I welcome the decision by my colleague Norma Foley – TD to approve the acquisition of a 4 acre site to accommodate Gaelscoil Lorgan.
The site is located at Shercock Road, Castleblayney and this is a welcome development. I wish the Board of Management, the Principal and staff every success in progressing this project.
2/2/2021
______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 04/02/2021
Question Number(s): 122 Question Reference(s): 6311/21
Department: Education
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
______________________________________________
QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Education the position regarding the holding of the 2021 junior certificate examinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
My Department is acutely aware of the challenges faced by students, teachers and families as a result of COVID-19. The pandemic has brought significant challenges to the education system, and I am acutely aware of the impacts that this has had on those students preparing to sit their final examinations. It is recognised that a flexible and agile approach is necessary in light of the continuing fast-moving environment linked to COVID-19.
The planning work underway in respect of the State Examinations in 2021 is being assisted by an Advisory Group of key stakeholders which has met on a number of occasions in recent months. The advisory group has been convened to advise Government on all of the various issues arising in relation to the holding of the 2021 examinations, including public health considerations and appropriate contingency measures. The advisory group includes representatives of students, parents, teachers, school leadership and management bodies, the State Examinations Commission, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Higher Education Authority and the Department of Education, including the National Educational Psychological Service.
At a meeting of the group on 22 January, the Irish Second Level Students’ Union presented its Report on the 2021 State Examinations and Return to School. Following this meeting, the group agreed that there would be an intensive set of engagements in respect of exploring further possible options for the examinations, having regard to the findings of the recent ISSU Report on the 2021 State Examinations.
The sub-group exploring these options has since met on three occasions and has discussed further possible measures that could be taken to address the demands on students preparing for the examinations. Having regard to the impact of current school closures for face-to-face tuition, there was also discussion on the scope and form of assessment for the various examination components, written and non-written.
All partners are committed to acting in the interests and wellbeing of students, who are at the heart of this process.
A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Education also took place on 1 February which provided an opportunity for consideration of possible options prior to consideration by Government as a whole.
From Monday 11 January 2021, all students, including Junior Cycle students, have been engaging in a programme of remote learning with their schools.
The public health restrictions which resulted in the original closure of schools in March 2020 highlighted the absolute necessity for schools to be agile in providing for continuity of schooling in the future. As a contingency measure against the possibility of partial or full school closures, my Department has already provided a suite of guidance materials, agreed with the education partners, to enable schools to mediate the curriculum safely for all pupils/students in a COVID-19 context. These are available at www.gov.ie/backtoschool. This documentation has been complemented by Circular 0074/2020 (Communication/Teaching & Learning Platform) which requires all schools to have in place appropriate contingency measures to ensure that they are prepared to continue to support teaching and learning in the event of a partial or full closure of schools arising from Public Health advice.
Other documents published by my Department to support the return to school include ‘Guidance for Practical Subjects in Post-Primary Schools and Centres for Education’ and ‘Returning to school: Guidance on learning and school programmes for post primary school leaders and teachers’. These documents provide guidance for teachers and schools that is specific to each practical subject area, so that students can be facilitated to actively engage with their learning. All documentation published is available on www.gov.ie/backtoschool.
I have continuously highlighted the need to implement in full the restrictions on travel to this country. It is essential that the regulations are applied to persons regardless of their place of residence in this State or elsewhere.
You will note from the reply below by the Minister for Health to my most recent Parliamentary Question in Dáil Éireann that the government is drawing up measures to tighten restrictions on travel into and out of this State.
______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 28/01/2021
Question Number(s): 287 Question Reference(s): 4900/21
Department: Health
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
______________________________________________
QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 336 of 14 January 2021, if additional measures will be introduced in co-ordination with the authorities in Northern Ireland to ensure that restrictions on travel are strictly implemented regardless of persons being ordinarily resident in this State or not; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A – Temporary Restrictions) (Covid-19) (No. 10) Regulations 2020 (SI No. 701 of 2020) came into operation on 30 December, 2020. These Regulations provide that a person may not leave their place of residence without reasonable excuse. The regulations define place of residence for people resident in the State and people not ordinarily resident in the State. In relation to a person who is not ordinarily resident in the State, the regulations define place of residence as the premises in the State, if any, at which he or she is currently residing, whether on a permanent or temporary basis. The Deputy will be aware that the Government is drawing up measures to tighten restrictions on travel into and out of the State as a matter of urgency.
