all services, including city, intercity and rural services.

It is envisaged that the YAC will initially be made available on PSO services, and then broadened to include commercial operators at a later date. This will not only promote modal shift in the transport sector among this age group but should also contribute towards a reduced reliance on private transport with associated benefit of transport emission savings.

However, it is important to note that it is technically more challenging to roll-out fare initiatives such as the Young Adult Card on the commercial bus network than it is on the LEAP enabled PSO network. As such, it will take longer to make this fare discount available to Commercial Bus Operators. The National Transport Authority (NTA) is in detailed discussions with transport operators and the Department of Transport regarding the range of issues that need to be addressed. To assist with this process, the NTA has established a joint working group with commercial bus operators to consider options and develop a plan to implement the Young Adult Card on Commercial Bus Operators in as timely a manner as possible, taking account of current ticketing capabilities to ensure a viable scheme is implemented

As the Deputy will be aware a 20% average reduction is being introduced on PSO services as part of a suite of Government measures to help combat the rising cost of living. This fare reduction was applied to all services outside the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) from the 11th of April and it is intended to roll-out the next stage of the reductions on GDA services from the 9th of May. The fare reduction will be in place until the end of the year. The Government decision did not include broadening this initiative to include commercial bus operators.

In light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's specific question in relation to the possible extension of the fare discount schemes to commercial bus operators, to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.

Attendance at the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) office in Castlebar will continue to be available by prior appointment. Having an appointment gives certainty to customers and prevents overcrowding, queueing and long waits. In fact, the non-appointment service previously available at NDLS front offices generated complaints from members of the public due to waiting times and delays.

Appointments to attend at the Castlebar office can be booked online at www.ndls.ie or by telephone on 0818 919 090.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Infrastructure Manager Multi-Annual Contract (IMMAC) provides the funding framework for the protection and renewal of our railway infrastructure, including the Ballybrophy to Limerick rail line.

This is the third year of the current five-year IMMAC programme, as approved by Government in 2020, and over the five years of the programme in excess of €1.1billion in Exchequer funding will be made available to support its delivery. This funding will increase service reliability and punctuality, improve journey times and ensure continued safety of rail services. Usage of level crossings is reviewed on an annual basis through an on-going programme of inspections.

The Deputy may wish to note that funding for the upgrade of aged track on the route has been provided in 2022 which will see the full length of the Ballybrophy line upgraded to continuous welded rail by the end of the year, bringing journey time improvements for passengers.

The Infrastructure Manager in Iarnród Éireann drafts an annual work programme in October each year under the IMMAC. Funding allocations for 2023 will therefore not be finalised until later this year.

The European and global oil markets are currently volatile, due to the conflict in Ukraine exacerbating pre-existing market shortages, primarily of diesel. This has caused a spike in the price of crude oil and refined products on the retail market.

On 15 March 2022, Minister Ryan and I proposed to Government an emergency support measure – the Licensed Haulage Emergency Support Scheme. The Scheme will provide support of €100 per week for eight weeks for each eligible heavy goods vehicle (HGV) authorised on the licence of a road haulage operator as of 11 March 2022. I can confirm that the scheme is available only to operators holding a road haulage operator licence.

One of the requirements that must be met in order to hold a road haulage operator licence is that of professional competence. To satisfy this requirement, the operator must nominate a Transport Manager who holds a certificate of professional competence in road haulage. As operators transporting livestock in the State are exempted from the requirement to hold a road haulage operator licence, they are also not subject to the requirement to have a Transport Manager who holds a certificate of professional competence in road haulage.

In deciding on a targeted scheme, the Government considered that the licensed haulage sector is a specific case for several reasons, primarily that the sector is of national strategic importance as a critical enabler of a functioning supply chain, bringing essential supplies into and around the State, supporting key infrastructure and enabling the maintenance of economic and social activity.

In addition to the Emergency Scheme, the Government has provided for an excise duty reduction on mineral oil taxes with effect from 10 March. This saw a 20 cent reduction in the excise rate for petrol and a 15 cent reduction on auto diesel, proposed to last until 31 August 2022. On 11 April, the Government extended the period of the reduced excise rates to Budget Day. This measure is a benefit to all citizens and business to mitigate the impact of recent fuel price increases.

In general, however, it should be noted that the causes of these fuel price pressures are not within the control of Government and are being directly influenced by external factors, including the Ukraine crisis. Unfortunately, we must accept that it will not be possible to fully insulate citizens and businesses from the impact of these fuel price increases.

In addition, we must continue the progress we have made to date on the implementation of climate policies, which are critical to ensuring we reduce emissions and mitigate climate change. Considering these objectives, it is important that haulage operators and other businesses now engage with their customers on the need for the prices for their products and services to reflect the increasing costs.

The Government has limited resources and through the excise measures, as well as the Licensed Haulage Emergency Support Scheme, it has responded to help to ease the impact of these price increases.

All enquires relating to driver licensing are handled by the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS), the provision of which I have delegated to the Road Safety Authority under the relevant legislation. My Department does not have access to individual applications.

Irish driver licensing law operates within a framework of EU law, which sets out the driver licensing legislation with which all member states must comply. The format of driving licences, categories of vehicles, and the standards to be met in driving tests to qualify for a licence are all set at EU level.

Member states may make bilateral agreements on licence exchange with non-EU jurisdictions. Reaching a driving licence exchange agreement with another country is a comprehensive process carried out between the statutory licensing authorities in each state. To ensure the safety of road users, such agreements can be made only when the relevant authorities in each jurisdiction have studied and compared the two licensing regimes and are satisfied that they are comparable. If standards and procedures are not comparable, the process does not continue. On the Irish side, this task is undertaken by the Road Safety Authority.

Ireland does not have a licence exchange agreement with Ukraine. The Road Traffic (Recognition of Foreign Driving Licences) (Ukraine) Order 2022, which came into effect on 22 April 2022, allows Ukrainians admitted to Ireland under the Temporary Protection Directive to exchange their Ukrainian licences for Irish licences. Such licences are valid for 12 months and will only apply to category B (cars and light vehicles). This measure was taken in response to the immediate and extraordinary humanitarian crisis arising from the conflict in Ukraine.

The first correspondence between officials in my Department with Dublin City Council and with the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) in relation to the development of an appropriate regulatory framework for this area took place in December 2019, after a Memorandum on the matter had been submitted to Government in November of that year.

Work on this issue, unfortunately, was not able to progress subsequently as a result of the need to prioritise work in other areas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The work recommenced in September 2021 when officials in my Department sent a copy of the draft General Scheme to Dublin City Council, Kerry County Council and the DSPCA for consultation. Due to the restrictions imposed by the public health emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, all interactions with the stakeholders have been mainly through written communication and no face to face meetings have taken place.

Once the current process of stakeholder engagement has been satisfactorily completed, the Department will seek approval from Government for the detailed drafting of a Bill which is required before it can be introduced to the Oireachtas with a view to its eventual enactment.

The Deputy will be aware that Ireland has set an ambitious target of 936,000 EVs on our roads by 2030 that reflects the scale of the transformation needed to achieve its climate targets in the coming years. Under the National Development Plan €1bn has been allocated to specific carbon reduction measures, including vehicle electrification.

The Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle charging network over the coming years.

In this regard, a draft National EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy was published for consultation on March 31st , 2022 . The Strategy sets out a pathway for the provision of charging infrastructure to stay ahead of demand and makes several recommendations in relation to the actions, funding streams and supports that will be put in place by Government to deliver a seamless public charging network.

One of the core principles of the Strategy is that EV charging infrastructure will work for everyone regardless of age, health, income or other needs. To ensure access for all citizens, principles of universal access and universal design will be considered at all stages of EV infrastructure development, from planning and design stages to operation and use.

The consultation on the draft Strategy will run until the end of May. The next phase of the public consultation will be launched this week, involving a structured online questionnaire and stakeholder webinars. The Strategy will be revised, following analysis of the submissions received and a final Strategy will be published later this year.

In light of ESB eCars responsibility for the current publicly accessible charge points in Ireland, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to ESB for attention and direct reply. Please contact my office if no response has been received in 10 working days.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are the most prominent transport mitigation measure in the 2021 Climate Action Plan, and Ireland has set an ambitious target of 945,000 EVs on our roads by 2030. This target is challenging but indicates the scale of the transformation that is needed across all sectors if Ireland is to achieve its climate targets in the coming years.

As the Deputy will be aware, a comprehensive suite of measures is available to EV drivers, including purchase grants for private car owners.

The SEAI are aware of the semi-conductor issue which is affecting the motor industry and have been proactively engaging with all registered dealers since August 2021 to reduce or remove any impact on the EV grant.

If a situation should occur where a vehicle delivery is delayed past the grant offer expiry date, the dealer should cancel the grant application and submit a new application.  In order to support the industry, SEAI have implemented a process whereby a grant offer is instantaneous upon submission of a grant application.  Therefore, once a dealer submits a grant application, they receive their grant offer and can proceed with registering the vehicle for the customer.

SEAI provide dealer training via a live webinar twice a year and host an EV Dealer training module on our Energy Academy.  These tools provide information on the grant system and ongoing support to registered dealers.

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the Public Spending Code and the necessary statutory approvals. This includes the proposed upgrade of the N25 between Carrigtwohill and Midleton. In this context, TII is best placed to advise on the current status of this proposed project and expenditure to date on it.  

Noting the above position, I have referred your question, on this occasion, to TII for a direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.

Under legislation, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is the body responsible for the operation of the Theory Test and I am aware that the Driver Theory Test provider offers various options to accommodate candidates who may require special assistance to take their test.

For instance, they offer a voiceover option whereby the questions and answers are read out to the candidate over the headphones. Additional time is also allowed for the candidate to take the test. There is also a reader recorder service whereby a staff member will read the questions and answer options to the candidate and record their answers on screen. Other services offered include dyslexia support, professional and Irish Sign Language (ISL) video clips, or ISL interpreters.

To avail of extra time or a reader recorder service during their test, a candidate must write to the Driver Theory Test Service with medical evidence on official headed paper from a school, doctor or professional person confirming the assistance the candidate requires. This should be posted to: Driver Theory Test, PO Box 15, Dundalk, Co. Louth.

Translator support tests are available by special arrangement at certain centres. This support is for candidates who do not speak or understand English. Evidence of a candidate’s requirement for this service must be provided.  

Test Day Assistance and Support Services must be booked in advance by calling 0818 606 106 or via the postal application form.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Strategic Rail Review is being undertaken in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. It will inform the development of the railway sector on the Island of Ireland over the coming decades.

Following a competitive tendering process, Arup were appointed to undertake the Review, which commenced last September. A public consultation process ran from 26th November to 21st January. Submissions made as part of that public consultation have been considered and will inform the rest of the Review.

I have previously stated my belief in the potential of rail. It is important that we identify current constraints in the rail sector, then balance decarbonisation priorities, economic growth and rural connectivity objectives to achieve a strategy which allows rail to fulfil its potential as a resilient and sustainable mode of transport and generator of economic growth for people across Ireland. The Strategic Rail Review will assist in, and inform, that and I look forward to its completion later this year and the final report which is expected in Quarter 4.

There have been no staff seconded out from the Department of Transport to the university third level sector over the past two years.

I understand that a response to Parliamentary Question Number 16826/22 was issued to Deputy Tóibín by the Road Safety Authority on Thursday 28 April. 

Driving licences for truck and bus categories (Group 2 vehicles) are usually issued for a 5-year period at a cost of €55. A medical report is required to ensure that drivers meet strict medical standards. Driver fitness standards are developed on foot of EU law and international best practice. The relevant Irish legislation is the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 537 of 2006), as amended.

There is no exemption from driving licence application fees based on a person’s profession. A fee that works out at approximately one euro a month cannot be seen as being onerous.

My Department has, to date, not paid any fines for non-transposition of EU Directives into Irish law.

An EU Coordination Unit within my Department is responsible for engaging with the EU Commission on issues relating to non-transposition of EU law where the Department of Transport has lead responsibility for ensuring such transpositions.  The Unit reports on a regular basis to the Management Board and Ministerial Management Board of the Department on current EU legislation developments encompassing ongoing active infringement cases initiated by the European Commission and transpositions of adopted Directives, including all instances where such transpositions are overdue.

On the subject of overdue Directives my Department currently has a number of overdue transpositions which are the subject of formal infringement proceedings by the European Commission, including cases for incorrect application and for failure to comply with obligations under EU Law.  In each of these cases, the Department has already taken the necessary action to remedy the infringement or is in the process of doing so. 

The Department has a further four Directives which are not transposed within the specified timeframe but are not as yet subject to formal infringements proceedings. The Department is liaising with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel in each case to prepare the necessary Statutory Instruments to give effect to the outstanding Directives. 

My Department continues to put in place the necessary measures to improve the transposition, implementation and enforcement of EU transport law in Ireland.

The Deputy will be aware that the Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle charging network over the coming years. A national charging infrastructure strategy was published for consultation at the end of March which sets out a pathway to stay ahead of demand over the critical period out to 2025.

The Strategy acknowledges the need for sufficient provision of fast or top-up charging at strategic locations such as along motorways, to enable longer EV journeys and alleviate lingering public concerns such as range anxiety.

There is also a need for a seamless public charging network that will provide for situations or instances where home charging is not possible such as on-street and residential charging, destination charging, and workplace charging. 

Preparations are underway to establish Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland. This Office will play an important role in our transition to zero emission vehicles. It will co-ordinate measures to support the uptake of EVs and the rollout of charge point infrastructure.

€10 million was committed from the Climate Action Fund to support ESB investment in the charging network and this has leveraged a further €10 million investment from ESB, with the infrastructure to be in place by the end of 2022. This intervention alone will result in:

- 90 additional high power chargers, each capable of charging two vehicles -  Seventeen high-power chargers distributed across 14 multi-vehicle hubs have been delivered as part of the programme to date.

- 52 additional fast chargers, which may replace existing standard chargers - This work is completed at 36 locations.

- 264 replacement standard chargers with more modern technology and with each consisting of two charge points - This work is substantially complete. 258 of the chargers have now been successfully replaced.

Further details on the progression of this project can be found at esb.ie/ecars/our-network/network-upgrades. 

While the public consultation regarding the charging infrastructure strategy is ongoing, my Department continues to engage directly with stakeholders to ensure that a sufficient number of chargers, as well as a sufficient spread of charger types, will be in place to meet demand as we move towards our 2030 target of circa 1 million EVs on the road.

As the Deputy is aware, neither I, nor the Central Bank of Ireland, can direct the pricing or provision of insurance products, as this is a commercial matter which individual companies assess on a case-by-case basis. This position is reinforced by the EU Single Market framework for insurance (the Solvency II Directive).

I note that the details supplied relate to a recent survey by the Alliance for Insurance Reform on the cost of liability insurance for organisations. I note the important work of the Alliance and my Department has had a number of good engagements with this important stakeholder group. While I would note the survey is a useful indicator, it appears to only survey the Alliance’s own members and therefore cannot be said to be representative of the total market.

The separate National Claims Information Database (NCID), managed by the Central Bank of Ireland, provides the best official statistical basis to assess pricing for employer and public liability insurance due to the breadth and depth of its policy coverage. The NCID collects substantial amounts of verified data on the cost of employer and public liability insurance across all sectors and policies. I would note that according to the first NCID Report on Employers’ Liability, Public Liability and Commercial Property insurance, published last year, many businesses are accessing affordable insurance. The Report shows that in 2019, the average premium for package policies was €2,269, and 93% of all policies had a premium of less than €5,000.

Nonetheless, I do accept that premiums for some businesses and organisations may still be rising. This may be due to particular issues in those sectors, which our Action Plan for Insurance Reform is addressing. The insurance reform agenda is still ongoing and that it may take some time for the benefits of the reforms to feed through to reduced premiums and greater availability of insurance for businesses and other groups.

I would note that the second Implementation Report of the Action Plan, published in March this year showed that insurance reform is progressing well, with some 80% of actions in the Plan now being delivered, and the remaining ones initiated. It is my hope that the cumulative impact of these reforms will be to improve both the cost and availability of insurance for businesses, particularly SMEs, as well as consumers and other groups.

Work is continuing across Government to ensure the implementation of the remaining Action Plan reforms. Priorities for 2022 include:

- reforming the law on occupier’s liability to rebalance the duty of care (Occupier’s Liability Act 1995);

- enhancing the enforcement powers of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) through advancing the Competition Amendment Bill 2022;

- progressing legislative proposals to reform the Personal Injuries Assessment Board; and,

- reducing insurance fraud, including by introducing revised guidelines for reporting insurance fraud.

We are now committed to working with colleagues across Government to deliver the outstanding actions, with a view to improving the affordability of cover in all sectors, including liability insurance for businesses and other organisations.

The Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman is independent in the performance of her statutory functions and I have no role in the day to day workings of the office or in the decisions which she takes.

The Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman was established to provide an alternative to the Courts for consumers who have unresolved disputes with a financial or pension service provider and all investigations by the Ombudsman are free of charge to the consumer. Subject only to an appeal to the High Court, a finding of the Ombudsman in respect of a complaint is legally binding on all parties.

The Ombudsman provides an independent, fair, impartial, confidential and free service to resolve complaints through either informal mediation or formal investigation and adjudication. As the service that the Ombudsman provides is confidential in nature, it would not be appropriate for me to request access to any confidential correspondence held by the Ombudsman in relation to a particular case.

I am advised by the Department of Health that they have also received this PQ which they referred to the HSE.  They have indicated that the HSE will respond directly  to the Deputy  on this matter. 

As Minister for Finance, I have no role in respect of NAMA’s commercial operations.

The Deputy will be aware that NAMA does not directly own or sell properties. I am advised that in the case of the property referenced by the Deputy, the appointed receiver was responsible for the management and sale of the property. I am advised that before the receiver placed the apartments on the open market, NAMA checked and confirmed that Dublin City Council (DCC) had no interest in acquiring them.

Neither NAMA, nor the appointed receiver have a role in the provision of affordable housing. NAMA’s statutory obligation, under section 10 of the NAMA Act, is to obtain the best achievable financial return for the State, in the interests of the taxpayer. When selling assets on behalf of debtors, an appointed receiver also has a legal duty to the relevant debtor to maximise the return for assets under their control and must apply the funds recouped from the sale to pay down that debtors debt.

NAMA is limited to funding the development of housing on secured sites through working with its debtors and receivers, subject to commercial viability. To date, NAMA has funded and facilitated the delivery of almost 24,000 residential units.

Under its legislation, NAMA cannot choose to invest recouped monies into the provision social and affordable housing and NAMA does not have a remit to deliver affordable housing. Notwithstanding this, I am advised that NAMA has delivered 2,687 properties to local authorities and approved housing bodies for social housing to date. This is supplementary to the regulatory 10% Part V delivery of social housing on NAMA-funded residential developments.

In addition, NAMA has to date returned €3 billion cash in surplus payments to the Exchequer during 2020 and 2021 and further €400 million paid in tax. As at end-2021 NAMA intends to return a lifetime surplus of €4.25 billion, excluding tax paid, and while this money goes into the Exchequer, I can advise the Deputy, although I am sure she is aware, that it will be used for current and capital expenditure including housing.

Help to Buy (HTB) is a scheme to assist first-time purchasers with the deposit they need to buy or build a new house or apartment. The incentive offers a refund on Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT) paid in the State over the previous four years, subject to limits outlined in Section 477C of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997.

For a property to qualify for HTB, it must be new or converted for use as a dwelling, having not been previously been used as a dwelling. In the circumstances where the house was previously used as a dwelling but knocked down and rebuilt, then it is considered “new”. First-time buyers may purchase a site containing a house which is derelict and which they plan to demolish, in whole or in part, with the intention of building a new house. First time buyers intending to undertake such purchases should contact Revenue via MyEnquiries outlining the specific circumstances of their case and Revenue will consider them on a case by case basis.

In relation to the specific question on the reason why first-time buyers of non-newly built homes are debarred, the HTB scheme is designed to encourage an increase in demand for new build homes in order to encourage the construction of an additional supply of such properties. An increase in the supply of new housing is fundamental to resolving the current housing crisis and so remains a priority aim of Government policy. A move to include properties previously used as a residential home/second-hand properties within the scope of the relief would not improve its effectiveness; on the contrary, it could serve to dilute the incentive effect of the measure in terms of encouraging additional supply.

With regard to the Deputy's question as to whether I am considering amending the scheme, as the Deputy may be aware, I announced in my Budget 2022 address that a formal review of HTB will take place in 2022. The review will inform decisions for Budget 2023 and Finance Bill 2022. My Department is currently managing the tender process and I understand that a contract for the review exercise is likely to be awarded shortly.

At the outset the Deputy should note that I gave a commitment that a comprehensive review of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme (DDDPS) , to include a broader review of mobility supports for persons with disabilities, would be undertaken.

I have agreed with Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth that the DDDPS review should be brought within a wider review under the auspices of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS), to examine transport supports encompassing all Government funded transport and mobility schemes for people with disabilities. 

I believe that this the most appropriate forum to meet mutual objectives in respect of transport solutions/mobility supports for those with a disability.

The NDIS Transport Working Group, chaired by Anne Rabbitte, Minister of State for Disability, met on 26th January 2022. 

In conclusion, the Deputy should be aware that as the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth lead the wider review in this area  through the NDIS Transport Working Group, any consultation process is a matter for that Department.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 146 and 147 together.

All vehicles in the State must be registered, and Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) generally becomes payable when a vehicle is first registered here.  Typically, this occurs when a new vehicle is sold in the State, or when a vehicle is imported. 

I am informed by Revenue that the VRT calculation on passenger vehicles is based on the Open Market Selling Price (OMSP) of the vehicle and its emissions levels, and the method of calculating VRT is the same, regardless of whether the passenger vehicle is new or has been imported second-hand, whether that be from another EU Member State or from a third country such as the UK.

In the case of a second-hand imported passenger vehicle, the OMSP is defined in law as the price, inclusive of all taxes and duties, for which, in the opinion of the Commissioners, the vehicle might reasonably be expected to sell in an arm’s length sale in the State by a retailer.

The amount of VRT on a passenger vehicle has two components, based on the vehicle’s carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission levels.  The CO2 component of the VRT charge is a percentage of the vehicle’s OMSP, ranging from 7% for a vehicle from zero CO2 emissions, up to 41% of the OMSP for vehicles with the highest emission levels.  The NOx component of VRT is calculated using a progressive scale, starting from €5 up to €25 per mg/km of the vehicle’s NOx emissions level.  As a result of these calculations, the total VRT charge for ultra-low emission vehicles (e.g. fully electric cars, also known as EVs or battery EVs) is therefore low, and the total VRT grows higher according to the emissions output of the vehicle involved and its market value.  As a consequence, the VRT on electric and on hybrid passenger vehicles is generally substantially lower than on their petrol or diesel equivalents, due to having lower emissions.

The Deputy will also be aware that, until the end of 2023, electric vehicles can avail of relief on VRT. Battery electric vehicles with an OMSP of below €40,000 are entitled to a VRT reduction of up to €5,000, which has the effect of reducing their VRT to zero. A tapered relief applies for battery electric vehicles with an OMSP of between €40,000 and €50,000.  There is no relief for higher value vehicles.

The law governing VRT remains under regular review, and recent revisions include the introduction of the NOx charge since 2020, and the increase in the CO2 charges this year, both of which significantly incentivise the uptake of lower-emitting vehicles.  Reviews of the VRT system will continue as part of future Finance Bills, in line with the Government's Climate Action Plan, which incentivises the decarbonisation of the transport sector.

Finally, apart from the VRT arrangements, the Deputy will wish to note that, in accordance with EU law, vehicles imported from third countries are generally also subject to customs duties and VAT.  Also, a new means of transport (i.e. a vehicle that is 6 months old or less, or has travelled 6,000kms or less) is subject to VAT when brought into the State from another part of the EU.  Revenue informs me that VAT rules in relation to importations are established and agreed at EU level. There is extremely limited scope for adjustments to these regulations at a national level, and as a consequence, VAT will continue to apply to non-EU imports and intra-EU new means of transport, including hybrids and battery electric vehicles.

Revenue’s website provides information for individuals who plan to import a vehicle and guidance for them on the tax arrangements that apply.

I am advised by Revenue that, for 2019, the most recent year for which complete data are available, the aggregate amount of Income Tax paid by persons aged under 30 and 35 has been estimated to be as shown in the below table.  The equivalent figures in respect of the Universal Social Charge are also included in the table. 

For income tax, in the case of jointly assessed taxpayers, the age of the assessable spouse was used.

I wish to inform the Deputy that there have been no secondments from my Department to the university third level sector over the past two years.

The Department’s secondments follow the guidelines set out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's Secondment Policy for the Civil Service. This was outlined most recently in Circular 27-2021 which sets out the current arrangements for secondments between Civil Service organisations. This Secondment Policy also provides that the same principles may be applied to secondment arrangements between a parent department and a non-civil service body within its sector.

The research and development (R&D) tax credit allows a company to claim a 25% tax credit in respect of expenditure incurred on qualifying R&D activities. In making a claim for the R&D tax credit, companies must satisfy two tests: the activity must be a qualifying activity (a science test); and the amount of the claim must be based on R&D expenditure incurred (an accounting test). 

A company that receives research funding from Enterprise Ireland, IDA, Disruptive Technologies Fund or any other Government programme that financially supports R&D activities may still qualify for the R&D tax credit where the company incurs qualifying R&D expenditure.

However, where R&D expenditure is met directly or indirectly by grant assistance from any of the bodies listed above, or from any State or other body, that expenditure will not be considered as having been incurred by the relevant company and therefore would not qualify for the R&D tax credit in any form, whether relief is granted as a repayable credit or not.

The legislation in question is under Section 766(1)(b)(v) which explains that expenditure shall not be regarded as having been incurred by a company if it has been or is to be met directly or indirectly by grant assistance or any other assistance which is granted:

by or through -

(I) The State or another relevant Member State or the European Union, or

(II) any board established by statute, any public or local authority or any other agency of the  State or another relevant Member State or an institution, office, agency or other body of the European Union, or

(III) a state, other than the State of Member State referred to in clause (I), and any board, authority, institution, office, agency or other body in such state;

It should be noted that Member State includes the UK for the purposes of this definition.

In summary, a company can claim the 25% tax credit on expenditure incurred on R&D as reduced by any grant assistance or any Government support received in respect of the same R&D activities.

Solid Fuel Carbon Tax (SFCT) is an excise duty that applies to coal and peat when first supplied in the State for use as a fuel. SFCT rates effective from 1 May 2021 to 30 April 2022 are listed in the table below along with rates effective from 1 May 2022.

SFCT rates are proportional to the carbon dioxide emissions of fuel when combusted. Coal, with the highest carbon dioxide emissions, attracts the highest rate of SFCT. The tax legislation which is administered by Revenue does not differentiate between smokeless, low smoke and smoky fuels. The Deputy may wish to note that regulation of air quality standards on solid fuel is the subject of separate legislation which falls under the remit of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and such standards on fuels (including restrictions on the sale of smoky fuels) are enforced through local authorities under that law.

