Written Answers Nos. 225-231
225. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the €1,000 fee contribution as announced in Budget 2025 will be given to a Monaghan student attending a college in County Derry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40377/24]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that Budget 2024 contains a package of measures to support households with the cost-of-living. These cost-of-living measures include a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee payable by higher education students that are eligible for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI).
Under the Free Fees Initiative (FFI) the State provides funding, exclusive of the student contribution, toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students who are pursuing approved full-time undergraduate courses of study in an approved higher education institution in the State. The student contribution applies in circumstances where a student is eligible for free fees only, it is the student’s contribution towards their tuition fee within the terms of the FFI.
Courses provided outside of the State are not approved courses under the FFI and the student contribution arrangements do not apply. Therefore, it is not possible for students undertaking study outside of the State to benefit from the measure under reference.
Students studying outside the State, may however be eligible for support under the SUSI grant scheme. Students can assess their eligibility for support at: susi.ie
226. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how the Budget 2025 announcement regarding ‘€20 million for a skills package in employment-focused skills and training’ is to be deployed; and if the funding will include supports for small businesses seeking to develop their digital skills or their use of AI. [40412/24]
View answerInvestment of €20 million for a skills package in 2025 reflects the actions following the recent Competitiveness Summit and Government’s agreement to set out a pathway to sustainably use the National Training Fund to increase investment in employment focused skills and training assisting and enhancing competitiveness and productivity of businesses.
As part of Budget 2025, I am allocating €20 million to a National Training Fund skills package. Under this programme, €8m has been provided to scale up the SME Upskilling Incentivisation Scheme ato encourage and support SMEs to engage in training opportunities. €1 million was invested in a pilot scheme in Budget 2024 to address recommendations in the OECD Review calls to boost participation in lifelong learning in the SME sector.
The Scheme will be open to sectors on a phased basis with eligible training programmes delivered through a Skillnet Ireland Network in the first phase. Qualifying programme themes include, amongst others, digitalisation: E commerce, Digital Marketing, Data analytics, Robotics & Automation, AI, Cloud Computing skills, Machine Learning or Modelling Skills, Data Management.
In addition to the above, €0.6m will be allocated for a pathfinder project of aimed specifically at providing older workers with key skills in areas of growth such as climate mitigation and digital transformation.
I am also allocating:
• €4 million to SOLAS to support their strategic partnership with Enterprise Ireland and their Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) to deliver a package of initial training to small and micro enterprises at local level, which struggle most in dealing with the challenge of workforce upskilling.
• €2.3m to SOLAS and Skillnet Ireland to support the expansion of skills training essential for the green transition, including in the areas of offshore wind, retrofitting and electro-mobility.
• €2.7m to SOLAS and Skillnet Ireland to ensure that the workforce is equipped with the Modern methods of Construction skills required to deliver Government priorities for residential construction.
• €1million is also being provided to Skillnet Ireland to support the embedding of innovation and entrepreneurial practices in our SMEs.
• €800, 000 to The Wheel to drive Workforce Development for a 21st Century Social Economy. The community, voluntary and social enterprise sector is a significant employer, with charities alone employing 281,250 staff, equating to almost one in eight people in the labour force.
• €0.6m in a Careers and Skills Portal, supported by a human centric coaching service.
227. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the position Ireland is taking in relation to the European Commission proposals for a regulation on dog welfare; and if Ireland will seek amendments to the currently proposed threshold for definition of a breeding establishment which may inadvertently draw Irish farmers and persons involved in hunting, who own multiple dogs, into a regime aimed at regulating puppy farms. [40405/24]
View answerMy Department has overall policy responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 and the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014. As the Deputy will be aware, animal welfare, including dog welfare, is under the remit of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). My Department is working with DAFM to co-ordinate efforts in the area of dog control across government, and has provided observations to DAFM on a range of issues in the draft EU Regulation referred to, including in relation to hunt clubs.
I am informed that the proposed EU Regulation on the Welfare of Dogs and Cats and their Traceability proposes to establish uniform EU rules for the welfare of dogs and cats kept in breeding establishments, pet shops and shelters and to introduce strict traceability rules for sale and supply of dogs and cats in order to strengthen safeguards for consumers when purchasing pets.
This Regulation is intended to strengthen controls in Europe in relation to illegal trading operations in relation to commercial sale and supply of dogs and cats and, in addition, to strengthen controls in relation to commercial import of dogs and cats into the EU.
There will be a lead-in period of a number of years for implementation of provisions under this Regulation.
When the final agreed text of the Regulation is published, each Member State will then determine what establishments in their country fall within the three categories of breeding establishments, pets shops or shelters.
228. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an overview of capital funding allocations since 2020 in Kildare south; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40504/24]
View answer229. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an overview of capital funding allocations since 2020 in Kildare north; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40505/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together.
