Tuesday, 14 May 2024

Departmental Staff

Ceisteanna (411)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

411. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of WTE staff by grade working in the local debt recovery unit of her Department as of 7 May 2024. [21413/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

Overpayments of social welfare assistance and benefit payments arise as a consequence of decisions made under the relevant sections of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 2005 (as amended). Customers who have been overpaid social welfare have a liability to refund the overpayment as they have been in receipt of a payment to which they were not entitled.

The Department has a central debt unit of 28 staff that deal with recovery of overpayments from customers who are not in receipt of a social welfare payment. This unit is made up of 1 Assistant Principal, 3 Higher Executive Officers, 10.5 Executive Officers and 13.5 Clerical officers.

Customers, with overpayments, who are in receipt of a social welfare payment, are dealt with by the relevant scheme area or INTREO office, depending on the scheme or locality. All staff in these scheme areas and INTREO offices may be involved in recovery of overpayments.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (412)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Ceist:

412. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 976 of 17 January 2024, if it has an independent company with a service level agreement with the funder, the Citizens Information Board; if the Citizens Information Service has control to set and review their employees’ salary scales; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21473/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body under the aegis of my Department with responsibility for supporting the provision of information, advice and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services.

CIB delivers these functions primarily through funding 22 Service Delivery Companies. These Service Delivery Companies are independent Companies Limited By Guarantee that are governed by voluntary Boards of Directors.

CIB has a Service Level Agreement with each of the eight Citizens Information Service (CIS) companies and with the Citizens Information Phone Service.

Under these Service Level Agreements, the CIS companies agree that the terms and conditions by which staff are to be employed, including salary scales, are as set out in the CIS Staff Handbook. Under these Agreements, the CIS companies also agree to be members of a national Employer/Union Forum.

Through their participation in the national Employer/Union Forum, the CIS companies agree, review and amend nationally the CIS Staff Handbook, with the agreement of CIB, as funder of the companies.

Pension Provisions

Ceisteanna (413)

Cian O'Callaghan

Ceist:

413. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline, in relation to the pension auto-enrolment scheme, how maternity leave and people with caring responsibilities where they may be in part-time employment due to these responsibilities will be treated under the scheme; if there is provision to account for these people (the majority of whom are women) who will not reap the benefit of having a full-time employer under the scheme; if measures will be introduced to prevent people from being at a disadvantage for not being part of the AE scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21478/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The introduction of an automatic enrolment (AE) retirement savings system is a Programme for Government commitment and a key priority for me as Minister for Social Protection. Implementation of the AE system is well underway, with the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024 now having completed Committee Stage in the Dáil and a tender process to contract for administration services being well advanced. Enrolment of the first participants is expected to commence in January 2025.

Enrolment into the scheme will be based on age and earnings thresholds, together with whether or not an employee is currently covered by a supplementary pension savings arrangement. The employment status of an individual (e.g., whether the employee is full-time or part-time) will not be a determining factor in enrolment determinations, i.e. a person working part-time may be automatically enrolled.

The AE system will be a highly automated, payroll-based system that will operate on the basis of deductions from employees' earnings, transmitted to the new National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA) by employers through their payroll systems. Where an employer continues to pay an employee while they are on leave, contributions from the employee and the employer will continue to be made and topped up by the State. However, periods of unpaid leave from employment, for whatever reason, are not covered by the system.

Similar challenges prevail in the current supplementary pension system (i.e. in either occupational or private pension schemes), which continues to be the root cause of the gender pension gap. Ireland is not unique in this sense as the same problem is experienced in all other OECD countries to different extents. Accordingly, it isn't possible for the new AE system to provide a comprehensive solution to issues relating to maternity cover and the gender pension gap, alone among all other pension funds, and at the outset of the system's existence. Nevertheless, it is envisaged that the new Authority will investigate ways to implement a mechanism to make up for periods of unsalaried leave once the AE system has bedded down, and within the broader context of pensions policy more generally.

Finally, it should be noted that the State’s record on maternity cover is already very good when the State Pension provisions and other social welfare payments are taken into account with ESRI research on gender, pension and income in retirement finding no consistent evidence of a gender State Pension gap.