I am advised by Revenue that SFCT is collected on a self-assessment basis and compliance with the law is enforced using the full range of compliance interventions and enforcement provisions for self-assessed taxes. SFCT is payable by a taxable person who makes a first supply of solid fuel in the State. Every supplier who intends to make a first supply of solid fuel in the State must register with Revenue for the purposes of the tax. Registered suppliers must assess their SFCT liability and make a return and payment on a bi-monthly in arrears basis.

As with all self-assessed taxes Revenue utilises a suite of compliance and enforcement activities in its administration of SFCT. Compliance interventions and audits are undertaken on a risk-assessed basis and SFCT issues may be examined as part of cross tax head checks. Under SFCT law Revenue may impose fines for non-compliance with obligations regarding SFCT registration, returns, filing, and payments. During the years 2017 – 2021, Revenue completed 86 compliance interventions amongst such taxpayers in relation to Solid Fuel Carbon Tax. Details of these interventions are given in the table below:

In addition to these interventions, Revenue may also refer any SFCT debts for enforcement action where a supplier fails to pay the amount due. This can include sheriff enforcement, civil proceedings through the courts or attachment of third parties. I am advised that since 2017 Revenue has enforced debt to the sheriff only, the details are in the following table:

SFCT Sheriff Enforcement

I am further advised that Revenue has several cases currently under review for possible enforcement action. 

I am further advised that up to February 2020, Revenue staff participated in a number of “joint operations” within Low Smoke Zones in conjunction with Local Authorities’ solid fuel inspection teams, with a view to checking for compliance across several tax headings, including SFCT. In addition, an SFCT compliance module was included in Revenue’s Mineral Oil Tax national compliance project. These projects, along with many other field-based compliance activities, have been impacted by Covid-19 restrictions since mid-March 2020. 

In circumstances where there are grounds to believe that tax due has not been declared and paid by the taxpayer, Revenue investigates fully and collects any unpaid tax, together with any interest or penalties due. Members of the public and solid fuel traders who suspect, or have evidence, that untaxed solid fuel is being sold in their area should report any information to Revenue by contacting Revenue’s Confidential Freephone 1800 295 295.

A search of official records, in response to the Deputy’s question, indicates that there has been no cost to my Department from 2011 to date for fines paid by Ireland for non-transposition of EU directives into Irish law. To go back beyond that period would not be an efficient use of time and resources.

For background, the European Commission, in 2017 – “EU law: Better results through better application (2017/C 18/02)” - set out its revised approach to seeking fines in cases of non-transposition of an EU Directives. Staff in the Department are aware of this altered approach. Our objective, when dealing with the often complex and time pressurised work of transpositions, is to avoid a situation whereby the imposition of fines may become a consideration.

Furthermore, my Department is represented on an inter-departmental committee (chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs) where these and related EU matters are monitored and discussed. 

As the Deputy will appreciate detailed matters in relation to Garda pensions are in the first instance the responsibility of the Minister for Justice. However, in broad terms, I can outline the policy reforms introduced in 1995 for public service pensions and how this affects pension entitlements.

In 1995, the Government decided that full social welfare cover should be extended to all newly appointed civil and public servants and that they should pay the full Class A social insurance contribution. 

The aim of integration with the social insurance system is to prevent “double pensioning” where both an occupational public service pension and the State Pension Contributory (SCP) would be payable. Where a public servant is fully insured, their occupational pension is integrated with the State Pension i.e. account is taken of any social welfare benefits payable as part of an individual's overall public service pension entitlement.

Where an individual's public service pension is integrated, they may have an entitlement to a bridging payment (known as the occupational supplementary pension) which is required to ensure an individual’s overall public service pension entitlement because there can be a shortfall in this benefit in certain circumstances e.g. because an individual has not reached State Pension age.

An occupational supplementary pension ensures that the occupational pension of a public servant paying Class A PRSI, when combined with any social insurance benefits, is equal to the occupational pension of a public servant who pays modified PRSI (Class B, C or D) and whose pension is not integrated with the State Pension.

However, the payment of a supplementary pension is not automatic and is subject to meeting certain criteria e.g. the individual must have reached minimum pension age in accordance with the rules of his/her scheme and must not be in paid employment.

In addition, it is usually an important requirement that individuals engage with the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to ensure that they are receiving any and all social insurance benefits to which they may have an entitlement. The conditions around the payment of these benefits and the accrual of Social Welfare credits is a matter, in the first instance, for that Department.  

It should be noted that there is no requirement for an individual to apply for any means-tested social welfare payments in order to qualify for a supplementary pension.  

On the matter of claiming occupational supplementary pensions while living abroad, my understanding is that non-residency does not generally preclude payment of the supplementary pension subject to adherence to the relevant DSP requirements. Similarly, there is no restriction preventing an individual participating in a course of education (e.g. a third level course).

It is important to note that the conditions for the payment of supplementary pensions are similar across the wider public service, including, for example, the education and health sectors.

Funding raised by the National Lottery plays a very important role in supporting a range of good causes at national, regional and community level. 

My Department has no direct involvement in the allocation of National Lottery Good Causes funding. As set out in section 41 of the National Lottery Act, 2013 the National Lottery Regulator transfers moneys from the National Lottery Fund to the central Vote of the Exchequer which is allocated in such amounts as the Government may determine to sports and recreation; national culture and heritage; the Arts, health of the community; youth; welfare and amenities and the natural environment.

In noting that public access to information in respect of specific Good Causes Lottery grants, allocations is a matter for the Departments concerned, I also consider it important that there is a robust and transparent processes for such allocations and have commissioned an external review of the process for the allocation of lottery funding. This Review which is scheduled to conclude later this quarter will inter alia examine the current system to identify the principles which might underpin a new process of allocation, consult with lottery grant recipients and other key stakeholders and draw on international practice.

The Equality Budgeting and Well-being Budgeting initiatives are part of the ongoing development of Ireland’s performance framework that also includes the Performance Budgeting and Green Budgeting initiatives, the ongoing development of the Public Spending Code, the Establishment of the Irish Government Economic & Evaluation Service and the Spending Review process.   

Within this broader performance framework, the Equality Budgeting and Well-budgeting initiatives are seeking to increase the focus on policy goals and the impact of public policy on people’s lives.  While these initiatives are not disinterested in issues around the provision of resources and services, their primary concern is with questions around what was the intent of public policy and what progress has there been toward that policy intent. In addition to a common focus on policy goals and outcomes, both initiatives also have an explicit focus on people’s experiences and how the impact of public policy can differ between groups of people.  These differences have the potential to support and inform the policy process by providing a more refined description of the policy challenge, articulating clearer policy goals and identifying who may benefit from more targeted policy interventions.    

Beginning with a pilot programme introduced for the 2018 budgetary cycle, Equality Budgeting is a way of approaching and understanding the budget as a process that embodies long-standing societal choices about how resources are used, rather than simply a neutral process of resource allocation. In practice, this means that equality budgeting attempts to provide greater information on how proposed or ongoing budgetary decisions impact on particular groups in society, thereby integrating equality concerns into the budgetary process.

Equality objectives and indicators are published every year in the REV and the Public Service Performance Report.  The initial focus of Equality Budgeting was on gender, following which the initiative was extended to other dimensions of equality such as socio-economic inequality, disability, minority groups etc.

An Expert Advisory Group was established to guide development of Equality Budgeting policy, and has met regularly since September 2018. In 2019, the OECD published a report on Equality Budgeting in Ireland, providing 12 recommendations on how to drive this initiative forward. Implementation of the report's recommendations is now at an advanced stage. 

In line with the OECD recommendation to develop an equalities data strategy, the CSO completed a data audit in cooperation with my Department, to ascertain the availability of public service data that is disaggregated by equality dimension. A report on this audit was published in October 2020.

In order to support the continuing development of performance budgeting in Ireland, the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform has been successful in its application to the EU’s Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP). The project that the EU is funding under this Programme is providing Ireland with the opportunity to work with technical experts from the EU and OECD as well as other international experts in order to take stock of how effectively performance budgeting has been working and to consider future directions for ongoing reform drawing on international best practice (e.g., enhance accountability and transparency, upgrade existing budgeting and financial management systems and processes). This project also takes cognisance of the other reform initiatives (e.g., equality budgeting, green budgeting, and well-being budgeting).

An inter-departmental group has also been established for Equality Budgeting to facilitate the embedding of the initiative across all Government departments. This group plays a key role in guiding the continued progress of Equality Budgeting.  

In Programme for Government – Our Shared Future, the Government set out a commitment to developing a set of well-being indices to create a well-rounded, holistic view of how Irish society is fairing.  Once developed, the Government is committed to ensuring that this is used in a systematic way in setting budgetary priorities, as an important complement to existing economic measurement tools, as well as across government policy making at local and national levels in evaluating programmes and reporting progress.   

In terms of setting out an overall well-being framework, in July 2021, the Government published the First Report on a Well-being Framework for Ireland.  The Report sets out an overarching vision of the Well-being Framework: enabling all our people to live fulfilled lives now and into the future. 

As noted in the Expenditure Report 2022, the next phase of the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform's work in this area is to develop an approach for associating public expenditure with the various dimensions of the Well-being Framework.  The intention is to develop over time a way of setting out budgetary decisions on the basis of well-being dimensions; an approach that would complement the existing Vote Group approach to presenting such decisions.  Furthermore, as part of the whole-of-year budgetary process, Departments have been invited to consider how they might utilise the Well-being Framework as part of the Spending Review process.

As the Deputy will appreciate, many workers went above and beyond over the course of the last two years very challenging years. Their continued contribution has been essential to getting us through this difficult time.

After careful consideration, the Government made decisions earlier this year in relation to recognition of these efforts.  A national day of recognition and commemoration to recognise the contribution of all workers across the economy was held on the 18th of March this year.  Furthermore, an additional permanent public holiday will be in place from next year.

The Government took many factors into consideration when coming to a decision in relation to any additional recognition measure for specific sectors and workers.  It was agreed that it would be appropriate to further acknowledge the contribution of those working in certain clinical settings in recognition of the fact that they were working in environments where Covid-19 was definitely present and the increased risk associated with that.  

Overall, this is a balanced package of measures that benefits workers across the economy, while also recognising in particular the risks faced by certain healthcare workers during this pandemic.

The detailed administrative arrangements and terms and conditions associated with this measure are matters for my colleague the Minister for Health.

The Programme for Government commits to gradually increasing the carbon tax over the next decade to reach €100 a tonne by 2030. The funds raised by these increases in the carbon tax will allow for an additional €9.5bn of Government spending over the decade.

€3bn is to be allocated to targeted social welfare and other initiatives to ensure a Just Transition, €5 billion is to be allocated to energy efficiency, and the remaining €1.5bn is to be allocated to green agricultural measures.

Regarding expenditure in 2021, the Department of Finance estimated that the €6 portion of the carbon tax increase announced in Budget 2020 would raise €90m in 2020 and €130m in 2021 (i.e. over the course of a full year). To this €130m was added the sums available from the increase in the carbon tax in Budget 2021. Department of Finance estimates suggested that a €7.50 increase in the carbon tax in Budget 2021 would lead to increased carbon tax revenues in 2021 of €108m and €147m in a full year. This means that the combined proceeds of the 2020 and 2021 increases in the carbon tax were estimated at €238m in 2021.

Of these additional funds, €100m was allocated to investment in residential and community energy efficiency, €48m was allocated to fund targeted social protection measures, €20m was allocated to pilot environmental programmes in agriculture, and €70m was allocated to the continuation of the measures allocated funds under the 2020 Carbon Tax Investment Programme.

The measures that received allocations under the 2020 Carbon Tax Investment Programme include:

- The fuel allowance

- Energy poverty efficiency upgrades

- Peatlands rehabilitation

- The Just Transition Fund

- Greenways/urban cycling

- Grants for electric vehicles

- Investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure

- Green agriculture pilots

- The Overseas Development Aid Green Climate Fund.

A breakdown of the additional carbon tax revenue allocations to each of these measures can be found in the Use of Carbon Tax Funds 2021 paper - assets.gov.ie/90878/b97737a2-a8d7-41e3-9b1a-53fc0822c20f.pdf 

From Budget 2022 onwards, the Department of Public Expenditure is allocating carbon tax funding based on an even annual allocation of the €9.5bn over the course of the decade. Thus carbon tax financed spending increased by €174m in 2022, reaching €412m in total carbon tax financed expenditure. Again, details of this allocation was published by the Department, alongside Budget 2022, in the Use of Carbon Tax Funds 2022 - assets.gov.ie/201264/5c96e5cd-b663-4887-bf2e-e13a393ffc50.pdf 

The use of heritage sites managed by the Office of Public Works, for the support of cultural, artistic and recreational purposes, has always been a part of the OPW’s remit.  Our responsibility, in relation to Historic Properties and National Monuments, is to protect, conserve and present these properties on behalf of the people of Ireland. Where a wholly commercial use of these properties is proposed, a facility fee will be charged.

In the case of charities or local community groups, there are occasional requests to use OPW sites for charitable or fund-raising purposes. Our decision in facilitating such activities is conditional upon two aspects:

- Whether the use of these sites is in, or by implication could be perceived to, support party-political or fund-raising purposes which conflict with the scope of our responsibilities; and

- Whether any public-liability aspects attach to us as the occupiers, in respect to whether the activity places an additional, or unacceptable, duty of care that may expose the OPW or the State to financial or reputational risk;

In the case of this local community group, the OPW is open to collaboration on events which meet the above criteria. The OPW has supported the work of this community group in the past and is happy to engage with the group on event proposals provided they are consonant with the above criteria.

A draft of An Garda Síochána Capital Building Programme has been issued to the OPW for review. OPW is finalising its comments. It is a matter for An Garda Síochána to confirm when the An Garda Síochána Capital Building Programme 2022-2026 will be published.

The mission of the Office of Public Works is to manage the State property portfolio, Ireland’s flood risk and our national heritage – all in a sustainable manner.  The organisation maintains and presents Ireland’s most iconic heritage properties, including Ireland’s two World Heritage Sites, 800 National Monuments, 32 National Historic Properties and over 5,000 acres of gardens and parklands.

Its responsibilities, however, do not extend to any heritage ships or boats and there are no such heritage assets in the care of the OPW.

As the Deputy may be aware, there are different employee contribution arrangements applying to public service pension schemes depending on when individuals joined their relevant scheme. Accordingly, I have addressed the question raised below based on whether an individual is a member of a pre-existing public service pension scheme or the Single Public Service Pension scheme. 

1. Pre-existing Public Service Pension Schemes

These schemes apply to those who joined the public service prior to 2013. It is a condition of the majority of these schemes that the member make a pension contribution towards the cost of retirement benefits for the full period of his or her scheme membership.

That continues to be the case even if the member serves in excess of 40 years, which in the standard pre-existing pension schemes is the maximum period of pensionable service that is allowed in the calculation of pension benefits.

I should point out that these schemes are defined benefit schemes, which means that benefits are based on a defined calculation formula (e.g. 1/80th and 3/80ths of final pensionable remuneration for retirement pension and lump sum, respectively, for public servants in modified PRSI class) rather than on the contributions made by or on behalf of the individual.

It is also worth noting that the value of superannuation benefits for the individual continues to increase beyond the 40 year threshold as increments, promotion or pay increases (occurring after 40 years’ service) are reflected in the pension and superannuation lump sum ultimately payable on retirement.

Refunds of excess contributions are possible in respect of public service spouses’ and children’s contributory pension schemes, which provide dependents’ benefits in case of the death of the member either during service or following retirement. These refunds apply where reckonable service is given in excess of 40 years – such refunds relate to contributions made in the earlier part of one’s career. 

Single Public Service Pension Scheme individuals who joined the public service from 2013 onwards are  members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. This is a Career Average Defined Benefit scheme, with member pension and lump-sum benefits (known as ‘referable amounts’) building up on the basis of pensionable remuneration received by members in a pay-period. The member pays employee contributions in each pay-period. This continues to be the case until such time as a member retires.

In the Single Scheme, the same concept of maximum reckonable service (i.e. 40 years) does not exist. There is, however, a mandatory retirement age of 70 for the majority of members, with lower ages for certain members of uniformed grades and other cohorts.

I wish to advise the Deputy that there are currently two staff members from my Department seconded out to administrative roles in the third level sector. One member of staff is seconded to Dublin City University and the other is seconded to the Technological Higher Education Association.

The Secondment Policy, and associated Guidelines and FAQs, published by my Department in 2021 sets out the current arrangements for secondments between Civil Service organisations. This Secondment Policy also provides that the same principles may be applied to secondment arrangements between a parent department and a non-civil service body within its sector.

Secondments provide staff members with opportunities to broaden their skills and continue their professional and personal development while retaining the right to return to their substantive post at the end of the secondment. It also provides an opportunity for the receiving organisation to fill a temporary position with both the receiving and sending organisation benefitting from shared learning, good practice, new ideas and experience.

A copy of the Civil Service Secondment Policy Circular Letter and the living Guidance and FAQs are available at hr.per.gov.ie/en/corporate-pages/career/mobility/secondment/#article-section-policy-guidance-and-faqs-for-civil-service-organisations.

My Department is currently seeking to establish if any fines have been incurred for failure to transpose an EU Directive on time.  I will communicate with the Deputy directly once that process has been completed.

I am pleased to confirm that arrangements for this year's National Famine Commemoration which will be held at the National Famine Museum, Strokestown Park, County Roscommon on Sunday 15 May. The Taoiseach Micheál Martin T.D. will represent the Government at the ceremony. As in previous years, the ceremony will include military honours and a wreath laying ceremony in remembrance of all those who suffered or perished during the Famine, and the ceremony will be broadcast on RTÉ News Now. 

Further announcements in relation to the details of the arrangements for the National Famine Commemoration 2023 will be made in due course.

Throughout the pandemic I have been very cognisant of the challenges the restrictions caused for the arts, culture and live entertainment industry and I remain committed to the live entertainment sector as the industry recovers following the lifting of all restrictions in January. 

In 2021 an allocation of €25m was made available for the Live Performance Support Scheme (LPSS 2021).  I was delighted to be in a position to fund 237 successful applications under this scheme, the details of which are available on my Department’s website.  This scheme provided thousands of days of employment to hundreds of actors, musicians, crew and technicians in tandem with a pipeline of high quality on-line much needed entertainment for Irish audiences. The grants awarded helped to support employment and wellbeing opportunities across all genres including theatre, music and circus performance.

As part of a €50m suite of supports for the live entertainment sector for 2022, €5m was allocated for the LPSS- Strand II to support pantomime and seasonal musical theatre impacted by the Covid restrictions in place in December and January. This scheme closed for applications on 31st January with a total of 17 applications submitted. Grants have been offered to 9 applicants through this scheme.

The details requested by the Deputy are included in the table below:

As Fáilte Ireland is the relevant prescribed body under planning legislation, I have referred this question to them for direct response to the Deputy.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

The immediate emergency and accommodation needs of people arriving in Ireland as a result of the war in Ukraine will continue to be met by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the International Protection Accommodation Services through hotel and guest house accommodation, holiday homes and pledges which includes pledges by Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies as well as through use of vacant buildings where minor or no refurbishment is required.

My Department and Fáilte Ireland continue to work with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to identify longer term options beyond the hotel accommodation sector. Tourism sector accommodation is an important component of Ireland’s response to housing people from Ukraine but it is a short-term, responsive element rather than a long-term solution.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is leading cross government consideration and development of medium and long-term accommodation solutions including a cross-sectoral and cross-departmental Humanitarian Crisis Housing Taskforce. The taskforce has met several times including with the construction and development sectors.

I understand that all local authorities are very actively engaged in supporting the national response to the provision of emergency accommodation for Ukrainian refugees, with many directly operating emergency accommodation centres and staff being diverted from other activities they carry out on behalf of Government to facilitate this response.

I am advised that there have been no secondments from my Department to the University sector over the past two years.

I am advised that my Department has not been issued fines by the EU for failing to transpose EU directives during the period specified by the Deputy.

With regard to those EU Directives falling within the remit of my Department that are overdue for transposition into Irish law, I am advised that work is ongoing to transpose the two directives listed below.  

Directive (EU) 2018/1808 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 November 2018 amending Directive 2010/13/EU on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the provision of audiovisual media services (Audiovisual Media Services Directive) in view of changing market realities was due to be transposed into Irish law by 19 September 2020.  The Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Bill 2022 will transpose Directive (EU) 2018/1808. The Bill was initiated in the Seanad on 25 January of this year and has completed the Second stage. It is currently at Committee stage in the Seanad. 

Directive (EU) 2019/789 laying down rules on the exercise of copyright and related rights applicable to certain online transmissions of broadcasting organisations and retransmissions of television and radio programmes, and amending Council Directive 93/83/EEC.  This was due to be transposed into Irish law by 7 June 2021.  This Directive will be transposed by Statutory Instrument and my Department is working with Office of Attorney General (OPC) to draft appropriate regulations to ensure transposition at the earliest opportunity.

No fines have been issued in respect of either of these directives.

In Budget 2022 the Government allocated €67.6 million in additional funding for tourism, thereby bringing the overall tourism services budget to €288 million. The funding allocated to the tourism agencies in 2022 includes €50 million for further business continuity support for strategic tourism businesses and a €35 million increase in the Tourism Marketing Fund as well as €36.5 million in capital funding for tourism product development.

This funding will enable the tourism agencies to assist in the recovery of the sector as we reopen to international tourism and transition to a more sustainable future. 

I have asked the tourism agencies, Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, to provide the Deputy with further details of their plans for 2022.   Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for government support for the development of sports and physical recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.1 billion.   The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas.

The 2020 round of the Programme closed for applications on 1 March 2021.  By this date, 3,106 applications were submitted seeking over €200 million in funding.  This is the highest number of applications ever received.   

Approximately one thousand of the submitted applications were for 'equipment-only' projects. These applications were assessed first and grants with a total value of €16.6 million were announced on 6 August 2021. The remaining capital applications were then assessed and 1,865 individual grant offers with a total value of over €143.8 million were announced on Friday 11 February 2022. 

Currently my Department is finalising the assessment of appeals from unsuccessful applicants. The deadline for submission of appeals was Monday 4th  April, 2022. Of the record €150 million made available for capital projects, €6 million has been kept in reserve for any successful appeals. 

When the appeal process is complete, a full review of the 2020 round of the SCEP will be undertaken and recommendations arising, including any changes to the type of projects which should be eligible for funding,  will be reflected in the terms and conditions of the next round.  The precise timing of this next round of the Programme will be announced once this review is complete.

Local authorities are responsible under the Housing Acts for managing and maintaining their housing stock and managing their estates, including taking appropriate measures to counter anti-social behaviour. Accordingly, collaborative working arrangements with An Garda Síochána on matters relating to anti-social behaviour by social housing tenants, including Memoranda of Understanding, are generally a matter for local authorities and my Department has no role in this regard.

That said, there is ongoing engagement between An Garda Síochána and local authorities. An Garda Síochána works collaboratively with local authorities through the Joint Policing Committees, while Community Gardaí also liaise with the relevant local authority staff, including Housing Tenant Liaison Officers, on such matters.

The core objective of the Community Monuments Fund is to support the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites. It contains a number of different measures aimed at enabling conservation works to be carried out on archaeological monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support, encouraging access to archaeological monuments and improving their presentation and also building resilience in archaeological monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change.

The Community Monuments Fund invests essential capital in our valuable archaeological heritage and helps owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public.

My Department received 203 applications under the Community Monuments Fund for 2022 and all of these were assessed on their merits. I'm delighted to confirm that 128 awards were granted to a value of just under €6m.

Three of the Louth County Council applications were successful this year, Glaspistol Castle, Cill Mhuire and the Drogheda Town Wall, indeed, Glaspistol Castle received the maximum award of €100,000. Officials in my Department are available to give feedback to unsuccessful applicants in order that they may submit an improved application for next year's scheme. I hope to announce details of this scheme later this year.

In 2019, my Department’s Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021 allocated €350,000 to the group water scheme referred to in the details supplied for water treatment improvements. I understand that the local authority have sought an increase of this funding. There has been ongoing correspondence between the local authority and my Department on this matter. Further information has being requested from the local authority and is awaited.

Each local authority (in this case Cavan County Council) has appointed a Rural Water Liaison Officer (RWLO) to facilitate the flow of information between the group water sector and the local authority. The RWLO deals with the day to day issues in the implementation of the devolved Rural Water Programme and can be contacted at the council offices.

Comprehensive steps are being taken towards modular construction methods as part of my Department's cross-cutting strategy to improve productivity in construction and thereby accelerate delivery of housing.

Housing for All commits that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, supported by my Department, will promote a culture of innovation in residential construction. This will be achieved through measures including , the development of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and the establishment of a Centre of Excellence Demonstration Park for MMC and development of design for manufacture guidance for industry.

Housing for All also provides that Government will enhance the intended role of the new Construction Technology Centre (CTC), which is under development by Enterprise Ireland, beyond the standard remit of Technology Centres in general for its first three years of operation in order to prioritise residential construction, in particular by incorporating:

- structures and funding to enable innovation in residential construction prior to the National Standards Authority of Ireland

- a proactive role in strengthening the residential construction value chain;

- promotion, development and support for innovation / MMCs using digital and manufacturing technology;

- support for Small Medium Enterprises to develop scale and to adopt MMCs and Building Information Modelling techniques for residential construction; and

- support for digitisation in the manufacturing sector for residential construction e.g. digitally controlled manufacturing equipment.

On conclusion of the International and National Technical Review process, a preferred bidder for the CTC has been identified. Enterprise Ireland are now developing contracts with this entity with an expectation that these contracts will be signed in Summer 2022.

In addition Housing for All commits that the State will continue to increase funding for residential construction related innovation and productivity. It will work with industry to strengthen the residential construction supply chain and to introduce MMC.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is responsible for meeting the immediate and short-term accommodation needs of persons arriving in Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine. As part of a whole-of-government response, DCEDIY, in close cooperation with local government, is securing accommodation for arrivals through:

- hotels, guest houses and B&Bs;

- accommodation pledged by the general public, which is being assessed for suitability;

- State-owned or private properties, which may be suitable for short-term accommodation;

- religious properties; and

- local authority community facilities.

In the meantime, a coordinated, whole-of-Government effort is being marshalled to consider and develop options to meet the medium and longer-term accommodation challenges for displaced Ukrainians. A cross-sectoral Humanitarian Crisis Housing Taskforce, chaired by my Department, has been established by Government for this purpose.

Neither my Department nor the taskforce is considering proposals, as part of this work, to force persons or businesses to give up property or to force persons to open their homes to Ukrainian refugees.

The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme was reviewed in 2021 in line with Programme for Government and Housing for All commitments.

The amendments, which came into effect on 1st February 2022, include a reduction in the minimum reckonable income required to be eligible under the scheme from €15,000 to €12,500. The time an applicant is required to be in receipt of social housing supports to be able to apply under the scheme has also been revised. This has been increased from one to ten years. 

While local authorities have already been formally advised of these changes, the Department also intends to issue revised guidelines shortly. 

I am unsure as to what scheme the Deputy may be referring to as no such scheme exists in my Department to cull seagulls - national culls are not carried out, even on a pilot basis.

