Vol. 799 No. 1
114. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of measures her Department was tasked with in the Action Plan for Jobs 2012; the number completed prior to the publication of the Action Plan for Jobs 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17296/13]
140. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of measures her Department has been tasked with in the Action Plan for Jobs 2013. [17359/13]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 140 together.
The Action Plan for Jobs 2013 contains actions relating to my Department in two specific areas: child care and youth work. With regard to the action relating to child care, including action 235 in the current 2013 plan, I can confirm that in budget 2013, I announced, together with the Minister for Social Protection, a new €14 million investment in an after-school child care programme. This programme will deliver 6,000 after-school places and will provide an important support to qualifying parents in low income families wishing to take up employment. This is a joint initiative between myself and the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton. A pilot will be launched shortly in seven areas with a view to a national roll-out in September 2013.
As regards actions to review structures and funding of youth work services to ensure they support the development of the skills needed by enterprises, my Department has worked with youth services on this objective, and finalisation of a children and young people's policy framework is ongoing and will inform a further review of youth programmes. There is growing recognition of the potential of youth work services to contribute to activation measures. I am very interested in exploring this area further because I believe the youth work services can do a great deal to enhance the employability of young people, especially young people who are very vulnerable and are not engaged in education, employment or training. The youth guarantee will be an important element in reaching out to those young people. Youth work services, while complementary to formal education, reach out to young people in other settings and may be in a position to provide a value-added element that is not, perhaps, available in other activation programmes through the outreach and support they give to young people. I recently met the National Youth Council of Ireland to discuss possible specific approaches to employment for young people.
Action 232 of Action Plan for Jobs 2013 relates specifically to Ireland's Presidency of the EU. As President of the EU Council of Youth Ministers, I have ensured a priority focus on the contribution of quality youth work to the development, well-being and social inclusion of young people and to maximise the potential for youth policy to address the goals of Europe 2020 with specific regard to youth unemployment. We held an Irish EU youth conference during March in which we had a dialogue and consultation with young people around Europe. Approximately 300 young people attended the conference but thousands were consulted throughout Europe before the conference to ask for their specific views on initiatives that would help young people prepare for employment and to be ready to take up employment, education or training. I will also host an expert group meeting in Dublin in June to discuss the issue of youth unemployment and social inclusion.
My Department is working actively to support delivery of the action plan for jobs. I am informed that, to date, there has been ongoing achievement of over 90% of the action plan commitments across Government.
We all agree it is critical that the issue of unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, is given the attention it deserves. The Minister said that 90% of the actions in the action plan have been implemented, but one of the Minister's actions must be in the 10% bracket. The Minister was to deliver on two actions in 2012, but she has only managed to deliver on one of them.
The Minister referred to affordable child care, which will come to fruition in seven areas around the country in September, and I welcome that.
The 2012 action plan states, in the context of new children and young people's strategy, that, "The Government will review the structures and funding of youth work and support services to ensure that they support the development of the skills needed by enterprise". What is the position regarding the children and young people's policy framework? Will it be completed in early 2013, as was previously stated? Will the Minister confirm what "early 2013" means? Is it the first or second quarter or will it be completed following the summer recess?
The overall policy areas we are examining in the context of implementing a national strategy for children and young people involve the early years group as well as the older age group. The early years group has met and worked hard on its report and much work has been done. We consulted thousands of children. I received a report following a consultation with 68,000 children in primary schools and there has been other consultation. A great deal of work, therefore, is being done. I expect to receive the early years strategy in July and work is ongoing on the other elements of policy for young people. I am not in a position to give the precise date I will have the overall plan but it will be this year. I am in a position to outline exactly when I will have the framework completed for each of the different age groups. Substantial work is going on regarding each of them and significant consultation has taken place with young people. We have been informed by young people around the country about what they would like to see in the strategy. People are suggesting more and more areas that need to be included in it and I want to ensure it is as comprehensive as possible.
Consultation is all very well but action is required. A serious number of young people are unemployed and that needs to be addressed. I quoted from the final progress report on the 2012 action plan for jobs and I am not making this up. During the past week, I visited a factory in Mullingar where 90 people are employed. The owners said they are finding it difficult to find people with the appropriate skills. They want to employ more people but they cannot find young people with the appropriate skills. The Minister needs to ensure this issue gets the priority it deserves and appropriate funding is put in place to ensure the development of the skills match required by enterprises that are seeking to create employment. Less consultation and more action in this regard is necessary.
I referred to consultation in the context of the development of the national plan and the Deputy will agree it is necessary to consult young people and hear their views about what needs to change. However, I agree with him about the need to focus on youth unemployment. Clearly, it is a critical area but matching skills is a challenge at European level as well with 2 million jobs available for which the skills match has not been met. It is a major issue at both European and national level.
With regard to the action plan for jobs, I was specifically asked to examine the role youth work can play. A sum of almost €53 million is allocated to youth work and young people are clearly concerned about their employment prospects. I have focused on examining the role youth work can play in supporting young people in their journey towards employment, education or training during the Presidency and I believe the youth work sector can do even more. There are many initiatives around the country through which youth work services are developing the skills mix to which the Deputy referred for young people and working with them to ensure that when jobs become available, they are able to avail of them. However, many young people who are most at risk of unemployment need the opportunity to build their confidence, develop skills and be supported in applying for jobs, all of which can be provided by the youth work sector.
