· Web viewTargeted investment to develop and modernise the Agency’s current ICT infrastructure, including further roll out of the National Child Care Information System Investment

Analysis of Budget 2016 and its Impact on Children

October 2015

The Children’s Rights Alliance unites over 100 members working together to make Ireland one of the best places in the world to be a child. We change the lives of all children in Ireland by making sure that their rights are respected and protected in our laws, policies and services.

Ag EisteachtAlcohol Action Ireland Alliance Against Cutbacks in EducationAmnesty International IrelandArc Adoption The Ark, A Cultural Centre for Children ASH IrelandAssoc. for Criminal Justice Research and Development (ACJRD) Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI)ATD Fourth World – Ireland Ltd Atheist IrelandBarnardosBarretstown Camp BeLonG To Youth Services Bessborough Centre Border Counties Childhood Network Carr’s Child and Family Services Catholic Guides of Ireland Childhood Development InitiativeChildren in Hospital IrelandCity of Dublin YMCA COPE Galway Cork Life CentreCrosscare Dental Health FoundationDIT – School of Social Sciences & Legal Studies Disability Federation of IrelandDown Syndrome Ireland Dublin Rape Crisis Centre Dun Laoghaire Refugee Project Early Childhood IrelandEducate Together School of Education UCDEPIC Extern IrelandFocus IrelandForóige GLEN - Gay and Lesbian Equality Network Headstrong - The National Centre for Youth Mental HealthHealthy Food for All Immigrant Council of IrelandInclusion Ireland Independent Hospitals Association of IrelandInspire Ireland Institute of Community Health NursingInstitute of Guidance CounsellorsInternational Adoption AssociationIrish Association for Infant Mental HealthIrish Association of Social Care Workers (IASCW) Irish Association of Social WorkersIrish Association of SuicidologyIrish Autism Action Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI GalwayIrish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL)Irish Foster Care AssociationIrish Girl GuidesIrish Heart Foundation

Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO)Irish Penal Reform TrustIrish Premature BabiesIrish Primary Principals NetworkIrish Refugee CouncilIrish Second Level Students’ Union (ISSU)Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Irish Traveller Movement Irish Youth Foundation (IYF)Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice Junglebox Childcare Centre F.D.Y.S. Kids’ Own Publishing PartnershipLaw Centre for Children and Young PeopleLifestart National Office Marriage Equality – Civil Marriage for Gay and Lesbian PeopleMary Immaculate CollegeMental Health ReformMounttown Neighbourhood Youth and Family ProjectMyMind National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers (NOTA)National Parents Council Post PrimaryNational Parents Council PrimaryNational Youth Council of IrelandOne Family One in FourParentlineParentstopPavee PointPeter McVerry TrustRape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI)Realt BeagSAFE IrelandSaoirse Housing AssociationSAOL Beag Children’s CentreScouting IrelandSimon Communities of Ireland Society of St. Vincent de PaulSonas Housing AssociationSpecial Needs Parents AssociationSpunOut.ie St. Nicholas Montessori Teachers AssociationSaint Nicholas Montessori College IrelandSt. Patrick’s Mental Health Services Start Strong Step by Step Child & Family Project Suas Educational DevelopmentSugradh Teacher’s Union of IrelandThe UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, NUI Galway The Guardian Children’s ProjectThe Prevention and Early Intervention NetworkTreoir UNICEF Ireland Unmarried and Separated Families of Ireland youngballymunYouth Advocate Programme Ireland (YAP)Youth Work Ireland

Children’s Rights Alliance7 Red Cow Lane, Smithfield, Dublin 7, IrelandPh: +353 1 662 9400Email: [email protected]

© 2015 Children’s Rights Alliance – Republic of Ireland LimitedThe Children’s Rights Alliance is a registered charity:CHY No. 11541

Contents

Contents…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

………..3

1. Overview of Budget 2016………………………………………………………………………………….

……...4

2. Key Positives and Negatives of Budget 2016……………………………………………………….

…….6

3. Overview of Departmental Expenditure……………………………………………………….

…………..9

3.1 Children and Youth Affairs..………………………………………………………………….

……….9

3.2 Social

Protection………………………………………………………………………………………….12

3.3 Education and

Skills……………………………………………………………………………………..13

3.4 Health………………………………………………………………………………………………….………

15

3.5 Justice and

Equality……………………………………………………………………………………..16

3.6 Environment, Community and Local

Government………………………………………..17

3.7 Additional Departments………………………………………………………………………..

…….18

1. Overview of Budget 2016

This document provides an overview of Budget 2016 and its impact on children. It is divided into three sections, the first of which provides an overview of the Budget and key budgetary developments in 2015. The second section analyses the positive and negative impacts of the Budget as it affects children. Finally, the third section details the measures introduced by key departments.