I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Appeals

Ceisteanna (414)

Brendan Griffin

Ceist:

414. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an invalidity pension appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21544/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 16 April 2024. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 2 May 2024 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

School Meals Programme

Ceisteanna (415)

James O'Connor

Ceist:

415. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding inclusion of school (details supplied) in the hot school meals programme for the coming school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21618/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. Following the expansion of the programme in recent years, some 2,600 schools and organisations, covering 443,000 children are now eligible for funding.

I am committed to continuing to expand the School Meals Programme and building further on the significant extension of the programme that has taken place in recent years. As part of this significant expansion plan, all remaining primary schools were contacted last year and requested to submit an expression of interest form if their school is interested in commencing the provision of hot school meals.

Expressions of interests were received from over 900 primary schools in respect of 150,000 children and late last year these schools were invited to participate in the Hot School Meals Programme from 8th April 2024.

My officials advise me that the school referred to by the Deputy did not express an interest at the time in response to the initial call, under which 900 schools now being included in the programme. This school and the remaining primary schools who have not yet joined the scheme have been contacted since my announcement on 15th April, to express an interest to receive Hot School Meals from September 2024. This school has responded and confirmed their expression of interest in joining the scheme.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Eligibility

Ceisteanna (416)

Duncan Smith

Ceist:

416. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm having received the required information as sought from a person (details supplied) in order to have their eligibility for disability allowance fully reviewed and awarded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21658/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions.

I confirm that my Department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 9 November 2023. As their initial application did not contain all the information required to determine their eligibility for DA, an information request letter was sent to the person concerned on 17 November 2023, to supply this supporting documentation. I can confirm that an initial response was received on 22 November 2023.

A further information request was sent on 31 January 2024, requesting further information in relation to transactions on the bank statement. Based on the information received, it was still not possible for the Deciding Officer (DO) to complete a means assessment of this application without additional information.

I can confirm that, on 5 March 2024, additional financial statements were submitted by the person concerned. As a result of details included in this submission, a further information request had to be issued to the person concerned on 11 March 2024, requesting them to supply details of specific transactions on their financial statements. The information request allowed the person,14 days to provide the required information in order to determine the eligibility for DA.

As the person concerned failed to supply the requested information, their means could not be determined, and the claim was disallowed on this basis. The person concerned was notified of the decision in writing on 8 April 2024 and advised of their entitlement to request a review and/or to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). They were also reminded about the outstanding documents required to determine their means.

I can confirm that, on 29 April 2024, additional information was submitted by the person concerned. The application was referred to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) on 9 May 2024, for a report on the person’s means and circumstances. Once the SWI has submitted their report to the DA Section, a decision will be made on the DA application and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (417)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

417. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection for a breakdown, by county, of the number of times persons in receipt of carer's allowance had their allowance stopped in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2024. [21678/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

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.

In order to qualify, applicants must show that they are habitually resident in the State, that their means are less than the statutory limit, that they are providing full-time care and attention, and that the person being cared for requires that level of care.

Please see table below for a breakdown, by county, of the number of times persons in receipt of CA had their allowance stopped in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2024.

County	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024 (to April 2024)
Carlow	90	95	101	94	101	91	107	100	102	147	148	55
Cavan	87	93	77	105	99	116	83	98	118	133	126	42
Clare	164	126	147	140	160	143	186	160	173	195	205	65
Cork	645	625	695	654	698	670	743	686	734	858	916	358
Donegal	267	280	281	288	300	275	290	283	314	310	401	122
Dublin	1036	1048	1233	1137	1196	1183	1350	1242	1356	1632	1755	759
Galway	322	292	343	300	366	316	371	343	355	403	421	170
Kerry	237	203	237	221	212	215	209	237	270	283	315	124
Kildare	208	199	186	196	219	185	222	214	267	316	285	130
Kilkenny	97	94	107	128	110	102	119	124	115	158	155	44
Laois	108	87	92	117	104	109	121	113	129	155	154	61
Leitrim	59	53	66	81	75	62	64	51	62	80	76	28
Limerick	283	271	304	281	328	318	318	286	358	382	394	160
Longford	89	83	88	86	92	89	89	91	99	112	104	58
Louth	128	144	165	152	187	188	173	187	218	244	238	103
Mayo	216	204	216	228	244	210	223	223	222	242	266	105
Meath	166	164	188	159	185	180	208	208	206	273	287	104
Monaghan	80	74	76	57	81	77	69	75	76	96	87	40
Offaly	118	105	151	115	135	139	133	140	168	164	176	87
Roscommon	97	78	95	129	121	103	134	100	121	125	137	60
Sligo	91	82	100	110	115	116	103	105	104	128	128	51
Tipperary	257	239	249	283	231	268	310	244	280	373	382	142
Waterford	141	146	172	156	135	159	183	169	162	184	245	95
Westmeath	121	122	128	133	153	129	131	126	176	188	204	84
Wexford	240	184	268	227	261	247	278	241	287	342	345	141
Wicklow	136	125	143	139	163	140	150	154	194	194	230	98
Total	5,483	5,216	5,908	5,716	6,071	5,830	6,367	6,000	6,666	7,717	8,180	3,286

