In terms of the rate of payment, it is €800, tax-free, and does not interfere with any other benefits, allowances or social welfare benefits an individual might receive. We have to be careful in terms of interference with the private rental market, with the housing assistance payment and with other areas. We feel that €800 is probably the right area right now. It has supported the take-up in a very significant manner. It is a significant amount and it is tax-free. We do not want to pursue a measure that interferes …

It is an acknowledgement of the real pressures that are on the system that the Government is undertaking a review of the offering towards Ukrainians and will bring forward a change. We recognise there are pressures in this regard. There are pressures because what we are experiencing is unprecedented. This war on the European Continent, something we never thought we would see in our lifetime, is unprecedented as is the scale of people fleeing for their lives, in many cases, from Ukraine and entering the EU. Unpreced…

I thank Senators for their continued work on bringing forward this legislation, which will address the issue of the misuse of non-disclosure agreements in employment to cover up instances of harassment, discrimination and abuse. I reiterate that sexual harassment and discrimination have no place in the workplace. Employers should be open to addressing these challenges when they occur. The Government will not oppose this Bill today. It supports the general principles behind the Private Member's Bill. As the Bill is …

No.

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — this Government is committed to expanding services for people with disabilities and developing a more integrated and person-centred policy approach to disability services; — this commitment is reflected in the budget for disability services which has increased in recent years from €1.7 billion at the close of 2017 to close to €2.8 billion in 2024; — an additional €195 million will be invested in specia…

A central element of this commitment is the publication and implementation of the disability action plan, which was approved by the Government in July of this year. This plan will be a living document which will be reviewed and updated in light of priorities, policy considerations and the funding available. In budget 2024, funding of €56 million has been allocated to support the delivery of the first year of the action plan. In conjunction with the HSE, my Department is now examining the deliverables that can be ac…

First of all, I recognise the presence of many staff members of section 56 and 39 organisations in the Public Gallery. I also recognise that they have been joined by many service users, who will be impacted by industrial action, and their family members. I know that the threat of industrial action is not one that is made lightly by any of these incredibly dedicated staff members. The sustainability and stability of the health and social care sectors are a key concern for the Government. We recognise that the abilit…

I thank the Deputy for his query, and I am glad we are joined by survivors in the Gallery tonight. The board of St. John Ambulance Ireland commissioned an independent review and appointed Judge Dr. Geoffrey Shannon, with the assistance of Ms Hilary Coveney and Dr. Cian Ó Concubhair, to carry out the review into the handling of complaints of historical sexual abuse of members under 18 years of age. As the Deputy knows, the review was commissioned at my urging to the board of St. John Ambulance Ireland. St. John Ambu…

I have always been available to survivors of abuse in this organisation. I have engaged with Mick Finnegan on several occasions and remain open to doing so. I just wanted to put that on the record because the Deputy is right that it is important for the State to engage in this process. The report was published and Dr. Shannon set out a range of recommendations. It is now six months since the report's publication. We have received one update regarding the recommendations. All of them have not been implemented. I do …

I am pleased to be here to outline the key elements of the budget 2024 allocation for my Department. Two years ago I set out an ambition to deliver a meaningful reduction in childcare costs for families all over our country. I am pleased that today we have have been able to deliver that, with an average 25% reduction in the cost of childcare in budget 2024. This change will be effective from September of next year and will mean we have halved childcare costs in the space of two years. Across a full year, for parent…

I move the following Supplementary Estimate: Vote 40 — Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Supplementary Estimate) That a supplementary sum not exceeding €1,090,000,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2023, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, for certain services administered by that Office and for the payment of grants.

I join the Ceann Comhairle in thanking Deputy Flaherty for raising this important issue. He has given us a real sense of the great work done at St. Christopher's and the real challenges that the staff there face in dealing with very vulnerable students with complex needs. Both I and the Minister of State at my Department, Deputy Rabbitte, are fully committed to the development and enhancement of children’s disability services, and to ensure access for all children with complex needs across the country. This include…

On the first point, I do not think the Deputy has in any way overdramatised the challenges faced by staff in St. Christopher's in terms of the complexity of the health and social care needs of the students in that school, including those who have epilepsy, those who use wheelchairs, those with intellectual disabilities, the student who needs to be PEG-fed and the various additional supports needed there. We will get that information about the HSE processing of the request for the additional hours to the Deputy as s…

I thank the Deputy. As he is aware, we had a very enjoyable day at the centre about a year ago with the Deputy, other Deputies from the area and my colleague, Caroline Conroy, who was Lord Mayor of Dublin at the time. During my time as Minister, there have been significant increases in the level of investment in the youth sector. It is an area I have prioritised. Between 2021 and 2023, current Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes increased from €61.7 million to €72.9 million, or 18% across that three…

I met the National Youth Council of Ireland and we discussed its budget submission. I met it individually and also as part of a much wider annual forum we have with those in the youth sector to discuss challenges including funding and recruitment. We discuss the range of challenges they have but also the amazing work they do. The Deputy is absolutely right that the youth sector bore a very disproportionate share of cuts during the economic recession and has been playing catch-up for a long time. It is not fully cau…

I move amendment No. 2: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "welcomes: — the extensive commitments by the Government to address long standing challenges in the early learning and childcare sector; — the increase to over €1 billion per annum in State funding for the sector this year, reaching the investment target set in 2018, five years ahead of schedule; and — the significant prioritisation by the Government of measures designed to: — substantially reduce out of pocket costs of e…

I thank the Deputy for his Topical Issue submission and for raising this important matter. I recognise that he has long championed this particular issue. I share his concern about children in the care of the State and his recognition that those requiring special care, who are perhaps the most vulnerable, should have access to a special care place when they need it. Tusla and I are well aware of the challenges in special care, which are complex and interrelated, and no one solution will solve all of the difficulties…

I thank the Deputy. As he knows, I meet Tusla on a quarterly basis. I was not at a meeting held two weeks ago, but at a previous meeting we discussed special care and the particular recruitment challenges in the sector. I specifically asked Tusla to bring forward a detailed business case for a special care allowance. That has been brought forward and we are considering it. We will revert to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. As I say to all journalists now, all of t…

I thank the Deputy. I welcome the fact that this service will reopen under new management. It was concerning news for parents when the initial closure was announced, so it is really positive to see it will reopen. The fact we are able to have services reopen and indeed the fact service closures are so low at the moment is due to the additional State funding we have introduced through core funding. Originally it was €259 million and in this, the second year, it is €287 million in additional money invested in service…

I thank the Deputy. We held the early years forum yesterday where we had people from groups representing childcare providers, childcare professionals and many others working in the sector. It was a really positive meeting. We discussed core funding, the scale of the investment the Government has added and the changes we made in year 2. The Deputy is right that one size does not fit all. That is why we created a dedicated payment in year 2 just for those small services, those early childhood care and education, ECCE…