Budget 2016: The BackgroundBudget 2016 is the fifth and final budget delivered by the Fine Gael/Labour Coalition Government. It is also the second budget since Ireland successfully completed the European Union (EU)/International Monetary Fund (IMF)/European Central Bank (ECB) Troika economic adjustment programme, on 15 December 2013. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin TD, pledged in his Budget speech that the Government is ‘committed to investing in our public services; assisting those most in need; creating jobs; providing a platform for future growth; ensuring that every family and every community, in every part of the country, can share in a better future.’1 The Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD, noted that: ‘Every measure in this Budget is designed to grow the economy, create additional jobs and increase living standards’.2 Budget 2016 brought many positives for children, in particular for families with young children, which are warmly welcomed. This is the Government’s first family-friendly budget.

Key budgetary developments in 2015Before we examine the measures within Budget 2016 let us first outline two significant budgetary developments that took place in 2015.

1) Country Specific RecommendationsThe European Commission issues Country Specific Recommendations (CSRs) to all European Union Member States (except those under a Troika programme). These recommendations are for a 12 to 18 month period. In May 2015, the Commission issued a new set of CSRs for Ireland. One of these CSRs is focused on children. The recommendation notes that low work intensity is particularly severe among single-parent households with children. This has contributed to the growing risk of poverty or social exclusion of children in Ireland and exacerbates the issue of the unequal labour market participation of women. Another chink in this chain is unaffordable childcare costs. The CSR states that Ireland should increase the work-intensity of households and address the poverty risk of children through tapered withdrawal of benefits and supplementary payments upon return to employment and through better access to affordable full-time childcare.3

2) Increase in Spending In October 2015, the Government announced an increase of €1.5 billion in Government spending. The increase was made available by way of supplementary estimates.4 Adding this to the €750 million in new

1 file:///T:/Research,%20Policy%20&%20Campaigns/Budget/Budget%202015/Post-Budget%202015/Budget%202015%20-%20Statement%20on%20the%20Estimates%20by%20the%20Minister%20for%20Public%20Expenditure%20and%20Reform.html

2 Financial Statement of the Minister for Finance Mr. Michael Noonan, T.D. 13th October 2015, http://budget.gov.ie/Budgets/2016/FinancialStatement.aspx

3 European Commission (2015) COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the 2015 National Reform Programme of Ireland and delivering a Council opinion on the 2015 Stability Programme of Ireland, Brussels: European Commission, p.6.

4 The extra spending will be sought from a surge in tax receipts and will be predicated on the achievement of a budget deficit in the region of 1.5 per cent of gross domestic product in 2016. A. Beesley, ‘Budget 2016: Cabinet told €1.5bn is upper limit of extra spending, Irish Times, [online] 16 September 2015, http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/budget-2016-cabinet-told-1-5bn-is-upper-limit-of-extra-spending-1.2353175 [accessed 13 October 2015].

4 Children’s Rights Alliance (2015) Analysis of Budget 2016 and its Impact on Children

spending measures announced in Budget 2016, the Government has an additional spend of €2.25 billion compared to 2015.5

3) Budget 2016 and Children’s Rights In December 2014, the UN Human Rights Council, of which Ireland is currently a member, passed a resolution entitled ‘Towards better investment in the rights of the child’.6 The resolution states that the ‘lack of sufficient, effective, inclusive and efficient public spending on children is one of the main barriers to the realization of the rights of the child’. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is a comprehensive, internationally binding agreement on the rights of children, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1989. By ratifying the Convention, Ireland undertook to promote, protect and fulfill the rights therein. As part of its obligations under the Convention, Ireland must report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child7 that monitors the implementation of the Convention on a periodic basis.8 Ireland’s children’s rights record, including public spending in relation to children, will be examined by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in January 2016.

2. Key Positives and Negatives of Budget 2016

This section highlights some of the changes arising from Budget 2016 that are of particular importance to children. These issues are split into three sections – those changes that we welcome, and those that disappoint us and unanswered questions.

Key Positives of Budget 2016

Tusla – Child and Family AgencyThe increased investment in Tulsa – Child and Family Agency of €38 million for 2016 and the likely additional sum of approximately €20 million to offset service demand in 2015 are to be warmly welcomed. Tusla is a key organ of the State. It is tasked with a number of significant statutory duties including ensuring children at risk are identified and provided with care and support, including the allocation of a social worker. It is also the key vehicle to undertake family support and early intervention and preventative work with children and families.