If an individual wishes to apply for a licence to deal with gulls causing serious damage, then they can do so under Section 42 of the Wildlife Acts by applying to the National Parks & Wildlife Service.  Further information can be found on the following link:  www.npws.ie/licencesandconsents/disturbance/stop-damage-flora-and-fauna-wild-animals.

In addition, three species of gull are also mentioned on the National Wild Birds Declaration and this allows individuals in a particular area to remove nests and/or eggs of those gull species without applying for a specific licence.  Further information can be found on the following link: www.npws.ie/legislation/eu-directives/birds-directive/eu-birds-directive-article-9-derogations.

My Department has received a Stage 3 (Pre-tender Approval) submission on this project under the Capital Assistance Scheme, which is currently being examined and a response is expected to issue to Limerick City and County Council imminently.

Funding of €68.5 million under the National Development Plan has been allocated for the period 2021-2025 for legacy water services issues in relation to lead pipe remediation and the Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme (DPI).

My Department is operating a Multi-annual DPI Programme to provide funding for the progressive resolution of housing estates with legacy developer provided water services infrastructure to enable the taking in charge of these estates.

The programme is focused on housing estates which are not taken in charge by local authorities and do not have their water services connected to the public (Irish Water) network, but rely instead on infrastructure, often temporary in nature, which was provided by developers. The focus of the first tranches of funding is on estates in towns and villages where the resolution is to connect their water services to the public networks. 

A study is being carried out by Irish Water to develop optimum solutions for estates with legacy developer provided water services infrastructure. The study will help my Department with developing policy solutions, including issues around funding, for estates that, due to distance, are not viable to connect to the public network. This is by considering sustainable treatment technologies either on the same site or another suitable alternative site. I understand the study is expected to be completed in Q2, 2022.

It will take a number of funding programmes to fully resolve estates with developer provided water services infrastructure, however, my Department is committed to progressing the taking in charge of these legacy estates through increased funding over the coming years.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 181, 182 and 183 together.

Details of the sections of the Local Government Act 2001 and the Local Government Reform Act 2014 which have yet to be commenced are set out in the following table. 

 There are no current plans to commence the provisions of the 2001 Act not yet commenced.

The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the scheme.

The Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015 governing the scheme apply to all local authorities and provide inter alia that the sale of a property to the purchaser does not imply any warranty on the part of the housing authority in relation to the state of repair or condition of the dwelling or its fitness for human habitation. The purchaser is also solely responsible for the maintenance and repair of a house sold under the scheme.

My Department administers a number of funding schemes to support local authority delivery of social housing. Each scheme, depending on its objectives and delivery mechanism, has a process in place whereby local authorities secure approval for funding for social housing projects.

The overall pre-construction process for local authority capital-funded, social housing build projects involves local authorities undertaking a range of work including site investigations, needs assessment, planning under Part 8 including community and local elected members’ consultations, project design and procurement of design teams and contractors under the Capital Works Management Framework. The majority of local authority projects are assessed and approved by my Department via a 4-stage process and this assessment of projects by my Department within that process over the last 12 months averaged 24 weeks. 

Local authorities also have the option of using a single stage approval process for social housing projects up to €6 million in value and the pre-construction process in such cases can be reduced by approximately eight weeks. Local authorities also deliver social housing via turnkey contracts with developers and the approval process for such projects would ordinarily be from two to six weeks as the proposals ordinarily have planning approval, have an agreed design and have a contractor in place. 

Specific challenges can arise with individual projects that will impact on the average time for particular local authorities in the pre-construction process, such as challenges within the planning process, difficulties with sites, etc. To support the capacity of local authorities to develop and deliver social housing build projects, I have approved funding for an additional 250 posts in local authority housing teams. Furthermore, in January 2022, I published a new Design Manual for Quality Housing and a Review of the Pre-Construction Processes undertaken in cooperation with the local authority and Approved Housing Body (AHB) sectors. These initiatives are important to improve the quality, cost-effectiveness and pace of delivery of social homes.

The table below outlines the social housing capital projects by local authority which are currently in the pre-construction process including assessment/approval by my Department.

The Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) funding is capital support provided to AHBs by local authorities to facilitate the funding of construction, acquisition or refurbishment of new social housing units.  This loan facility can support up to 30% of the eligible capital cost of the housing project, with the housing units provided to local authorities for social housing use under long-term lease arrangements known as Payment and Availability Agreements (P&A). The table below sets

out details of projects with my Department for approval. The average time for the approval of a CALF project is six weeks.

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) and the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) are forms of social housing support for people who have a long-term housing need. 

Exchequer expenditure on the schemes in 2021, is set out in the following table:

*This spend includes funding provided for payment and availability arrangments under the CALF Scheme, AHB leasing, local authority leasing, Mortgage to Rent, NARPS, Repair and Leasing and unsold affordable units.

Under Housing for All, the Government plans to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 homes per year over the next decade, including an average of 10,000 new build social homes. As new build supply of social housing ramps up, there will be reducing reliance on the HAP and RAS schemes. Long term leasing will be phased out by 2025 and my Department is continuing to engage with local authorities in this regard.

Responsibility for the Rent Supplement Scheme falls within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection. 

At the end of 2021, 100,077 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were 61,907 households actively in receipt of HAP support and over 33,400 separate landlords and agents providing accommodation to households supported by the scheme.

Each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 20% above the prescribed maximum rent limit to secure appropriate accommodation for a household that requires it, or up to 50% in the case of homeless households in the Dublin region. At the end of 2021, 57% of the total number of households being supported by HAP were benefiting from the additional flexibility, at an average rate of discretion of 24.2% above the relevant limit.

When the additional discretion available to homeless households in the Dublin Region is removed, 51.2%, of households nationally were benefiting from the additional flexibility. In those cases, the average rate of discretionary payment being used was 17.3% above the relevant limit.

At end 2021, there were 1,792 households actively in receipt of HAP support in Donegal. 12% of the total number of households being supported by HAP in Donegal were benefiting from the additional flexibility. In those cases, the average rate of discretionary payment being used was 19.9% above rent limits provided.

Under Housing for All, my Department was tasked with undertaking an analytical exercise to examine whether an increase in the level of the 20% discretion available to Local Authorities under HAP is required, in order to maintain adequate levels of HAP support. The Housing Agency undertook to carry out this analytical exercise on behalf of my Department. The review was submitted on 20 December 2021. It is undergoing analysis by my Department and I expect to receive recommendations following that analysis.

The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage for those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is the successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan.

Section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that, subject to law, a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions.  Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 specifically provides that the Minister's power to issue policy directions and guidelines to housing authorities in relation to their housing functions should not be construed as enabling the Minister to exercise any power or control in relation to any individual case with which a housing authority is or may be concerned.  I am, therefore, precluded from intervening in relation to individual cases.

The final decision on loan approval is a matter for each local authority and its Credit Committee on a case-by-case basis.  Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the statutory credit policy that underpins the scheme, in order to ensure consistency of treatment for all applicants. 

Development contribution charges to be applied on developers are set at the planning permission stage but are not collectable by the relevant local authority until after the development work commences. Commencement notices are issued by the developer to the local authority and these generally trigger the raising of the charge. The normal practice is for the developer to issue a commencement notice for all units in the development at the construction start date which could mean that the full development charges are due immediately. Alternatively, a phased payment plan is agreed between the planning authority and the developer and in other cases, commencement notices are issued for blocks of units on a piecemeal basis.

When a commencement notice is received, contributions collectable within the next 12 months are usually treated as income by the relevant local authority and a short-term debtor is raised. Income from development contributions not due to be paid within the current year is deferred and is not separately disclosed in the Annual Financial Statement (AFS).

The most recent audited data available in respect of development contributions is in respect of the financial year ending 31 December 2020. Appendix 5 of the amalgamated AFS indicates a total development contribution income nationally of €205.5 million for the end of that financial year. The development contribution income for the four Dublin local authorities for 2019 and 2020 is set out in the first table below. 

Note 5 of the AFS indicates that development contribution short term current debtors amounted to €286.5m nationally at the end of 2020, gross of any bad debt provisions. Short term debtors are classified as development contributions that are owed in respect of the current year and previous years. The second table below sets out the aggregate development contribution short term debtors for the four Dublin local authorities for 2019 and 2020. Audited figures for 2021 are not yet available.

Development Contribution Income 2020 and 2019

Development Contribution Debtors 2020 and 2019

In essence, the Development Contribution Debtor figure for 2020 in the second table indicates the aggregate amount of development contributions payable to the four Dublin local authorities that had invoices issued in 2020 and previous years and where payment remains outstanding. 

My Department does not maintain a central register of heritage ships or boats owned by local authorities and I, as Minister have no function in this regard.

The Affordable Housing Act 2021 lays the foundations for two affordable purchase schemes - Part 2 of the Act details the provisions for the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme and Part 4 of the Act provides for the Minister to establish the First Home Scheme.

The Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme will see new homes made available by the Local Authority for affordable purchase. The scheme is primarily targeted at First Time Buyers.  However, Section 10 of the Affordable Housing Act sets provisions for eligibility exceptions for the scheme, which are part of the Government's 'Fresh Start' strategy as detailed in Housing for All Plan. Broadly, the provisions include an exception for those who previously purchased or constructed a home with a spouse or partner but who are now divorced or legally separated or whose relationship has ended, and who now have no financial interest in the previous home. Such people, whilst they must satisfy further eligibility criteria like any other applicant, will be eligible for the Local Authority scheme.

The full text of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 is available from the following link: www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2021/act/25/enacted/en/html.

The First Home Scheme will make new homes affordable for applicants by allowing them an equity stake in their new home, subject to eligibility criteria. Like the Local Authority scheme, First Home is primarily targeted at First Time Buyers, with certain exemptions. The intention is to mirror the Fresh Start provisions of the local authority scheme for people who are divorced or separated or whose relationship has ended, and who now have no financial interest in the previous home. Full details of the First Home Scheme will be available online on a dedicated website in the early June, in advance of the scheme’s deployment from the end of Quarter 2 this year.

The Programme for Government provides for a package of social housing reforms, including a social housing passport to allow households move from one local authority waiting list to another.

As per my reply to Question No. 531 of 19 January 2022, there is already a degree of flexibility regarding waiting lists. The four Dublin local authorities have arrangements allowing social housing applicants apply for housing in up to two of the other Dublin authorities simultaneously. Similar arrangements apply in the two Cork and two Galway local authorities. Households may also move and relocate between housing authority areas under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme where the household income is within the relevant income limits.

The position remains that provision for wider tenancy movements will be examined this year and I will consider any proposals regarding such movements in the context of other reform package measures.

This technology is consistent with the Government’s Climate Action Plan, and the Programme for Government which supports the ambitious plan to deliver 70% of Ireland’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030. It also supports the work of my Department and other Government agencies and Departments who are focused on helping to address fuel poverty. I understand this technology utilises existing infrastructure in the home, such as the hot water tank, to receive surplus renewable energy at times when it is not needed on the energy grid.

My colleague, the Minister for Energy, Climate and Communications, has responsibility for these climates objectives and the regulation of electricity from a consumer perspective. The new business model proposed by this organisation supports the achievement of the objectives of electricity decarbonisation and the just transition. 

My Department is working to ensure that improved energy efficiency and associated amelioration of fuel poverty both in social housing and the private rental sector, will continue to be the focus of attention in the years ahead. This will also provide a platform which supports the development of new enterprises which will enable the transition away from a carbon based society. My officials have met with the organisation referred to and were provided with an overview of their work to date.   As the Department of Environment Climate and Communications has lead responsibility in this area the organisation proposes to liaise further with that Department along with the relevant electricity providers in relation to providing support and advice and on the application of the scheme.  Following on from this, my Department can then ascertain any potential applications for the scheme in social housing.

A strong emphasis on fuel poverty and the need to improve thermal performance in the social housing stock remains a priority for my Department, as is evident in the Energy Efficiency Programme launched in 2021 which has received a substantial increase in annual funding support to assist local authorities in the management and maintenance of their stock. 

Budget 2022 has provided a significantly increased budget of €85 million for the Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme this year which will allow for 2,400 local authority homes to be targeted for upgrade to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2 or cost optimal equivalent level.

In addition, the Government funds a number of residential energy efficiency upgrade schemes. These schemes are operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and include partial grants for individuals that can afford to contribute to the cost of energy efficiency upgrades as well as schemes that provide free energy efficiency improvements for people who are in receipt of certain welfare payments.  Grants are available for a range of measures including insulation, heat pumps, solar panels and integrated heating controls.

The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 (as amended) provide that households may apply for support to one local authority only. Usually, this will be the local authority for the area in which the household normally resides or with which the household has a local connection. Local authorities may also, at their discretion, assess households with no link to the area for support.

Generally, is not possible for a household previously on one social housing waiting list to carry the time spent on that list when applying to another local authority. This ensures any unfairness that might arise for households already on a waiting list in a receiving local authority is avoided.

Households are reassessed against the eligibility and need criteria set down in the relevant legislation when transferring to another local authority area. If deemed eligible, they qualify for the suite of social housing supports, including the Housing Assistance Payment, and are placed on the housing list to be considered for suitable tenancies in accordance with the relevant local authority’s allocation scheme. Notwithstanding, local authorities will prioritise allocations to those households they consider to be most in need at any moment in time. 

I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 196 together.

My Department does not collate data of the type referred to in the Question.

Housing for All, is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes by 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12 billion in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5 billion in funding through the Land Development Agency and €5 billion funding through the Housing Finance Agency.

Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHB) and, with this, to reduce the numbers of social homes delivered through acquisition programmes. On 19 January my Department issued a circular letter to local authorities advising that social housing acquisitions by local authorities and AHB CALF acquisitions in 2022 would be focussed on a number of priority areas, as follows:

- One-bedroom units to deliver on Housing First and meet the short supply in this category;

- Other properties that allow persons/families to exit homelessness; and

- Specific housing required for/suitable for individuals with a disability or other particular priority needs;

Local authorities were also advised that limited acquisitions through the Capital Assistance Scheme will also be approved, subject to the available budget for specific vulnerable cohorts, such as housing for older people, accommodation for individuals and families who are homeless and for people with a disability.

On 20 April, a further circular letter issued to local authorities in relation to social housing acquisitions. The key purpose of this circular was to advise local authorities that I had reinstated the delegated sanction to local authorities in respect of social housing acquisitions which are: (i) in one of the priority categories set out in the January circular letter; (ii) are in line with acquisition cost guidelines; and (iii) can be completed during 2022. The reinstatement of delegated sanction will allow local authorities to respond more flexibility to secure acquisitions which support a household to exit or to prevent homelessness. It is a matter for individual local authorities to identify suitable acquisitions in line with local circumstances and their social housing allocations policy.

A copy of the circular letter was provided to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Under the Government's Housing for All strategy, 10,000 Cost Rental homes will be delivered from 2021 to 2026 by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), Local Authorities and the Land Development Agency (LDA). 

A Housing Delivery Action Plan prepared by each Local Authority will underpin Local Authority delivery of affordable purchase and cost rental homes to 2026. This includes any Local Authority delivery of Cost Rental homes utilising the support of the Affordable Housing Fund. Each Local Authority submitted the first iteration of their plans in December 2021 and my officials have now met with each authority. The final Delivery Action Plans are anticipated to be published in Q2 of this year. 

Under Budget 2022, €70 million was allocated to the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme for Cost Rental delivery by AHBs in 2022. Over 900 homes have been approved for funding under the scheme to date, with a total of almost 4,000 CREL-funded homes being targeted for delivery over the 5 years to 2026. 

40 CREL-funded Cost Rental homes were tenanted by the Clúid AHB at Barnhall Meadows in Leixlip, Co. Kildare in December 2021, where cost rents charged are approximately 40% below comparable market rents in the area. A further 16 Cost Rental homes will be tenanted in this development by the end of Q2 2022. 

The most recent Cost Rental vacancies in Kildare have just been advertised by Clúid AHB and are located at The Paddocks in Newbridge. The development includes 46 one, two and three bedroom apartments, with cost-covering rents for these apartments at €1,000 per month for the 1 beds, €1,240 for the 2 beds and €1,350 for the 3 beds, which represent significant discounts of approximately 25-30% on market rents in the area. These Cost Rental homes will be tenanted by the end of Q2 2022. 

Under the Second Call for Proposals for CREL funding, issued to AHBs in October 2021, I have given approval in principle to the allocation of €53.6 million for the provision of 521 Cost Rental homes across 11 sites in 7 Local Authority areas including South Kildare. Three of these 11 sites, comprising a total of 186 Cost Rental homes, are currently scheduled to be delivered in Kildare in 2022. The necessary financial and commercial arrangements in relation to the other projects approved under the second call for proposals under CREL are being completed by the AHBs concerned. When these arrangements are concluded, details of the other projects, including specific locations, housing typologies and cost-covering rents, will be made public. 

In addition, the LDA has submitted a revised planning permission for 219 social and affordable units at Devoy Barracks in Naas, Co. Kildare. The LDA will comply with Part V regulations and the remaining homes will be a mix of Cost Rental and affordable purchase.

Cost Rental developments have already provided people within the middle-income cohort with secure and more affordable homes and the developing pipeline will continue to do so into the future as the number of cost rental developments increases. 

I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 200 together.

The Programme for Government commits to ensuring that Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) levels are adequate to support vulnerable households, while we increase the supply of social housing. Maximum rent limits for HAP were set for each housing authority area in 2016, in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection (DSP). In reviewing the rent limits, my Department worked closely with DSP and monitored data gathered from the Residential Tenancies Board and the HAP Shared Services Centre.

Local authorities also have the flexibility to agree to a HAP payment of up to 20% above the maximum rent limit, because of local rental market conditions and up to 50% in the Dublin region for those households either in, or at immediate risk of, homelessness.Under Housing for All, my Department was tasked with undertaking an analytical exercise to examine whether an increase in the level of the 20% discretion available to Local Authorities under HAP is required, in order to maintain adequate levels of HAP support. The Housing Agency undertook to carry out this analytical exercise on behalf of my Department. The review was submitted on 20 December 2021. It is undergoing analysis by my Department and I expect to receive recommendations following that analysis.

My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity, including details by individual local authority. This data is available to the end of 2021, and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/ 

My Department also published the Quarter 4 2021 Social Housing Construction Status Report, which provides details of all social housing developments, which are under construction, have been completed or are at various stages of the design and pre-tender process in each local authority, including Kildare, at the end of 2021. The report is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/af746-social-housing-construction-projects-status-report-q4-2021/.

A version of this file can also be downloaded at the following link:opendata.housing.gov.ie/dataset/social-housing-construction-status-report-q4-2021

The Housing for All Strategy delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to step up housing supply and put affordability at the heart of the housing system, with an ambitious target of 300,000 homes over the next decade for social, affordable and cost rental, private rental and private ownership housing. 54,000 affordable home interventions will be delivered between now and 2030 to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHB), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks.

Delivery of affordable housing, in accordance with the schemes set out in the Affordable Housing Act, 2021 and the funding being made available, will be underpinned by local authorities' Housing Delivery Action Plans. Local authorities, including Kildare County Council, submitted their initial Plans to me in December. Preparation of the Plans allowed each local authority to assess the level of demand with affordability constraint in their area based on the Housing Need and Demand Assessment and plan provision accordingly. The Plans are being revised and updated by local authorities in the light of ongoing engagement and clarifications, and I expect that they will be ready for publication by the Summer. They will provide a comprehensive overview of projected delivery of affordable housing in Kildare, and nationally.

Funding is made available by Government to assist local authority and AHB delivery of affordable housing, for purchase and rent, through the Affordable Housing Fund, previously known as the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF), and the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL). SSF funding will support the delivery of 10 affordable purchase homes of a mixed tenure housing development at Ardclough Road in Celbridge, Co. Kildare. Kildare County Council has advised my Department, construction is expected to begin on site by the end of 2023, with projected delivery of these affordable homes by the 1st Quarter of 2025.

40 CREL-supported Cost Rental homes were tenanted by the Clúid AHB at Barnhall Meadows in Leixlip, Co. Kildare in December 2021, where cost rents charged are approximately 40% below comparable market rents in the area. A further 16 Cost Rental homes will be tenanted in this development by the end of June.

The most recent Cost Rental vacancies in Kildare have just been advertised by the Clúid AHB and are located at The Paddocks in Newbridge. The first phase of the development includes 46 one, two and three bedroom apartments, with cost-covering rents for these apartments at €1,000 per month for the one bedroom units, €1,240 for the two bedroom units and €1,350 for the three bedroom units, which represent significant discounts of approximately 25-30% on market rents in the area. These Cost Rental homes will also be tenanted by the end of June.

Under the second call for proposals for CREL funding, issued to AHBs in October 2021, I gave approval in principle to the allocation of €53.6 million for the provision of 521 Cost Rental homes across 11 sites in 7 local authority areas, including Kildare. Three of these 11 sites, comprising a total of 186 Cost Rental homes, are currently scheduled to be delivered in Kildare in 2022. The necessary financial and commercial arrangements in relation to the other projects approved under the second call for proposals under CREL are being completed by the AHBs concerned. When these arrangements are concluded, details of the projects, including specific locations, housing typologies and cost-covering rents, will be made public.

In addition, the LDA has submitted a revised planning permission for 219 social and affordable units at Devoy Barracks in Naas, County Kildare. The LDA will comply with Part V regulations and the remaining homes are intended to be a blended mix of Cost Rental and affordable purchase.

The First Home Scheme will be delivered via a strategic partnership between the State and participating mortgage lenders and I can confirm that all parties are working with a view to deploying the scheme by the end of this Quarter. It will improve access to newly-built homes, below the median price point, by using a shared equity model to bridge the gap between mortgage finance and the cost of new homes. This measure, targeted at First Time or fresh start buyers, will allow purchasers to exit the rental market, help to build developer confidence in realisable consumer demand, and contribute to the recovery of our construction sector following the Covid-19 emergency. It will be available nationwide.

Other measures to allow buyers to affordably access newly-constructed housing such as the Help to Buy Scheme and the Local Authority Home Loan (formerly the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan), are also available to eligible purchasers nationally to make home ownership more affordable. Information on these schemes is available at the following links:

www.revenue.ie/en/property/help-to-buy-incentive/index.aspx, and

localauthorityhomeloan.ie/

The advancement of social housing on sites owned by Kildare County Council is a matter in the first place for the Council; it is a matter for the Council to determine what housing delivery is initiated, including the nature, scale and timing of the housing.

At the request of Kildare County Council, my Department has recently confirmed funding approval for the Council to work with Cluid Housing Association to advance 34 age-friendly social homes on the site. With this funding approval, I expect the Council will advance the project for planning permission as soon as possible. 

I’m pleased to see this site being developed and I can confirm that under Housing for All, funding is in place to support its earliest possible delivery.  Further information on the project will be available directly from Kildare County Council.

The First Home Scheme will support eligible applicants to purchase new homes in the private market through an equity share model, similar to that used in the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme. The Scheme will be restricted to new homes within regional price ceilings, in order for resources to be generally targeted at supporting purchases in the lower region (sub-median) of the first-time buyer market for new homes in each area. The Scheme is aimed at encouraging new supply to address the realisable demand that currently exists in this section of the first-time buyer market, through supporting the viability of such projects.

Although self-build homes will not be eligible under the First Home Scheme at launch, scheduled for the end of Q2 2022, it is intended that all aspects of the Scheme will be reviewed after the first year of operation. Both the Help to Buy incentive and the Local Authority Home Loan are already available and can be availed of by eligible applicants for the purpose of constructing a self-build home.

Information on the Help to Buy scheme can be found at the following link: www.revenue.ie/en/property/help-to-buy-incentive/index.aspx 

Information on the Local Authority Home Loan can be found at the following link: localauthorityhomeloan.ie/

In relation to social housing, my Department is supporting Local Authorities in the delivery of a range of social housing schemes from small to larger scale developments. This includes single rural dwellings where the Authorities concerned have prioritised such projects as part of their overall work to meet their social housing targets and respond to local housing need. It is open to any person who is qualified for social housing support to apply to the relevant Local Authority in connection with the provision of a home or site. However, the actual operation of such an approach to social housing provision continues to be a matter for the Local Authority concerned.

In terms of new housing provision in rural towns, the Government's Housing For All strategy includes the ‘Croí Cónaithe’ (Towns) Fund. This will be delivered by Local Authorities for the provision of serviced sites for housing, in order to attract people to build their own homes and to support the refurbishment of vacant properties, enabling people to live in small towns in a sustainable way. This reflects the priorities of the National Planning Framework by activating the potential for the renewal and development of small towns and villages by focusing on compact urban growth. The Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund is currently under development, including the scope and appropriate timeframes, and it is expected that a call for proposals will issue to Local Authorities shortly.

I refer to the reply to Question No. 343 of 22 March 2022. The position has not changed.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 206 and 207 together.

Details of foreshore licence applications for site investigation activities that have commenced the statutory assessment process following validation by my Department and details of applications determined during the period referred to in the Question are available to view on my Department's website at www.housing.gov.ie.

The expected time for processing and determining these applications can vary considerably and is influenced by the quality of the application and supporting documents received, the nature and complexity of the application, the level of public engagement during the consultation process and up until recently, impacts from restrictions imposed as a result of Covid-19, among other matters.

Each application must be assessed appropriately in accordance with the applicable requirements of domestic and EU law including the EIA Directive, Birds and Habitats Regulations and the Foreshore Act. Several of the foreshore licences issued over the past 24 months linked to the proposed development of offshore renewable energy projects have been the subject of judicial review proceedings and the process for assessing such applications has been amended as a result, taking into account legal advices received. Over the last eighteen months, my Department has more than doubled the staffing resources available within the Foreshore Section to address this increasing workload. This should reduce the average time taken to assess an application. In addition, a panel of external specialist environmental consultants is in operation to assist in the technical assessment of applications. Recognising the increasing complexity and volume of applications being received; the importance of expediting the advancement of activities to assist in achieving our Climate Action Plan targets, as well as the competition for what is a limited pool of technical expertise in this area, my Department is exploring how it can further expand the technical expertise available to it to meet these demands. I believe that these changes will combine to make the assessment process more robust, will reduce the number of stages required as part of the assessment process and as a result should reduce the time required to assess an application, while noting the variables which can influence the time taken to assess and determine a foreshore licence application.

In relation to the validation process and tendering for independent consultants referred to in the Question, both are part of the internal administrative procedures operated by my Department as part of the preparation for the various statutory assessments that must be conducted in accordance with the range of relevant legislation. The Foreshore Section of my Department will continue to engage with applicants on an individual basis in respect of progress with their own applications and the timing of the commencement of the statutory assessment process in each case.

I am satisfied that my Department is taking a proportionate and responsible approach to processing foreshore licence applications for site investigation licences linked to the proposed development of offshore renewable energy projects pending the update to policy in relation to the management of the Phase 2 for offshore renewable energy as well as progress with the establishment of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority. I will continue to keep the situation under review.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 209 together.

Since 2013, Exchequer funding has been provided through my Department's Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) to support local authorities with the retrofit of local authority owned homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013 over 75,000 homes have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of €184 million under the scheme.