I am aware of the risks posed to the entire island by international travel during the pandemic and will continue discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive and UK Government on opportunities for increased alignment and common outcomes on travel issues more generally.
Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD, Brendan Smith has welcomed the allocation by the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability of funding for some disability services in Cavan/Monaghan under the new Strengthening Disability Services Fund.
“I welcome the allocation of €35,125 to a number of local disability services to support their work and enhance supports for people with disabilities. I commend the local service providers and their staff in providing support for service users and their families through the Covid-19 pandemic. It is essential that government continues to provide new and additional financial support to enable the provision of improved services for the disability sector” stated Brendan Smith TD.
The following allocations were made by Minister Rabbitte:
ENDS
Minister Peter Burke, Minister of State for Planning and Local Government, has announced another commercial rates package for local authorities totalling €160 million for the first quarter of 2021.
This is being provided to assist local authorities during the current further round of Government Covid-19 restrictions and to ensure businesses most affected by these restrictions are not facing commercial rates bills.
This three month waiver is more focused than the previous nine month waiver and Minister Burke has outlined that support to businesses will be targeted to those most severely impacted, such as hospitality, leisure, childcare, personal care, entertainment, retail (excluding large supermarkets), airports, health and service stations.
It is estimated that the extension of the waiver to these categories of business in the first quarter of 2021 will cost €160 million. The waiver of commercial rates beyond the first quarter of 2021 will be kept under review and considered in the context of public health guidelines.
Minister of State for Planning and Local Government, Peter Burke TD, said:
“I am committed to supporting businesses while also making sure our local authorities continue their own vital services to the public. Today I can confirm that commercial rates for those most severely impacted by public health requirements will continue to be waived for the first 3 months of 2021. To support local authorities in the continued delivery of key services and in their ongoing response to the Covid-19 crisis, this cost, expected to be approximately €160 million, will be met by the Exchequer.
“Local authorities have always worked with ratepayers of all types and will continue to do so in these uncertain times. This measure will assist local authorities to balance their obligations to levy rates with the vital need to support employment and economic activity. Local authorities will play a vital role in regenerating the post-COVID local economies and will engage with ratepayers to offer enterprise support, relevant to their circumstances.”
ENDS
News Release
Monday 1st February 2021
Fáilte Ireland announces details of new €55million business continuity scheme for the tourism sector and priorities for 2021
Key industry event ‘Survive to Thrive’ unveils
€55million Tourism Business Continuity Scheme
Heavyweight investment in domestic marketing
Employee, business and sector supports
Outdoor dining and urban animation investment
Digital transformation programme
Fáilte Ireland has today (1st February) announced details of its new €55million Tourism Business Continuity Scheme. The announcement was made at a special virtual industry event watched by thousands of operators, providers and employers from across the tourism sector.
The allocation was secured by Minister Catherine Martin TD in Budget 2021 and Fáilte Ireland is responsible for developing and administering the scheme.
The scheme will support those tourism businesses that were not eligible for the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) payment or previous Fáilte Ireland continuity grant schemes.
The National Tourism Development Authority also announced its heavyweight domestic marketing plans, investment commitments in outdoor dining and urban animation and its strategic priorities for the year ahead. The event entitled ‘Survive to Thrive’, provided industry with details of Fáilte Ireland’s plans that will help support resilience and survival in the short term and the recovery of the sector in the long-term.
The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media, Catherine Martin T.D., delivered the keynote address. Welcoming Fáilte Ireland’s priorities, the Minister said:
“I welcome Fáilte Ireland’s action plans for 2021 which I am confident will have a positive impact on the industry and will be key to helping it survive and thrive in the year ahead. I allocated €55million to Fáilte Ireland for the Tourism Business Continuity Scheme as part of Budget 2021 and this will be important to help those strategically important tourism businesses that are ineligible for other supports. The Government will continue to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and ensure that appropriate supports are in place. We are now developing tourism for survival through the pandemic and recovery in the medium and long term.”
In his address, Fáilte Ireland CEO Paul Kelly announced the main priorities for Fáilte Ireland this year to support the tourism industry. Grant schemes to provide financial assistance, domestic marketing at national and county level, urban outdoor investment, business and employee supports with a special focus on mental health and a new digital transformation programme were unveiled.
Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, said:
“This has been the most challenging year tourism has ever faced. The sector’s revenue has declined by a massive €6billion and tens of thousands of jobs have been lost. We are launching the first phase of the €55million Tourism Business Continuity Scheme on February 11th. This will provide those tourism businesses who have not received support through the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) or previous Fáilte Ireland business continuity schemes, with direct financial assistance.
Domestic tourism will be the first to return and we plan to invest significantly in domestic marketing once domestic tourism can restart. Our research tells us that the ‘Keep Discovering’ campaign we launched prior to the COVID-19 pandemic resonates even more strongly with people now and we will be rolling the campaign out at both a national and county level to drive domestic tourism when the country re-opens.
We are also launching two new funding schemes in collaboration with our local authority partners to improve the quality of outdoor dining spaces in our key tourism destinations and enhance urban areas to make them more appealing to visitors.”
Fáilte Ireland has set out a number of key initiatives for 2021:
Follow us on Twitter @Failte_Ireland and LinkedIn Fáilte Ireland
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Lucy Cefai, Communications Officer | M: +353 86 460 7845
Note for editor
1€55million Tourism Business Continuity Scheme
The first phase of the €55million Tourism Business Continuity Scheme opens for applications on the 11th February 2021 to businesses including outdoor activity providers (e.g. Bike tours, Surf Schools, Kayaking tours, Angling, tourist boat tour operators, Hop on Hop off Bus tours with onboard tourism experiences, walking tours, instructor led/guided tourism equestrian experiences and golf courses with a tourism offering), Visitor attractions not eligible for CRSS (e.g. attractions with charity/not for profit status or that are primarily outdoor attractions), Caravan and camping providers registered with Fáilte Ireland and Cruise Hire companies who meet the eligibility criteria.
To be eligible for the scheme:
The minimum grant is €3,750 and the maximum grant is €200k.
Full details and eligibly criteria will be available on www.failteireland.ie from the 11th February 2021.
Phase 2 of the scheme will be launched in March 2021.
2Destination Towns Scheme
In 2019, Fáilte Ireland launched the Destination Towns Scheme to boost the attractiveness and tourism appeal of towns nationwide. Over €15million was allocated to 31 towns and Fáilte Ireland continues to implement projects to improve public realm and visitor experience in these locations.
Fáilte Ireland
As the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland’s role is to support the long-term sustainable growth in the economic, social, cultural and environmental contribution of tourism to Ireland. Tourism is of critical importance to the national economy and to regional development and employment. Pre-coronavirus, the sector generated revenue of €7.5billion annually and supported 260,000 jobs nationwide while contributing €1.7billion to the Exchequer.
We work in partnership with Government, State agencies, Local Authorities, representative groups and industry, to develop tourism across Ireland by creating destination development plans and networks, investing in infrastructure, activities, visitor attractions and festivals. Fáilte Ireland also provides consumer and buyer insights, mentoring, business supports and training programmes and buyer platforms to help tourism businesses innovate and grow.
In addition, Fáilte Ireland supports Business Tourism, managing the bidding for and securing of larger conferences, meetings and events to be hosted in Ireland.
We are also responsible for domestic holiday marketing across four regional experience brands: Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and Dublin.
I welcome these improvement works to be undertaken by Irish Water for customers in Marian Park, Belturbet.
Irish Water, in partnership with Cavan County Council is progressing with works to replace ageing back yard water mains and providing new service connections for customers in Marian Park, Belturbet, Co. Cavan to improve security of supply, water quality and reduce high levels of leakage.
In some older properties water connections, typically made of iron or lead, were installed to the rear of the property and are often referred to as back yard service connections. The pipework due to age and deteriorating condition are a significant source of leakage and reduced levels of service. Back yard services are usually shared, running through a number of neighbouring properties making it difficult to detect and repair leaks. Since all properties share a connection, leaks and bursts affect all properties usually resulting in low pressure.
The works will involve the construction of 270 meters of new water mains along the public road and new service connections will be installed from the new water main to each customers property. These works will commence on Monday 1st February 2021.
It is likely that the service connections currently serving these properties from the old back yard services in Cavan are made from lead. All new service connections will be made with modern high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic pipes to ensure a safer, more reliable supply of water to customers in the area.
These works will be carried out by Farrans Construction Ltd in partnership with Cavan County Council on behalf of Irish Water and are expected to be completed by March 2021.