Early Childhood Care and EducationBudget 2016 provides an additional €85 million for early childhood care and education, an increase of a third of the annual expenditure in this area. The Budget contained a raft of significant policy very positive announcements. Early childhood care and education has been historically underfunded and underdeveloped. Budget 2016 takes a significant step forward. Particularly welcome is the investment in expansion and reform of the Free Pre-School Year, measures to support children with special needs in accessing childcare services, and initiatives to improve the quality of childcare and the supply of aftercare services. Of particular importance of tackling child poverty are measures to make childcare more affordable, in particular increasing access to the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme across the country.

Paid Paternity Leave

5 A. Beesley, F. Kelly, ‘Coalition to provide extra €1.5bn for spending this year’, Irish Times, [online] 10 October 2015 http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/coalition-to-provide-extra-1-5bn-for-spending-this-year-1.2386195 [accessed 13 October 2015].

6 UN Human Rights Council, Towards better investment in the rights of the child, 19 December 2014, A/HRC/28/33.7 The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is a committee of 18 independent and international experts that monitor each state’s

implementation of the UNCRC.8 UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (2006) Concluding Observations: Ireland, CRC/C/IRL/CO/2; and UN Committee on the Rights

of the Child (2008) Concluding Observations: Ireland, CRC/C/OPAC/IRL/CO/15 Children’s Rights Alliance (2015) Analysis of Budget 2016 and its Impact on Children

The introduction of a new two weeks’ paid Paternity Benefit is an important acknowledgement of the role of fathers in the initial days of child’s life and should represent an initial step towards the paid parental leave provision recommended in the IDG Report on childcare.9

Child and Family Income Supports Budget 2016 increased the Child Benefit payment by €5 per child, bringing it up to €140 per month, amended the income thresholds for Family Income Supplement (FIS) and increased the earnings disregard for Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment. These are all positive measure that will support families and address child poverty. The earnings disregard for Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment is an important change that will support lone parents who have transitioned from the One Parent Family Payment.

€3 million for School Meals ProgrammeThere is deep concern about food poverty and obesity among children in Ireland. The €3 million increase in the funding for the School Meals Programme – which provides regular and healthy food services for disadvantaged school children – is a welcome step in the right direction.

Additional Teachers and Educational FundingBudget 2016 made investments to provide for 2,260 additional teachers in primary and post-primary schools, which will reduce the teacher pupil ratio and includes 600 Resource Teachers to address demographic demand. Additional funding was allocated to key policy initiatives such as the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy, the book rental programmes and for continuation of the programme of school buildings.

Free GP care for Children Under 12 YearsThe further expansion of free GP care to children under 12 years is warmly welcomed. It will bring us closer to achieving one of the core obligations of General Comment No. 15 of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child,10 that the State ensures ‘universal coverage of quality primary health services, including prevention, health promotion, care and treatment services, and essential drugs’.11

Increase Provision of Speech and Language TherapyThe provision of additional funding to expand the availability of Speech and Language Therapy at primary care level is extremely welcome. We know that access to timely Speech and Language Therapy can have a hugely positive benefit on a child, whereas a delay in access can lead to knock-on development, educational and social delays.

Price Increases to Discourage Smoking Price increases on cigarettes and other tobacco products will help discourage children and young people from smoking.

9 Interdepartmental Working Group (2015) Report of the Inter-Departmental Working Group: Future Investment in Childcare in Ireland To identify and assess policies and future options for increasing the quality, accessibility (including supply) and affordability of early years and school-age care and education services in Ireland, http://www.dcya.gov.ie/documents/earlyyears/20150722IDGReportonEarlyYrsInvestmentReport.pdf [accessed 1 September 2015].

10 UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (2013) General Comment No. 15: the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health CRC/C/GC/15.

11 Ibid, para. 73.6 Children’s Rights Alliance (2015) Analysis of Budget 2016 and its Impact on Children

Key Negatives of Budget 2013

No increase in the Direct Provision payment for childrenThe Final Report of the Working Group on the direct provision system (McMahon Report), published in June 2015, recommended reforms to address child poverty and child welfare concerns associated with living in the direct provision system, including increasing the weekly payment for children from to €9.60 to €29.80 per child.12 Budget 2016 made no increase in the Direct Provision payment for children.13 In a RTE Radio 1 interview on 14 October on the Morning Ireland show, An Tánaiste indicated that the issue was being addressed and that an announcement was likely in the near future. There are approximately 1,527 children currently living in Direct Provision.

Limited Measures to Protect Families at risk of HomelessnessBudget 2016 did not take sufficient steps to provide rent certainty or address the problems experienced with Rent Supplement to support families facing homelessness. Until the Government’s Social Housing plans comes to fruition, families will continue to rely on the private rented sector. The number of families with children becoming homeless has increased dramatically. In August 2015, there were 707 family units, with 1,496 children, living in emergency accommodation.14 The factor contribution to the increasing number of families becoming homeless include the setting of Rent Supplement at levels substantially below market rents in a context of rising rents, particularly in urban areas, increased demand for rental accommodation, landlords refusing to accept tenants reliant on Rent Supplement, lack of availability of social housing and personal indebtedness.15 While we acknowledge that an additional €17 million was invested in homeless services, there must also be measures to prevent families becoming homeless.