In response to the Programme for Government commitment, my Department launched a newly revised ten year Energy Efficiency Programme in 2021 for local authority owned housing. This new programme set a BER performance requirement of “B2” or cost optimal level. The upscaling of the works included in the programme sees a substantial overall increase in funding being made available for insulation, windows and doors and heating upgrades, specifically the installation of a Heat Pump and associated works. The installation of gas/oil boilers are no longer supported under the energy efficiency programme funded by my Department.

An annualised breakdown of the funding provided and the number of properties upgraded under the Energy Efficiency Retrofit programme for the years 2013-2021 is available on my Department's website at the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/668c1-energy-efficiency-retrofitting-programme-expenditure-output/

My Department announced earlier this year that funding will be provided for the upgrade of approximately 2,400 social homes this year. Each local authority has been allocated a number of properties and work in this regard is underway but it will be later this year before significant recoupment claims are lodged with my Department. Full details in relation to the 2022 EERP will be available early in 2023.

There have been no secondments from my Department to the university third level sector in the past two years.

My Department is guided by the advice issued to all Government Departments by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to secondments which is available at the following link - hr.per.gov.ie/en/corporate-pages/career/mobility/secondment/. 

I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together.

Conservation Rangers work as part of the team of regional National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) staff and are responsible for implementing nature policies throughout the country. Very often, they are the public face of my Department on conservation management, monitoring species and habitats and compliance. The principal duties of the Conservation Ranger include

- Assisting in the management of the National Parks, Nature Reserves and other State lands for nature conservation and public amenity purposes

- Management and oversight of public access and use in National Parks, Nature Reserves and other State lands

- Monitoring habitats, species and designated conservation areas

- Liaising with landowners and local community interests on nature conservation matters

- Promoting knowledge of nature conservation including arranging and participating in field trips and indoor and outdoor talks

- Assisting in the assessment of development applications and wildlife licensing issues

- Oversight, implementation, compliance and enforcement of the Wildlife Acts, Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species, and the Birds and Habitats Directives.

A probation period is a mandatory requirement for all new Civil Servants including at Conservation Ranger grade. Whilst new entrants are on probation they are not eligible to apply for internal promotional competitions.

Conservation Rangers are deployed through a regional structure and assignments are determined in light of Departmental business needs and priorities. As well as more senior regionally based officers of the NPWS, there are 83 NPWS Conservation Rangers stationed around the country at present, all of whom deal with enforcement matters under the Wildlife Acts. I am pleased to say that my Department is liaising with the Public Appointments Service to increase this number through the appointment of additional Rangers. Their assignments do not necessarily coincide with individual county boundaries. In any case, given the enforcement roles discharged by certain staff in the NPWS, for reasons of operational security, my Department does not provide details of staffing in the manner requested.

Staffing levels across my Department are kept under regular review in line with emerging business needs and Government policy on public sector pay and staffing as advised by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Through the National Parks and Wildlife Service, my Department manages an extensive network of natural heritage sites of some 87,000 hectares. The six National Parks of Ireland account for circa 65,000 hectares of this network. I am ever mindful of the need to focus on the core responsibilities relating to the management of our National Parks which are managed from a conservation perspective and attract in excess of 4 million visitors annually. While my Department has no specific plans to expand the park network at present we are actively ensuring the preservation, protection and presentation of the assets we already own. 

With regard to statutory protection of National Parks, the principal national legislation, providing for the protection of wildlife and the control of some activities that may adversely affect wildlife, is the Wildlife Act 1976, and the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000.  Conservation of biodiversity within our National Parks network has been strengthened and expanding by EU law, most notably, EU Directives 92/43/EEC 1992 (Habitats Directive), 2009/147/EC (Birds Directive), 2011/92/EU (EIA Directive) and 2001/43/EC (SEA Directive).  The State Property Act 1954 and the National Monuments Act 1930 make provisions for the vesting and management of state owned property and the protection and preservation of national monuments respectively. It is the policy of my Department to abide by the criteria and standards for the National Parks laid down by the IUCN, which can be found at www.iucn.org/theme/protected-areas/about/protected-areas-categories/category-ii-national-park. 

Regarding mineral exploration in Ireland, the matter is regulated by the Exploration and Mining Division of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment.

The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of addressing building defects. It commits to an examination of defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing’s report "Safe as Houses?". Housing for All, the Government’s national plan on housing to 2030, reiterates this commitment. 

In this regard, I established a working group to examine defects in housing. This working group has been meeting monthly since March 2021 (except for August). In addition, regular subgroup meetings take place to advance elements of the work.

The group’s terms of reference, adopted in May 2021, are focused on fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013.  The full terms of reference of the Working Group are to: 

1. Examine defects in housing having regard to the recommendations in Item 4 “Addressing the legacy of bad building and poor regulation” in Chapter 4 of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government report - ‘Safe as Houses? A Report on Building Standards, Building Controls and Consumer Protection’.

2. Establish the nature of significant, wide-spread fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between  1991 – 2013 in Ireland through consultation with affected homeowners, homeowner representative organisations, owners’ management companies, relevant managing agents, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals, industry stakeholders, insurance providers, mortgage providers and other relevant parties. Including such matters as:

- Identification and description of defect,

- Nature of defect – design, product, workmanship,

- Non-compliance with building regulations or actual damage,

- Severity/risk to life or serviceability of dwelling,

- Period of construction affected,

- Type of dwelling affected,

- Location of dwellings affected.

1. Establish the scale of the issue – estimate number of dwellings affected by the defects identified including those already remediated.

2. Consider a methodology for the categorisation of defects and the prioritisation of remedial action.

-     In the case of defects with fire safety implications, consider how the framework for enhancing fire safety in dwellings can be applied to mitigate the risks arising from fire safety defects pending the remediation of defects and the Code of Practice for Fire Safety Assessment of Premises and Buildings, which is currently being developed by National Directorate of Fire and Emergency Management.

1. Suggest mechanisms for resolving defects, in the context of the legal rights, duties and obligations of developers, builders, building professionals, insurers, mortgage providers, building control authorities, fire authorities, owners’ management companies, owner occupiers, renters and landlords, including:

- Technical options for the remediation of dwellings,

- Efficient means of carrying out work,

- individual dwellings or whole building approach,

- routine maintenance/refurbishment or remediation,

- Structures or delivery channels needed to facilitate resolution – advice and support.

1. Evaluate the potential cost of technical remediation options.

2. Pursue options on possible financial solutions to effect a resolution, in line with the Programme for Government commitment to identify options for those impacted by defects to access low-cost, long-term finance.

3. Report to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the Examination of Defects in Housing.

As part of its deliberations, the working group is consulting with a wide range of relevant stakeholders.  As part of this stakeholder engagement, the Working Group conducted a series of online surveys between 31 January and 14 March 2022 seeking the experiences of homeowners, landlords, Directors of Owners’ Management Companies and Property Management Agents. These submissions are currently being analysed.  

The insights gained through engagement with stakeholders as well as the outcome of the online consultation are informing the ongoing deliberations of the Working Group and are supporting the delivery on its extensive terms of reference and finalisation of its report. 

I am satisfied that the Working Group is working effectively and efficiently on this complex matter, and will require sufficient time to complete its work. In that context, I look forward to a report later this year following completion of their consultations and deliberations. Once I receive the report I will give full consideration to its contents.

The May 2021 report of the Moore Street Advisory Group (MSAG) recommended that an adequate and appropriately structured compensation package should be put in place for the Moore Street traders as soon as possible. The topic of compensation for the traders was raised at various meetings of the MSAG and my Department was represented on the group and therefore aware of this. My Department was at no time directly engaged in talks with the traders. My Department had engaged in some limited preliminary talks, led by Dublin City Council, regarding compensation for the traders for a range of separate schemes of works to be carried out by different parties in the area, each of which would disrupt the traders’ business. 

While the report of the MSAG did not explicitly mention the State participating in any compensation package for traders, the State itself will be carrying out very substantial development works on the National Monument at No’s. 14-17 Moore Street. In that context, and against that background, it is axiomatic that the recommendation of the MSAG report for a compensation scheme for street traders for disruption and disturbance also contemplated the work by the State.

It should be stressed that any compensation that might be provided by the Department would be solely in respect of works at the national monument which fronts fully on to Moore Street and the area where the street traders do their business. No compensation package has been agreed by my Department.

The Chairperson referred to was made aware by the Department that preliminary talks were being engaged in as referenced earlier.

I am aware of the allegations which have been made and understand that those allegations are denied by the Board member concerned.

A Senior Counsel has been appointed to provide a report to inform my consideration of the matter. Terms of reference and timelines for this report are currently being finalised.

I also understand that the Office of the Planning Regulator has independently written to the Chairperson of An Bord Pleanála requesting him to outline the systems and procedures that An Bord Pleanála has in place to ensure effective compliance with the statutory duties provided for in Section 147 and 148 of the Act, and any other information he considers relevant.

An Bord Pleanála is independent in the performance of its functions under the Planning and Development Act.

Pending the outcome of these considerations, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.

While my Department is not paying any fine for failing to transpose EU directives at the moment, I can provide details of fines paid for the Derrybrien case (C-261/18). It is important to note that these fines were not paid for ‘non-transposition’ of an EU Directive, as the Derrybrien judgment related to the specific non-compliance of the Derrybrien wind farm with the EIA Directive, as opposed to the non-transposition of the EIA Directive into Irish law. 

The State has paid €13,220,000 in fines to the European Commission in relation to the case C-261/18 to date. Approximately €5.34m remains outstanding in daily fines accrued since 12 May 2021 to date. All payments to the Commission have been made by my Department.

Regarding the outstanding transposition of EU Directives by my Department, the transposition of the following two EU Directives are being progressed:

- Directive 2014/52 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 amending Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment;

- Directive (EU) 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Quality of Water intended for Human Consumption (recast) – Due by 12 January 2023.

I would also like to note that none of the above overdue transposition requirements have resulted in judgments or fines imposed against the State to date. 

This designated Special Area of Conservation at Lough Hyne is selected for three habitats listed in the Habitats Directive

- Large shallow inlets and bays

- Reefs

- Submerged or partially submerged sea caves.

Detailed conservation objectives have been published for these habitats and are available to view on our National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) website. The targets outlined help to guide appropriate management of the site.

 My Department has also been funding research to determine the cause of the decline of sponge communities in Lough Hyne since 2018. The precise cause has not yet been determined, though there are already some signs of recovery. Further research is being funded until 2027 and management measures will be put in place, as and when the research indicates the appropriate steps to be taken.  My Department would be happy to meet the group mentioned and would ask that they contact natureconservation@housing.gov.ie to arrange that.

As part of my Department’s continuing commitment to protecting our heritage amenities, I continue to explore ways to optimise the sustainable potential of heritage sites in my care in a way that is compatible with conservation objectives. In 2017, a Strategic Partnership was established between my Department and Fáilte Ireland. One major output from this partnership was a Masterplan providing a high-level blueprint for the NPWS to invest in and better manage our parks and reserves network for conservation, biodiversity and visitor experience alike.

A key action of Housing for All is that local authorities will develop and submit Housing Delivery Action Plans to include details of social and affordable housing delivery. The Plans set out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All.  All local authorities submitted their Housing Delivery Action Plans to me in December 2021.

Following receipt of the Plans, my Department undertook a review of the Plans, which included further engagement with local authorities to ensure that the plans are aligned with the targets and policy objectives in Housing for All. In March 2022, individual affordable housing delivery targets were allocated to local authorities where prices are highest and it has been identified that the need for affordable housing is a sufficiently significant proportion of overall housing need. 

Following the issue of affordable targets and the aforementioned review of the plans submitted in December, local authorities have been asked to revise their plans accordingly. The completed plans will be published by all local authorities before the end of June 2022. 

My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at the local level.

My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. The Reports are available on my Department's website at the following link:   http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data

While the Dublin Region Homeless Executive records death notifications from all its funded residential and outreach services, in line with procedure agreed with the HSE, my Department does not collate information relating to deaths of homeless individuals.   

A pilot study on data collection of homeless deaths nationally is being undertaken by the Health Research Board (HRB) on behalf of the Department of Health. It is hoped that the HRB will be in a position to publish the study shortly. The research is applying the methodology used to compile the National Drug Related Deaths Index, which is a census of drug-related deaths and deaths among drug users and those who are alcohol dependent in Ireland. The data collection for 2019 deaths, including deaths among people who were homeless, involves the review of approximately 17,000 files from all Coroner districts. My Department will engage with the Department of Health on completion of this study.

It is vital that we continue to deliver the appropriate measures to support all individuals experiencing homelessness. My Department is working closely with the Department of Health, the HSE and local authorities in doing this.

With regard to the specific case about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service will contact the person directly in order to advise them on their query. 

My Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended.

The processing of Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) has resumed and will be gradually scaling up in line with the recruitment of additional resources. Due to the complex nature of the FBR process, the large increase in applications received following the Brexit vote in the UK, and the pause in the Service due to necessary Covid-19 restrictions, applicants should allow approximately 2 years from the receipt of supporting documentation for processing of FBR applications at this time. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, and the subsequent reassignment of FBR staff to assist in the provision of essential passport services, the Foreign Birth Registration Service was paused for nearly 15 months across the 2020-2021 period.

The first application referenced was registered on 1 December 2020, and is being stored in a secure environment. No documents have been submitted in respect of the second application and therefore it has not yet been registered. While applications can be linked when submitted simultaneously, it is not possible to do so for applications that have been submitted separately. The applicants would be advised to submit the documentation for the second application after the first application has been processed, or if they wish, to submit a second set of supporting documents for the second application.

FBR staff continue to provide an emergency service for Foreign Birth Registration in cases of exceptional urgency, such as expectant parents, or stateless persons. Such applicants may continue to contact the Passport Service directly. For other applications, the FBR service operates a transparent general policy of processing applications in order of receipt.

My Department is fully committed to the continued allocation of additional resources over the coming period to assist with the processing of the Foreign Birth Registration applications currently on hand and the high volume of new applications anticipated this year.

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has contacted the applicant's parent to provide an update on the status of the passport application.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 224, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 233, 236, 241, 244 and 245 together.

With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has issued passports to the applicants.

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, this application is currently being reviewed by the Passport Service. The Passport Service is in direct contact with the applicant in relation to the application.

The Passport Service of my Department is a unified service composed of three constituent offices located in Lower Mount Street and Balbriggan in Dublin and South Mall in Cork, respectively. Passport applications from all citizens - whether at home or abroad - are distributed for processing across the three Passport Offices, on the basis of the type of application rather than county or country of residence of the applicant.

Over 90% of all passport applications, including first time applications, are now being made through Passport Online. The Passport Service is committed to continuing to offer a range of application channels, including an offline service for citizens who are not eligible or do not wish to use the Passport Online service.

Passport Online is the priority channel for applications as there are many efficiencies built into the system for both the applicant and the Passport Service. Passport Online can be accessed by all first time applicants, both children and adults, in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Europe, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the USA, South Africa, Singapore, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mauritius, Lesotho, Colombia, Panama, Chile, Peru and Ecuador. All Irish citizens, including children, can use the online system to renew their passports from anywhere in the world. The Passport Online service offers Irish citizens the ability to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is a user-friendly, efficient service that consistently offers processing times up to 4 times faster than paper-based passport renewal applications.

The paper-based, mail-in "Passport Express" service is available to citizens at almost 1,000 An Post post offices and at over 70 post office locations in Northern Ireland. With the availability of both Passport Online and Passport Express very few applicants are required to travel a significant distance in order to apply for their passport. In the relatively small number of cases where citizens need to travel urgently and do not have a valid passport, the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork offer an Urgent Appointment service for passport renewal with a 1 or 4-day turnaround.

The Passport Service currently operates three passport printing machines, two of which are located in the main production facility in Balbriggan and the third in the Passport Office in Lower Mount Street, Dublin. All production facilities can print a passport, irrespective of the channel through which the application is processed. The printing system allows for flexibility between printing machines if any one machine has reached capacity. Each passport printer has a printing capacity of 250 passports per hour. I am satisfied that the printing capacity of production equipment currently employed by the Passport Service is sufficient to meet the current and anticipated future demand for passports.

In addition, the Passport Service is currently working on public education materials, including video tutorials, with a view to assisting applicants to complete their application correctly. These videos will be shared on social media and will include instructions on submitting consent forms for child applications properly. My Department has also recently updated its website, including a new Passport Service section where applicants can easily find out with documents are required for their type of application.

I am satisfied overall that the range of service options meets the current needs of passport applicants and that the service improvements, both those recently introduced as well as those planned, allow the Passport Service to provide this essential citizen service in an efficient and effective manner.

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service regrets the delay in processing this application. The Passport Service is prioritising the application to ensure no further delay is experienced.

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued a refund to the applicant.

There are certain passport applications for applicants resident in Ireland that require forms to be witnessed by a member of An Garda Síochána. These applications include:

- All Passport Express applications - Section 9 Certificate of Identity

- First time adult online applications - Identity Verification Form

- First time child online applications - Child Passport Identity and Consent Form (Guardian A)

The witnessing of these forms is a vital element of the identity verification process for the Passport Service, as it provides initial assurance that the person in the photograph is the same person presenting to submit the passport application form.

In the case of an application for a minor the witnessing of this form provides evidence that guardians give consent for a passport to be issued to the child. In order to protect the integrity of the Irish passport and also the rights of parents or guardians and children, it is important that forms are correctly completed and verified by the Passport Service by calling the Garda station to confirm the Garda's signature.

It is stated in a note to the witness on the Identity and Consent forms that they may be contacted to confirm the validity of their signature. It is the responsibility of the witnessing Garda to ensure that the signature is correctly recorded in the logbook, so that when the Passport Service calls at a later date the signature can be verified.

There are cases where the Passport Service has difficulty contacting a Garda station in order to verify the Garda's signature. Whilst the Passport Service makes every effort to contact the Garda station in these cases, unfortunately, the passport application may be delayed. In some cases, the applicant may be requested to submit a new witnessed form where the Passport Service has been unable to contact the Garda station. A new document management system that was put in place at the beginning of March is ensuring that these applications which require further documents are being turned around within 15 working days of receipt of the additional documents.

The Passport Service takes its responsibility to protect the integrity of the Irish passport very seriously. The Irish passport has a strong international reputation due to the strength of the security features within the passport book and the robust processes involved in its issuance. The Irish passport was recently ranked 5th in the Henley Global Passport Index as it provides our citizens with visa-free access to 187 countries.

There are no plans at present to amend the process for the witnessing of Identity and Consent forms by An Garda Síochána.

The online Passport Tracker tool provides applicants with an indication of how their application is progressing through the system and gives an estimated issue date based on the current average application processing time.   

The date displayed on the tracker is an estimate, and is based on the current average processing time for that type of application. For a small number of applications currently in the Passport Service system, the issue by date displayed on the tracker differs from the issue by date on the Passport Service internal processing system by one to three days. The cause of this issue has been identified by the Passport Service and they are working to rectify it.

The Passport Service regrets any inconvenience caused to applicants who have been affected. The Passport Service has contacted the applicant referred to by the Deputy and provided a status update on their passport application. 

Officials from my Department have been in contact with Conradh na Gaeilge to offer a meeting to hear Conradh’s perspectives and concerns with respect to this important issue. The Department also met with Conradh on 8 April 2021 to discuss the implementation of the language and identity provisions of the New Decade, New Approach Agreement.

The  New Decade, New Approach Agreement was a significant shared achievement, and amongst other provisions, gives effect to the recognition by all parties of the importance of respect, understanding and tolerance in relation to linguistic diversity, which in Northern Ireland includes the Irish language, Ulster-Scots and the languages of the various ethnic communities. The package of language and identity legislation that was agreed upon was detailed and balanced.  As outlined in the Programme for Government, the full implementation of the Agreement is an important priority for the Government.

In the absence of progress in the Assembly, I welcome the commitment by the British Government to introduce this legislation as soon as possible in Westminster.  This should be on the basis of the legislative provisions negotiated, agreed and published at the time of NDNA. I raised this issue with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) held at the end of March, and emphasised the importance of progress on this commitment.

Officials from my Department met their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Office last week to discuss the status of the legislation and underline the need for early progress.

With respect to the Government’s commitments to support the Irish language in Northern Ireland made alongside the NDNA,  these have been positively advanced. Funding of €1.2m per annum for 2021-2023 has been allocated for the development of Irish language broadcasting, and the promotion of the Irish language in Northern Ireland, which is being administered by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (D/TCAGSM). €1.2m over three years (2020-22) has been allocated to further support for the Irish language in Northern Ireland. Additional funding has also been provided to facilitate an All Island expansion of the existing Irish Language Network strategy. 

The Department of Foreign Affairs agreed to assign an officer to a one-year reciprocal staff exchange with Kerry Group in July 2021. The exchange serves to enrich the skillsets, contacts and experience of personnel across public and private sectors, and supports my Department’s strategic objectives to further strengthen Ireland’s role in the global economy.

The reciprocal exchange is cost neutral based on a Memorandum of Understanding between my Department and Kerry Group. The officer seconded from my Department to Kerry Group is at First Secretary grade and remains on the payroll of my Department for the duration of the exchange. The person assigned from Kerry Group to the Department of Foreign Affairs is based in the Department’s Economic Unit and remains on the Kerry Group payroll. The Memorandum of Understanding between my Department and Kerry Group outlines the terms and conditions of the exchange, including the requirement for the Kerry Group staff member to respect all relevant Irish civil service laws and regulations.

On completion of this exchange it will be reviewed before any future decision is made. 

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service regrets the delay in processing this application. The Passport Service is prioritising the application so that no further delay is experienced. The Passport Service has contacted the applicant's parent directly to advise of this.

In response to the high volume of applications being submitted to the Passport Service, a temporary phone line was established in October 2021 to respond to Oireachtas members' queries on urgent passport cases.

In each case raised by an Oireachtas Member, the Passport Service reviews the application in question, and can provide an update as to the status and estimated issue by date of the application to the public representative. However, applications can only be expedited in cases of genuine emergency such as a need for urgent medical treatment overseas or the death of a family member abroad. Such applications are expedited through the Travel Emergency service.

In cases where the estimated issue-by date has passed and the application is fully complete, the Passport Service will prioritise the application to ensure that no further delay is experienced.

While a form is not required in order to enquire about a citizen’s passport application, the representative making the call through the Oireachtas line must provide the following information to the Passport Service:

- The name of the TD or Senator that they are calling on behalf of

- Their Oireachtas email address

- The passport application number for the query

- Confirmation that consent has been received from the data subject (the applicant/guardian of applicant)

- Confirmation of the applicant/guardian of applicant’s name

It can also be helpful for the representative to have further information such as the applicant’s date of birth, in case an incorrect application number is provided to the Passport Service.

The Government follows developments in Spain closely through our Embassy in Madrid and I am aware of the allegations referred to by the Deputy. I understand that it has been proposed that these will be subject to investigation by the appropriate channels in the Spanish public system and for that reason it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the matter further.

Following the outbreak of the war, our Embassy in Kyiv has been working remotely from Ireland.  In the coming weeks the Embassy will move its remote operation to Warsaw.  

The Department of Foreign Affairs continues to review the situation and is conducting the necessary security and contingency planning in relation to a possible re-entry of officers into Ukraine in the future.

The Embassy and officers at the Department of Foreign Affairs HQ remain in ongoing contact with registered Irish citizens in Ukraine, currently approximately 30, and with Government of Ukraine on bilateral and multilateral matters.

I am deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, including in Mariupol where civilians are under siege in the Azovstal steel works and supplies are running out. The repeated failure to establish humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of besieged civilians, due to Russian shelling, is unconscionable.

Following his meeting with UN Secretary General António Guterres on 26 April, President Putin expressed openness in principle to the safe evacuation of civilians from Azovstal, with the involvement of the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). 

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a long and trusted humanitarian partner of Ireland and will receive €5 million as part of the announced €20 million Irish humanitarian aid package to support Ukrainians in-country and in refugee host countries. Irish Aid also provided €10 million in annual core funding to the ICRC in February. My officials are in regular contact with the ICRC, which has an established presence in Ukraine, and has been working to establish access to besieged civilians in Mariupol. As an impartial, independent and neutral organisation, the ICRC engages in dialogue with all parties to conflict and is therefore well-placed to facilitate the evacuation for civilians and wounded, once it is safe to do so.

Ireland is advocating and coordinating at the EU and UN level for safe passage and humanitarian access to be ensured. Satisfactory security guarantees and concrete and specific agreements need to be arranged and implemented if genuine humanitarian corridors are to function effectively, including evacuation of civilians from Mariupol.

There were no secondments from the Department of Foreign Affairs to the third level sector over the past two years.

There have been no fines issued by the EU on my Department for failure to transpose EU directives.

The Deputy may be aware that Casement aerodrome is the only operational military installation in the State and has been in operation since 1917. It is my understanding that the Air Corps have and continue to enjoy a good relationship with the residential and commercial communities in the surrounding environs.  I am advised that neither my Department nor the Air Corps are aware of any causes for or complaints being made arising from ongoing operations. In the circumstances, I do not have any plans to introduce a grant scheme along the lines suggested by the Deputy.

No officials have been seconded from my Department to the university third level sector over the past two years.

The military authorities have advised that there are no contracts of this description in place to service aircraft for the Air Corps.

I can confirm to the Deputy that the formal legal transfer to Wicklow County Council has recently been finalised. The matter is now concluded from my Department's perspective.

My Department has not incurred any fines for failing to transpose EU directives for the period in question.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 256 and 257 together.

As the Deputy may be aware, it is my Department's intention, in collaboration with City of Dublin ETB (CDETB), to develop two new 1,000 pupil post primary school buildings and permanent accommodation for an eight classroom primary school on the CDETB Whitehall site. The post primary schools will provide circa 1,200 additional co-educational, multidenominational post primary school places in North Dublin City to meet the demographic need in the area. Additionally, these new school buildings will provide eight classrooms for pupils with special educational needs.

My Department is now initiating the planning process for this strategic development which will include engagement with the relevant stakeholders.

In the meantime, additional interim accommodation is being provided at the post primary school on the Whitehall site to facilitate its continued expansion pending the construction of the new school building. Arrangements are also being made for further accommodation to be provided for the primary school in its current interim facility.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that following extensive site identification, assessment and negotiation process, the Department has reached agreement in principle, subject to contract, for the acquisition of a site at Creagh, Gorey, Co Wexford as a permanent location for the school, to which the Deputy refers.

The conveyancing stage of the acquisition process has commenced Heads of Terms having been agreed with the Vendor and draft contracts exchanged.

The Deputy will appreciate that negotiations in respect of site acquisitions are, by their nature, sensitive and for that reason, I am not in a position to provide any further information at this time.

My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework where there is need via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).

NEPS does not maintain waiting lists, but in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution oriented consultative approach to maximise positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Where reasonable progress is not made, following a school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, a psychologist will become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention or assessment. This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually.

The number of NEPS psychologists employed currently stands at 224.52 whole-time equivalents across the NEPS regions.

I recently announced that from next September the DEIS programme will be extended to an additional 310 schools. 37 schools will also benefit from additional supports following reclassification. Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model which is an objective, statistics based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools.

My Department is committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which they have been identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme. Schools who were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data will now have the opportunity to have that outcome reviewed.