A payment for CA may stop if a customer no longer meets the eligibility criteria for the scheme. This may follow a notification from the customer or be the result of a review of eligibility initiated by my Department.

The following are examples of some of the reasons that would result in a CA payment being stopped:

• The person requiring care has been admitted to a Nursing Home / Hospital

• The carer is no longer providing full time care

• The carer has returned to work in excess of 18.5 hours per week

• The carer failed to supply the required information to establish continued entitlement to CA

• The carer or the care recipient is deceased

• The means of the carer are in excess of the statutory limit

• The carer is no longer resident in the state

• The care recipient no longer meets the medical criteria

I hope this information is of assistance.

Social Welfare Appeals

Ceisteanna (418)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

418. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection for a breakdown, by county, of the number of times persons who were initially refused disability allowance were successful on appealing the decision in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2024. [21679/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Heather Humphreys)

The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.

Table 1 below table shows a breakdown by county of the number of disability allowance appeals finalised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office in each of the past ten years and to the end of April 2024. Table 2 shows the number of such appeals that were successful in each of those years by county.

Table 1

												DA Appeals Finalised by County
	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	Total
County
Antrim										1		1
Armagh										1		1
Carlow	80	75	92	65	77	76	107	86	78	95	19	850
Cavan	92	62	42	71	72	70	108	77	72	78	15	759
Clare	138	94	98	108	89	96	135	79	106	141	20	1104
Cork	670	716	596	500	647	601	899	599	538	548	110	6424
Donegal	226	172	157	136	143	177	254	155	162	154	50	1786
Down	1											1
Dublin	1537	1265	989	987	991	1121	1510	1141	1145	1119	243	12048
Fermanagh									1			1
Galway	272	266	184	178	181	323	309	228	223	223	61	2448
Kerry	184	218	143	140	167	188	198	209	153	186	36	1822
Kildare	230	164	135	151	124	221	254	197	164	189	52	1881
Kilkenny	76	72	59	73	55	105	123	95	97	86	16	857
Laois	85	77	59	68	84	107	124	82	76	89	25	876
Leitrim	28	36	28	15	35	24	54	38	30	26	5	319
Limerick	385	249	214	217	217	303	324	220	232	231	61	2653
Longford	71	49	46	63	60	83	86	44	66	67	16	651
Louth	176	143	107	212	149	188	228	155	162	166	39	1725
Mayo	153	124	102	68	107	88	198	96	99	159	20	1214
Meath	212	126	97	133	130	133	212	156	146	154	27	1526
Monaghan	60	52	56	48	44	55	83	47	38	34	6	523
Offaly	89	118	72	119	88	106	133	116	87	118	17	1063
Roscommon	67	59	42	56	52	70	83	59	66	57	14	625
Sligo	88	63	60	66	63	68	80	56	46	60	4	654
Tipperary	227	212	134	136	152	194	246	232	197	195	41	1966
Waterford	167	156	104	120	118	133	196	150	160	154	30	1488
Westmeath	101	108	103	106	92	161	149	105	118	119	22	1184
Wexford	192	179	193	123	195	237	298	188	164	206	37	2012
Wicklow	146	73	98	88	67	109	150	123	124	122	24	1124
Total	5753	4928	4010	4047	4199	5037	6541	4733	4550	4778	1010	49586