A vital part of my Department's mission is to support vibrant and sustainable communities across this country. My Department provides targeted investment and supports in both rural and urban communities, which improves lives, enables rural regeneration, facilitates new working opportunities and fosters regional enterprise growth. This is done through extensive collaboration and engagement with communities and wider stakeholders.
Since 2020, over €32 million in capital funding has been invested across County Kildare to support a wide range of schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the LEADER Programme, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, the Local Improvement Scheme, the Community/Local Enhancement Programme, the Community Centre Investment Fund, the Connected Hubs initiative, and the Libraries Capital Programme.
Also included is funding for smaller capital supports under schemes such as the Community Activities Fund and the Community Support Fund that provided supports to community groups impacted by COVID-19, particularly in disadvantaged areas.
An overview of capital funding allocations since 2020 across County Kildare is provided in the attached appendix.
Further information on all schemes and programmes, including details of successful applicants across all programmes can be found on my Department's website www.gov.ie/drcd.
230. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount allocated to each town in the second phase of the Town Centre First Programme, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40643/24]
View answerLaunched in 2022, the Town Centre First (TCF) Policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. TCF supports the Our Rural Future vision for a thriving rural Ireland by setting out a framework to facilitate and resource the regeneration of Irish towns to ensure they are vibrant, viable places to live, work, invest in, and visit.
In December 2021, I announced €2.6 million in funding to support the development of 26 TCF Plans. These community-based plans are produced by individual Town Teams, drawn from local community and business representatives, and are helping communities develop a vision for their town and identify viable projects to realise that vision.
A new TCF suite of supports was launched in February last, which is providing an additional €4.5 million to support broader efforts to regenerate town centres through a bottom-up approach. The suite of supports will implement a series of three measures for rural communities. These supports will ensure resources which are effectively allocated and provides clear support to local communities and town teams in leading the revitalisation of their towns and villages. All successful projects and towns supported under the TCF suite of supports, together with funding details, are available to view on the following link on Gov.ie: www.gov.ie/en/publication/473d3-town-centre-first-policy/.
The measures include the development of Town Teams, the development of a further 26 town plans, and the completion of Project Development Measure (PDM) projects. Details of these three measures are set out below and information in relation to the allocations are set out in the attached table.
1. Town Team Support Fund: In May I was delighted to announce the first ever dedicated investment in our Town Teams. This will support the establishment and/or development of town teams where they are not already well established and to better understand the unique features of towns. A total of 68 towns will be supported with €10,000 in funding per town.
2. Town Centre First Plan: In March funding of €30,000 was announced to support the development of a further 26 TCF plans following the successful completion of the initial phase of TCF plans in 2021.
3. Project Development Measure: Last August, I announced funding of €2.6 million to support the development of a wide range of Project Development Measure projects. This funding will assist local authorities in creating a pipeline of significant, well-developed projects in local towns across Ireland. A total of 53 projects will be supported with up to €50,000 of funding per project.
A review of the effectiveness of the TCF policy will be carried out mid-2025. Any learnings that emerge from the review will be used to inform future decisions regarding the future of the initiative. In the meantime, my Department remains fully committed to the success of the TCF policy and will continue to work closely with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to deliver on the goal of revitalising rural towns and villages.
231. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department is engaging with the animal welfare charities on their preparedness for the restriction on XL bullies, which is due to come into force on 1 October. [38013/24]
View answerI recently announced a ban on XL Bully type dogs in the interest of public safety following a number of recent horrific attacks. The ban will be implemented in the following two stages:
Since October 1st 2024, new regulations have prohibited the importing, breeding, rehoming and selling of XL Bully type dogs.
From February 1st 2025, it will be illegal to own an XL Bully type dog without a ‘Certificate of Exemption’ issued by the local authority in which the dog resides.
The ban is being brought in over two stages to give XL Bully type dog owners who wish to keep their XL Bully type dog the time to obtain a 'Certificate of Exemption'. There will be a four month period between the 1st October 2024 and before 1st February 2025, where these owners will be able to apply for a 'Certificate of Exemption'.
As part of this approach, my officials have engaged with the various stakeholders, including animal welfare charities, and will continue to do so. Having considered their concerns, XL Bully type dog owners will not be charged an application fee when they apply for a 'Certificate of Exemption'. Also, as part of the regulations, any registered charitable organisation who had an XL Bully type dog in their care before 1st October 2024 will have until 1st February 2024 to rehome the dog to a new owner. Any new owner will also have to comply with all of the 'Certificate of Exemption' requirements.
As I previously announced in July, all XL Bully type dog owners will be required to licence, microchip and neuter their dogs. Further information on the criteria to qualify and the documentation needed for a 'Certificate of Exemption' application, is available on gov.ie/xlbully.
My Department has been engaging with several animal welfare charities over recent weeks and is currently exploring ways in which they can be supported in their work as the regulations come into effect.
