Robert Troy
Question:111. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify the entitlement to illness benefit for those who are self employed. [23163/24]
View answerSocial Welfare Eligibility
Questions (111)
Written answers
Illness Benefit is the primary short term income support provided by my Department to those who are unable to work due to illness of any type and who are covered by social insurance.
Eligibility for illness benefit depends on the person's PRSI record and class. People must have made the required number of contributions in class A, E, H or P to qualify.
In general, self-employed people make PRSI contributions at class S which does not count towards eligibility for illness benefit.
If the person is encountering difficulties in meeting their basic financial commitments, it is open for them to contact the Community Welfare Officer at their local Intreo Centre to see if they might qualify for assistance under the terms of the means-tested Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Departmental Contracts
Questions (112)
Paul Donnelly
Question:112. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of each time her Department enlisted the services of consultants in 2023 and to-date in 2024; and the purpose and value of each contract, in tabular form. [23250/24]
View answerWritten answers
Consultancy is defined by the Department of Finance as where a person or organisation provides intellectual or knowledge based services (e.g. expert analysis and advice) through delivering reports, studies, assessments, recommendations, proposals, etc. that contribute to decision making or policy development.
Details as requested by the Deputy are set out below.
|
2023 Consultant |
Purpose |
Value |
|
Social Finance Limited |
Consultancy for employment service for people with a disability |
€18,750 |
|
Economic and Social Research Institute |
Poverty and Social Inclusion Research Programme 2020-2023 |
€109,588 |
|
Indecon International Economic Consultants |
Econometric Evaluations and Research under Pathways to Work |
€54,639 |
|
International Labour Organisation |
Improvements to actuarial modelling and PRSI forecasting |
€30,750 |
|
Bearing Point |
Contact Centre Consultancy |
€112,949 |
|
PricewaterhouseCoopers |
AMD Refurbishment Business Case Preparation |
€14,849 |
|
KPMG |
Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund |
€33,825 |
|
Ernst & Young |
IS Internal Audit |
€21,371 |
|
KOSI Corporation Limited |
Financial Review and Auditing Services |
€51,722 |
|
Bearing Point |
NPT Management Support |
€16,564 |
|
Hyperion Systems Limited |
SAFE - Expert Advice |
€36,839 |
|
RSM Ireland Business Advisory Limited |
School Meals Evaluation |
€20,307 |
|
2024 Consultant |
Purpose |
Value to date |
|
Social Finance Limited |
Consultancy for employment service for people with a disability |
€7,688 |
|
Paragon Research Limited |
Technical Feasibility Assessment of Alternative Auto Enrolment Proposal |
€52,447 |
|
Align Advisory Limited |
Consultancy Services for Automatic Enrolment Programme Management Office |
€48,800 |
|
Economic and Social Research Institute |
Poverty and Social Inclusion Research Programme 2020-2023 |
€21,918 |
|
KOSI Corporation Limited |
Financial Review and Auditing Services |
€13,530 |
|
Price Waterhouse Coopers |
AMD Refurbishment Business Case Preparation |
€31,673 |
|
Hyperion Systems Limited |
SAFE - Expert Advice |
€8,930 |
A breakdown of the annual expenditure on consultancy is published on the Gov.ie website at gov.ie - Department of Social Protection Policy on Procurement (www.gov.ie)
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (113)
Richard O'Donoghue
Question:113. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if the household benefit package can be made available to all persons once they reach State pension age of 66 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23258/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Household Benefits Package comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. The Department of Social Protection will spend approximately €285 million this year on the Household Benefits Package for over 523,000 customers.
People over the age of 70 receive the Household Benefits Package, with one package provided per household. The package is also available to people living in the State aged 66-69 years who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments or who satisfy a means test. The package is available to some people under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments.
While consideration is always given to suggested improvements to the Departments schemes, any decision to enhance the Household Benefits Package by making it available to all persons once they reach State pension age of 66 years would have to be considered in the context of overall budget negotiations.
I trust that this clarifies these matters for the Deputy.
State Pensions
Questions (114)
Richard Bruton
Question:114. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if he plans changes to the pension provision for people who because of the nature of their work have earlier retirement dates, in order that they do not have large fall in living standards when they step down from those roles. [23259/24]
View answerWritten answers
I understand the Deputy is asking about pension provision for public servants, including members of an Garda Síochána, the fire service and the prison service, who may retire from their work after 30 years of service.