Table 2

												DA Successful Appeals by County
	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	Total
County
Carlow	56	50	77	58	60	52	69	61	41	46	4	574
Cavan	60	41	22	48	47	44	59	43	35	40	6	445
Clare	98	62	68	81	63	73	85	50	67	79	8	734
Cork	437	468	404	343	477	422	570	348	301	327	43	4140
Donegal	129	113	103	86	98	111	152	91	92	84	24	1083
Down	1											1
Dublin	1123	828	716	699	743	723	902	598	588	604	93	7617
Fermanagh									1			1
Galway	179	159	121	136	135	208	196	140	117	122	20	1533
Kerry	116	167	96	110	118	131	139	118	92	103	18	1208
Kildare	158	123	109	110	82	153	175	116	96	93	22	1237
Kilkenny	52	57	42	55	42	76	77	48	55	45	5	554
Laois	56	52	35	45	47	82	75	48	41	37	8	526
Leitrim	18	27	22	10	30	15	40	29	16	10	2	219
Limerick	282	182	147	163	165	236	235	135	138	139	23	1845
Longford	42	37	34	46	42	57	53	26	34	39	8	418
Louth	119	81	70	167	103	110	124	79	90	90	13	1046
Mayo	102	92	66	51	69	54	128	53	48	83	13	759
Meath	127	90	73	104	100	83	133	84	79	80	12	965
Monaghan	40	37	40	31	30	32	44	25	20	24	2	325
Offaly	59	90	45	84	55	61	79	61	46	71	5	656
Roscommon	45	44	34	42	32	48	58	32	38	34	4	411
Sligo	58	45	33	52	49	49	48	31	22	37	3	427
Tipperary	155	143	92	114	124	131	143	157	116	109	18	1302
Waterford	110	119	75	89	100	100	107	95	84	86	13	978
Westmeath	56	80	69	75	68	92	87	64	61	58	6	716
Wexford	138	129	148	93	156	179	197	98	81	107	11	1337
Wicklow	106	51	70	79	49	81	110	84	71	73	11	785
Total	3922	3367	2811	2971	3084	3403	4085	2714	2470	2620	395	31842

From 2014 to the end of April 2024, a total of 163,320 disability allowance claims were awarded by the Department. The 31,842 successful appeals in this period therefore represents 19.5% of the total number of claims awarded.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Employment Rights

Ceisteanna (419)

Ged Nash

Ceist:

419. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if any State, semi-State or commercial semi-State agency under the aegis of their Department is aware of any cases of bogus self-employment in any bodies under their remit from 2020 to 1 May 2024; if they will outline if there are currently any cases from such agencies or bodies currently before the SCOPE section of the Department of Social Protection for investigation or determination; if there are any SCOPE findings and recommendations relating to any agencies or bodies under their remit where SCOPE has found in favour of the worker, and where they recommended the reclassification of the workers’ employment status to that of direct employee between 2020 and 1 May 2024; if they will provide information on the numbers involved and the names of the individual agencies and bodies in all cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21699/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The following bodies operate under the aegis of my Department; The Citizens Information Board, The Pensions Authority, The Pensions Council and The Social Welfare Tribunal.

There are no cases relating to the above bodies currently before Scope Section of the Department of Social Protection, for investigation or determination.

Scope Section did not make any employment misclassification decisions involving the above bodies during the period referred to by the Deputy.

It is important to note that cases of misclassification of employment do not always involve a deliberate or fraudulent misclassification of an employee as self-employed and therefore it is not appropriate to use the term ‘bogus self-employment.’

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Appeals

Ceisteanna (420)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

420. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an appeal for invalidity pension in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21713/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 8 March 2024. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 11 March 2024.

The case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 8 April 2024, who will in due course make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing.

If the Appeals Officer decides that an oral hearing is required, the person concerned will be notified of a time and place, either in-person or by digital means.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Appeals

Ceisteanna (421)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

421. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a review can be undertaken into the recent decision to offer a reduced rate of disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21731/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. A disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and Habitual Residency conditions.

I confirm that my Department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 17 January 2024. The person concerned has been awarded DA with effect from 20 March 2024 and the first payment was made by their chosen payment method on 24 April 2024. They were notified of this decision in writing on 30 April 2024 and were given the right to review and or appeal this decision.

Their DA payment was not backdated to the date of the receipt of the application, as it was more financially beneficial to them to retain their higher rate of Illness Benefit for that period.

