Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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105. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide a schedule of the number of staff by grade who are assigned on a full-time basis to liaise and provide support to the Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in order for that Department to fulfil its areas of responsibility in respect of providing for the needs of those seeking international protection and persons categorised by virtue of the temporary protection directive by the European Union; and if she will provide a schedule of the services that her Department provides to the Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in that regard. [50457/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with the Temporary Protection Directive implemented in March of this year, people fleeing the war in Ukraine have been granted status to avail of the supports and services, including income supports and employment services, provided by my Department. This means that they can work in Ireland and access social services and the full range of social welfare supports.

The priority for my Department is to make payments as quickly as possible and to put arrangements in place to pay the most appropriate social welfare to people arriving from Ukraine. A fast-track approach in processing these supports is in place which includes dedicated teams of staff, a simplified decision-making process and quick processing of PPSNs to allow access to public services.

A reception facility is operating at City West Convention Centre where officials from the Department of Justice, the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth are available to meet people arriving from Ukraine. This centre is open 7 days a week. People who arrive through Dublin Airport are being transferred to City West.

As of 10 October 2022, my Department has issued over 57,000 PPSNs to individuals under the Temporary Protection Directive. My Department has processed over 27,000 income support claims, with payments being made in respect of 28,000 adults and 14,000 children. In addition my Department has processed over 10,500 claims for Child Benefit. My Department’s means tested supplementary welfare service is also available under the Community Welfare Service in the Intreo Centres which includes Additional Needs Payments.

My Department also administers the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) on behalf of the Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY). The Accommodation Recognition Payment is a monthly payment available to a person if they are providing accommodation to a person or people who arrived in Ireland under the EU Temporary Protection Directive since March 2022. The ARP is paid per property not for each person hosted. It is payable at a rate of € 400 per month.

The number of people in my Department currently assigned to administer the ARP is 1 Higher Executive Officer, 2 Executive Officers and 7 temporary Clerical Officers. My Department does not have any staff assigned full time to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.