Matters relating to pension provision for public servants are for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform.
Departmental Policies
Questions (115)
Noel Grealish
Question:115. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Justice if she plans to raise the age for purchasing alcohol, similar to her plans to raise the age for smoking, noting that according to the Healthy Ireland survey 2023, 36% of all 15 to 24 year olds, including 48% of men of that age, engage in binge drinking compared to 22% of that age group engaging in smoking. [23038/24]
View answerWritten answers
I can assure the Deputy that public health is a factor for my Department when considering the introduction of reforms with regard to the sale of alcohol. As part of the deliberative process, my Department will continue to engage with various public and voluntary health bodies on any potential health implications in the course of that process. However, there are no plans to raise the age for purchasing alcohol.
Work Permits
Questions (116)
Brendan Griffin
Question:116. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice if a decision has been made on an application for an employment permit by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23222/24]
View answerWritten answers
The person referred to by the Deputy created on-line Employment visa application on 16 May 2024.
Once the applicant is satisfied with their application they should click “submit” and print a copy of their “Summary Form”.
The summary form contains some of the information the applicant has entered. It will also contain instructions on what they are required to do next in order to submit their documentation.
The applicant should lodge the summary form together with the relevant fee and supporting documentation with the Irish Embassy/Consulate/Visa Office as soon as possible. The applicant should make sure that the supporting documentation is as up to date as possible. Only upon receipt of the necessary documentation & fee, can the visa application be processed further.
The summary sheet and supporting documentation has not been received by the relevant Visa Office to date.
Applicants are advised not to pay for airline or other travel tickets without having first been issued with a visa.
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.
Immigration Policy
Questions (117)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:117. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice for justice the current Government policy regarding the status of those who have fled war in Ukraine following the lapse of the temporary protection directive in March 2023. [23036/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Temporary Protection Directive , which provides immediate protection in EU countries for people displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, was extended to March 2025 at a meeting of the European Council last September.
Discussions on the arrangements for beneficiaries of temporary protection after March 2025, when the Directive is no longer active, are ongoing, both within the Government and at an EU level, in recognition of the need for certainty for beneficiaries of temporary protection in the EU.
The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot pre-empt future discussions and decisions of either the EU or the Government. I expect, however, that the prevailing conditions in Ukraine will be a significant influence on any decisions taken, and these clearly remain highly uncertain.
The Government supports the strong call from EU Member States for a harmonised approach to Temporary Protection post March 2025, beyond a merely coordinated approach. Such an approach is needed to avoid overburdening national international protection systems, which was a key factor in the decision to activate the Temporary Protection Directive in response to the war in Ukraine.
Finally, I can assure the Deputy that beneficiaries of Temporary Protection continue to avail of the protections that the Directive provides.
An Garda Síochána
Questions (118)
Catherine Murphy
Question:118. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the timeframe for the Irish motor insurance database application to be rolled out to all Garda members on their mobility devices to include access to information on fleet and motor trader vehicles with real time information on the vehicles to Gardaí; the reason for the delay to include information on fleet and motor trader vehicles to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23048/24]
View answerWritten answers
Road safety is a shared responsibility which this Government takes very seriously. We have all been shocked by the recent loss of life on our roads, and concerned by the recent worrying increase in road fatalities after many years of progress in making our roads safer
Budget 2024 provided an unprecedented budget of €2.35 billion for the Garda Vote, a total increase of 25% since 2020. The unprecedented level of investment into An Garda Síochána has enabled the roll out of the highest number of mobility devices ever allowing all Gardaí to conduct certain policing tasks on the move.
A Traffic App available to all front-line members was launched in 2022 and enables vehicle and driver checks. Since November 2023, An Garda Síochána has been in a data sharing agreement with the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland (MIBI). This agreement has granted Gardaí access to near real-time insurance details of 3 million vehicles and 5 million drivers through the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID). Members of An Garda Síochána pro-actively enforce legislation pertaining to the use of the road network by uninsured drivers. Updates to the Traffic App on mobility devices have simplified this task for members.
I am advised by the Garda Authorities that the National Fleet Database information is expected to be added to An Garda Síochána insurance app in the near future. I understand that this data will then be tested by An Garda Síochána before being rolled out to Roads Policing and then the wider An Garda Síochána membership.