Means have been calculated based on their spouse’s employment earnings and after allowable disregards were applied. They have been assessed with means of €353.76. This results in a weekly DA payment of €38.50. Arrears of payment due from 20 March 2024 to 23 April 2024 have issued to the person concerned.

The person concerned subsequently sought an appeal of the decision dated 30 April 2024, by way of an email dated 9 May 2024. This request for an appeal in her case was forwarded immediately to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The Social Welfare Appeals Office will write directly to the person concerned once an appeal has been opened in her case.

Following a review of the means, it was found that the disregard for Union Fees paid should also be applied in this case. This resulted in an amended means of €350.76 and their weekly payment increased to €41.00 with effect from the 20 March 2024. Arrears from 20 March 2024 to 23 April 2024 have been issued to the person concerned. The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 10 May 2024 and of their right to request a review or appeal of this decision.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Gender Recognition

Ceisteanna (422)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

422. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason Irish nationals who are not ordinarily resident in the State and who do not hold any of the documents specified in section 9(1)(a) of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 are precluded from applying for a gender recognition certificate (details supplied); the rationale for their exclusion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21755/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

Section 9 of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 sets out the conditions which a person is required to meet in order to qualify for a gender recognition certificate.

The applicant must meet one of the following three qualifying criteria;

• Their birth or adoption is registered in the State,

• They have become an Irish citizen by having their birth registered in the Foreign Births Register maintained by the Minister for Foreign Affairs , or

• They are ordinarily resident in the State.

The application process was set up to cater for applicants born in the State, born abroad but ordinarily resident in the State and born and living abroad but with an entry in the Foreign Births Register.

It was felt that these criteria were sufficiently broad to facilitate a wide range of people to apply.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Departmental Advertising

Ceisteanna (423)

Carol Nolan

Ceist:

423. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total costs incurred by her Department from 2019 to date relating to the placing of advertisements in print media; the names of the print media publications involved, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21872/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

The Department of Social Protection is committed to ensuring that members of the public are fully aware of the welfare supports and services available to them.Public information campaigns, including advertising in print media, are an important part of this work.

The costs of print media advertising for my Department for each of the years 2020 to date is outlined below in tabular form. Please note these figures exclude VAT, ASAI and agency fees.

Year	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024*
Total	€702,813.65	€779,953	€376,014	€442,202.66	€167,650.99

* Amount paid to date in 2024.

The spend per channel breakdown is not available for 2019, but total advertising spend for that year was €845,761.29. Please note this figure includes VAT and fees.

A list of all print media publications is not available. All campaigns are developed carefully in collaboration with our media buyer using the best mix of media formats to ensure that messages target members of the public effectively.

Visa Applications

Ceisteanna (424, 456, 462)

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

424. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if she is aware of a case of a person (details supplied); if she will expedite the visa application so the person can join their family in Ireland and escape the dangers being faced in Gaza. [21963/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

456. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice if she is aware of the case of a Palestinian woman (details supplied); and if she will take the required steps to facilitate her passage to be reunited with her parents and siblings in Ireland. [21484/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

462. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if she is aware of the case of a person (details supplied) who has been forcibly displaced four times in Gaza after the building in which they lived was completely destroyed and whose parents and siblings in Ireland are desperate for the person to join them; if she and her Government colleagues will implement special measures in fast-tracking visa applications, similar to the fast-tracking of visa applications for Ukrainian refugees, for Palestinians who urgently want to join family here; if she will expedite the person’s visa application as a matter of priority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21623/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

I propose to take Questions Nos. 424, 456 and 462 together.

I am acutely aware of the grave humanitarian crisis in Gaza and my Department is working closely with colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs to ensure a coordinated national response to this volatile and evolving situation. This includes their work to evacuate Irish citizens and their families who may require visa assistance.

My Department is in regular contact with the Embassy of Ireland in Israel regarding a number of visa applications, from residents of Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. The Embassy are actively engaging with the applicants to gather the required documents to ensure that the Visa Division of this Department have everything needed progress these applications.

I can inform the Deputy that following full consideration by a Visa Officer, the visa application referred to was refused. A letter issued to the applicant on 18 March 2024 outlines the reasons for this refusal.

An appeals process is available which allows applicants, in the event of a refusal of the application at first instance, to address the factors which gave rise to that decision.