No increase in the excise duty on alcoholThe price increase on tobacco is welcome. But are disappointed that alcohol was once again left untouched, with no increase in the excise duty on alcohol. The Children’s Rights Alliance is deeply concerned about the impact of alcohol misuse on children and young people and the link between parental misuse of alcohol and child neglect and abuse. We recommend Budget 2017 should raise the cost of alcohol as part of a multi-pronged strategy to reduce alcohol misuse in Ireland.

Unknowns of Budget 2015Many of the budget announcements and initiatives are made with little information on the breakdown of budgets or how initiatives will be implemented. In Budget 2015 a number of things remain unclear:

What provision is being made for mental health services, and what proportion of the mental health allocation will be granted to child and adolescent mental health services?

What measures are considered under the €3 million being made available to invest in the student assistance fund, and more generally for supporting disadvantaged students? It was noted that details on the exact allocation of this sum will follow in the Spring. Is this €3 million to support disadvantaged students in the school system, in DEIS schools, or at third level?

12 Working Group on the Protection Process (2015) Working Group to Report to Government on Improvements to the Protection Process, including Direct Provision and Supports to Asylum Seekers, Final Report, http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Report%20to%20Government%20on%20Improvements%20to%20the%20Protection%20Process,%20including%20Direct%20Provision%20and%20Supports%20to%20Asylum%20Seekers.pdf/Files/Report%20to%20Government%20on%20Improvements%20to%20the%20Protection%20Process,%20including%20Direct%20Provision%20and%20Supports%20to%20Asylum%20Seekers.pdf [accessed 1 September 2015].

13 Direct provision is a scheme whereby asylum seekers and people seeking other forms of protection are provided with accommodation on a full board basis with all their basic needs apparently provided for directly. Direct provision residents receive a weekly payment of €19.10 for an adult and €9.60 for a child.

14 Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Homeless Persons, August 2015, http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,42742,en.xlsx? [accessed 29 September 2015].

15 K. Holland, ‘Homeless Crisis in Need of Urgent Action’, The Irish Times [online], 26 April 2014, http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/homeless-crisis-in-need-of-urgent-action-1.1774572 [accessed 9 February 2015].


3. Overview of Departmental Expenditure

This section highlights the changes introduced in the principle departments affecting children: Children and Youth Affairs; Education and Skills; Health; and Social Protection; Justice and Equality; and Environment, Community and Local Government. It also outlines a variety of measures affecting children from other government departments including: the Department of Finance; the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

3.1 Children and Youth Affairs

The Vote of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs includes the allocation for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Department’s Vote was increased by 9.2% to €1,137,811 million in 2016, it comprises €1,112,811 in current expenditure and €25,000 in capital expenditure.

Tusla – Child and Family AgencyThe Child and Family Agency, established in 2014, provides a range of vital services for children and families, including child protection and welfare services, Family Support Agency, National Education Welfare Board, Pre-school Inspection Services, services relating to psychological welfare of children and services relating to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Budget 2015: Provided over €676 million in 2016 for Tusla – Child and Family Agency, an increase of €38

million on its provision for 2015. The funding will allow for:o Recruitment of an additional 200 staff to address the findings of a recent national audit

of child welfare and protection cases awaiting allocation of a social workero Establishment of a dedicated Intervention Team, to provide additional support in

situations where urgent improvement is requiredo Delivery a national Out-of-Hours Social Work Support Service to An Garda Síochánao Provision of additional funding to support implementation of the Istanbul Convention

on violence against women and domestic violenceo Provision of an additional €1.1 million to preserve, and improve access to, adoption

records in anticipation of the introduction of adoption information and tracing legislation.

The €38 million allocation includes €13.5 million of capital funding to allow Tusla initiate and progress the following:

o Development of new and improved Special Care facilities at Portrane and Ballydowd, increasing special care provision from 17 to 30 places

o Targeted investment to develop and modernise the Agency’s current ICT infrastructure, including further roll out of the National Child Care Information System

o Investment for a vehicle fleet replacement programme to ensure safe transportation of children in care

o Refurbishment of front line service facilities at a number of locations around the country to enhance service capacity and improve access.

It is understood that by end 2015 an additional tranche of funding, in the region of €20 million, is likely to be provided to Tusla to address unforeseen service pressures experience by Tusla during 2015. These costs include the provision of residential and foster care places. More information will be available in Tusla’s Business Plan for 2016.