An Garda Síochána
Questions (119)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:119. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of operations conducted under Operation Sonnet from 2023 to date; the number people sent back across the Border; the number of personnel working in the GNIB that have been involved in these operations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23126/24]
View answerWritten answers
The Border Management Unit (BMU) of my Department has responsibility for front-line immigration duties at Dublin Airport only. Other airports and other ports of entry, including the land border with Northern Ireland, are the responsibility of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
Ireland and the United Kingdom share a long history and common interest in the effective operation of the Common Travel Area (CTA), and work together to prevent any abuses of the CTA. There is extensive engagement and cooperation at all levels between my Department’s officials and their Home Office counterparts, as well as significant operational cooperation between the Gardaí, UK Border Force, UK policing services and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. This strong practical engagement and cooperation serves the mutual interests of both Ireland and the United Kingdom, and will continue.
Maintaining the integrity of the immigration system, involves robust controls to prevent illegal entry. In 2021 our legislation was strengthened to combat people smuggling both into Ireland and into other countries (including EU Member States and parties to the UN Protocol against people smuggling). The Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act 2021 widened the range of scenarios covered by our laws, including intentionally assisting entry, transit or presence where the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe that it is in breach of specified immigration law provisions. An Garda Síochána is responsible for assessing and investigating any possible breaches of these or other laws.
The objective of Operation Sonnet is to tackle abuse of the CTA, with a focus on the movement of people between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. During the overt element of Operation Sonnet, GNIB Officers operate checkpoints and vehicle stops in order to conduct immigration checks on passengers travelling by means of both public and private transport from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland.
I am advised by the Garda Commissioner, that the Gardaí conducted 11 Days of Action. A further ten Days of Action have taken place this year, up to 20 May.
These Days of Action incorporated large scale checkpoints resulting in the inspection of 172 vehicles and the detection of a total of 107 people entering the State without the requisite visas or identity documents.
During these operations, people entering Ireland illegally were refused leave to land and returned to the UK by ferry from Dublin Port to Holyhead. Where it was confirmed that they were resident in Northern Ireland, they were returned to Belfast.
I am informed that, in addition to these overt operations, there are also regular covert Operation Sonnet deployments, which provide the intelligence to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of the Operation. For security reasons and to protect the integrity of the immigration system, both I and my Department do not comment on operational procedures of this element.
Additionally, my Department and An Garda Síochána continue to engage intensively on the transfer of certain immigration functions to my Department. In April the registration of immigration residence permissions for counties Meath, Kildare and Wicklow, transferred from An Garda Síochána to my Department, which is already responsible for Dublin. It is intended that my Department will assume responsibility for registrations nationwide, the transfer is expected to be substantially completed within the next 12 months. This will free up to 100 Gardaí to focus on other core policing duties, which will include deportations and other aspects of immigration enforcement.
Finally, the Common Travel Area Forum (CTAF) acts as a steering committee for the ongoing work of protecting the CTA in relation to free movement of its citizens between both countries while at the same time ensuring that the CTA is not abused by those not entitled to avail of it. The Forum meets twice yearly but also meets in sub-group format to address particular elements of Ireland/UK co-operation, bringing together relevant subject matter expertise in various areas.
Departmental Policies
Questions (120)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:120. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice the reason forensic psychologists are not hired instead of clinical psychologists (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23129/24]
View answerWritten answers
I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that as the Psychology Service provides an integrated, layered model of care, in which assessment and intervention is provided for those with mental health difficulties and criminogenic risk and need, formal mental health training is essential.
Formal mental health training is provided through the core placements within the postgraduate clinical and counselling psychology training programmes. Forensic psychology training does not provide core mental health training as part of its programme at the current time. When clinical and counselling psychologists begin working in the Irish Prison Service they are provided with additional training in relation to forensic assessment and intervention.
Crime Prevention
Questions (121)
Patrick Costello
Question:121. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice for an update in relation to the operation of the neighbourhood watch schemes, particularly in DMR south, south central and west; the current status of each neighbourhood watch scheme in the aforementioned divisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23137/24]
View answerWritten answers
It has not been possible to collate and examine all the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 121 of 22 May 2024 when you sought: “An update in relation to the operation of the neighbourhood watch schemes, particularly in DMR South, South Central and West; the current status of each neighbourhood watch scheme in the aforementioned divisions.”
As the Deputy will be aware, 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 the operation of the Neighbourhood Watch Schemes. As Minister, I have no role in these matters, nor can I direct the Commissioner regarding them.