Circular 0019/2022 outlining the details of this appeals process was published recently by my Department and is available at www.gov.ie/en/circular/7e7ca-deis-identification-2022-appeals-process-for-schools/

My Department notified all schools of the appeals process on 30th March 2022. Schools had until 5pm on Friday April 29th to submit an appeal. The school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an appeal and this will be given consideration by my Department. It is my Department’s intention to provide schools with the outcome of their appeal in the coming weeks to allow time for schools to plan for the 2022/23 school year.

The Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile.

Under the allocation model, schools have been provided with a total allocation for special education needs support based on their school profile.

The provision of a profiled allocation is designed to give a fair allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the level of need in each school.

Schools are front-loaded with resources, based on each school’s profile. The allocations to schools include provision to support all pupils in the schools, including where a child receives a diagnosis after the allocation is received by a school, or where there are newly enrolling pupils to the school.

Both the Department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which their school profiles have been calculated.

Accordingly, a number of review processes have been put in place to support schools.

A process is in place to address circumstances where the school profile significantly changed following the allocation process e.g. a developing school where the net enrolment numbers significantly increased.

The criteria for qualification for mainstream school developing school posts are set out in the Primary and Post Primary School Staffing Schedule for the 2022/23 school year.

Schools who qualify for additional mainstream developing school posts in accordance with these criteria also qualify for additional Special Education Teaching Allocations to take account of this developing status.

It is also acknowledged that there are some circumstances, which may arise in schools, which fall outside the allocations for developing school status.

These relate to exceptional or emergency circumstances which could not have been anticipated e.g. where the school profile changes very significantly, or where other exceptional circumstances have arisen in a school and which may require a review of schools capacity to provide additional teaching support for all pupils who need it in the school, or of their utilisation of their allocations.

A process is available where schools can seek a review of their allocations by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), including the utilisation of their allocations, in circumstances where a school considers that very exceptional circumstances have arisen subsequent to the development of the profile.

I am aware that the school submitted a review to the NCSE.

The application was examined and the outcome communicated to the school by letter dated 10/03/2022, advising that the application did not meet criteria for a review.

The letter also advised on the availability of NCSE Advisor in school or external seminar support, details of which are available on www.ncse.ie. Support which can be accessed includes; guidance and support for schools on the management and distribution of the SET allocation, the implementation of specific teaching approaches etc.

My Department remains committed to providing permanent accommodation to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers.

A number of options are currently being considered to provide permanent school facilities for this school. This includes the site identification, assessment and acquisition of a suitable green field site. To that end, a couple of preferred sites have been identified in Wicklow Town and negotiations in relation to one of these site options are ongoing.

Due to the sensitivities around land acquisitions, in general, I am unable to comment further at this time.

A solution for the school remains a priority for my Department. The school patron will be kept informed of any key developments.

The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.

For the 2022/23 school year, the staffing schedule for primary schools has been improved by one point and schools will be provided with class teachers on the basis of 1 teacher for every 24 pupils which is a historical low ratio.

The school referred to by the Deputy returned an enrolment of 41 for 30th September 2021, which allows for the retention of the current mainstream staffing of Principal and 1 classroom teacher for the 2022/23 school year.

The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria, including a specific one aimed at small schools, to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. Information and application forms are available in Circular 25/2022, published on the Department website.

The site identification and assessment exercise for the school referred to by the Deputy is ongoing.

A Minister-owned site has been identified as an option for potential redevelopment to accommodate a second school. In the case where any such solution is being considered, engagement takes place with all relevant stakeholders regarding the feasibility of any proposed solution to identify what is technically feasible as well as finding a solution that is both mutually beneficial for the State and any school which may be impacted.

Representatives of the existing school have agreed to collaborate with my Department to carry out a master plan study to assess the potential of developing a second school on the Minister-owned site.

The school have sufficient interim accommodation for the 2022/23 academic year.

The school site identification process is a dynamic one where new information on sites may come to the attention of my Department from time to time.

The site identification and assessment exercise for the school referred to by the Deputy is ongoing.

A Minister-owned site has been identified as an option for potential redevelopment to accommodate a second school. In the case where any such solution is being considered, engagement takes place with all relevant stakeholders regarding the feasibility of any proposed solution to identify what is technically feasible as well as finding a solution that is both mutually beneficial for the State and any school which may be impacted.

Representatives of the existing school have agreed to collaborate with my Department to carry out a master plan study to assess the potential of developing a second school on the Minister-owned site.

The school have sufficient interim accommodation for the 2022/23 academic year.

The school site identification process is a dynamic one where new information on sites may come to the attention of my Department from time to time.

The school and its patron body were advised by my Department in August 2021 that it would not be possible to proceed at that time with the proposed planning application for the school as South Dublin County Council had advised my Department of its intention to undertake a master plan of the Rathcoole area, including the proposed school site.

The Council has now concluded the master planning exercise and following consultation with South Dublin County Council, my Department intends to proceed with a planning application for the school on the existing site in my Department's ownership. This will require a further pre-planning meeting with the local authority and arrangements will shortly be put in place to convene that meeting.

My Department will continue to provide suitable interim accommodation for the school until such time as the permanent accommodation can be delivered.

In respect of a solution for the permanent school to which the Deputy refers, the Department is examining all options. In order to better inform these deliberations the Department has undertaken a site identification process in the greater Bray area. The site identification process has identified one site with some potential. However to advance to negotiations the Department is currently seeking clarification on a number of issues which would impact on the deliverability of this site in a timely manner.

A second site option has been brought to the attention of the Department which may be suitable as a permanent location for the school. A technical assessment is currently being carried out on this potential site option.

A solution for the school remains a priority for my Department. The school patron will be kept informed of any key developments.

Due to commercial sensitivities the Department cannot provide any further information at this time.

I wish to advise the Deputy that a lease on the property in question commenced in 2020 for a period of seven years with the option to extend by a further three years.

I recently announced that from next September the DEIS programme will be extended to an additional 310 schools. 37 schools will also benefit from additional supports following reclassification. Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model which is an objective, statistics based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools.

My Department is committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which they have been identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme. Schools who were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data will now have the opportunity to have that outcome reviewed.

Circular 0019/2022 outlining the details of this appeals process was published recently by my Department and is available at www.gov.ie/en/circular/7e7ca-deis-identification-2022-appeals-process-for-schools/

My Department notified all schools of the appeals process on 30th March 2022. Schools had until 5pm on Friday April 29th to submit an appeal. The school referred to in your question has submitted an appeal and this will be given consideration by my Department. It is my Department’s intention to provide schools with the outcome of their appeal in the coming weeks to allow time for schools to plan for the 2022/23 school year.

The terms and conditions of employment of teachers in Ireland, who are paid out of monies provided by the Oireachtas, are a matter for the Teachers' Conciliation Council (TCC). This Council is comprised of representatives of the teacher unions, school management bodies, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Department of Education chaired by an Official of the Workplace Relations Commission. Amendments to Teacher Terms and Conditions can only be achieved through engagement between the Department and the public service unions. Any proposals to conduct a review would need to be considered in detail by my Department and the relevant unions.

School secretaries are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools.

On the 24th February, following a series of engagements at the WRC, a package to settle a claim on terms and conditions for grant-funded school secretaries was proposed, which Fórsa agreed to recommend to its members. A ballot was undertaken and the result was 95% agreement in favour of the deal. I am very pleased to hear of this overwhelmingly positive result on what has been a long running issue, the resolution of which has been a priority for me since my appointment.

It is important to recognise that the majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools receive assistance to provide for these staff under grant schemes, and that where a school employs a staff member to support those functions those staff are employees of individual schools and responsibility for terms of employment rests with the school. On that basis, there has been extensive engagement between my Department and school management bodies to work towards a resolution. I would also like to acknowledge the willingness of Fórsa and in particular the school secretary representatives for their constructive engagement in this process, and to recognise the support of Minister McGrath and his officials in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at all stages of the negotiations.

The main elements of the package offered include, in recognition of the invaluable work carried out by school secretaries, moving their pay rates to a scale which is aligned with the Clerical Officer Grade III pay scale on a pro rata basis according to a secretary’s current working pattern. This process will provide for pay increases (backdated to 1 September 2021) to school secretaries who choose to move to the new terms. It also provides for lower-paid but longer serving secretaries to be placed higher up the salary scale. Secretaries may also choose to receive additional pay to ensure they no longer need to apply to the Department of Social Protection for payment of benefits for periods when they are not working due to school holidays. The final element of the package will introduce standardised arrangements in respect of annual leave, maternity benefit and sick pay.

The work to implement this agreement will include a complex process of assimilating each individual secretary to the new terms and conditions which will vary depending on individual circumstances. The Department will expedite this process and will communicate further as the work progresses.

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for additional school accommodation (ASA) from the school authority in question.

The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.

At primary level, this situation generally arises to cater for a school’s accommodation requirements where an additional teaching post has been sanctioned by Teacher Allocation Section, or a new SEN class has been sanctioned by the NCSE, and all available alternative accommodation within the school is already being used for classroom purposes.

The brief is currently being finalised by my Department's Professional and Technical staff and a decision will be relayed to the school authority shortly.

My Department recognises the importance of promoting school attendance and supporting schools to ensure that students attend, participate and are retained in education in order to achieve their potential.

Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS has three strands namely the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS) and the two school support services the Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL) and the School Completion Programme (SCP). The three TESS strands work together collaboratively with schools, families and other relevant services to achieve the best educational outcomes for children and young people.

The functions of Tusla in respect of school attendance are set out in the Education Welfare Act (2000) and include: to promote and foster, in recognised schools, an environment that encourages children to attend school and participate fully in the life of the school.

My Department works closely with Tusla in respect of Tusla's functions under the Education (Welfare) Act (2000).

The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 provides a comprehensive framework for promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism or early school leaving. The act recognises that alternative forms of education exist for children outside of the ages specified in the act, however, the act sets out that parents must ensure that their children, from the age of 6 to the age of 16/18, at least attend a recognised school, or receive a certain minimum education.

The Act repealed the previous school attendance legislation and provided for the raising of the minimum school leaving age to 16 years, or the completion of three years’ post primary education, whichever occurs later, but shall not include a person who has reached the age of 18 years.

The Education (Welfare) Act also provides that where a parent chooses to educate, or have educated, his or her child in a place other than a recognised school, he or she shall apply to Tusla to have the child concerned registered on the register maintained by Tusla in accordance with the provisions of section 14 of the Education (Welfare) Act.

Under the Act, the principal of a recognised school shall cause to be maintained, in respect of each school year, a record of the attendance, or non-attendance, on each school day, of each student registered at that school.

Furthermore, the Principal of a recognised school is obliged to inform an Educational Welfare Officer of a child’s absence from a recognised school where, a student is suspended from a recognised school for a period of not less than 6 days; where the aggregate number of school days on which a student is absent from a recognised school during a school year is not less than 20; where a student's name is, for whatever reason, removed from the register referred to in section 20 by the principal of the school concerned, or where a student is, in the opinion of the principal of the recognised school at which he or she is registered, not attending school regularly.

The aims and objectives of the statutory educational welfare service are to ensure that every child either attends school regularly or otherwise receives a minimum education; to ensure and secure every child’s entitlement to education. This service is delivered by Educational Welfare Officers who work with families and children in a child-centred way to overcome barriers to their school attendance, participation and retention; and work closely with schools, educational support services and other agencies to support school attendance and resolve attendance problems for the benefit of children and families.

There are a range of supports available to schools in Dublin’s North East Inner City area. My Department supports schools in the North East Inner City of Dublin to improve educational outcomes of the pupil cohort. My Department is represented on the Programme Implementation Board for the NEIC and has allocated a dedicated NEIC Education Initiatives Manager to work with schools and key stakeholders in the area. My Department has been involved in the establishment of the Principals’ Network for schools in the NEIC area and is involved in the P-Tech and City Connects pilot initiatives.

Recruitment is currently underway for an additional EWO post for the Dublin City team. This EWO will provide services in the NEIC Dublin area.

I wish to assure the Deputy that the provision of appropriate accommodation for all pupils including pupils with special education needs is an absolute priority for me. This is in two respects: firstly in ensuring that there is sufficient provision for pupils with special education needs and secondly in designing school accommodation that meets the needs of all users and enhances the learning experience.

In order to make accommodation provision to meet the needs of students with special education requirements, my Department has close engagement with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) which has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. When the NCSE sanction a special class in a school, the school can apply to my Department for capital funding to re-configure existing spaces within the school building to accommodate the class or to construct additional accommodation. Similarly, where special schools wish to expand provision, the school can apply to my Department for capital funding to accommodate additional placements.

The NCSE has additionally provided my Department with projections of future requirements for classes for students with special education requirements. These are informing my Department's advance planning for special class accommodation.

Such classrooms for pupils with special education needs are included as standard in the accommodation brief for new school buildings and major extension projects. The overall accommodation suite for students with special education needs also generally includes ancillary accommodation such as a Central Activities Space, a Multi Activity Room and Quiet Spaces as well as an outdoor Secure Play Area and Sensory Garden.

I understand that the NCSE responded directly to the Deputy on 11 April 2022 in respect of the issue raised.

I will arrange to have the query sent to the NCSE again for direct reply to the Deputy with any update.

I want to reassure the Deputy that the NCSE, through the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO), remains available to support both families and schools regarding the provision of a suitable placement.

Currently at Primary level, Religious Education (RE) is one of 12 subjects in the 1999 Primary School Curriculum. It holds a unique position in that the responsibility for providing a programme of RE rests with the patron bodies of individual schools and not the State. There are a number of patrons’ programmes within the primary school system reflecting the diversity of patronage. Some of these are denominational or religious in nature, emphasising the place of children’s faith, spiritual and moral development in their lives. Other patrons’ programmes are ethical in nature and emphasise fostering children’s understanding of ethics and values.

In relation to the review and redevelopment of the primary curriculum, the NCCA is consulting on a Draft Primary Curriculum Framework which will conclude at the end of February 2022. The Framework aims to support the learning and development of children from different religious backgrounds and of non-religious backgrounds. The curriculum areas of Well-being and Social and Environmental Education present opportunities for incorporating this learning in the redeveloped curriculum.

Education of Religious Beliefs (ERB) and Ethics is being considered as part of the full primary curriculum review & redevelopment. The primary curriculum framework is due to be finalised at the end of this year, this will determine the individual curriculum areas and how ERB and ethics will be included in the redeveloped primary curriculum.

The site identification and assessment exercise for the school referred to by the Deputy is ongoing.

A Minister-owned site has been identified as an option for potential redevelopment to accommodate a second school. In the case where any such solution is being considered, engagement takes place with all relevant stakeholders regarding the feasibility of any proposed solution to identify what is technically feasible as well as finding a solution that is both mutually beneficial for the State and any school which may be impacted.

Representatives of the existing school have agreed to collaborate with my Department to carry out a master plan study to assess the potential of developing a second school on the Minister-owned site.

The school have sufficient interim accommodation for the 2022/23 academic year.

The school site identification process is a dynamic one where new information on sites may come to the attention of my Department from time to time.

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.

The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Under the terms of my Department’s School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kms at primary and 4.8 kms at post-primary and are attending their nearest School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport services for the 2022/23 school year where such services are in operation.

Bus Éireann have advised the pupils referred to by the Deputy are not attending their nearest post primary centre/school therefore are not eligible for school transport.

Children who are not eligible, but who apply for school transport on time are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats. Concessionary seats are subject to a number of conditions including the appropriate annual charge is paid. The Medical Card waiver is not applicable to children who are not eligible for school transport.

The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.

In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

The Teaching Council have informed the department that on Wednesday, 27 April 2022 the Teaching Council issued a communication to the register of teachers using its bulk email system. Soon after the email issued, it came to the attention of Teaching Council staff that the scheduled email did not issue and in its place a default template response was sent by the system in error.

Once the Council became aware of this error, the matter was investigated and it was quickly identified that the error was the result of a recent technical update to the bulk email system. It was further confirmed that it was not the result of a hack or other malicious event. The matter was rectified that day and shortly after all registered teachers received an email advising of the technical fault.

A copy of this email was published on the Council’s website to provide the necessary reassurance to teachers.

I wish to acknowledge the concern that this may have caused to teachers on the register, and the Council also wish to thanks those affected by the email system fault for their co-operation and understanding of this matter. The Council also confirm it is responding to all emails received as a result of this fault.

Access to Relationships and Sexuality Education, or RSE, is an important right for students. This is reflected in the Programme for Government, which states that this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for RSE and Social, Personal and Health Education across primary and post-primary schools.

Social, Personal and Health Education, or SPHE for short, is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary Junior Cycle. RSE is required at all levels in schools, from primary through to Senior Cycle.

All schools are required to have an RSE policy that is developed in consultation with the school community, including school management, parents, teachers and students as appropriate. The school’s programme for Relationship and Sexuality Education is developed and taught in the context of the school’s RSE policy.  In addition, schools are required to teach all aspects of the RSE programme, including family planning, sexually transmitted infections and sexual orientation. It is important to note that the ethos of the school should never preclude learners from acquiring the knowledge about the issues.

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment was requested to conduct a review of RSE provision in Irish schools, focussing on a range of topics including healthy positive, sexual expression and relationships and LGBTQ+ matters. The NCCA published “The Report on the Review of Relationships and Sexuality Education in primary and post-primary schools” in December, 2019.

This report resulted in the NCCA establishing two development groups, one for primary and one for post-primary, to oversee the work of developing an updated curriculum materials in this area and supporting the development of guidance material for schools.

The immediate focus of the NCCA work has been on creating support materials for teachers as part of an Interim Guidance Toolkit. This Toolkit aims to support effective teaching and learning of SPHE/RSE and to deepen teachers' understanding and skills in addressing important and sensitive topics.

The NCCA Toolkit will be expanded during 2022 to include further age and stage appropriate guidance for teachers on how to address these topics within the SPHE classroom.

In tandem with this work, preparation for the broader redeveloping and updating of the SPHE curriculum has begun. Updated curricula will be developed for Primary, Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle.  

A draft revised Junior Cycle specification is due to be agreed at NCCA Council in early Summer, with a public consultation to follow when schools return in September. The final revised specification is due to be completed by the end of 2022 and rolled out in schools from September 2023.

In redeveloping the SPHE curriculum, the NCCA will be making explicit the importance of fostering young people's self-awareness and self-esteem and building the foundational skills and dispositions needed for building caring and healthy relationships (including respectful communication, showing empathy, and appreciating difference).

The Department of Education continues to work closely with the NCCA to determine the approach to best give effect to the commitment in the Programme for Government on this important issue. Should this work identify legislative changes as being needed, the Government is committed to doing so, as set out in the Programme for Government.

I can advise the Deputy that the exceptional criteria for granting an exemption from the study of Irish are set out in section 2.2. of both circular 0052/2019 (primary) and circular 0053/2019 (post primary).  There are no other circumstances in which a school can consider granting an exemption from the study of Irish.  For reasons of equity, there is no alternative process for considering the granting of exemptions based on other criteria or individual circumstances.

In line with other department policies in the area of special educational needs, the 2019 circulars move away from a diagnostic categorical model to a needs-based model.  The circulars require the school to demonstrate evidence of intervention and differentiated support for those children/students who struggle with literacy, as well as the current level of in-school testing on discrete tests of word reading, reading comprehension or spelling. This includes using evidence of needs over time. As part of this process the school will administer discrete tests to identify the needs of the student. It is these test results which inform intervention and need for any additional support, including an exemption from the study of Irish.

Where a pupil does not meet the criteria for granting an exemption from the study of Irish, then the school is required to provide a differentiated approach to language learning in accordance with the curriculum, to enable the pupil to engage with their learning in an inclusive school environment and at a level appropriate to their individual needs and ability.

As set out in Section 8 of circular 0052/2019 and Section 7 of circular 0053/2019, the Department is currently carrying out an initial review of the operation of the circulars.

There has been one secondment from my Department to the university third level sector in the last two years. The former Secretary General of the Department has completed his term of office as Secretary General and is now on secondment to Maynooth University for a term which will expire on his reaching his preserved pension age. This arrangement follows two Government decisions in 2011 and 2021 which dealt with this matter. This is in line with the Top Level Appointments Committee review of special retirement severance terms for Secretaries General.

The permanent school building projects for the schools referred to by the Deputy are being delivered under my Department's Design and Build programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the projects through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction.   

The first post-primary school referred to by the Deputy is currently located in suitable interim accommodation at the Firhouse Community College site, pending delivery of interim accommodation on the school’s permanent site. 

Work has commenced on site to deliver the interim accommodation on the permanent site and the school will re-locate to this accommodation for the 2022/2023 school year. 

The permanent accommodation plans continue to be progressed while taking account of the interim accommodation. A pre-planning meeting with the local authority has taken place and developed design work is ongoing. Until such time as planning permission is secured for the permanent accommodation it is not possible to provide a timeline for its delivery. My Department will continue to keep the patron body and the school informed of developments. 

The second post-primary school referred to by the Deputy opened in interim accommodation in the Citywest Campus in 2020, with additional interim accommodation provided to cater for the 2021/22 school year. 

The final grant of planning permission for the project was received in March 2021.  My Department’s Project Manager together with their Design Team are engaged in the preparation of tender documentation for the project. My Department is considering the timeline for the progression to tender of a number of Design & Build projects, including the permanent accommodation for this school and will advise the school's patron body further as soon as possible. 

Pending delivery of the permanent building project, my Department will continue to address the interim accommodation needs of the school in conjunction with the school’s patron body. 

Yesterday, Minister Madigan and I announced a summer education programme for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage for summer 2022.

Building on the successful 2021 programme, all schools (primary and post-primary) will once again be encouraged to provide summer programmes including post-primary children with complex needs and children at risk of educational disadvantage. 

The Inclusion element of this programme also offers an opportunity for schools to address the needs of migrant students such as addressing English language skills and integration, including students who have recently arrived in Ireland from Ukraine.

I can assure the Deputy that it is the policy of my Department to ensure a high standard of permanent accommodation for all schools.  However, in the context of a rapidly increasing school population over the last decade or more it is sometimes necessary to put in place interim accommodation solutions to meet the needs of schools.  Given the timeframes for the acquisition of suitable sites, design, statutory planning processes, tendering and construction, it is often necessary for newly established schools to commence operation in such interim accommodation. 

The school building programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. The current status of large-scale projects being delivered under Project Ireland 2040, including projects in the areas to which the Deputy refers, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In the case of those building projects in the areas in question that have  temporary accommodation on site, this will be replaced with permanent accommodation as part of the schools' building project. A list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.

The school building programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, including accommodation for pupils with special educational needs, if required, for schools where an additional enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed. Details of schools listed on this programme (the Additional Accommodation Scheme) can also be found on my Department's website at www.gov.ie and this information is also updated regularly.

As the Deputy may be aware, it is my Department's intention, in collaboration with City of Dublin ETB (CDETB), to develop two new 1,000 pupil post primary school buildings and permanent accommodation for an eight classroom primary school on the CDETB Whitehall site. The post primary schools will provide circa 1,200 additional co-educational, multi-denominational post primary school places in North Dublin City to meet the demographic need in the area. Additionally, these new school buildings will provide eight classrooms for pupils with special educational needs.

My Department is now initiating the planning process for this strategic development which will include engagement with the relevant stakeholders. 

In the meantime, additional interim accommodation is being provided at the post primary school on the Whitehall site to facilitate its continued expansion pending the construction of the new school building. Arrangements are also being made for further accommodation to be provided for the primary school in its current interim facility.

The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.

In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

There have been no fines issued by the EU on the Department of Education  for failing to transpose EU Directives for the past 25 years to date in 2022.

As the Deputy is aware, on 29 March I announced an ambitious programme of work for a reimagined Senior Cycle of education where the student is at the centre of their Senior Cycle experience.

The three tenets of Senior Cycle reform are to:

- Empower students to meet the challenges of the 21st century

- Enrich the student experience and build on what’s strong in our current system

- Embed wellbeing and reduce student stress levels

In my announcement I set out a clear vision for Senior Cycle, building upon the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s (NCCA’s) Advisory Report. The NCCA’s review of senior cycle involved an extensive range of research, consultations and communications with a wide range of stakeholders.

In particular, the second phase of the NCCA's review, which took place over 2018 and 2019, involved a school review and national seminar series. Teachers, students and parents in a representative cross-section of schools nationwide took part in a review of the existing senior cycle.

The third phase of the review also invited individuals and organisations, including teachers and teacher representative organisations, to participate in a public consultation process, leading to the publication of a Public Consultation Report in December 2019.

The NCCA also commissioned external expertise to support the process, including the ESRI and the OECD.  

I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has received correspondence from the organisation referred to regarding that announcement. This correspondence is currently being examined by my officials, and a response will issue shortly.

As the Deputy is aware, on 29 March I announced an ambitious programme of work for a reimagined Senior Cycle of education where the student is at the centre of their Senior Cycle experience.

In my announcement I set out a clear vision for Senior Cycle, building upon the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s (NCCA’s) Advisory Report. The NCCA’s review of senior cycle involved an extensive range of research, consultations and communications with a wide range of stakeholders.

The three tenets of Senior Cycle reform are to:

- Empower students to meet the challenges of the 21st century

- Enrich the student experience and build on what’s strong in our current system

- Embed wellbeing and reduce student stress levels

The reforms I announced include initiatives to spread the assessment load for students and do so in a way that enhances student wellbeing.

In the programme of work ahead we will move to a model that uses other forms of assessment beyond terminal written examinations, over a less concentrated time period, in line with international best practice. It will enable us to maintain the high standards and quality that we need to continue to achieve in our schools to serve our students well. It is vital that the form of assessment we use both reflects excellence in standards and truly enables all students to showcase their abilities.

Bearing in mind the significant assessment load at the end of sixth year, as an interim measure I have asked the SEC to immediately alter the timing of Paper One in both Irish and English so that Paper One would take place at the end of fifth year commencing for fifth years entering fifth year in September 2023.

In making this announcement, I have responded to a broad consensus for spreading the assessment load. In this regard, the NCCA Advisory Report emphasised the need to reduce the focus on the final examination period and the stress experienced by students associated with this time.

Since September last, the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has held a number of hearings on Senior Cycle reform. Throughout these hearings, a desire to spread assessment over a greater period has been a recurring theme on which there has been broad consensus.

I have also listened to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which made a number of concluding observations in its 2016 periodic report on Ireland.  The Committee expressed its concern about the pressure that the Leaving Certificate examination places on children and recommended that Ireland consider reforming the Leaving Certificate to reduce the stress caused to children.

Importantly, I have also listened to students themselves who have called for the spread of assessment and striking a balance between final exams and other forms of assessment.

As I have said, altering the timing of Paper One in Irish and English is an interim measure designed to spread the assessment load and thereby reduce the stress experienced by students, pending the full development of a variety of examination components in all subjects. It should also be noted that the weighting and importance of Paper One in each of the subjects has not been changed or reduced.

The NCCA will publish in September 2023 a schedule of subject specification reviews which will provide the roadmap through which all subject specifications beyond those being introduced in September 2024 will be given effect. The revision of the English specifications through this process will allow for a fundamental consideration of the appropriate assessment approach to be taken at that time and which has regard to the introduction of teacher assessment for all subjects.