Early Childhood Care and EducationBudget 2016 provides an additional €85 million for early childhood care and education, an increase of a third of the annual expenditure in this area.

Free Pre-School Expansion of the Free Pre-School Year to allow children to start pre-school when aged 3, and to

continue until they transition to primary school (up to the child turning 5 years and 6 months at the end of June of a given year). This measure will increase in the numbers of children eligible for the Free Pre-School Year from 67,000 to over 127,000 in a given year. An increase of €47 million has been provided for this expansion in 2016.

Introduction of three different points for the enrolment of a child in the Free Pre-School Year – September, January and April

Extension of the number of weeks a child can avail of the Free Pre-School Year up to 88 weeks. The number of weeks will depend on the child’s date of birth, their enrolment into pre-school and their school starting age.

Children with Special Needs Introduction of a new model to enable children with disabilities to fully benefit from free pre-

school. The model comprises seven different levels of support, including enhanced continuing professional development for childcare staff to better understand and respond to children’s different needs; grants for equipment, appliances and minor alterations; as well as access to therapeutic intervention. Funding of €15m has been provided for 2016: a full year cost will be around €33m from 2017 onwards.

Quality Child Care Provision of €3.5 million for a number of quality measures in 2016, which will be built upon over

coming years. o Audit of childcare quality: to provide a solid evidence base on which to build quality.

Regular audits over time will measure the impact of investment on higher quality;o Learner Fund: further investment in the Learner Fund will help the childcare sector to

move towards the professionalised workforce that characterises high quality childcare systems;

o Síolta Quality Assurance: independent accreditation under the Síolta programme provides an objective quality mark. Funding in Budget 2016 will support further roll-out of the quality assurance programme, so that more children benefit from high quality care.

o Enhanced inspection: an expanded childcare inspection team to monitor compliance with new childcare regulations to be introduced shortly, and to build the education-focused inspections which the Department began funding this year.

Restored capitation payments to providers to pre-2012 levels of €64.50 per child per week.

Affordable Childcare Resources a dedicated Project Team to develop a single Affordable Childcare programme to

provide working families with good quality childcare at a cost they can afford. Work will begin immediately, so that it can be in place by 2017. This single programme will replace existing targeted measures,16 providing a new simplified subsidy programme, provided through both community/not-for-profit and private childcare providers.

Provision for an additional 8,000 childcare places on the Community Childcare Subvention programme, providing affordable childcare for low income families. For the first time, these Community Childcare Subvention places will be available through private as well as community/not-for-profit childcare providers. The €16 million in funding for these new places will be targeted at areas with identified need. On addition to the 8,000 places, a further 5,000

16 The scheme include: Community Childcare Subvention (CCS), the Training & Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes comprising After-School Childcare (ASCC), Childcare Education & Training Support (CETS) and Community Employment Childcare (CEC).


low cost childcare places will be brought on stream before the end of 2015; the 5,000 places are funded through savings in achieved in 2015.

A number of measures are included to support the development of more after-school childcare options. A €3 million capital fund will support childcare providers (both community/not-for-profit and private) who need minor funding to develop after-school services using existing school and other accessible community facilities. Work will also begin on the development of a Quality Framework for After-School provision, along with a consultation with children on their views about after-school childcare.

Youth WorkSuccessive austerity budgets saw youth services cut by 31% cut since 2008. So Budget 2016 – the first budget in many years that has invested in youth work – is warmly welcome. A report on the economic value of the sector indicated that for every €1 spent on youth services the state saves €2.20 euro in the long run. With further resources youth organisations could make an even greater contribution to addressing youth unemployment, social exclusion and poverty.

Provision of an additional €1.1 million in current funding for the youth sector in 2016 to support targeted programmes for disadvantaged young people, as well as assisting national youth organisations to better support local voluntary youth services.

Provision of an additional €2.25 million in capital funding will be made available to youth organisations and services to support smaller scale projects in local youth services, such as refurbishments, health and safety works, and accessibility improvements.


3.2 Social Protection

Under the Department of Social Protection (Vote 37) total welfare expenditure in 2016 will be increased by €250 million so the Department’s expenditure amounts to €19.638 billion. Budget 2016 provided:

Children and Families Increased the Child Benefit payment by €5, bringing the payment to €140 for each child per

month from January 2016. This increase will benefit some 623,000 families at a cost of an additional €72 million next year.

Provision of an additional €3 million for the School Meals Programme in 2016, increasing the funding to €42 million in 2016, benefiting 217,000 children. The School Meals Programme aims to provide regular and healthy food services for disadvantaged school children.

Introduction of a new Paternity Benefit, whereby fathers will, for the first time, have the option of applying for 2 weeks’ leave in respect of births from September 2016. This will be paid at €230 per week, based on the same PRSI contributions as required for Maternity Benefit.