I can advise the Deputy that the Visa Division of my Department are awaiting essential documentation in relation to an appeal of the decision to refuse this application. The appeal cannot be processed until this is received.

When making an appeal, the applicant should take into account the reasons for refusal listed in the refusal letter. The appeal should include any further information or additional documentation they wish to have considered, and should be sent for the attention of the Visa Appeals Officer, in the relevant Visa Office, where the matter will be considered afresh. The applicant will find further details on the appeals process at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/appeal-a-negative-decision/.

Immigration Policy

Ceisteanna (425)

David Stanton

Ceist:

425. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Justice if there is a pathway for people from Ukraine who are currently living and working here under the EU Temporary Protection Directive to avail of a more permanent arrangement granting them a right to remain; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21183/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

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. As of Sunday 05 May 2024, a total of 106,617 people have been granted temporary protection in Ireland.

I can advise the Deputy that it is open to all beneficiaries of temporary protection to avail of any existing immigration permission provided that they meet the relevant criteria, subject to the same conditions as all other third country nationals. However, it is not possible to hold more than one immigration permission at the same time.

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.

However, at this point in time, it is too early to say with certainty what arrangements will be in place in March 2025. 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.

Citizenship Applications

Ceisteanna (426)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

426. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice whether there are specific arrangements in place for British nationals who have been married and working in Ireland for many years to apply for Irish citizenship; and if he will clarify the cost in applying for citizenship in such a case. [21221/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

Applicants are required to have 5 years reckonable residence in the State prior to making an application, except for spouses of Irish nationals and people granted International Protection where the requirement is 3 years. In all cases, the final 12 months must be continuous residence in the State with up to 70 days allowed to facilitate foreign travel for business family or holiday purposes.

It is open to any individual to lodge an application for naturalisation if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory conditions as specified in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, and pay the appropriate fees.

The fees to be paid by an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation are governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 569 of 2011). The application fee is €175.

A certification fee of €950 is then required following a positive decision being reached on the naturalisation application.

The standard certification fee is set at €950, while a reduced fee of €200 applies in the case of an application made on behalf of a minor or in certain cases where the application is made by a widow, widower or surviving civil partner of an Irish citizen. In the case of recognised refugees and stateless persons, there is no certification fee.

The State has not increased the fees for naturalisation applications since 2011.

There is no provision in the Regulations for a discretionary waiver or reduction of fees, or for differing fees to apply to different nationalities, or based on the length of residency in the State.

All of the fees payable under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, are kept under ongoing review by my Department. However, there are no current plans to amend the fees.

Detailed information on how to apply for naturalisation is available on my Department's Irish Immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/

Citizenship Ceremonies

Ceisteanna (427)

Michael Ring

Ceist:

427. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Justice the number of citizenship ceremonies that have taken place since 1 January 2022 to date; the dates of said citizenship ceremonies; the location of said citizenship ceremonies; the number of people were granted citizenship at each citizenship ceremony, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21226/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

Citizenship ceremonies were first introduced in 2011 and have been universally well received, marking the grant of Irish citizenship in a solemn, dignified and appropriate manner.

Attendance at a Citizenship Ceremony remains the primary avenue for the granting of Irish citizenship. The Oath of Fidelity to the nation and the declaration are taken before a Presiding Officer appointed by the Minister for Justice.

The information sought by the Deputy is provided in the table below.

Year	Date	Ceremony	No of Ceremonies	Total Attended
2022	20-Jun-22	INEC - Killarney	2	914
2022	05-Dec-22	INEC - Killarney	3	2,558
2022	06-Dec-22	INEC - Killarney	1	863
2023	10-Mar-23	RDS	2	1,362
2023	19-Jun-23	INEC - Killarney	2	1,588
2023	20-Jun-23	INEC - Killarney	2	1,908
2023	02-Oct-23	Convention Centre	3	2,661
2023	18-Dec-23	Convention Centre	3	2,995
2023	19-Dec-23	Convention Centre	3	2,758
2024	26-Feb-24	NCH - Dublin	2	1,258

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the next Citizenship Ceremonies will take place on 10 and 11 June 2024 at the INEC Killarney and also on 20 and 21 June at the Convention Centre Dublin.

Invitations to successful applicants will be begin to issue shortly.