Irish Water is continually reviewing the Government COVID-19 directions and would like to reassure customers that we are working with our Local Authority, Contractor and Supply Chain partners to ensure the continuity of drinking water and wastewater services and to safeguard the health and well-being of staff and the public. These essential works will be carried out in accordance with Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions.
In collaboration with our delivery partners strict operating procedures have been implemented across all sites to provide for social distancing, staggered working arrangements, increased hygiene requirements and the use of additional PPE as appropriate. These enhanced safety measures are subject to regular auditing and review by Irish Water’s Health and Safety teams and are also subject to independent checks by external bodies including the Health and Safety Authority.
Yours sincerely,
Elected Representative Support Desk
1/02/2021
Quite a number of students have been in touch with me outlining their concerns about the 2021 Leaving Certificate Examinations.
I fully appreciate that this is a particularly challenging time for students preparing for examinations. I raised those concerns directly with the Minister for Education.
Below is a reply by Minister Foley to my most recent Parliamentary Question in Dáil Éireann on this very important issue.
______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 28/01/2021
Question Number(s): 169 Question Reference(s): 4982/21
Department: Education
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
______________________________________________
QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Education when it is planned to announce details for 2021 leaving certificate examinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
My Department is acutely aware of the challenges faced by students, teachers and families as a result of COVID-19. The pandemic has brought significant challenges to the education system, and I am acutely aware of the impacts that this has had on those students preparing to sit their final examinations.
The planning work underway in respect of the Leaving Certificate Examinations in 2021 is being assisted by an Advisory Group of key stakeholders which has met on a number of occasions in recent months. The Advisory Group has been convened to advise Government on all of the various issues arising in relation to the holding of the 2021 examinations, including public health considerations and appropriate contingency measures. The Advisory Group includes representatives of students, parents, teachers, school leadership and management bodies, the SEC, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Higher Education Authority and the Department of Education, including the National Educational Psychological Service.
At a meeting of the group last week, the ISSU presented its Report on the 2021 State Examinations and Return to School. Following this meeting, the group agreed that there would be an intensive set of engagements in respect of exploring further possible options for the examinations, having regard to the findings of the recent ISSU Report on the 2021 State Examinations. A number of these meetings are planned this week.
All partners are committed to acting in the interests and wellbeing of students, who are at the heart of this process.
From Monday 11 January 2021, all students, including Leaving Certificate students, have been engaging in a programme of remote learning with their schools.
The public health restrictions which resulted in the original closure of schools in March 2020 highlighted the absolute necessity for schools to be agile in providing for continuity of schooling in the future. As a contingency measure against the possibility of partial or full school closures, my Department has already provided a suite of guidance materials, agreed with the education partners, to enable schools to mediate the curriculum safely for all pupils/students in a COVID-19 context. These are available at www.gov.ie/backtoschool. This documentation has been complemented by Circular 0074/2020 (Communication/Teaching & Learning Platform) which requires all schools to have in place appropriate contingency measures to ensure that they are prepared to continue to support teaching and learning in the event of a partial or full closure of schools arising from Public Health advice.
Other documents published by my Department to support the return to school include ‘Guidance for Practical Subjects in Post-Primary Schools and Centres for Education’ and ‘Returning to school: Guidance on learning and school programmes for post primary school leaders and teachers’. These documents provide guidance for teachers and schools that is specific to each practical subject area, so that students can be facilitated to actively engage with their learning. All documentation published is available on www.gov.ie/backtoschool.
I have continuously raised with the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Health the need to impose necessary restrictions on people travelling to this country.
Below is a reply by the Minister for Transport on this very important issue to my most recent Questions in Dáil Éireann yesterday.
______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 27/01/2021
Question Number(s): 166, 167 Question Reference(s): 4476/21, 4477/21
Department: Transport
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
____________________________________________
QUESTION
* To ask the Minister for Transport his plans to implement additional restrictions on persons travelling from abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Brendan Smith T.D.
For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 27 January, 2021.
* To ask the Minister for Transport if there are adequate measures in place at each airport and port to implement the restrictions on persons travelling into Ireland; the additional measures that will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Brendan Smith T.D.
For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 27 January, 2021.