Jobseekers and Families in Employment Provision of an additional €18 million to increase all Family Income Supplement (FIS) weekly

incomes thresholds by €5 for a family with one child and by €10 for a family with two children or more from January 2016. FIS is an in-work support for employees with families on low earnings. The measure will benefit nearly 60,000 families and over 131,000 children, including an additional 1,500 households and 3,365 children becoming eligible for FIS as a result of the increase in income thresholds.17

Increased the earnings disregard for Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment from €60 to €90 with effect from January 2016 for existing and new recipients. All earnings above €90 will be assessed at 50% (currently assessed at 60%). The measure will cost €8 million a year, and is expected to benefit 5,900 recipients in 2016. This will benefit lone parent families who transitioned from One Parent Family Payment.

Introduction of a new tapered PRSI Credit for Class A employees with weekly earning between €352.01 and €424, reducing the weekly PRSI bill for over 88,000 employees. Also extends the lower 8.5% Class A rate of employer PRSI to weekly earning up to €376 (up from €356) from January 2016, benefiting over 26,000 employers.

Increased the top up payment by €2.50 per week for participants on Community Employment (CE), Rural Social Scheme (RSS), Tús, Gateway, Job Initiative, and JobBridge, benefiting 43,000 people.

Supports for Vulnerable Groups Increased the Respite Care Grant by €325 to €1,700 next year, benefiting 86,000 carers. The

name of the grant will change to Carer’s Support Grant to reflect its usage, which is broader than respite only.

Extended the Carer’s Allowance for an additional 6 weeks subsequent to the death of the loved one for whom the carer has been caring, increasing the grace period from 6 weeks to 12 weeks.

Increased the Fuel Allowance by €2.50 a week, an increasing from €20.00 to €22.50 from January 2016 for long-term social welfare recipients.

Continued reinstatement of the Christmas Bonus to 75%, up from 25% in 2014. It will be paid to 1.23 million long term Social Welfare recipients in early December, at a cost of €197 million. (with a minimum payment of €20) to assist in the recognised additional costs faced during the Christmas period.

17 The level of FIS payment is based on 60% of the shortfall between net weekly family income and the applicable weekly family threshold. 11 Children’s Rights Alliance (2015) Analysis of Budget 2016 and its Impact on Children

3.3 Education and Skills

The Department of Education and Skills (Vote 26) was allocated an overall expenditure budget of €9.069 billion (8.162 billion for current expenditure, 545 million for capital expenditure and 362 million for the National Training Fund) for 2016. The Department secured an additional €144 million when compared to its 2015 allocation.

TeachersBudget 2016 made additional investments to provide for 2,260 additional teachers in primary and post-primary schools, consisting of:

300 teachers at primary level to reduce class sizes. These new posts will decrease average class sizes from 28:1 to 27:1, from next September 2016.

550 teachers, mainly at post-primary level, to enhance guidance counselling and enhance the leadership and managements roles of deputy principals. These new posts will improve the staff pupil ratio by 0.3 points, from 19:1 to 18.7:1.

810 mainstream teachers to address demographic demand 600 Resource Teachers to address demographic demand for 2016/2017.

The Estimate also provides additional funding to support ongoing policy initiatives including: €3 million increase for the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy, bringing its allocation up to

€17 million €8 million increase for Junior Cycle Reform, bringing its allocation up to €17 million €2.5 million investment in 2016 in Music Generation programme, a €1m increase €2.5 million increase in broadband provision at post-primary, bring its allocation up to €9 million €5 million available in capital funding in 2016 for book rental programmes, as part of a 3 year

€15 million investment to extend book rental schemes to cover all primary schools. €43 million to meet the gross costs of the Lansdowne Road Agreement in education €3 million is being made available to invest in the student assistance fund, and more generally

for supporting disadvantaged students. Detail on the exact allocation of this sum will follow in the Spring.

In addition, funding is provide for: €80 million is provide for a two year round of Summer Works Scheme and Minor Works Grants

between 2016 and 2017 (€40 million in 2016 and another €40 million in 2017). The Summer Works Scheme allows schools to carry out works that will improve and upgrade existing school buildings during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of schools.

Increased by €10.5 million the allocation for apprenticeships within the National Training Fund, the apprenticeship model is now being expanded into 25 new career sectors.


Special Educational NeedsFunding for special education provision in 2016 will amount to some €1.5 billion, which is equivalent to 17.6% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training.

School BuildingsThe capital allocation of €545 million will be principally deployed on the school sector (€433m), Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects (€43m) and on Higher Education projects (€21.5m). The focus in the school sector continues to be the provision of 20,000 school places to meet the demographic need at both primary and post-primary levels through the Large Scale Projects Programme 2016 – 2021 and the devolved Additional Accommodation Scheme.