As of 29th April 2022 the latest figures from my Department show that 27,346 PPS numbers have been provided to refugees arriving in Ireland from Ukraine. The table below shows the age and sex breakdown of the refugees arriving in Ireland.

There are 6,028 Child benefit claims being paid in respect of 8,972 children. My Department does not have reliable data at the household size level available at this time.

In March I announced the final design principles for the auto-enrolment retirement savings system. An explanatory paper has been published on www.gov.ie.

The objective of this system is to address the low proportion of employees in Ireland with supplementary pension cover, which includes both occupational and personal pensions. According to CSO figures, the rate of active supplementary pension coverage is around 56% of the working population (Pension Coverage Survey 2021). It is estimated that this could be as low as 35% when the private sector is considered in isolation. As a consequence of this low supplementary pension coverage rate, many retirees may suffer an unwanted reduction in living standards when they retire and have to rely entirely on the State Pension.

The new AE system, which is expected to become operational in early 2024, will automatically enrol approximately 750,000 employees at the outset. These are employees who are aged between 23 and 60, earning over €20,000 across whatever number of employments they have, and who are not already enrolled in an occupational pension scheme.

Contributions will be based on employment income. Contributions will be paid by employees through a payroll deduction and matched by their employers as a percentage of the employee’s gross income from employment. The State will also contribute a top-up financial incentive at a rate of €1 for every €3 saved by the employee.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Subject to the standard qualifying conditions for State Pension (Contributory) also being satisfied, the State pension system already provides significant recognition to those whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, often to raise families or in a full-time caring role.

This is provided through the award of PRSI credits and/or the application of the Homemaker’s Scheme (under the Yearly Average method for payment calculation) and/or the application of HomeCaring Periods (under the Interim Total Contributions Approach, also known as the Aggregated Contribution Method).

HomeCaring Periods may be awarded for each week not already covered by a paid or credited social insurance contribution (regardless of when they occurred) to a maximum of 20 years. The HomeCaring Scheme already provides for periods spent caring for children aged 12 years and older. HomeCaring Periods relate to full-time care for:

- a child or children under the age of 12 years of age;

- a child or children over the age of 12 who needs an increased level of care; or

- an adult who needs an increased level of care.

Only one person can benefit from a HomeCaring Period for supporting a child or adult at one time. HomeCaring Periods can only be used under the Interim Total Contributions Approach of pension calculation. Foster carers are entitled to the benefits of HomeCaring Periods on the same basis as other carers and will qualify if the carer is in receipt of Child Benefit. If the foster carer is not in receipt of Child Benefit, s/he can still qualify for HomeCaring Periods provided the caring periods are confirmed by Tusla.

Since April 2019, all new State Pension (Contributory) applications are assessed under all possible rate calculation methods, including the Yearly Average and the Interim Total Contributions Approach, with the most beneficial rate paid to the pensioner. The elements which make up each method are set out in legislation.

It should be noted that if a person does not satisfy the conditionality to qualify for State Pension (Contributory), s/he may qualify for the means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory), the maximum rate of which is over 95% that of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory). Alternatively, if his/her spouse is a State pensioner and has significant household means, his/her most beneficial payment may be an Increase for a Qualified Adult, based on his/her personal means, and amounting to up to 90% of a full contributory pension.

The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund. The Commission’s Report was published on 7th October 2021 and it set out a wide-range of recommendations, including enhanced pension provision for long-term carers (full-time caring for over 20 years). In the interests both of older people and future generations of older people, the Government intends to consider the comprehensive and far reaching recommendations in the Pensions Commission’s Report very carefully and holistically. In this regard, I intend bringing a recommended response and implementation plan to Government in the coming weeks.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Matters related to foster caring are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla. This response covers State Pension provision for carers.

Subject to the standard qualifying conditions for State Pension (Contributory) also being satisfied, the State Pension system already provides significant recognition to those whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, often to raise families or in a full-time caring role. This is provided through the award of PRSI credits and/or the application of the Homemaker’s Scheme (under the Yearly Average method for payment calculation) and/or the application of HomeCaring Periods (under the Interim Total Contributions approach also known as the Aggregated Contribution Method).

HomeCaring Periods may be awarded for each week not already covered by a paid or credited social insurance contribution (regardless of when they occurred) to a maximum of 20 years. Only one person can benefit from a HomeCaring Period for supporting a child or adult at one time. Foster carers are entitled to the benefits of HomeCaring Periods on the same basis as other carers and will qualify if the foster carer is in receipt of Child Benefit. If the foster carer is not in receipt of Child Benefit, s/he can still qualify for HomeCaring Periods provided the caring periods are confirmed by Tusla.

Since April 2019, all new State Pension (Contributory) applications are assessed under all possible rate calculation methods, including the Yearly Average and the Interim Total Contributions Approach, with the most beneficial rate paid to the pensioner. The elements which make up each method are set out in legislation.

It should be noted that if a person does not satisfy the conditionality to qualify for State Pension (Contributory), s/he may qualify for the means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory), the maximum rate of which is over 95% that of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory). Alternatively, if his/her spouse is a State pensioner and has significant household means, his/her most beneficial payment may be an Increase for a Qualified Adult, based on his/her personal means, and amounting to up to 90% of a full contributory pension.

This Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” includes a commitment to examine options for a pension solution for carers, the majority of whom are women, particularly those of incapacitated children, in recognition of the enormous value of the work carried out by them.

The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund. The Commission’s Report was published on 7th October 2021 and it set out a wide-range of recommendations, including enhanced pension provision for long-term carers (caring for over 20 years). In the interests both of older people and future generations of older people, the Government intends to consider the comprehensive and far reaching recommendations in the Pensions Commission’s Report very carefully and holistically. In this regard, I intend bringing a recommended response and implementation plan to Government in the coming weeks.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Matters related to foster caring are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla. This response covers State Pension provision for carers.

Subject to the standard qualifying conditions for State Pension (Contributory) also being satisfied, the State Pension system already provides significant recognition to those whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, often to raise families or in a full-time caring role. This is provided through the award of PRSI credits and/or the application of the Homemaker’s Scheme (under the Yearly Average method for payment calculation) and/or the application of HomeCaring Periods (under the Interim Total Contributions approach also known as the Aggregated Contribution Method).

HomeCaring Periods may be awarded for each week not already covered by a paid or credited social insurance contribution (regardless of when they occurred) to a maximum of 20 years. Only one person can benefit from a HomeCaring Period for supporting a child or adult at one time. Foster carers are entitled to the benefits of HomeCaring Periods on the same basis as other carers and will qualify if the foster carer is in receipt of Child Benefit. If the foster carer is not in receipt of Child Benefit, s/he can still qualify for HomeCaring Periods provided the caring periods are confirmed by Tusla.

Since April 2019, all new State Pension (Contributory) applications are assessed under all possible rate calculation methods, including the Yearly Average and the Interim Total Contributions Approach, with the most beneficial rate paid to the pensioner. The elements which make up each method are set out in legislation.

It should be noted that if a person does not satisfy the conditionality to qualify for State Pension (Contributory), s/he may qualify for the means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory), the maximum rate of which is over 95% that of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory). Alternatively, if his/her spouse is a State pensioner and has significant household means, his/her most beneficial payment may be an Increase for a Qualified Adult, based on his/her personal means, and amounting to up to 90% of a full contributory pension.

This Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” includes a commitment to examine options for a pension solution for carers, the majority of whom are women, particularly those of incapacitated children, in recognition of the enormous value of the work carried out by them.

The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund. The Commission’s Report was published on 7th October 2021 and it set out a wide-range of recommendations, including enhanced pension provision for long-term carers. It recommended that long-term carers (defined as caring for more than 20 years) should be given access to the State Pension (Contributory) by having retrospective contributions paid for them by the Exchequer for any gaps in their contribution history arising from that caring. The Commission also recommended that relevant Departments should examine, in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, options for the creation of a statutory "Family Carer Register" which could, in time, facilitate the identification of long-term carers for State Pension (Contributory) purposes as well as assisting in the planning and delivery of services for family carers.

In the interests both of older people and future generations of older people, the Government intends to consider the comprehensive and far reaching recommendations in the Pensions Commission’s Report very carefully and holistically. In this regard, I intend bringing a recommended response and implementation plan to Government in the coming weeks.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Since its inception in the late 1990s, the Public Services Card (PSC) has always been intended as a physical token of identity to be used in transactions between the citizens and the State, not just between citizens and my Department.

One of my functions as Minister for Social Protection is the authentication of the identity, as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005.

Once a person has successfully authenticated their identity in one of my offices, they are issued with a PSC which can be used as proof of identity when transacting with certain public bodies (“specified bodies”) listed in that Act. The list of specified bodies includes the Department of Foreign Affairs and Road Safety Authority, responsible for the issuing of passports and driving licences, respectively.

This fact was recognised and acknowledged by the Data Protection Commission (DPC) in the Agreement of December last which settled my Department’s appeal of an Enforcement Notice issued by the DPC.

The DPC acknowledged in that Agreement that any specified body may use the PSC as a means of verifying the identity of the people they deal with, provided that they also accept other proofs of identity.

The question of whether a specified body seeks production of a PSC as proof of identity is a matter for those bodies. 

Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.

Once claims are in payment, the Department periodically reviews them to ensure that there is continued entitlement.

A review was initiated on this application and the person’s file was subsequently referred to a local Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) to evaluate means and to confirm that all the conditions for receipt of CA are satisfied.

It is a necessary condition for receipt of CA that full-time care and attention must be provided.

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 has been provided for the care recipient in their absence.

On foot of the SWI report, correspondence issued to the person concerned on 10 February 2022 advising their CA was being reconsidered which could result in their payment being terminated and afforded them an opportunity to submit any statement or evidence they wished to have considered.

On 25 February 2022 additional time was requested to provide evidence.

By 12 April 2022, no further information was received, and notification issued to the person concerned confirming their payment would stop on 27 April 2022.

On 14 April 2022 further information was provided and following a review of this information, carer's allowance was reinstated from 28 April 2022.

The person concerned was notified on 25 April 2022 of this decision, the reason for it and of his right of review and appeal.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is payable in respect of children with a severe disability who require care and attention substantially in excess of that required by children of a similar age without such a disability, providing this additional care is likely to last for at least 12 months.

An application for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 24th March 2022. Applications are processed in date of receipt order; currently applications received late February 2022 are being dealt with. The Deciding Officer will notify the customer in writing as soon as the application has been finalised.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

The Widowed Parent Grant is a once-off payment for widows, widowers or surviving civil partners with qualified children, following the death of their late spouse. This scheme only applies to widows, widowers or surviving civil partners with at least one qualified child, at the time of death of their late spouse.

There is no record of any application for the Widowed Parent Grant or Widows Contributory Pension, having been received to date from the person concerned, in my Department. I have arranged for application forms for the Widowed Parent Grant and the Widows Contributory Pension to be posted to the person concerned. When the completed application forms are received in my Department, a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified of outcomes without delay.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy

Jobseeker's Benefit and Jobseeker's Allowance schemes are statutory supports which provide income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment. Jobseeker's benefit is a contributory unemployment benefit based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions while Jobseeker’s Allowance is means tested social assistance payment.

A person is entitled to a Jobseekers payment for any day of unemployment provided that they meet the relevant scheme conditions, including being unemployed for at least 4 days out of 7 days. The 2022 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseekers’ schemes of €2.17 billion.

The numbers of Jobseekers currently in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance for a continuous period of 3 years or more is approximately 36,800 which includes over 9,000 who are working on a part time or casual basis or who are self employed. The figures provided exclude those in receipt of Back to Education Allowance and who were previously in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance.

Jobseekers Benefit is payable for 9 months or 234 days for people with 260 or more PRSI contributions paid. It is paid for 6 months or 156 days for people with fewer than 260 PRSI contributions paid. Given the duration limit on the payment of the scheme, the number who are paid over a continuous period of 3 years or more is negligible with some 15 recipients who are engaged in casual employment.

The Government’s strategy for supporting unemployed people back into work, including those in long term unemployment, is the Pathways to Work 2021-2025 published in July 2021. The strategy aims to restore unemployment back to or below pre-pandemic levels, while targeting better employment outcomes for all.

I trust that this clarifies the position at this time.

An Illness Benefit claim from the person concerned was awarded on the 14th February 2022 and an arrears payment issued to her on this date. The person concerned subsequently informed us that she had provided incorrect bank details on her application form, and as such the arrears payment had issued to the incorrect bank account.

My department's accounts section has contacted the bank to request that the payment is returned to us. Once this payment has been returned, the payment can be reissued to the person concerned.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from October to April, which is currently supporting over 372,000 households, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.

The Government values the role of carers very much and it is for this reason that they receive significant income supports from the Department. In addition to Carer’s Allowance, carers receive additional support in the form of free travel and household benefits (for those who live with the person for whom they care) and the annual Carer's Support Grant (€1,850) in respect of each person for whom they care.

While Carer's Allowance is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance, a person in receipt of Carer's Allowance may avail of the fuel allowance payment in certain circumstances. Fuel Allowance is a household-based payment, and a carer will very often live with and care for a person in receipt of a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance. Income from full rate Carer's Allowance is disregarded from the fuel means test, if the carer is providing full time care and attention to the Fuel Allowance applicant, his/her qualified spouse/civil partner or cohabitant or qualified child(ren).

If a person is getting certain qualifying social welfare payments and also providing full time care and attention to another person, s/he can keep his/her main social protection payment in addition to receiving the half-rate Carer's Allowance. S/he can also receive an extra half-rate Carer’s Allowance if s/he cares for more than one person. The payment of half-rate Carer’s Allowance does not preclude a person from qualifying for Fuel Allowance. If a person is in receipt of a non-contributory social welfare payment and a half-rate Carer’s Allowance, then s/he is deemed to have satisfied the means test and Fuel Allowance is payable, subject to all remaining criteria being satisfied. If a person is in receipt of a contributory social welfare payment and a half-rate Carer’s Allowance then s/he will have to satisfy a means test in order to qualify for Fuel Allowance.

Any decision to adjust the rules of Fuel Allowance to make Carer's Allowance a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of overall budget negotiations.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, Exceptional Needs Payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources, and this may include exceptional heating costs. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

My Department provides a range of income supports for people unable to work due to illness or disability. The largest disability related social assistance scheme is the Disability Allowance.

Disability Allowance is a means-tested payment for people with a specified disability that must be expected to last for at least one year, substantially restricting a person’s ability to undertake work which would otherwise be suitable for persons of similar age, experience, and qualification. The person must be aged between 16 and 66 and be habitually resident in the State. At the end of March 2022, in excess of 155,000 persons were in receipt of this payment.

Disability Allowance is structured to support recipients to avail of opportunities to pursue employment, be that self-employment or insurable employment. When an individual commences employment, they can avail of an income disregard of €140 per week. In addition, 50% of earnings, between €140 and €350, are also disregarded, i.e. 50% of earnings in this band are disregarded for the purpose of the means test. Earnings above €350 per week are assessed in full.

Resulting from Budget measures, the following increases will apply from June:

1. An increase in the earnings threshold above which means is fully assessed - by €25 per week, from €350 to €375 per week.

2. An increase in the general weekly means disregard entry point for Disability Allowance from €2.50 to €7.60. Currently the first €2.50 of weekly means is disregarded for Disability Allowance. The effect of this measure will be to increase the weekly rate of payment by up to €5.10 per week for Disability Allowance recipients who have means.

Income from the Basic Income for the Arts Pilot Scheme will be treated as income from self-employment, and as a result the disregards above will apply. A new web page has been created on Gov.ie which details the ‘Interaction of the Basic Income for the Arts Pilot Scheme with DSP payments’. This page will be updated as required.

My Department regularly reviews its supports and payments schemes to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives, while any proposed changes must be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.

There was some delay in processing the Enhanced Illness Benefit claim from the person concerned as it overlapped with her Carer's Allowance payment. The monetary difference between this payment and her Enhanced Illness Benefit entitlement needed to be calculated before any payments due to her could issue.

Her Enhanced Illness Benefit claim has now been awarded and payment has issued to her.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 19 July 2021.

A decision of an Appeals Officer is generally final apart from some limited circumstances. Social Welfare legislation allows an Appeals Officer to revise his or her decision where it appears to him or her that the decision was erroneous in the light of new evidence or new facts which have been brought to his or her notice.

I am advised that the person concerned subsequently submitted additional evidence and that the Appeals Officer reviewed the appeal on foot of this additional evidence. The Appeals Officer did not find any new facts or evidence which warranted a revision of her earlier decision. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 9 December 2021.

I am advised that the person concerned has submitted additional evidence and that the Appeals Officer has again agreed to review the case. The person concerned will be contacted when the review of his/her appeal has been finalised.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

The Enhanced Illness Benefit claim from the person concerned has been awarded from 12 April 2022 to 1 May 2022. Arrears have issued to her paying her in full for this period.

If the person concerned is still out sick from work due to Covid-19, she should submit a further medical certificate as soon as possible in order for further payment to issue to her.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

A person who satisfies the conditions for receipt of Illness Benefit can receive a payment for a maximum of 1 or 2 years depending on the level of PRSI contributions they have paid.

In advance of the ending of their entitlement to a payment a letter issues advising as to the date the entitlement is due to end. The letter advises as to the options available going forward. In this regard the person is advised that they may continue to submit medical certificates in order to be awarded credits, or if they expect to be unable to attend work for a period of at least another year they can apply for Invalidity Pension, which is contribution based, or Disability Allowance which is a means tested scheme. If the person expects to be in a position to resume work in the short-term they can apply for a Jobseeker's payment.

If a person remains out of work but does not satisfy the criteria for the schemes mentioned above and they are struggling to meet their basic financial needs they could apply for assistance under the terms of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from October to April, which is currently supporting more than 372,000 households, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.

The Fuel Allowance payment is targeted towards those who are more vulnerable to energy poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.

If a participant on a Rural Social Scheme (RSS) was in receipt of Fuel Allowance prior to going on the scheme, they can continue to receive the Fuel Allowance payment while participating on the scheme once they continue to satisfy the qualifying conditions.

If the RSS participant was not in receipt of the Fuel Allowance payment prior to going on the RSS they may still apply for and qualify for Fuel Allowance in the following circumstances.

- If the RSS participant was in receipt of a long-term qualifying payment prior to going on the RSS this will allow them to satisfy the qualifying payment element. However, all other qualifying conditions of Fuel Allowance must also be satisfied.

- Where the RSS participant has an established underlying entitlement to Fuel Allowance but is not in receipt of the allowance because another member of the household was receiving the payment, it is open to the RSS participant to apply for fuel allowance if these circumstances change, e.g., where the fuel allowance recipient leaves the address.

Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for Fuel Allowance in the manner outlined by the Deputy would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, Exceptional Needs Payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources, and this may include exceptional heating costs. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 311 and 318 together.

Under current social welfare legislation in order to be eligible for the One Parent Family Payment (OFP) an applicant must be a qualified parent, as outlined in Section 172 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, of at least one child under the age of 7, who is ordinarily resident in the State.  The eligibility criteria for the Jobseeker Transitional (JST) scheme are the same as the OFP scheme except that the client must be a qualified parent of at least one child aged between 7 and 13 years (inclusive).  Section 148A 2(a) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 outlines the definition of qualified parent for the JST scheme.  Additional scheme conditions such as a means test, and absence of cohabitation also apply to both schemes. 

A qualified parent for the purposes of the OFP and JST schemes includes:

1. a widow,

2. a widower,

3. a separated spouse,

4. an unmarried person,

5. a person whose spouse or civil partner has been committed in custody to a prison or place of detention for not less than 6 months, or

6. a surviving civil partner,

7. a civil partner who is not living with the other civil partner of the civil partnership, or

8. a person who is not a party to a civil partnership

who is the parent, step-parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian of at least one relevant child, who normally resides with that person. 

Therefore, to be a qualified parent the applicant must legally be defined as either the parent or legal guardian of the relevant child.  A foster carer is not the parent or legal guardian of the foster child, as required by the governing legislation for OFP and JST.  Therefore, for the purposes of the OFP and JST schemes the foster parent is not a qualified parent and cannot currently qualify for OFP or JST with the foster child as the relevant child.

The provision of fostering services is a matter for Tusla (the Child and Family Agency).  This includes any supports, including financial, that are required by either the foster carers or the foster child.  Tusla provides a Foster Care Allowance in respect of each child in foster care. The payment is made to provide for the needs of the child.  The weekly Foster Care Allowance is currently €325 per child under 12, and €352 for children aged 12 and over.  Foster care allowances from Tusla are not taken into account in the means test for social welfare payments and are not taxable.

In addition to the Foster Care Allowance, there are other income supports currently available to a foster parent(s):

Child Benefit - Where a child has been placed in foster care by Tusla and the child has been in the continuous care of the foster carer(s) for 6 months, Child Benefit may then transfer to the foster carer(s).

Increases for Qualified Child (IQC) on Primary Social Welfare Payments - A foster parent who is in receipt of a primary social welfare payment (such as jobseeker’s allowance) can receive an increase for a qualified child in respect of a foster child (as long as no other person is in receipt of an IQC in respect of the same child).

Working Family Payment - The Working Family Payment is paid to low-income families according to the number of children in the family.  As outlined above, a child in foster care can be a qualified child for social welfare schemes.  As the Working Family Payment definition of a child is based on the definition of qualified child, a foster parent with only foster children can qualify for the working family payment (subject to meeting all of the other qualifying conditions).

Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) - The Back to Work Family Dividend legislation uses the qualified child definition in its eligibility rules.  Therefore, if a foster parent moved off Jobseeker's Allowance and had been in receipt of an IQC for their foster child they would be entitled to the BTWFD on the same basis as others.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Guardian’s payment (contributory) and guardian's payment (non-contributory), are respectively social insurance and social assistance (means tested) payments made to a person caring for a child who satisfies the definition of an “orphan” under social welfare legislation.  The purpose of the guardian's payment scheme is to provide income support in respect of those children whose parents are unable to provide for them, through death or other circumstances.

Currently there are around 1,750 people receiving a guardians payment in respect of approximately 2,600 children.  Guardian’s payment, at the weekly rate of €191 per child, is the highest rate of weekly child income support paid by my Department.  There is just one standard rate payable per child. Expenditure on the guardians payment schemes amounted to some €24m in 2021.  

A person can receive a guardian's payment (or more than one guardian's payment if they have more than one child in their care) at the same time as any other social welfare payment to which they may be entitled.  In addition, guardian’s payment is payable in respect of a child aged 18-22, provided the child is in full-time education.

In addition to the universal payment of child benefit of €140 per child per month, the Department has a number of other payments available to assist families with children, including –

- Working Family Payment which is a means-tested payment income support for families where one or more adult is working.

- Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance which is an annual payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn.

- Supplementary Welfare Allowance includes payments to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. 

- Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is an allowance payable in respect of children with a severe disability, who require care and attention substantially in excess of that required by other children their age without their disability.   

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

The Pensions Commission’s Report was published in October 2021. The report contained almost 250 pages of analysis, consideration and recommendations. It established that the current State Pension system is not sustainable into the future and that changes are needed and it has set out a recommended approach by Government.

In the interests both of older people and future generations of older people, the Government intends to consider the comprehensive and far reaching recommendations in the Pensions Commission’s Report very carefully and holistically. This includes careful consideration of the various views submitted by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands, and the Commission on Taxation and Welfare.

Following detailed consideration of all of this in the round, I will bring forward a recommended response and implementation plan to the Pensions Commission’s recommendations as soon as possible. While I had intended that this would be completed earlier, the Deputy will appreciate that my Department has been centrally involved in the Government response to the crisis in Ukraine and other important matters in recent weeks.

As the bedrock of the pension system in Ireland, the State Pension is very effective at ensuring that our pensioners do not experience poverty. This Government is committed to ensuring that this remains the case for current pensioners, those nearing State Pension age and today’s young workers.I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

In line with the Programme for Government, the Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland.  The Group was chaired by former Circuit Court Judge Catherine Murphy and included legal, policy and academic professionals as well as officials from my Department and the Department of Justice.

The Group's Terms of Reference were to consider and make recommendations on:

(i) the current treatment of child maintenance payments in my Department;

(ii) the current provisions regarding liable relatives managed by my Department; and

(iii) the establishment of a Child Maintenance Agency in Ireland.

I am pleased to advise that the Group has completed its work and that its report was submitted to me on 22 April.  I would like to thank the Chair and the Group members for their detailed consideration of these important issues.

It is my intention to give the report careful consideration before bringing it to Government and publishing it in due course.

The Fuel Allowance scheme is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs, it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two lump sum payments. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household. Those who qualify for the payment do not need to reapply annually.

As at the end of December 2021, there were almost 375,000 Fuel Allowance recipients. At the end of 2020, the number of recipients was also of the order of 375,000 and at the end of 2019, the number was in excess of 369,000. Precise information on the total number of refusals in each of these years is not readily available. Where an application for fuel allowance is disallowed, it is open to the person to re-apply if there is a change in their circumstances.

The Government is acutely aware of the increase in consumer prices in recent months, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices. To help mitigate the effects of these rising costs, the Government announced additional expenditure measures of €505 million. As part of these measures, I announced an additional lump sum payment of €125 to households in receipt of the fuel allowance payment. This additional lump sum was paid in March 2022 at an estimated cost of €49 million.

The National Energy Security Framework includes provision for a further additional lump sum payment of €100 to be paid to all households in receipt of fuel allowance in the last week of the (2021/22) fuel allowance season – a payment equivalent to over 3 weeks additional fuel allowance. It is planned to make this additional €100 fuel allowance payment in mid-May.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, discretionary payments can be made to help people with the cost of heating their homes. A Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people with exceptional heating costs due to ill health or infirmity who cannot meet those costs. My Department also provides discretionary Exceptional Needs Payments to people who face difficulties in meeting fuel bills.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

The Fuel Allowance scheme is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs, it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two lump sum payments. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household. Those who qualify for the payment do not need to reapply annually.

As at the end of December 2021, there were almost 375,000 Fuel Allowance recipients. Common disallowance reasons include where the means of the customer or household exceeds the permissible threshold; the applicant resides with a non-qualified person (for example, someone in employment); or the applicant resides with another person who is already in receipt of fuel allowance. Where an application is disallowed, it is open to the person to re-apply if there is a change in their circumstances.

Precise information on the number of applications disallowed, including due to a person living in the home of the applicant who was on a non-qualifying social welfare payment, is not readily available,

The Government is acutely aware of the increase in consumer prices in recent months, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices. To help mitigate the effects of these rising costs, the Government announced additional expenditure measures of €505 million. As part of these measures, I announced an additional lump sum payment of €125 to households in receipt of the fuel allowance payment. This additional lump sum was paid in March 2022 at an estimated cost of €49 million.