Information on Citizenship Ceremonies is available on my Department’s website here: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/citizenship-ceremonies/

All invitees attending a Citizenship Ceremony should ensure that they have an up to date IRP Card that provides details of their permission to remain in the State on the date of the ceremony.

An Garda Síochána

Ceisteanna (428)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

428. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of staff, by rank, in the Garda National Immigration Bureau in each of the past three years. [21227/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

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. 428 of 14 May 2024 when you sought: “The number of staff, by rank, in the Garda National Immigration Bureau in each of the past three years.”

As you will recall, I sought the information from the Garda authorities and undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand.

As you 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 all operational policing matters. As Minister, I have no role in these matters, nor can I direct the Commissioner with regard to them.

I can, however, assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda Síochána is central to this policy. This commitment is demonstrated by the unprecedented provision of over €2.35 billion to the Garda Vote this year, which is allowing for sustained and ongoing recruitment and investment in new equipment and new vehicles.

As you are aware 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. This is separate, but complimentary to the work done by GNIB.

The tables below, provided to me by the Garda authorities, outlines the number of staff, by rank, assigned to the Garda National Immigration Bureau in each of the past three years. Please note that additional data is not provided in cases where the requested figures are fewer than 10. In these cases the personnel referenced may be identifiable to the general public, thus posing a potential risk to their safety. Furthermore, An Garda Síochána, along with fellow Government Departments and public bodies, is bound by existing Data Protection legislation; the release of figures fewer than 10 has the potential to compromise the protection and privacy of individuals employed by An Garda Síochána and moreover constitute a breach of this legislation and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Garda National Immigration Bureau

	Chief Super-intendent	Super	Inspector	Sergeant	Garda	Total
April 2024	<10	<10	<10	<10	79	96
2023	<10	<10	<10	<10	81	96
2022	<10	<10	<10	<10	84	99

	Higher Executive Officer	Executive Officer	Clerical Officer	Total
April 2024	<10	<10	18	22
2023	<10	<10	17	22
2022	<10	<10	16	20

I hope this information is of assistance.

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (429, 437)

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

429. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Justice the number of people convicted of sex offences involving minors in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, by county, in tabular form; the number of those convicted who received a fully suspended sentence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21240/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

437. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of cases that have come before the DPP in relation to sexual offences involving children, in each of the past three years; the number of those that came before court; the number which resulted in a custodial sentence; the number who secured a conviction but where a custodial sentence was not received; if those convicted with or without a custodial sentence have re-offended, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21301/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

I propose to take Questions Nos. 429 and 437 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, 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: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie

To be of assistance to the Deputy, I have referred his question to the Court Service for direct reply.

Similarly, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is fully independent in her functions under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1974 (as amended). The Office of the DPP is not an agency or body under my remit as Minister for Justice and, as I have no role in the operations, functions, oversight or governance of the Office of the Director, I am unable to provide any statistics related to the work of the DPP.

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (430)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

430. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of people with a Dublin Regulation positive match on EURODAC in the past 12 months, by month, in tabular form; and the number of Dublin Regulation transfers effected in the corresponding period. [21248/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 (Dublin III Regulations), came into force on 19 July 2013, and lays down the criteria and mechanisms for determining which EU country is responsible for examining an asylum application. The Dublin Regulation is based on the principle that the first Member State to facilitate entry to the EU should be responsible for examining the protection application.

In practice, and in keeping with the experience of all Member States, the Dublin III Regulations have not been effective in Ireland.

The Eurodac database enables the comparison of fingerprints and assists in determining the country responsible for the assessment of an asylum claim presented in one of the Member States. The Eurodac annual report is drawn up pursuant to Article 40(1) of the Eurodac Regulation and provides an overview of statistical data on the use of the system by the Member States. The statistical data for the time period requested has not yet published by EU-Lisa, and is not otherwise available in a verifiable format from national records.

I can, however, advise the Deputy that between April 2023 and April 2024, 246 transfer decisions were taken by the IPO under the Dublin Regulation.