3.4 Health

For 2016, the Department of Health will have funding of €13.175 billion for current expenditure and €414 million for capital expenditure. This represents an increase of € 880 million on the 2015 budget for current expenditure and €36 million for capital expenditure.

Details of new measures will be outlined in the HSE Service Plan for 2016, which is expected to follow in late 2015. To date, what is known to date is that Budget 2016 will provide:

Extension of free GP care to include all children under 12 years and including the asthma cycle of care, subject to agreement with the Irish Medical Organisation

Provision of additional funding to expand the availability of Speech & Language Therapy at primary care level. It will also support the reorganisation and expansion of Speech and Language and other therapies under the Progressing Disability Services Programme for Children and Young People, including the development of early intervention services to facilitate children with a disability in mainstream preschool settings.

Provision of further investment in mental health services. Funding for the National Maternity Strategy and more staff in maternity services. The National

Women and Infants Programme will be set up in 2016 to standardise and improve maternity care across all 19 maternity units and address front line staff pressures. Directors of Midwifery and Bereavement Teams will be appointed to maternity units as standard. The funding will also support the Maternal Neonatal Clinical Management System which will be implemented on a pilot basis in 2016.

Funding will be allocated to provide extra Community First Responder teams – which provide a rapid response to emergencies in more isolated areas – and increase the number of paramedics, especially in rural areas.


3.5 Justice and Equality

The Department of Justice and Equality received an additional €89 million in current expenditure. In total €2.264 billion in current expenditure and €130 million in capital expenditure is being provided in 2016 across the Justice group of votes.

Policing Additional funding of €67 million for An Garda Síochána in 2016, bringing its total budget to €1.5

billion. This will allow the recruitment of 600 new Gardaí in 2016. Allocation of €2.7 million for the establishment of an Independent Policing Authority. €1.3 million in increased funding to strengthen role of Charities Regulator, bringing its total

budget to €2.7 million.

Justice €109 million to the Courts Service in 2016. This includes an additional provision of over €1.75

million which allows for additional recruitment and further scope in relation to non-pay costs to support the delivery of an effective Courts system and reduce court delays. This funding will also allow work to progress on the development of seven new courthouses, the refurbishment works of existing courthouses and will further support the development of a single case management system for all Court jurisdictions.”

A 21% increase in funding for the Victims of Crime Office, which brings the total budget to almost €1.5 million in 2016. This will make provision for victim support services and will supplement the establishment of Garda Victim Liaison Offices throughout the country. This increased funding will assist community and voluntary organisations in meeting the additional demands for support services, such as the provision of information on the rights of victims and court accompaniment, arising from both the implementation of the provisions of the EU Victims' Directive and the Victims' Rights Bill under debate.

€1.3 million for additional staffing for Probation Service to help reduce reoffending. €1.6 million in increased resources for Legal Aid Board.

Other €1.2 million budget increase for Office of Data Protection Commissioner, bringing the Office’s

total budget to over €4.7 million. €2.75 million is being provided for a range of Equality measures, including a 33% increase in the

grant to the National Women’s Council, bringing their total funding to €400,000 in 2016. €25 million has been allocated for the necessary structures and supports for the new Irish

Refugee Protection Programme and the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner. An increase of 89% (total budget €4.445 million) is being made available in the funding for the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration to allow for additional staffing and integration measures to support the increased intake of programme refugees in 2016.

An increase from €1.9 million to €2.4 million in funding being provided to COSC to tackle domestic violence.


3.6 Environment, Community and Local Government

The Department’s Vote for 2016 is some €1.495 billion. This is made up of €539m in Capital funding and €956m in Current funding. This represents an increase of an increase of €167m or 12.5% on 2015 and an increase of 83% on 2014.

Housing Increased the Housing Spend by 18% from €686 million to €811 million to support a range of

housing programmes, and the continued delivery of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. Additional funding of €56 million will be provided for capital programmes and an increase of €69

million in current spending amounting to a total increase of €125 million. Some €112 million funding will be provided directly by Local Authorities to meet housing needs.

7,100 housing units to be delivered in 2016 through current and capital spending including the refurbishment of 1,600 vacant units. 3,100 Local Authority direct build, acquisition and refurbishments in 2016.

Funding of the Housing Assistance Payment is being increased by €24.5 million to €47.7million in 2016 in line with the expansion of the scheme which will assist an additional 10,000 families to secure suitable accommodation.

Increased funding of €20m will allow local authorities to bring approximately 3,000 new leased units into operation in 2016.

Total funding of over €180 million for the capital provision for local authority housing will deliver more than 1,000 new units through a programme of construction and acquisitions.

