Parliamentary Question: Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Posted March 29th, 2011

To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation his plans to help self employed persons struggling in this economic recession; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

- Simon Harris.

* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 29th March, 2011.

Reply:
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation (Mr. Bruton)

In the current economic climate entrepreneurship, and the growth and development of small Irish businesses, is central to economic recovery, and it is essential that Irish enterprises continue to be supported.

The Programme for Government includes a number of key issues to assist SMEs in the current environment and we are committed to introducing a Jobs Fund within the first 100 days. This Fund will contain a number of measures to support our SMEs. We have committed to:

• Cut the 13.5 per cent rate of VAT to 12 per cent up to the end of 2013.
• Halve the lower 8.5 per cent rate of PRSI up to the end of 2013 on jobs paying up to EUR356 per week.
• Reverse the cut in the minimum wage.
• Implement a number of sectoral initiatives in areas that will create employment in the domestic economy.
• Initiate a long-term strategy to develop new markets in emerging economies.
• Secure additional resources for the national housing energy retrofitting plan, as part of a plan to phase out subsidies in this area by 2014.
• Accelerate capital works that are ‘shovel ready’ and labour intensive, including schools and secondary roads.

In addition, the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) play a key role, acting as a valuable first point of contact for general business advice and information, as well as through their provision of both financial (grants) and non-financial (business advice, mentoring and a range of training programmes) supports to eligible micro-enterprises.

The CEB network’s priorities for 2011 are to assist owner/managers in enhancing the survival and sustainability of their businesses in these difficult economic times and to assist people wishing to start their own business including those made redundant. The CEBs can support individuals, firms and community groups provided that the proposed projects have the capacity to achieve commercial viability. They must give priority to manufacturing and internationally traded services.

My priority is to ensure that both the business environment in Ireland and the assistance available from the Enterprise Agencies continue to be supportive of enterprise and encourage growth in all areas of the economy.

Parliamentary Questions: Social Protection

Posted March 29th, 2011

To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will prioritise the publication of a National Carer’s Strategy after the failure of the last Government to publish such a strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
- Simon Harris.

*  For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 29th March, 2011.

Reply:
Minister for Social Protection (Joan Burton T.D.)

During 2008, an interdepartmental group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, undertook work to develop a National Carers’ Strategy. The Departments of Finance, Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Health and Children, and Social and Family Affairs, as well as the Health Services Executive and FÁS were represented on the group.  The group met on six occasions during 2008 and the expertise of other Departments and Agencies was drawn on as particular issues were being considered.    Discussions were also held with colleagues in Northern Ireland.  A wide ranging consultation process was also undertaken which included a meeting with the social partners; two meetings with carer representative groups; and a public consultation process.

While each of the themes set out in the terms of reference was examined in terms of the current position, because of the prevailing economic situation, it was not possible to agree future targets or time limits which could be achieved.   In that context, rather than publishing a document which did not include any significant plans for the future, the then Government decided not to publish a strategy.  

The Government is committed in the Programme for Government to developing a carers strategy.  It will consider how to progress the development of the strategy, taking into account the prevailing economic realities.

 

To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the delays being experienced by persons applying for domiciliary care allowance; if she will provide figures on the number of DCA applications received in 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; the number of applications that have been granted, denied, appealed and successfully appealed in each of these years

- Simon Harris.

*    For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 29th March, 2011.
Reply:
Minister for Social Protection (Joan Burton T.D.)

This Department has been accepting new claims for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) since April 1st 2009.  Statistics relating to the period prior to April 2009 are a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE). 

The average processing time for DCA applications is currently eight weeks.  There can be occasional exceptions to this, for example, where the applicant is waiting for detailed medical reports or is obtaining documentary evidence to satisfy the habitual residence condition.

In the period 1st April 2009 to 31st December 2009 a total of 3389 DCA applications were received by the Department. Of these, 2823 were fully processed that year, with  1031 deemed to satisfy the criteria for the scheme.  The balance of 1792 did not satisfy the criteria. 

There were 836 appeals registered in 2009 of which 183 cases were allowed on review by the deciding officer based on additional information received.  A total of 11 DCA appeals were decided by the Appeals Office in 2009 with 6 allowed.

In 2010 a total of 5457 DCA applications were received by the Department, with a total of 5333 applications processed that year.  Of these a total of 2058  were deemed to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the scheme while the remaining 3275 applications did not satisfy the criteria.

There were 1848 appeals registered in 2010 of which 477 cases were deemed to be qualified when reviewed by the deciding officer based on additional information received. There were 622 DCA appeals decided by the Appeals Office in 2010 with 224 cases allowed.

A total of 1520 DCA applications have been received to date in 2011 with 1511 applications processed this year to date. Of those cases decided 550 were deemed to satisfy the criteria for the scheme, with 961 having failed to satisfy the criteria.

526 appeals have been registered to date in 2011 of which 68 cases were deemed to be qualified on review by the deciding officer based on additional information supplied. To date in 2011, 163 appeals have been processed by the Appeals Office with 58 cases allowed.

Parliamentary Questions: Education and Science

Posted March 29th, 2011

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the provision of
special needs assistants in schools and if he envisages any further cutbacks in
the numbers of SNA’s in schools.
- Simon Harris.

* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 29th March, 2011.

Reply:
Minister Ruairí Quinn

The Programme for Government clearly states that education will be a priority
for this Government and that we will endeavour to protect and enhance the
educational experience of children, young people and students. To that end, we
will endeavour to protect frontline services in education.

However, the fiscal position is extremely difficult. This country is
effectively in receivership. It is necessary to ensure that educational
services are delivered within the resources available. I intend to prioritise
and support special educational services. However, I cannot re-visit the
previous Government’s decision to place a cap on the number of posts available
under the Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme. This number is 10,575 whole
time equivalent (WTE) posts. This is a significant number of posts and unlike
other areas of the public sector vacancies are being filled up to this number.
It also represents continual increases in the number of SNAs over recent years.

It is considered that with equitable and careful management and distribution of
these resources that there should be sufficient posts to provide access to SNA
support for all children who require such care support to attend school, in
accordance with Departmental criteria.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its
network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating
resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support
children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my
Department’s criteria in allocating such support.

The NCSE has issued a circular to all schools advising of the allocation
process for the 2011/2012 school year. A key feature of the amended scheme will
be to provide for an annual allocation of Special Needs Assistant support to
eligible schools.

My Department and I will be glad to consider any suggestions from school
management or parent representative organisations as to how the allocation of
SNA resources can best be managed within the context of the overall limit on
SNA numbers established. In this regard I am committed to making whatever
improvements are possible to the resource allocation system.

We all have to understand the legacy of economic mismanagement which the last
government gave to this country.

 

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on recognising Educate Together as a patron body for second level schools; and if he will make a
statement on the matter.
- Simon Harris.

 * For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 29th March, 2011.

Reply:
Minister Ruairí Quinn

The Programme for Government gives a commitment to move towards a more
pluralist system of patronage at second level, recognising a wider number of
patrons. It is my intention to address this policy over the lifetime of this
Government.

My immediate priority has been to establish a National Forum on Patronage and
Pluralism in the primary school sector. This will take a multi-dimensional
approach involving consultations with the key education stakeholders, including
parents over the course of this year.

I will turn my attention to the issue of the patronage at second level in due
course and I will consider the role that all patron bodies, including Educate
Together, can play in ensuring our education system caters for a pluralism of
choice which reflects the needs of Ireland today and into the future.