Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the committee for making time available today to consider the Supplementary Estimate for the Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Vote. The Supplementary Estimate is required in respect of a number of subheads across the Vote. Additional funding is required principally to meet the cost pressures occurring due to the extraordinary demands placed on my Department in the discharge of its role in the humanitarian response to the Ukraine crisis and in relation to its response to the exponential growth in the numbers of international protection applicants arriving in the State over the course of 2022.

The primary driver for an additional provision is the cost of accommodation for new arrivals from Ukraine. Almost 53,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection have arrived in Ireland since March, of whom 41,500 have sought accommodation. The expected full year cost in 2022 for Ukraine accommodation and related costs is €593.2 million. I remind the committee that there was no provision for Ukraine spending in the 2022 Vote for my Department as, of course, the entire crisis was unforeseen. The committee is also aware that the costs associated with the Ukraine crisis, the largest element of this Supplementary Estimate, are unprecedented. The Government has committed to continue to provide safe shelter for those fleeing the war in Ukraine. As a result these costs have to be borne by the State and, in particular, by the Department's Vote.

Other areas of the Vote are also experiencing significant pressure. The International Protection Accommodation Service, IPAS, provides accommodation and associated services to international protection applicants. This is a demand-led process and the additional funding required in 2022 is due to the cost of accommodation for the increased number of new international protection arrivals. The IPAS budget for 2022 was based on 7,244 applicants accommodated at the start of the year and an expected additional 4,500 to arrive in 2022. In fact, however, more than 10,000 people have arrived in Ireland to 25 September, more than double the numbers anticipated for the full year. As a result, the additional provision being sought for international protection is €102.9 million. These two areas respectively account for €696 million of the total Supplementary Estimate.

There are much smaller requirements for the delivery of services across a number of other areas in the Vote, including Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and early learning and childcare as well as other smaller areas of the Department’s Vote. Tusla is expected to have an overspend of €16.2 million due to cost pressures arising on non-pay elements of its expenditure, mainly relating to the provision of residential care and costs associated with the extension of the Building Momentum agreement.

Early learning and childcare is experiencing a higher than expected uptake of both the early childhood care and education scheme and the access and inclusion model, AIM, programmes. Applications for the national childcare scheme, a relatively new scheme, have also increased beyond expectations. These factors combined result in an overspend of €27.2 million across the early years subheads.

Smaller amounts are required for other elements of the Department's Vote. The Adoption Authority of Ireland requires an additional €600,000 driven by expenditure arising in preparation for the enactment and implementation of the Birth Information and Tracing Act. The Office of Ombudsman for Children is experiencing increased pay costs and requires an additional €200,000. The Magdalen fund has a shortfall of €300,000 arising from increased claims. The Irish Youth Justice Service requires an additional €400,000 and the National Disability Authority requires an additional €100,000 to meet costs associated with the extension of Building Momentum agreement.

Savings of €35.2 million across other areas of my Department's Vote have been found to help meet the overruns. As a result, the Supplementary Estimate required for my Department is €719.4 million. I recommend the Supplementary Estimate for the Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Vote to the committee and I am happy to address any questions members may have. As they can see I have brought pretty much the entire Department with me just in case.