A further 1,500 vacant units will be refurbished and brought back to productive use. Allocation of €17 million (increase of €7m) will allow for the expansion of the Mortgage to Rent

scheme to allow people stay in their homes and assist in meeting the Government’s commitments and responses to the mortgage arrears position.

Rental Funding of €135 million under the Rental Accommodation Scheme will allow for 1,000 new RAS

transfers in 2015. Provision of €10m for a new Affordable Rental (Pilot) scheme

Disadvantaged Groups €4.3m million funding will provide for Traveller Accommodation and Support Services. A provision of €5.5 million in 2016 will support the progression of a range of Traveller specific

accommodation schemes. Additional funding of €17 million will ensure that the increased demands for homeless services

are addressed. The homelessness services spend increased by 32% to €70m. The 2016 provision of €85 million demonstrates the Government’s continued commitment to

target the country’s most disadvantaged communities. The provision of €76 million for CAS will ensure continued focus on meeting the housing needs

of vulnerable groups with some 450 units to be provided for people with specific needs in 2016.

Community and Rural €135m is being provided under this programme in 2016, which includes funding under the Social

Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) and LEADER programme. €40m is being provided in 2016 under the Leader programme. This programme will assist

projects that improve quality of life and promote growth and diversification of the rural economy.

Funding for libraries is being increased with €2.75m available in 2016, an 83% increase on 2015.


3.7 Additional Departments

Department of Finance (including Office of the Revenue Commissioner) Increased the statutory minimum wage to €9.15 per hour from January 2016. Reduction in the Universal Social Charge (USC) for all workers. From January 2016, gross

incomes below €13,000 will be exempt from USC, ensuring 700,000 earners will not be liable to USC. Reduction of 1% in the rate of USC paid on incomes from €0 to €12,012; reduction of 3% on incomes from €12,013 to €18,668; and a reduction of 5.5% on incomes from €18,669 to €70,044.

Increased the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes by 50 cent and a pro rata increase on all tobacco products. World Health Organisation research shows that price increase leads to a reduction in demand for cigarettes. Children are more sensitive to price increases. This increase will have a significant impact in preventing children from experimenting with cigarettes and encouraging children to quit smoking.

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Provided that the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme, which provides free energy efficiency

measures to low-income households, will deliver upgrades to 10,000 homes in 2015, bringing to 118,000 the total number of households that have benefitted. The allocation for the Better Energy Programme will total €47 million in 2015, and will assist in energy savings of over 460 gigawatt hours next year – a significant contribution towards our 2020 energy efficiency targets.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Provided €640 Million for Development Assistance in 2016, an increase of €40 million (a 7%

increase) in this budget on 2015. The Government’s decision to increase ODA represents the first significant increase in seven years and reflects the commitment made by the Taoiseach at the United Nations Summit in New York this September.

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport An additional €28 million or a 14% increase in Public Service Obligation (PSO) subvention this

year, which will be used to enhance and develop the current level of public transport services being delivered, including those operated under the Rural Transport Programme. This is the first time since 2008 that PSO funding has been increased and this allocation represents more than half of the reduction in PSO funding since 2011 (at €53 million).

2016 sees the overall sports programme allocation increase by 40% to €126 million €31m increase in capital funding for projects, including the completion of the National Indoor

Arena by November 2016 The current expenditure allocation for the newly established Sport Ireland for 2016 is €47

million. This is an increase of €3 million on the total current funding provided to the Irish Sports Council

and the National Sports Campus Development Authority this year. This increase will help support the implementation of the National Physical Activity Plan which will be published shortly.

Further funding of €4.5 million will be available for sports measures next year through Dormant Accounts Funding.

Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 12% increase in funding for the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht compared to

201.5 Over €48 million for the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme, including almost €31 million for

major capital works, and additional funding for an inclusive and wide ranging national and international commemorative programme, including State events, local community initiatives, a wide range of arts and cultural projects, and €3 million earmarked for Culture Ireland’s international programme for 2016 and the Abbey Theatre.


An additional €8 million for a cultural infrastructure programme to fund a new scheme of grants to existing regional arts and cultural centres and funding for the Cork Event Centre; An additional €2 million in funding for the Department’s heritage programme; Boost in funding for the National Cultural Institutions and the Arts Council.

Funding allocations for the Islands and for the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language have both been increased for 2016 and the development of a cultural centre at Teach an Phiarsaigh, Ros Muc, Co Galway as part of the Ireland 2016 programme will be completed.

The Children’s Rights Alliance is a coalition of over 100 organisations working to secure the rights of children in Ireland, by campaigning for the full implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We aim to improve the lives of all children under 18 years, through securing the necessary changes in Ireland’s laws, policies and services.

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