Number of Transfer Decisions	Month/Year Taken
21	April 2023
13	May 2023
18	June 2023
17	July 2023
24	August 2023
12	September 2023
14	October 2023
21	November 2023
16	December 2023
22	January 2024
18	February 2024
21	March 2024
29	April 2024
246	TOTAL

As the Deputy will be aware, it is possible for applicants to appeal transfer decisions, and the vast majority do so. As a consequence many of the above transfer decisions are currently under consideration by IPAT. It is also important to note that after the IPO and IPAT have completed their work, Ireland makes ‘transfer requests’ under the regulation to the Member State in question, which can result in the request being declined. There are other reasons why transfers will not go ahead including legal challenge, material change in the person's personal circumstances, or the person leaving the country without advising the IPO.

These factors all form part of the widely recognised limitations of the current Dublin arrangements and are reflected in the number of effected transfer between April 2023 and April 2024.

Number of Dublin III Transfer *	Year
3	2023*
2	2024*

* Between April 2023 and April 2024.

**Figures correct at time of issue and may be subject to data cleansing.

The difficulties associated with the current Dublin arrangements are one of the important considerations for Ireland in opting in the EU Migration Pact

The overall objective of the Pact is to create a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure in ordinary times as well as in times of migratory pressure and crisis situations.

The Asylum and Migration Management Regulation (AMMR) which will replace the Dublin III Regulation, provides, inter alia, for streamlined criteria and reduced timeframes for determining the Member State responsible for determining an asylum application as well as revised rules on transferring responsibility. This will significantly improve the current Dublin system by reducing the administrative burden on the Member States seeking to transfer a person to the Member State responsible for processing the application.

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (431, 432)

Charles Flanagan

Ceist:

431. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons deported from the State each month for the first four months of 2024. [21268/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charles Flanagan

Ceist:

432. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice the number of orders for deportation from the State made in each month of the first four months of 2024. [21270/24]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

I propose to take Questions Nos. 431 and 432 together.

A deportation order is a legal order to leave the State. Any person who has been ordered to leave the State and fails to do so is committing a criminal offence, and can be arrested without warrant if they come into contact with An Garda Síochána. Such an order remains on the person’s record permanently – it means they cannot enter Ireland again in future, and it will likely also have an impact on their ability to travel to the UK and the EU.

The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) carries out inquiries to confirm that people have removed themselves from the State, and works closely with my Department to enforce deportations where this is not the case.In addition to the enforced deportations and those that are otherwise confirmed to have left, we know that a much larger number of people will have left the State without being escorted; however, as there are no routine exit checks at Irish borders, it is not possible to accurately quantify this number.Enforced deportation operations are complex and costly. They often involve detailed detection work, detentions in custody, legal challenges, complications with obtaining travel documents, and of course, the cost of flights and related matters. Alternatives to forced removals are therefore typically preferential. Most people ordered to leave the State will comply. Separately, my Department provides assistance through a voluntary return programme to some individuals who will benefit from assistance to reintegrate in their home country; where this type of return is effected, a Deportation Order is not required.

The below table sets out the number of Deportation Orders issued for the first four months of 2024; and the number of Deportation Orders enforced by GNIB.

Year	DOs Issued	Total confirmed Deportations (Other Deportations Confirmed + GNIB Enforced Deports)	Other Deportations Confirmed (1)	DOs enforced by GNIB (2)	Voluntary Returns (3)	Dublin iii Transfers (4)	EU Removals (5)	All Returns
Jan’24	81	7	2	5	22	0	0	29
Feb’24	120	11	3	8	49	1	2	63
Mar’24	63	8	0	8	31	0	2	41
Apr’24(To 30/04/24)	180	12	0	12	34	1	5	52

*Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.*Numbers deported may relate to deportation orders issued in a previous year.

Information has come to hand or by inquiry to the effect that the individual has left the state following receipt of a DO.

Person escorted from the state by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).

Persons who availed of the voluntary return programme without getting a deportation order.

Transfer to another EU State to have their application for International Protection examined.

EU Citizen removed from the State under the Free Movement Regulations (generally criminals).

In 2023 the GNIB enforced 52 DOs which is a 100% increase on the 2022 figure of 26 DOs enforced.

In 2023 there were 213 Voluntary Returns (VRs) which is over double the 2022 figure of 91 VRs.

My Department is working closely with the Office of Government Procurement in respect of the tendering process for the supply of charter flight services for Deportation. The intention is for these services to be available later in the year. In the meantime, the removal of people from Ireland (including those being transferred to EU countries and the UK) who do not have a legal right to remain in the country will be carried out by commercial flights.

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.