The National Energy Security Framework includes provision for a further additional lump sum payment of €100 to be paid to all households in receipt of fuel allowance in the last week of the (2021/22) fuel allowance season – a payment equivalent to over 3 weeks additional fuel allowance. It is planned to make this additional €100 fuel allowance payment in mid-May.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, discretionary payments can be made to help people with the cost of heating their homes. A Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people with exceptional heating costs due to ill health or infirmity who cannot meet those costs. My Department also provides discretionary Exceptional Needs Payments to people who face difficulties in meeting fuel bills

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

The State Pension (Contributory) is a PRSI-based pension, financed by contributions made by current workers and their employers, and paid to pensioners, at a rate based upon their PRSI record when working. A person is required to have a minimum of 520 paid reckonable PRSI contributions in order to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory). As the actuarial value of the State Pension is currently estimated at approximately €380,000, it is reasonable to require people claiming a contributory pension to have made at least 10 years of paid contributions over the term of their working life.

The State pension system provides significant recognition to those whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, often to raise families or in a full-time caring role.

This is provided through the award of credits and/or the application of the Homemaker’s Scheme (under the Yearly Average method for payment calculation) and/or the application of HomeCaring Periods (under the Aggregated Contribution Method (also known as the interim Total Contributions Approach).

Details of these are –

- Credits – PRSI Credits are awarded to recipients of Carer’s Allowance (and Carer’s Benefit) where they have an underlying entitlement to credits. Credits are also awarded to workers who take unpaid Carer’s Leave from work.

- The Homemaker’s Scheme - The scheme, which was introduced with effect from 1994, is designed to help homemakers and carers qualify for State Pension (Contributory). The Scheme, which allows periods caring for children or people with a caring need to be disregarded (from 1994), can have the effect of increasing the Yearly Average.

- HomeCaring Periods – This Scheme makes it easier for a home carer to qualify for a higher rate of State Pension (Contributory). HomeCaring Periods can only be used under the Aggregated Contribution Method (also known as the Interim Total Contributions Approach) of pension calculation. HomeCaring Periods may be awarded for each week not already covered by a paid or credited social insurance contribution (regardless of when they occurred) to a maximum of 20 years.

Since April 2019, all new State (Contributory) Pension applications are assessed under all possible rate calculation methods, including the Yearly Average and the interim Total Contributions Approach, with the most beneficial rate paid to the pensioner. The elements which make up each method are set out in legislation.

It should be noted that if a person does not satisfy the conditionality to qualify for State Pension (Contributory), s/he may qualify for the means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory), the maximum rate of which is over 95% that of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory). Alternatively, if his/her spouse is a State pensioner and has significant household means, his/her most beneficial payment may be an Increase for a Qualified Adult, based on his/her personal means, and amounting to up to 90% of a full contributory pension.

The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine sustainability and eligibility issues with the State Pension and the Social Insurance Fund, in fulfilment of a Programme for Government commitment.

The Commission has now concluded its work and has submitted its final report to me. The report has been published on the Government website. It is extremely detailed, running to several hundred pages, and covers a range of complex matters in relation to the Pensions system which require very careful consideration. In this regard, I intend bringing a recommended response and implementation plan to Government in the coming weeks.

I hope this clarifies the matter.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned together with the relevant Departmental papers were received by that office on 29 March 2022. The case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 12 April 2022, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

As the Deputy is aware, Community Employment (CE) drug rehabilitation schemes have a very significant social inclusion focus, are well embedded in our local communities nationally and are generally engaged in significant levels of local service support and delivery. The role of the service support worker is crucial in providing these services.

I refer to your question on behalf of Kilbarrack Coastal Community Programme (KCCP) regarding difficulty experienced recruiting CE participants as youth support and drug rehabilitation support workers. Where vacancies occur on CE schemes, eligible candidates are identified by my Department’s activation services and are referred to fill placements on CE schemes. Jobseekers can also register their interest through www.jobsireland.ie, the Department’s online job advertising and recruitment service website or by contacting a case officer in their local Intreo Centre. CE candidates are then referred to the CE scheme once their eligibility has been confirmed and CE is considered a suitable activation measure for that jobseeker. Referrals are being made to KCCP by the Department's activation service; however, some of the candidates referred unfortunately have not been deemed suitable for the specific roles.

In order to support CE schemes and to assist with the transition from COVID emergency supports, Minister Humphreys and I have put transitionary measures in place whereby participants, including those with extended contracts, may not be required to leave CE, until a suitable replacement has been referred to the scheme. This provision will support schemes to retain services, given the higher-than-normal turnover of participants in 2022. Any extension under this provision must be approved by officials from the Department and consideration will be given to the impact of COVID on the recruitment of participants, services provided by schemes, along with recruitment and referral efforts. I understand that one such extension is currently under consideration in respect of the KCCP CE scheme.

I believe that these flexibilities will ensure services provided by CE schemes will continue to be supported, as we phase out COVID emergency supports while ensuring that CE places remain available to long term unemployed persons within communities.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

There have been no secondments from the Department of Social Protection to the university third level sector in the past 2 years.

The provision of contracted employment service provision has been under review by my Department for some time with extensive consultation taking place with the sector since late 2018.

My Department had initially planned that the two phased procurement process for the new Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Service would be completed in 2021, with new services commencing in January 2022. However, at the request of the sector, my Department provided additional time for extensive consultation following Phase 1, which meant that the publication of the Phase 2 RFT was held until late December 2021.

In order to facilitate this extended period of consultation, my Department offered a new 6 month contract to 22 Local Employment Services and 30 Job Club contractors for the provision of activation services until 30th June 2022.

Interested parties were provided additional time to submit their tenders under Phase 2 with the deadline for bids being extended until the 25th April, which reflects the detail of the procurement process. Therefore, to provide further time for the contractors to make appropriate arrangements regarding the existing contracts and to ensure service delivery in the transitionary period, my Department has recently offered a two-month extension of the existing contract(s) for the delivery of employment services. This is an extension of the existing contract(s) for service on the same terms and conditions as the existing contract with a pro-rata value increase until August 31st 2022.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 323 and 324 together.

My Department is currently undertaking a significant expansion of public employment services.  In particular, specialised employment services for those farthest from the labour market - previously available in just twelve counties - will soon be available State-wide for the first time.  

In the first phase of this procurement, contracts for Intreo Partners - Local Area Employment Services (LAES) were agreed in late 2021 across four lots in seven counties in the Midlands and North-East.  These new services are now operational and accepting referrals.  

Phase two of this process is currently ongoing.  The procurement of phase 2 of the Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Services commenced with the publication of the request for tender on 21 December last. Phase 2 included a proportionate increase over Phase 1 in guaranteed referral numbers, calculated on the basis of ensuring the financial viability of the new employment services with due regard to the cost structures of existing Job Clubs and Local Employment Services in the Phase 2 lot areas.

This procurement was preceded by extensive consultation with all stakeholders, but in particular with the community sector providers and with their representative body the ILDN.  Every existing provider was visited on site by my officials and asked for their views on the way forward for the best provision of employment services, there has also been engagement with the staff representative bodies.  In addition, the external consultants engaged by the Department to assist in the restructuring of these services also and separately from the Department consulted with existing providers.

My Department extended the deadline for the Requests for Tenders to 25 April to ensure all interested parties, including the community sector, will have sufficient time to prepare quality tender responses that reflect their experience and capacity to deliver a quality service. 

Following detailed compliance checks, the tenders received will shortly be evaluated in accordance with procurement regulations and the preferred tenderers notified in due course.  My officials will then proceed to finalising contracts with a view to establishing services at the earliest possible date.

My Department has a responsibility to ensure the provision of legally-sound, high quality employment service for everyone who needs them irrespective of their location or how long they have been unemployed.  This process will ensure, for the first time, that people in all parts of the country will have access to the full range of the Public Employment Service offerings.  This expansion in service provision will be operational in quarter 3 of this year.

It is the nature of competitive procurement that the outcomes depend solely on the quality of tenders received.  My Department's focus has been on ensuring that these employment service procurements place great emphasis on service quality, so as to provide the unemployed person with the most appropriate services and enable existing service providers to submit tenders that reflect their experience and expertise.

There have been no fines issued by the EU on my Department for failure to transpose EU directives.

I hope that clarifies the matter for the Deputy. 

The Deputy will be aware that the HSE administer and fund a number of personal assistance services for people with disabilities.

There is also the Reasonable Accommodation fund which is administered by my department. Through this, a number of grants are available which can help employers and employees with a disability to take appropriate measures to help a person with a disability to access, improve or retain their employment. 

Separate from these schemes is the Disability allowance scheme which currently provides a basic income support to over 150,000 individuals across the country.

If the Deputy could specify the scheme she is interested in, my Department will seek to provide her with the required information. 

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

In addition to providing income supports, my department provides a wide range of employment-related supports for jobseekers/employees with disabilities and private sector employers seeking to support or recruit an employee who has a disability.

The Reasonable Accommodation Fund Grants (RAFG) include a number of grants which are available through the department's network of Intreo centres:

1. Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant:

Where a person with a disability has been offered employment, is in employment or is self-employed and requires a more accessible workplace or adapted equipment to do the job, a grant is available towards the costs of adapting premises or equipment. A maximum grant of €6,350 can be given towards the cost of adaptations to premises or equipment. Applications in excess of this sum are considered on an individual basis up to a maximum of €9,523 if specialist training for assistive technology is required.

2. Job Interview Interpreter Grant

A jobseeker who is deaf, hard of hearing or has speech impairment and is attending job interviews may apply for funding to have a sign language interpreter or other interpreter to attend interviews. A three-hour period for each interview can be funded. There is no limit to the number of interviews a person can attend with an interpreter. Funding is also available to cover the cost of an interpreter to assist a person during the induction process, when he/she starts work with a private sector employer. A maximum of three hours interpreter support is available.

3. Personal Reader Grant

A person employed in the private sector who is or is becoming blind or visually impaired, and who needs assistance with job-related reading, can apply for a grant to support them to employ a personal reader. The amount payable is based on an hourly fee paid to the reader, in line with the current minimum wage, for an agreed period up to a maximum of 640 hours per year.

4. Employee Retention Grant

The Employee Retention Grant Scheme is available to assist employers to retain employees who acquire a disability. The grant provides funding to identify accommodation and/or training needs to enable the employee to remain in his/her current position. It can also be used to retrain the employee to take up another position within the company. Funding varies from a maximum of €2,500 or 90% of eligible programme costs to fund an occupational capacity and workplace job assessment or to a maximum of €25,000 or 90% of eligible programme costs for training and job coach support.

The tables below provide data on the number of Reasonable Accommodation Fund Grants issued for the years 2020 to 2022, and a breakdown by county.

Table one: the value of the grants issued for 2020, 2021 and (to April*) 2022:

*provisional figure.

Table two: Breakdown by County*

*Invoice addresses have been used to provide a county breakdown.

In March, I launched a public consultation on the Reasonable Accommodation Fund grants. The consultation runs from 31 March 2022 until the 13th of May. The aim of the consultation is to improve the effectiveness of the supports available. To promote the completion of the surveys and submissions, the department is running a national media campaign using print, radio and social media. The department has also made contact with disability organisations to promote the participation by their members. The public consultation page is located on Gov.ie - which provides full details in relation to completing the survey(s) and how to make a submission. The report on the outcome of the consultation is to be published in Q3.

It is also important to note:

- That these grants are demand led, i.e. the overall value of the grants issued each year rises or falls in response to the number and value of the grants applied for; and

- the funding the Department makes available through the grants it administers does not impact or lessen the obligation on employers to provide reasonable accommodations. The Employment Equality Acts oblige employers to take reasonable steps to accommodate the needs of both employees and job applicants with disabilities.

My Department regularly review its services, supports and payments schemes to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives, while any proposed changes must be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.

The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority. 

Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in early learning and childcare has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. More than 100,000 children now participate on the universal pre-school programme on an annual basis and the National Childcare Scheme subsidises up to 80,000 children.

To ensure that the supply of early learning and childcare places meets demand, my Department has, since 2015, funded the creation of more than 27,000 new places through an Annual Capital Programme.

Before the onset of Covid-19, national data indicated that, on the whole, supply of early learning and childcare places was meeting demand, with evidence of undersupply for certain age groups including children under 3, and in certain areas.

Data gathered throughout the Covid-19 pandemic revealed lower demand for early learning and childcare, and reduced occupancy among early learning and childcare services. Indeed, data captured in June 2021 found significant vacancy rates across the country – with the national vacancy rate averaging at 21%. Vacancy rates in Dublin, Meath, Wicklow and Kildare are outlined below.

Pobal has, using the data captured in June 2021 and current registration data, recently projected vacancy rates in February 2022. While this analysis shows a fall in vacancy rates from June 2021 to February 2022 – with vacancy rates falling from 21% to 19%, this analysis suggests that there is unused capacity across the country.

Pobal has commenced the new data collection as of 4 April 2022, as part of the Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey. This will allow for updated information on capacity among early learning and childcare services to be established.

In addition to these efforts to monitor capacity issues across the country, my Department is planning a range of steps to address any issue of under supply. A new funding model, to roll out in September, will provide funding for services aligned to costs of delivery so, for example, greater funding will be available to services that cater for younger children where costs of delivery are higher than older children. Some €70m has been allocated to my Department through the revised National Development Plan (NDP) – with the majority of this funding earmarked for new places. Another important step being taken by my Department, in partnership with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government (DHPLG), is to update the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings. In addition, CCC are currently proactively engaging with early learning and childcare services to identify unused capacity and explore the potential for services in increase capacity where there is evidence of unmet early learning and childcare needs of families.

Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) for assistance. Contact details for CCCs may be found on www.myccc.ie.

As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for the Adoption Authority of Ireland, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.

As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for the Adoption Authority of Ireland, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.

As the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for the Adoption Authority of Ireland, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.

The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority. 

Before the onset of Covid-19, national data indicated that, on the whole, supply of early learning and childcare places was meeting demand, with evidence of undersupply for certain age groups including children under 3, and in certain areas.

Data gathered throughout the Covid-19 pandemic from parents revealed lower demand for early learning and childcare. There was also evidence of reduced occupancy among early learning and childcare services. Indeed, survey data captured from providers in June 2021, previously shared with the Deputy, found significant vacancy rates across the country – of 21% - and in counties, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow (see below).

This survey also captured data on waiting lists. Based on providers reports, an estimated 38,987 children were a waiting list nationally. While the number of children on waiting lists is an indication of demand, it must be noted that parents often place their child/children on multiple lists. Therefore, this figure cannot be used to indicate overall demand.

Data collection under the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2021/22 is currently underway. The closing date for providers to complete this survey early May. This will allow for updated information on capacity among early learning and childcare services to be established. This will also provide updated information on waiting lists across services.

As outlined previously to the Deputy, my Department is planning a range of steps to address issues of under supply. A new funding model, to roll out in September, will provide funding for services aligned to costs of delivery so, for example, greater funding will be available to services that cater for younger children where costs of delivery are higher than older children. Some €70m has been allocated to my Department through the revised National Development Plan (NDP) – with the majority of this funding earmarked for new places. Another important step being taken by my Department, in partnership with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government (DHPLG), is to update the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings. In addition, CCC are currently proactively engaging with early learning and childcare services to identify unused capacity and explore the potential for services in increase capacity where there is evidence of unmet early learning and childcare needs of families.

Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) for assistance. Contact details for CCCs may be found on www.myccc.ie.

Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine on February 24, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on meeting the immediate, temporary accommodation needs of those fleeing the conflict.

A dedicated team is focused on the provision of temporary accommodation to refugees from Ukraine. This team is collaborating with all relevant Departments, Agencies, NGOs and Local Authorities, as well as the private sector, to ensure that refugees are provided with temporary accommodation on arrival, and to facilitate access to the supports from others that they require.

Approximately 17,500 people have been placed in International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation to date.

IPAS has contracted approximately 5,000 hotel rooms, with additional capacity also being pursued through all suitable means including, hotels, guest houses and B&Bs, religious properties, accommodation operated by voluntary bodies, pledges of accommodation and local authority emergency facilities. Given arrival numbers sourcing suitable accommodation continues to be a challenge.

In seeking to address immediate accommodation needs, safety and security are the paramount considerations.

The availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority. 

Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in early learning and childcare has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. More than 100,000 children now participate on the universal pre-school programme on an annual basis and the National Childcare Scheme subsidises up to 80,000 children.

To ensure that the supply of early learning and childcare places meets demand, my Department has, since 2015, funded the creation of more than 27,000 new places through an Annual Capital Programme.

Before the onset of Covid-19, national data indicated that, on the whole, supply of early learning and childcare places was meeting demand, with evidence of undersupply for certain age groups including children under 3, and in certain areas.

Data gathered throughout the Covid-19 pandemic revealed lower demand for early learning and childcare, and reduced occupancy among early learning and childcare services. Indeed, data captured in June 2021 found significant vacancy rates across the country – with the national vacancy rate averaging at 21% and the vacancy rate in South Dublin - the Adamstown Local Authority Area - at 18%. There are 237 early learning and childcare services in South Dublin (of whom 38 are community, not for profit services and 199 are private services).

My Department is continuing to monitor early learning and childcare capacity, with a particular focus on monitoring Covid-19 impacts as public health restrictions have been lifted.

Pobal has, using the data captured in June 2021 and current registration data, recently projected vacancy rates in February 2022. While this analysis shows a fall in vacancy rates from June 2021 to February 2022 – with vacancy rates falling from 21% to 19%, this analysis suggests that there is unused capacity across the country.

Pobal has commenced the new data collection as of 4 April 2022, as part of the Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey. This will allow for updated information on capacity among early learning and childcare services to be established.

In addition to these efforts to monitor capacity issues across the country, my Department is planning a range of steps to address any issue of under supply. A new funding model, to roll out in September, will provide funding for services aligned to costs of delivery so, for example, greater funding will be available to services that cater for younger children where costs of delivery are higher than older children. Some €70m has been allocated to my Department through the revised National Development Plan (NDP) – with the majority of this funding earmarked for new places. Another important step being taken by my Department, in partnership with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government (DHPLG), is to update the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings. In addition, CCC are currently proactively engaging with early learning and childcare services to identify unused capacity and explore the potential for services in increase capacity where there is evidence of unmet early learning and childcare needs of families.

Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) for assistance. Contact details for CCCs may be found on www.myccc.ie.

Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 (as amended), working parents are entitled to five weeks of paid parent's leave for each relevant parent, as defined in the legislation, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child.

Provision has been made in Budget 2022 to increase the number of weeks of Parent’s Leave and Benefit available to eligible parents from five weeks to seven weeks from July 2022. This will be introduced by way of Regulation as provided for under the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 (as amended).

It has been decided that the additional two weeks' leave and benefit will apply to parents of children who are under the age of two in July 2022 (or adoptive children who have been with their parents for less than two years at that point).

Practical arrangements for the payment of Parent’s Benefit are being made with the Department of Social Protection, and when finalised a date for the commencement of the extension will be announced.

Tulsa’s National Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme is an area-based Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) initiative which is delivered in 12 areas of significant socioeconomic disadvantage across the country through the Prevention Partnership and Family Support Services within Tusla (see locations of ABC programmes below).

The ABC Programme was funded jointly by Atlantic Philanthropies and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs between 2013 and 2018. Since 2018, Tusla has funded the Area Based Childhood Programme. It operates as part of the wider Tusla Prevention, Partnership and Family Support Programme (PPFS).

Through Prevention and Early Intervention approaches, the Area Based Childhood Programme aims to work in partnership with families, practitioners, communities and national stakeholders to deliver better outcomes for children and families living in areas where poverty is most deeply entrenched.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is currently funding Tusla to scale proven models from the ABC programme under the What Works initiative. Work is underway identifying the locations for these in areas of deprivation across Ireland.

Over the last two years, the onset of Covid has impacted ABC services. All areas had to adapt their service delivery model to ensure continuity of support to the children and families they work with. Elements of the ABC programme, such as parenting programmes were delivered online and home visits, where possible did take place in outdoor settings ensuring Public Health Guidelines were adhered to. As society has opened the majority of the ABC work has returned to in-person delivery, but some programmes may maintain a hybrid model of delivery, where this is deemed to best meet the needs of parents and families.

In the six months from Jan to June 2021, the ABC programmes engaged 13,681 parents and 21,804 children in various interventions and 4,102 professionals in training and capacity building work.  Tusla has advised that currently the level of data requested in respect of April 2021 to April 2022 is not yet available.

ABC Locations

My Department operates the guidelines in relation to secondments which are set out by DPER and approved by the Civil Service Management Board and can be found at hr.per.gov.ie/en/corporate-pages/career/mobility/secondment/.

In the past two years, one staff member was seconded from my Department to the third level sector.

Since its formation, this Government has made it clear that tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a key priority. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to investigate the provision of paid leave and social protection provision to victims of domestic violence.

The issue of domestic violence leave has been researched by officials in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. This research has included considering domestic violence leave at international level, identifying best practice and developing a suitable model for roll-out in Ireland.

The Department has engaged in a targeted consultation process with relevant stakeholders and social partners to examine how a scheme of leave should operate to address the needs of victims most effectively. This has included consulting with the monitoring committee of the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, employers' groups and trade unions. Stakeholders of the National Equality Strategy Committees have also been consulted.

I intend to bring to Government shortly a report on this work. The report contains a number of recommendations including how best to support employees experiencing domestic abuse and proposals for the introduction of domestic violence leave, including consideration of paid leave.

Further to my replies of 26 April 2022 and 12 October 2021, I can confirm that my intention was to include an update on the ratification process of the second Optional Protocol in the final report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in February 2022.

Following the public consultation on the draft State Report in autumn 2021, my officials considered the submissions received during the consultation. My officials also consulted with counterparts within my Department and in other departments in late 2021 to ensure that the most current information was included in the final State Report.

Regrettably, an update on the ratification process of the second Optional Protocol was not possible in the submitted State Report. This was due to the State’s resolve to address comprehensively all the issues raised by the UN Committee in its List of Issues Prior to Reporting and to remain within the strict word limit of 21,200 words imposed by the UN Committee. These constraints did not allow, on this occasion, the opportunity to incorporate updates on important issues not directly raised in the UN Committee’s List of Issues such as the ratification process of the second Optional Protocol.

I remain available to provide such an update when I appear before the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva.

I understand that my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, liaises with

the Commission on the transposition of EU Directives.  I am advised that

my Department has not incurred fines or penalties for not transposing EU

Directives.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of children and provides and/or funds a range of supports and services to victims of sexual abuse, including Domestic, Sexual & Gender Based Violence (DSGBV). In 2022, my Department has provided Tusla with an annual budget (current expenditure) of €881m, an effective increase of over €40m on its 2021 allocation, which will help the agency to continue to deliver these supports and meet growing demand for its services, including support services for those who have experienced sexual violence.

Tusla provides annual funding to 16 rape crisis centres nationwide. Services provided by these centres include specialist counselling for individuals seeking assistance in coming to terms with their experiences.

Tusla child protection social workers receive referrals of child sexual abuse and work with children, families and other professionals and agencies to make sure children are safe from harm. The “Child Abuse Substantiation Procedure” (CASP) is a revision of the 2014 Policy “Policy and Procedures for Responding to Allegations of Abuse and Neglect”. It is based on learnings that indicated the need to further enhance consistency of practice across Tusla. In addition, changes were also required to incorporate new legal judgements in this complex area of law and practice.

The CASP, which will be implemented on 27th June 2022, will assist social workers in achieving an optimum standard of child protection practice when carrying out substantiation assessments.  Furthermore, this procedure will allow Tusla to function within the correct parameters of legal obligations, fair procedures and information management.

Furthermore, my Department is leading on the development and implementation of Barnahus Ireland which is a significant initiative to help victims and survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Barnahus is a child-friendly, interdisciplinary and multiagency model of service that brings child protection, policing, medical, therapeutic and forensic services together, under one roof, to provide services for children who experience sexual abuse and their families.

My Department has been awarded financial and technical support from the EU and the Council of Europe, to help expand the Barnahus model in Ireland. In addition to the Barnahus West in Galway, which is currently in operation, two further locations in the East and South will provide national coverage and access for victims and families to the service. At present, funding in the region of €1.38m is available to support the implementation of the Barnahus model of service delivery in Ireland.

Formulating laws against childhood sexual abuse is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice.

The Children First Act 2015, which was fully commenced in December 2017, provides for a number of key child protection measures, including raising awareness of child abuse and neglect, providing for reporting and management of child protection concerns and improving child protection arrangements in organisations providing services to children.

The Act operates side-by-side with the non-statutory obligations provided for in Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. The Children First Guidance, which was fully revised in October 2017 to include reference to the provisions of the Act, is intended to assist members of the public, professionals, employees or volunteers in identifying and reporting concerns about child abuse and neglect to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. It sets out definitions of abuse, and signs for its recognition. It explains how reports about reasonable concerns of child abuse or neglect should be made by the general public and professionals to Tusla. It sets out what organisations need to do to keep children safe. It also describes the obligations under the Children First Act 2015 and who they attach to.

Tusla has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. Tusla assesses all child welfare and protection concerns that are reported to it and takes appropriate actions, including referrals to appropriate services and agencies, dependant on assessment outcomes. If Tusla suspects that a crime has been committed and a child has been wilfully neglected or physically or sexually abused, it will formally notify An Garda Síochána without delay.

Equality budgeting is an integral part of the current budgeting framework of the Department.  It is currently applied to programmes with a particular focus on gender equality in further education, higher education leadership, apprenticeship and in research. Reporting on access provision to higher education includes the number of new entrants entering higher education with a disability and number of new entrants who are travellers.  In keeping with public sector obligations under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Act 2014, policies and plans delivered by the Department promote equality and prevent discrimination both of service users and the wider public impacted by policy interventions.

Under the current approach:-

- The number of women registered as apprentices has grown from 665 at end 2019 to 1,482 in March 2022

- The number of women in Senior Academic Leadership (SALI) Posts in the higher education sector increased by 50%, from 20 in 2019 to 30 in 2021

- In the research sector, the Female Research Applicant Success Rate has grown from 26% in 2019 to 31% in 2020.

The further and higher education and training and research systems are key to the wellbeing indicators at a national level.  Measures of lifelong learning participation and engagement in research are major contributors to the national wellbeing indicators, however the education and training system response at all levels is also integral to the national response effort in areas such as housing, climate and labour utilisation.  By focusing on metrics that measure access to lifelong learning, as well as providing incentives to Research and Development that focus on promoting the subjective wellbeing of people in Ireland, my Department will ensure that spending will be proofed in accordance with existing wellbeing and gender equality indicators. 

The specific treatment of funding allocations for Budget 2023 will be in alignment with the developing work by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform around Well-being and the Evaluation and Budget Allocation Process.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 344 to 350, inclusive, together.

Ireland’s overall approach to skills and training is outlined in the National Skills Strategy 2016 - 2025 (NSS) which is designed to benefit all people living in Ireland. It recognises that skills policy is an area of enormous importance - informing how people in Ireland live, work, learn and thrive. The development of skills and human capital is an integral part of the Government’s long-term plan for a sustainable and inclusive economy that serves the whole of its society including those with disabilities.