REPLY
With effect from 16 January 2021, all passengers arriving into Ireland (unless exempt) are required to have a evidence of a negative or ‘not detected’ result from a pre-departure COVID-19 RT-PCR test that was carried out no more than 72 hours prior to arrival in Ireland. Passengers are asked to present evidence of their negative/‘not detected’ result before boarding their airplane and will be denied boarding if they cannot produce such evidence or do not claim to fall into an exempt category. If a citizen has a genuine humanitarian emergency requiring urgent travel, they should contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate immediately for advice and consular assistance before commencing their journey.
On 26 January, the Government agreed to introduce a number of measures aimed at reducing the risk that international travel may pose. It was noted that non-essential international travel is in breach of Level 5 rules, and the measures introduced include an increase to the fixed penalty for breach of the rules relating to international travel. The measures also include increased Garda checks and enforcement activity relating to people travelling internationally who are in breach of Level 5 rules.
The Government also agreed the existing regulations requiring pre-departure PCR tests will also be extended to 5 March. A range of mandatory quarantine measures will be introduced, applying to all international arrivals. Mandatory quarantine at a designated facility will be required for passengers who arrive in breach of the pre-departure negative/’not detected’ PCR requirement, and for those who arrive from Brazil and South Africa. In other cases, passengers will be required by law to quarantine at home. Application of these measures to passengers who are not EU/EEA citizens can be introduced by regulations. For all other passengers, it will be necessary to amend primary legislation. The detailed legislative work to implement this will get under way immediately.
The Government is keeping all measures relating to international travel under review.
Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan/Monaghan, Brendan Smith has once again called on the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration to progress, without delay, the provision of a Refuge Centre in Cavan/Monaghan for victims of domestic abuse.
Minister O’Gorman, in his reply to Deputy Brendan Smith in Dáil Éireann, stated that Tusla is undertaking a review of emergency accommodation nationwide and this will assess the current and requisite distribution of safe emergency accommodation.
He added that there are consultations with stakeholders including service users and a report will be published by Tusla in April this year.
Deputy Brendan Smith commented, “Unfortunately since early 2020 and with the onset of the Covid pandemic there has been an increase in domestic violence and adequate supports need to be put in place for all families who are experiencing such difficulties.
“At present there is no dedicated Refuge Centre in Cavan or Monaghan and I urge Tusla along with the Department to ensure the provision of such a Centre with additional supports and services at local level,” added Deputy Brendan Smith.
In response to Deputy Smith’s question, Minister O’Gorman stated that he was able to procure €30m for Tusla in Budget 2021, specifically allocated for DSGBV services. This includes core funding of €28m and an additional €2m to assist DSGBV organisations in offsetting the effects of Covid-19 on day-to-day services.
He added that Tusla is also undertaking a review of emergency accommodation nationwide and that the review will inform Tusla’s future decisions on priority areas for investment and development of services. Tusla has advised Minister O’Gorman that the report will be published this April.
______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 21/01/2021
Question Number(s): 270 Question Reference(s): 3483/21
Department: Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
______________________________________________
QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Children; Equality; Disability; Integration and Youth if a refuge centre for victims of domestic abuse will be established in counties Cavan and Monaghan in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue. Policy is coordinated by the Department of Justice. Under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of DSGBV. Capital funding for approved housing bodies, including services that provide refuge accommodation for victims of DSGBV, is provided by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
I am delighted that I was able to procure €30m for Tusla in Budget 2021, specifically allocated for DSGBV services. This includes core funding of €28m and an additional €2m to assist DSGBV organisations in offsetting the effects of COVID-19 on day-to-day services.
The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments regarding DSGBV, including an audit on segmentation of DSGBV responsibilities across government departments and agencies, which will inform future investments in this area.
Tusla is also undertaking a review of emergency accommodation nationwide. This will assess the current and requisite distribution of safe emergency accommodation. Substantial progress has been made on a number of processes which contribute to the review, including a literature review, consultations with stakeholders, geographical and census data analysis, consultation with service users and policy analysis.
The review’s findings and the recommendations of the Monitoring Committee of the Second National Strategy on DSGBV will inform Tusla’s future decisions on priority areas for investment and development of services. Tusla has advised me that the report will be published this April.
It is of the utmost importance that the needs of those who experience domestic violence are met in the most appropriate way possible. I strongly support the work of Tusla and its funded service providers and I am committed to supporting the Agency in meeting the needs of individuals who experience domestic violence.
END