The Government is committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources they need to deliver on their mission of Keeping People Safe and that is reflected in the record budget allocation of over €2.35 billion to An Garda Síochána in 2024.
As you will recall, I had sought the information you requested from the Garda authorities and undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand.
I am informed that the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) have a high number of Neighbourhood Watch Schemes in place across the Division. There are multiple schemes in place in the DMR South Central, mainly in the Kilmainham area within the Kevin Street Community Engagement Area. I am further informed that there are no neighbourhood watch schemes in the Pearse Street or Donnybrook Community Engagement Areas.
With respect to the DMR West Division, I understand that a number of Neighbourhood Watch schemes are currently being established in Finglas and that there are various schemes and community groups in place in Clondalkin District. There are also several schemes active in the Ronanstown and Lucan sub-districts.
As I am sure the Deputy will appreciate, while the above Neighbourhood Watch Schemes are in place some are less active than others.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that it is necessary for over 80% of residents to participate in order to ensure that a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme can be established in any area. An Garda Síochána have advised that they have noticed a trend that increasing groups of residents are establishing their own WhatsApp groups and sharing information through WhatsApp rather than setting up a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme.
I am assured that Community Policing within all Divisions in the DMR Region continue to engage with a variety of groups on a regular basis in order to encourage continuous engagement with members of the community and address issues promptly.
I hope this information is of assistance.
Youth Services
Questions (122)
Patrick Costello
Question:122. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice for an update in relation to the operation of Dublin city south and DÁN Garda youth diversion projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23140/24]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy will be aware, a top priority of the Youth Justice Strategy is the expansion and deepening of the services offered to young people by the Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs), which are fully funded by my Department. These projects provide an invaluable support to complement the work of An Garda Síochána in addressing youth crime and protecting local communities.
YDPs are community based, multi-agency youth crime prevention initiatives which primarily seek to divert young people who have been, or are at risk of becoming, involved in anti-social and/or criminal behaviour. Youth Diversion Projects are run by community-based organisations and are a vital support to the statutory Garda Youth Diversion Programme.
Under Budget 2024, I was delighted to announce that the funding allocated to Youth Justice Services will increase by 10% to €33 million. This will facilitate an increase in the availability of YDP services in the evenings and at the weekends when many young people need them the most. The funding will also see an increase in supports for families, interventions for typically hard-to-reach young people and early interventions for 8-11 year olds who may be at increased risk of becoming engaged in criminal activity.
The current network of 99 YDPs is extensive but we will continue to develop it further to ensure every child who needs it is reached. Four new Youth Diversion Projects were launched last year to become operational later this year, with a further two additional projects planned for introduction this year.
As of 1 January 2024, three Foróige YDPs; KRIB, DÁN and The Liberties Club, all of which were based in Dublin City South, were amalgamated to provide YDP service from Bluebell in the west, to Donnybrook in the east. This area includes Kilmainham, Pearse Street, Kevin Street, Irishtown and Donnybrook Garda station catchments.
The primary objective of this amalgamation is to enhance the delivery of the Youth Justice Strategy with a focus on supporting families of young people at risk of crime and antisocial behaviour in the catchment area and to comprehensively deliver service provision to the boundary extension of Dublin 2 and Dublin 4 areas of the city.
I officially launched the Dublin City South YDP on 16 April 2024 at the Foróige premises in Dublin 8.
Applications for additional workers for the Dublin City South YDP are currently under consideration by my Department.
Legislative Process
Questions (123)
Patrick Costello
Question:123. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the proposed timeline for the passing of the sale of alcohol and intoxicating liquor Bills; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23141/24]
View answerWritten answers
The General Scheme of the Sale of Alcohol intends to modernise our existing licensing laws in line with the expectations and needs of today’s society, and to encourage the development of a modern and diverse night-time economy. The proposed legislation endeavours to strike a balance between maintaining strict controls and safeguards in relation to the sale of alcohol, while providing support to those involved in our night time economy.
Given the known social and health effects associated with misuse of alcohol, Ireland has, for many decades, operated a restrictive regime for licensing. The General Scheme of the bill retains that approach and will ensure that the sale of alcohol remains closely regulated.