In order to ensure that the skills system continues to evolve and remains responsive and agile to the needs of all citizens, the National Economic Recovery Plan included a commitment to review Ireland’s skills strategies, architectures and approaches, including the NSS. In November 2021, I launched the review of the skills strategy and architecture in the shape of an OECD Skills Strategy Project, which will roll out through 2022. The review is rooted in stakeholder engagement and will examine four priority areas:

1. Securing balance in skills through a responsive and diversified supply of skills;

2. Fostering greater participation in lifelong learning in and outside of the workplace;

3. Strengthening the governance across a joined up skills ecosystem, and

4. Leveraging skills to drive innovation and strengthen the performance of firms.

The OECD Skills Strategy Project will support a holistic examination of our Skills Strategy and architecture to ensure that Ireland is best equipped to meet current and future skills needs with the imperative that Irish workforce meets the societal demands of all, inclusive of those with disabilities.

My Department is strongly committed to supporting the health of the population through the provision of graduates with the key competencies and skills to be effective in the health workforce, and support a range of clinical teams in our health services.

My Department has been engaging with the Department of Health on the number of places available in areas where the HSE has identified significant skills shortages. The areas identified include, but are not limited to, places in health disciplines such as medicine, nursing, health and social care professionals such as Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language therapists, Psychologists, Physiotherapists, Social Workers, Medical Scientists and Dieticians.

In the short term, my officials are actively engaging with the Higher Education Authority and representatives from the higher education sector on the provision of additional places for the coming academic year, with a focus on areas such as healthcare where there is a need for more skilled graduates. However there are real, material limits on the immediate increases that can be accommodated on highly practical courses such as healthcare courses which involve clinical placements.

In the longer term, the Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to working with the education sectors, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals and reform their training to support integrated care across the entire health service. I will ensure that there is continued engagement with all stakeholders to ensure that we deliver graduates with the skills necessary to support our healthcare system and support the strategic workforce planning by the health sector.

The Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to working with the education sectors, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals and reform their training to support integrated care across the entire health service.  My Department is strongly committed to supporting the health of the population through the provision of graduates with the key competencies and skills to be effective in the health workforce, and support a range of clinical teams in our health services. 

My Department does not place a quota on the number of pharmacy places offered by higher education institutions, and as such the number of places provided each year is determined by the institutions themselves. in line with their capacity. A number of additional places have been provided in recent years, leading to the highest number of new entrants beginning their studies in 2020, the most recent year for which statistics are available.

My officials are actively engaging with the Department of Health on determining the longer term skills needs of the healthcare services, and the role which the further and higher education sector can play in meeting those skills needs. I will ensure that there is continued engagement with all stakeholders to ensure that we deliver graduates with the skills necessary to support our healthcare system and support the strategic workforce planning by the health sector. 

“Public-public research partnerships” in this context are taken to mean partnerships which have formal Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in place and are actively supporting research projects. 

The involvement of research stakeholders including the public, patients, public policy makers, public service users in research development and implementation is crucial to understanding the cause and effect of our most complex societal challenges - housing, reaching Ireland’s emissions targets, and delivering an effective public health service.

Our recent public health crisis has demonstrated the extra capacity that Government gains by working with researchers and the public to inform Departments' rapid response to policy and practice decision-making. This connectedness is now pivotal to rebuilding the social and economic wellbeing of Ireland.

The measures taken by my Department, through the auspices of both the SFI and the IRC to develop public-public research partnerships are set out in the attached documents. 

Research

There is currently one staff member from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science seconded to the university third level sector.  This secondment pre-dated the establishment of my Department and is on the basis of two days per week to University College Cork.  Salary costs associated with this part time, temporary secondment are recouped back to my Department from the University.

My Department has been advised by SOLAS that the request from the Deputy with regard to the percentage and total number of both craft and consortia-led apprentices that will access off-the-job training in 2022 and the anticipated figures for 2023, is complex and has two parts for both pre and post 2016. SOLAS will require some more time to consider fully the data request. Due to the fact that there are two distinct models of delivery the data may not be available in one location. When SOLAS have this information collated, we will forward it on the Deputy as soon as possible.

The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science was established in 2020 and since that date no fines have been issued by the EU on the Department for failing to transpose EU Directives.

However, there is one Directive that is yet to be transposed into Irish law; Directive 2018/958/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 June 2018 on a proportionality test before adoption of new regulation of professions which was due to be transposed by July 2020. This Directive is now due to be transposed in the second quarter of 2022.

As of 3 May 2022, a total of 27,155 people have been recorded by border management staff as arriving in Ireland from Ukraine, of whom 26,641 are Ukrainian citizens. 

There is a coordinated whole-of-Government response to support people arriving in Ireland who have fled the violence in Ukraine. Government Departments and services are working together to implement Ireland's commitments under the EU Temporary Protection Directive (2001/55/EC), which has been activated for the first time to grant temporary protection to displaced persons from Ukraine.

My Department is primarily responsible for issuing temporary protection documents to those who are eligible. Those granted Temporary Protection have immediate access to the labour market, social welfare, accommodation and other State supports as needed. My Department has issued approximately 26,341 temporary protection permission letters to date.  

I can assure the Deputy that my Government colleagues and I will continue to work with our EU counterparts on any further EU-wide measures that might be needed to assist those fleeing Ukraine.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible under Section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) for the management and administration of Garda business, which includes operational decisions relating to road traffic matters.

I am advised by the Garda Authorities that placement of vans is not done on a county by county basis but rather the company (Go Safe) is contracted to provide a minimum of 7,500 hours of monitoring and surveying per month across 1,496 speed sites in 836 zones nationwide.

The designation of specific sections of road as speed enforcement zones is based on an analysis of collision data nationally, which informs decisions around the deployment of Go Safe vans.

Following the selection of a speed enforcement zone the outsourced safety camera operator, GoSafe, liaises with local members of An Garda Síochána in order to identify suitable sites to operate from.

Speed enforcement zones are continually reviewed to ensure enforcement activity is targeted and prioritised at the locations where collisions are occurring, with some zones being removed and others being added. Work is ongoing to increase the number of sites by more than 200 nationally before the end of 2022.

Further information on speed safety cameras can be found on the Garda website at the following link: www.garda.ie/en/roads-policing/safety-cameras/.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 358, 359, 375, 390 and 401 together.

The Coroner Service comprises of a network of coroners located in districts throughout the country. Coroners are independent quasi-judicial office holders whose core function is to investigate sudden and unexplained deaths so that a death certificate can be issued. My Department does not have a role in directing the work of coroners.

Justice Plan 2022, which I published recently, commits to bringing forward this year nationwide review proposals to deliver a service improvement plan to address identified issues; driving innovative change; enhancing customer service and improve the interaction with pathology services

Many of the recommendations of the 2000 Review related to the strengthening of the legal provisions regarding the work of the coroner. In this regard, there has been significant implementation of many of the relevant recommendations, sometimes to a greater extent than that envisaged by the Review, in the intervening period. Such improvements were effected through amendments to the Coroners Act 1962 in 2005, 2011, 2013, 2019 and 2020 as follows:

- The Coroners (Amendment) Act 2005 ended the restriction on the number of medical witnesses allowed at inquest.

- The Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 provided for the restructuring and amalgamation of coronial districts. Coroner districts within counties have been amalgamated as the opportunities have arisen. There were 48 districts in 2000, this has reduced to 38 in 2022.

- The Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013 provided for legal aid and legal advice by certification by the coroner to the Legal Aid Board in relation to inquests.

- The Coroners (Amendment) Act 2019 clarified, strengthened and modernised coroner’s powers in the reporting, investigation and inquest of deaths. The scope of enquires at inquest was expanded beyond being limited to establishing the medical cause of death, to seeking to establish, to the extent the coroner considers necessary, the circumstances in which the death occurred. The Act also broadened the coroner’s powers relating to mandatory reporting and inquest of maternal deaths, deaths in custody or childcare situations and significant new powers to compel witnesses and evidence at inquest.

- The Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020 provided, among other items, for the assignment and appointment of temporary coroners to act simultaneously with other coroners in exceptional circumstances to be utilised as part of the national response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

With regard to reform of the Coroner Service, the Coroners Bill 2007, incorporated many of the more than 100 recommendations contained in the 2000 Review. It also had regard to the proposals of the Rules Committee. However, due to the major challenges then confronting public finances, the administrative restructuring proposed in the 2007 Bill was not progressed following Second Stage in the Seanad.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 360 and 402 together.

I am conscious of the distress caused to the Tuohey family as they await the conclusion of the Inquiry relating to the investigations into the death of Shane.

Unfortunately, as the Deputy may be aware, Judge McDonagh informed me that he was unable to continue with the work of the Inquiry due to personal reasons. Consequently, on 11 January 2022, I appointed retired District Court Judge, Michael Coghlan to continue the work of the Inquiry.

I now await the final report in accordance with the terms of reference. While the Inquiry remains independent of me as Minister, I have assured Judge Coghlan that every possible resource will be made available in order that the work of the Inquiry can be concluded in a timely and efficient manner.

Earlier this year, I met with the Tuohey family. The meeting offered the opportunity for me to listen to the family of Shane Tuohey, to express regret at the length of time the Section 42 Inquiry has taken to date and to affirm my commitment to the completion of the Inquiry under the new judge as soon as possible.

Management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas at: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie. 

To be of assistance I have referred your question to the Courts Service who will engage with you with a view to providing what relevant information is available from their system.

As  the Deputy will appreciate,  judges are independent in the matter of sentencing, as in other matters concerning the exercise of judicial functions, subject only to the Constitution and the law. As a general rule, the court is required to impose a sentence which is proportionate not only to the crime but to the individual offender. In doing so, the Court identifies where on the sentencing range the particular case should lie and then applies any mitigating factors which may be present.

Under the Judicial Council, a Sentencing Guidelines Committee was established on 30 June last year. The Committee is responsible for compiling guidelines designed to increase consistency in relation to criminal sentences and are working to progress this.

I can inform the Deputy that on the night of the 31 March 2022, there were 32 sentenced individuals in the Dóchas Centre (Mountjoy Female Prison) who had a most serious offence listed under Group 8 Theft and Related Offences and of these 16 were held on shoplifting charges.

Non-custodial penalties, particularly supervised community sanctions, play a significant and important role in addressing criminality, reducing reoffending and providing a degree of protection to the public. This is supported by Central Statistics Office figures on recidivism. 

As part of the work to ensuring a coherent approach to enhancing and sustaining a more just and safe society, Government committed to reviewing policy options for prison and penal reform. The report of the cross-sectoral group tasked with undertaking this review is expected to be published shortly. Among the issues the group will make recommendations on is the on the appropriate use of non-custodial sanctions and the role they can play in addressing criminality, reducing reoffending and providing protection to the public while holding the individual accountable.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Criminal Justice (Community Sanctions) Bill 2014 seeks to update the Probation of Offenders Act 1907. The aim of the new Bill is to provide a modern statement of the law governing community sanctions, and the role of the Probation Service in the criminal justice system. It will facilitate the effective and efficient use of community sanctions by the courts, and will ensure that the courts have a wide range of appropriate options for dealing with persons who have committed minor offences.

The legislation also takes account of the interests of victims of crime by making it a statutory requirement for the courts to have regard to the interests of victims when making decisions about community sanctions.

Justice Plan for 2022 commits that the policy review of the General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Community Sanctions) Bill 2014 will be completed in the second quarter of this year.

Once this review is complete, it is envisaged that it will be published and a revised General Scheme agreed in the third quarter of this year with the aim of publishing the Bill in the final quarter of 2022.

I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that the construction of the new women's prison forms part of a major redevelopment project currently underway at Limerick Prison.

The contract for this project was awarded in February 2019 with the construction element currently anticipated to be completed in the second quarter of this year. 

This will be followed by the installation and commissioning of the various security and safety systems with the new facility expected to be operational in Q4 of this year.

The new female prison, which will have 50 new cells and will increase capacity by a minimum of 22 spaces for female prisoners, is a core element of the redevelopment project.

I can advise the Deputy that, on completion of the new female prison, the current female wing in Limerick Prison will close and this will result in the overall capacity for female prisoners across the prison estate rising from 174 to a minimum of 196.

Together with the opening of new male accommodation in Limerick Prison and the reopening of the Training Unit in Mountjoy, the opening of the new female prison in Limerick will result in over 200 new prison spaces being available before the end of this year.

I can advise the Deputy that a contract was signed in February 2019 for a major redevelopment of Limerick Prison which included the construction of a new prison facility for female prisoners.

The design of the facility for female prisoners is based on the principle of rehabilitation and normalisation reflecting contemporary design standards.  A mix of accommodation units is being provided which will comprise of bedroom units, some apartment style units and a mother and baby unit. The accommodation will be based around an external landscaped courtyard setting in keeping with the design principles on creating a safe therapeutic space and supportive regime.

The Female Prison will provide accommodation for a minimum of 50 prisoners, the accommodation comprises of a mixture of single bedrooms and studio apartment style accommodation, all with individual en-suites.

The women accommodated in this new facility will have full access to all supports and services required while in the prison.  The needs of the female prisoner’s health and wellbeing will be addressed with the inclusion of a healthcare suite with dentistry, medical assessment and consultation rooms.  

A work training and education suite with a mixture of classrooms and workshops will also be available.  Educational services are provided in partnership with a range of educational agencies including the Educational Training Boards, Public Library Services, the Open University and the Arts Council.

The facility will also provide a multi flexible visits regime to facilitate the provision of a variety of In-Reach services such as mental health services and addiction counselling.

A prisoner canteen and gymnasium is also included in the new build.   This is expected to be completed by the end of Summer 2022 and the new accommodation will become operational by the end of Q4 of 2022. This timeline assumes no further impact on construction activity or supply chain issues due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The person referred to by the Deputy is the subject of a Deportation Order, notification of which issued to them by registered post dated 26 June 2019.  That communication also advised the person concerned of the requirement that they present to the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) on 21 August 2019 to make the arrangements for their removal from the State. I am advised that they failed to do so.

While there is no outstanding correspondence or applications on file for this person, it is open to them to submit representations requesting that the Deportation Order be revoked, pursuant to Section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended).   A request seeking to revoke a Deportation Order must set out any new facts or circumstances which have arisen since the decision to make the original Deportation Order was made.  Any such request would be considered on its merits, having due regard to all refoulement issues. In the meantime, the Deportation Order remains valid and in place.

Requests for revocations should be sent directly to Repatriation Unit, Immigration Service Delivery, 13/14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2 DO2 XK70.

Additionally, as the Deputy may be aware, the Regularisation of Long-Term Undocumented Migrants Scheme is now open for applications. People in the State with an existing Deportation Order can apply, if they meet the minimum undocumented residence requirement. 

Full details regarding the qualifying criteria, a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document and the required documentation for the Scheme is now available on my Department's website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/regularisation-of-long-term-undocumented-migrant-scheme/. 

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility (inisoireachtasmail@justice.ie), which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.  

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a certificate of naturalisation issued to the person concerned by registered post on 28 April 2022. 

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.

The person referred to by the Deputy is the subject of a Deportation Order made on 16 October 2019. Representations were received on behalf of the person concerned requesting that the Deportation Order be revoked, pursuant to the provisions of section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended). All relevant aspects of the case will be considered before a decision is made either to affirm or to revoke the Order. In the meantime, the Order remains valid and in place. 

The Domestic Residence and Permissions Division of my Department wrote to the applicant on 14 April 2022 requesting further documentation, which has not yet been received.

An application for a Irish Citizen Child (ICCA) was received from the person concerned on 30 September 2021 and this application continues to be examined by my Department. To be fair to all applicants, applications are dealt with in chronological order.

My Department endeavours to process all applications as quickly as possible. However, processing times may vary due to a number of factors, such as the number of applications on hands, individual circumstances, the complexity of applications, whether further information is required, and the resources available.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited. 

As previously advised to the Deputy, the certificate of naturalisation for the person referred to was sent by registered post on 14 July 2021 to the address held on file. Tracking records indicate that it was delivered on 15 July 2021 at 10.30am. 

My Department has advised the person concerned to contact An Post directly. If their investigations with An Post proves unsuccessful, they will need to report the missing certificate of naturalisation to An Garda Síochána and provide my Department with a report.

To date, the Citizenship Division of my Department has not received the report or the questionnaire to enable the issue of a statement to the person concerned in lieu of the certificate of naturalisation.

The questionnaire is available for download on my Department's immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Questionnaire-Form-Lost-Cert.pdf .

 Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.

The person referred to by the Deputy made an application to the Afghan Admissions Programme, which was received by my Department on 16 February 2022.

All applications received under the Programme are currently being assessed and it is expected that applicants will receive a decision in mid-2022.

The application form for the Programme has been designed so that all applicants are treated fairly and equally in their applications and there should not be a requirement for additional information.  

While my Department is playing an important role in the whole-of-Government response to the Ukraine crisis, I can assure the Deputy that this has not diminished our commitment to implementing the Afghan Admission Programme, which is unique to Ireland.  A dedicated team is in place in my Department to examine and decide on the applications received under the Programme and is very conscious of the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.

Applications for naturalisation and general queries in respect of same are dealt with in chronological order by date received.

When applications for a certificate of naturalisation are received by the Citizenship Division of my Department, they are subject to an initial check/examination. Citizenship Division is currently completing initial checks on applications received in September 2021.

On completion of the initial checks, my Department will contact the applicant to assign them an application number and issue an acknowledgment to the address given at the time of making the application.

I am deeply conscious of how important the granting of naturalisation is to those who apply for it and my Department has continued to accept and process citizenship applications throughout the pandemic and during all levels of public health restrictions. 

However, the combined impact of the 2019 High Court judgment in the Jones case, the necessary health restrictions arising from the pandemic, and my Department's response to the Ukraine crisis has resulted in the processing time for standard applications increasing. 

However, my Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times.

In 2021, my Department issued 11,512 citizenship decisions, which is the highest number of decisions made since 2015, and reflects positively the significant changes undertaken to date.

The Short Stay Visit 'C' visa application referred to by the Deputy was refused by the Visa Office in Dublin on 17 February 2022. The reasons for this decision were set out in the refusal letter sent to the applicant at that time. An appeal of this decision was made on 11 April 2022.

The Visa Appeals Officer has taken all of the documentation and information submitted with the original application and the appeal into consideration. The appeal was not successful and the original decision to refuse the application was upheld. The reasons for the refusal of the appeal are outlined in the refusal letter sent by my Department on 19 April 2022.

All applicants for a short stay ‘C’ visa (whether for a single entry or multiple entries) must show that they have sufficiently strong family, social or economic ties to a place of residence in a country other than Ireland to assure the visa officer assessing the application that the projected stay in Ireland will be temporary and in accordance with the duration and conditions of the permission granted by the immigration authorities on arrival in Ireland. The maximum stay allowed under a short stay ‘C’ visa is 90 days.

The responsibility for demonstrating substantial ties to a country other than Ireland rests with the applicant. The burden of proof in all cases is on the applicant to satisfy the visa officer. The visa officer may verify any evidence submitted in support of an application.

There is no right to be granted a visa. Nor is there any one set of documents or circumstances that will guarantee the approval of an application. However, the documents normally required in support of an application are set out in the ‘Guide to Supporting Documentation’ for each type of short stay ‘C’ visa, which can be found at: www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-visit-ireland/. 

Any person who has been refused a visa, and who wishes to make another application at a future point, will have their application assessed on its own merits, taking all relevant information into consideration at that time. Their prior immigration history is a matter of record but it does not preclude them from seeking a visa in the future.

As the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions, which include the provision of information on the courts system.

However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that the attached table sets out the number of persons and number of offences where convictions were recorded for offences contrary to  sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 and 15 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 for the years requested. I am advised that there are no convictions in the District Court for Section 9, Section 11 and Section 12.

Please note that it is not possible for the Courts Service to provide statistics on nationalities.

I am further advised that some offences have been sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court.  At this time, the system in use by the Courts Service in the Circuit Courts is ("ICMS") a Lotus Notes database and cannot produce reports for specific offences. The only reports which are available are by offence category rather than for individual offences and categories of offences can contain multiple offences.

I am informed that the Courts Service can only provide data in relation to where offence codes provided on the system were used by prosecutors. Prosecutors may have used uncoded free text offences and any such offences would not be included in the data provided.

The person referred to by the Deputy created an on-line Short Stay 'C' Visit visa application on 9 March 2022. The supporting documentation and fee waivers were received on 16 March 2022 in the Ankara Visa Office. Processing of this application is ongoing at present. They will be notified in writing as soon as a decision has been made.

The Ankara Visa Office is experiencing an unprecedented number of applications at present, with a current processing time for visit visa applications of 16 weeks. Applicants can keep up-to-date with processing times by checking the following webpage, which is updated weekly: www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/turkey/visas/visas-for-ireland-weekly-decisions-report/ .

As the Deputy will appreciate, difficulties in relation to the execution of warrants, including bench warrants, are a long-standing issue for many police services around the world; notably relating to persons actively seeking to evade detection and where limited identification information might be available to support enforcement.  These difficulties are compounded where the warrant has been outstanding for some years.  However, I am assured that An Garda Síochána execute warrants as expeditiously as possible, giving priority to the execution of warrants relating to serious crimes.

The Deputy will also appreciate that the figure for outstanding bench warrants recorded by PULSE at any given time reflects an accumulation of old bench warrants which has arisen over the years and that therefore the total figure for outstanding bench warrants as shown on PULSE may not be a reliable indicator of the number of 'live' warrants which are actually enforceable.

While it is important to note that an individual can be the subject of multiple bench warrants, I am advised by the Garda authorities that, as of 27 April 2022, there are 34,277 bench warrants outstanding nationally.  The table below provides a breakdown of bench warrants outstanding by Garda Division. 

Figures were collated based on PULSE data as of 5:30am on the 28 April 2022. They are operational and may be liable to change.

On 25 February, I announced the immediate lifting of all visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens travelling to the State. This has streamlined and supported the swift exit of both the Ukrainian family members of Irish citizens, and the family members of people from Ukraine who are resident in Ireland. It applies as an emergency measure to all Ukrainians travelling to Ireland and is a humanitarian response to the rapidly evolving situation in Ukraine.

In addition, the EU Temporary Protection Directive has now been activated in response to the Ukraine crisis. Ireland participates in this measure, which has been given legal effect under Section 60 of the International Protection Act 2015.

Those eligible for Temporary Protection (granted initially for one year, but renewable) will have immediate access to the labour market, social welfare, accommodation and other State supports as necessary. More than 26,000 people have been granted Temporary Protection in Ireland since the Directive was activated on 4 March. 

Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection do not require an employment permit or a employment visa to gain full access to the labour market in Ireland.

The applications for naturalisation from the persons referred to by the Deputy, continue to be processed with a view to establishing whether the applicants meet the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation, and will be submitted to me for decision in due course.

The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.

It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time. 

In addition, the combined impact of the 2019 High Court judgment in the Jones case and the necessary health restrictions arising from the pandemic, has unfortunately resulted in the processing time for standard applications increasing. 

However, my Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times.

In 2021, my Department issued 11,512 citizenship decisions, which is the highest number of decisions made since 2015, and reflects positively the significant changes undertaken to date.

It is open to the applicants to contact the Citizenship Division of my Department at: citizenshipinfo@justice.ie at any time for an update on their application.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.

The person referred to by the Deputy held a Stamp 4 immigration permission valid to 9 December 2021. This permission has been extended until 31 May 2022, under the automatic extension of immigration permissions I announced on 17 December 2021. All permissions have been extended on the same terms and conditions as the permission already held.

They have also lodged a formal application with my Department for a renewal of their permission to remain. This application will be processed to completion in due course. 

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.

The information sought was requested from An Garda Síochána but was not provided in the timeframe allowed. Once the relevant information is received I will contact the Deputy directly. 

The Deputy will be aware that, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. The allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner, in light of identified operational demands. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use. 

Budget 2022 provides in excess of an unprecedented €2 billion, of which I am informed that €12m has been allocated for investment in the Garda fleet, which will mean more high visibility policing in our towns and cities.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that there are currently 14 vehicles attached to the Garda Dog unit. 

I am further informed that the tables below set out the number of vehicles allocated to and removed from the Garda Dog unit in 2021 and up to 29 April 2022, the latest date for which figures are available.

Vehicles allocated to the Garda Dog Unit 

Vehicles removed from the Garda Dog Unit 

As the Deputy will be appreciate, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including by arranging for the recruitment, training and appointment of its members and civilian staff. As Minister, I have no direct role in these independent functions. 

However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I sought the following information from the Garda authorities that shows the Garda staff attached to the Operational Support Unit, which the Mounted Unit is part of. 

I am assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of policing priorities and crime trends, to ensure their optimum use. The full complement of resources fluctuates on an ongoing basis and where a deficiency in resources is identified, the matter is considered fully and addressed accordingly.

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including Garda operations aimed at preventing and countering criminal activity, and the enforcement of legislation pertaining to illegal drugs. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.

However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I sought the following information from the Garda authorities that shows the count of unique charges created by year for Donegal Division for the offence of ‘Possession of Drugs for Sale or Supply’. The count for 2022 is to 01 May 2022.

Figures were collated based on PULSE data as of 02 May 2022. They are operational and may be liable to change.

There are currently seven overseas Visa Offices in addition to the Visa Office in Dublin.  These are located in Abuja; Beijing; London; Moscow; Ankara; Abu Dhabi; and New Delhi. In addition, the Department of Foreign Affairs processes certain visa applications in Irish Embassies abroad under delegated sanction from my Department.

The visa process has a crucial role to play in supporting economic activity in the State through the facilitation of tourism from emerging markets, the promotion of Ireland as a destination for international education and facilitating those coming here for business and work, etc.  As with all visa services worldwide, the central concern in deciding on visa applications is to strike an appropriate balance between protecting the country's vital national interests by maintaining an effective immigration regime while at the same time not placing unnecessary or unreasonable obstacles in the way of intending visitors.

The tables below set out the figures for Type C Short Stay and Type D Long Stay visas processed in 2021 and in 2022 to end April.

2021

2022

I have sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau, unfortunately this information was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy when the information is to hand. 

I have sought the information requested by the Deputy from the Garda authorities, however, the information was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible by law for the management of An Garda Síochána, including training of personnel. As Minister, I have no responsibility for these matters.

The figures in the table below have been supplied to me by Garda Authorities.

For clarification, the DMR Region provided fourteen Level 2 recertification courses wherein the DMR North were allocated places on each course.

*I am advised that the Garda National Public Order Unit Level 2 training for 2022 has not begun but plans are in place for training to commence in Q3 2022.

As the Deputy will appreciate, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána.

I can advise the Deputy that while no funding has been made available to replace any of the helicopters or aircraft within the Garda Air Support Unit during 2022, the requirements in this regard are kept under ongoing review in the context of the investment being made in An Garda Síochána and the Commissioner's operational priorities, as well as overall planning for capital expenditure under the National Development Plan.

The Deputy will be aware that, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. The allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner, in light of identified operational demands. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use.

Budget 2022 provides in excess of an unprecedented €2 billion, of which I am informed that €12m has been allocated for investment in the Garda fleet, which will mean more high visibility policing in our towns and cities.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the table below sets out the Waterford Divisional fleet by age.

Waterford Divisional Fleet by age as at 29 April 2022

The Deputy may also wish to be aware that An Garda Síochána publish information on Garda fleet, including a Divisional/District monthly breakdown, on their website at: www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/finance-services/finance-fleet-management.html.