Throughout the development of the Bill, my Department engaged in an extensive consultation process with representative bodies in the licensed trade, businesses, public health bodies and advocacy groups, consumers and communities in relation to the proposed legislation. A public consultation, including an online survey and a request for submissions, ran from November 2021 until January 2022. More than 5,000 responses were received.
In addition, a webinar and panel discussion event was held on 10 March 2022.
The consultation process demonstrated that there is a strong demand for reform and modernisation of the law in this area.
It is my intention to separate the Sale of Alcohol Bill into two Bills. Firstly, I intend to introduce the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2024. This is a shorter Bill to introduce a number of key reforms contained in the Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022 to modernise our licensing system, including:-
• The standardisation of opening hours for pubs and off-licences.
• The introduction of an annual late bar permit and an annual nightclub permit.
• The inclusion of new grounds of objection in line with the Zero Tolerance Third National Strategy to Tackle Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence.
• Strengthening of the powers of An Garda Síochána to ensure that public safety and order are maintained.
• To provide that licensing applications, which are currently heard in the Circuit Court, will move to the District Court.
• The inclusion of the provision for outdoor seating.
The Department of Justice and the Office of the Attorney General are currently finalising the terms of this Bill. I hope to bring the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2024 to the Houses of the Oireachtas in the coming months. Whilst scheduling is a matter for the Oireachtas, it is hoped that the Bill will be enacted this year. Work will continue to progress on the other provisions in the General Scheme of the Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022 to modernise our liquor licensing laws thereafter.
Prison Service
Questions (124)
Patrick Costello
Question:124. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 442 of 14 May 2024, the number of prisoners eligible for these programmes for each year previously provided. [23145/24]
View answerWritten answers
People in custody who have been convicted of a sexual offence are screened in relation to their suitability for treatment based on current criteria for the Building Better Lives programme. In recent years, the number of people committed to custody annually for sexually violent offences is approximately 200.
Currently, the Probation Service screen those who have Post Release Supervision Orders and the Psychology Service screen those without Post Release Supervision. Criteria for the Building Better Lives programme includes: admission of the offence and harm caused, stability of mental health and personality, sufficient sentence length, moderate to high risk of re-offending, and capacity to engage in group programmes. If deemed suitable based on these criteria, people move on to a further, more in-depth assessment of their risk and needs and what treatments may be suitable.
In 2022, an intensive screening programme was completed by both the Psychology Service and the Probation Service and a total of 177 BBL screens were completed by both Services. This achieved a historic first where all men in custody on a sexual offence had been screened for the programme. The intention of this intensive approach was to clear the backlog and allow new committals to be screened earlier in their sentence. During this screening process, 37% of people were deemed to meet basic criteria and were moved forward for additional more intensive screening.
In relation to those screens completed in 2023, 12 or 25% of people screened met criteria and were sent forward for additional assessment. Thus far in 2024, 4 or 22% of those screened have met basic inclusion criteria.
I am advised by the IPS that the data sought for 2019, 2020 and 2021 is not readily available and would require a manual search of each prisoner’s records which would involve the commitment of a disproportionate amount of staff time. Since 2022 an improved system of collating data has been put in place.
The emergence of updated research evidence, discussion with field experts, new Council of Europe recommendations and the new National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence have led to a significant review of the current Building Better Lives programme. The Irish Prison Service anticipates that the criteria for inclusion will change to incorporate anyone in custody who is convicted of a sexual offence, including people who deny and minimise their offence(s), those with mental disorders who have been sexually violent, those with shorter sentences as well as including all risk categories.
Departmental Funding
Questions (125)
Seán Fleming
Question:125. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Justice to provide a response in relation to the provision of funding for a therapy worker who was specifically named as a priority by the funder at a service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23181/24]
View answerWritten answers
A central element of delivering on the Zero Tolerance goal of the Third National Strategy is the establishment of a statutory domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) agency, and I was delighted to establish Cuan at the start of the year.
Cuan has a specific mandate to drive the implementation of the strategy across Government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social issue.
Under Budget 2024, in excess of €7.9m in additional funding for combatting DSGBV has been allocated to my Department. This represents a significant increase and will support the implementation of the Zero Tolerance plan - including through the new agency, which has an overall budget of €59m for 2024.
The agency works in collaboration with the NGO and DSGBV services sectors to ensure that the best possible services are in place to meet the needs of victims and survivors, including safe and accessible accommodation.
As funding of these services falls under the remit of the new agency, I have referred the Deputy's answer to Cuan for direct response.