I am examining this issue and working with the National Youth Council of Ireland which has suggested a range of further initiatives in this area. Work and consultations are ongoing.
115. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will update Dáil Éireann on her Department's engagements with Prospective Adoptive Parents of Ireland. [17246/13]
I met representatives of the group in question in December 2012 to discuss a number of issues it raised regarding inter-country adoption with Bulgaria. Issues of particular concern included the role of the agencies, Arc Adoption and the ANIDO Association, which have been accredited to facilitate adoptions from Bulgaria, and concerns regarding the expiration of declarations of eligibility and suitability to adopt from Bulgaria, which were issued under section 63 of the Adoption Act 2010. I informed the group that the Adoption Authority of Ireland, AAI, is examining a number of issues related to accredited agencies, including whether the levels of fees being charged by Irish agencies conform to international norms. While the AAI has indicated that the level of fees being charged by Arc Adoption is in line with international norms, it has asked the organisation to amend the fee payment schedule to produce a more balanced staged payments structure.
My Department is examining the role of accredited agencies under the Adoption Act 2010, including the issue of operating costs. I am anxious to ensure such agencies are underpinned by sustainable financial structures that operate within international norms for adoption. The sustainability of the agencies dealing with adoption is a serious matter. All fee structures should be set at an appropriate level and transparency should be provided to all the parties involved in the adoption process.
The wider picture in respect of adoption in this country is changing. The number of adoptions is increasing and our relationship with Russia and Ethiopia, countries from which many children who have been eligible for adoption have come, has changed completely.
The group also raised concerns regarding extensions of the validity of declarations of eligibility covered by section 63 of the Adoption Act which were due to expire on 31 October 2013. Following a series of meetings I and my officials held with representatives of the Adoption Authority of Ireland and Health Service Executive, we agreed a process whereby holders of valid section 63 declarations may apply to the HSE for an assessment review that will not include a full assessment process. As a result, the relevant applicants will not be required to undergo another full assessment to obtain a section 40 declaration of eligibility and suitability to adopt. The HSE has written to holders of such declarations advising them of the procedures to be followed when renewing their declarations. To date, 269 applicants with section 63 declarations have responded to the HSE confirming their intention to continue the adoption process. The review assessment will be much shorter than any assessments the applicants will have undergone previously.
The adoptive process is extremely challenging for prospective parents and creates a significant drain on their resources and strength. This area is worthy of much scrutiny and further support by the Department.
I commend the Minister and her Department on the significant progress made on inter-country adoptions. New bilateral agreements with Russia and Ethiopia are an especially welcome step. Unfortunately, time is not on the side of many prospective parents seeking to enter the adoption process. I welcome the Minister's announcement on section 63 declarations and section 40 assessments, as they were previously known, because these have been a cause of considerable concern.
I am pleased to note the Minister's satisfaction with the cost and effectiveness of the agencies involved in the adoption area, including several organisations that recently became involved in the process. Will the Health Service Executive speed up the adoption process? Will the reassessment be streamlined and take cognisance of all information that has been gathered previously at significant personal cost to prospective parents? As I noted, this is a trying time for the individuals in question as the process drains their strength.
I discussed this issue at meetings with representatives from the HSE and the Adoption Board and with officials within my Department. I realise that this is a matter of major concern to many potential adoptive parents, particularly as our signing of the Hague Convention - which was clearly the correct route to take - has led to a change in the position with regard to inter-country adoptions as far as Irish couples are concerned. This is because there are fewer countries from which it is currently possible to adopt children and that is a result of our not yet having bilateral arrangements with them. In correspondence with couples, the HSE has made it very clear that they will not be obliged to undergo full assessments again. Instead, a review will be carried out and this will be shorter. Of course, the couples to whom I refer will be obliged to produce the necessary documentation in order to satisfy the authorities on various issues. Whether it is in respect of vetting or whatever, certificates, etc., people will again be obliged to produce certificates, etc. However, the assessment process will be much shorter and it will take the form of a review.
I realise that the Minister will not have the relevant information in her possession now but would she be in a position to access the up-to-date statistics in respect of the number of Irish parents who are waiting to successfully complete the process of adoption? Will she outline the most recent statistics regarding domestic adoptions and those made from the variety of international jurisdictions with which Ireland currently has the necessary working arrangement? The information to which I refer would be very useful. Will the Minister undertake to circulate it at the earliest opportunity to Opposition spokespersons?
I will circulate the information in question. It is worth making the point that this is a public information and education issue. There are large numbers of parents in Ireland who would like to adopt. It is possible that next year up to 1,000 couples may wish to adopt. The reality is that the number of children available for inter-country adoption is far lower than was the case in recent years. In the past, very high numbers of children from Russia and Ethiopia, in particular, were adopted into Ireland. The position in respect of India, Russia and Vietnam is changing, particularly as they are encouraging their own citizens to adopt children. This has led to a huge change in the context of the number of children from these countries who are available for adoption. The situation internationally has changed dramatically. In the case of some countries in which children who are in institutions might be available for adoption - Haiti could be one example in this regard - the relevant international agreements are not in place to allow such adoptions.
The position is extremely complex and that is why I have been trying to ensure that, if at all possible, we have bilateral agreements in place with countries such as Russia. We have signed an agreement with Vietnam and people will be able to adopt from that country towards the end of this month. We have met the Indian authorities in the interests of ensuring that couples which want to adopt from India will be able to do so.
The other striking aspect of this matter is that many of the children who are available for adoption have special needs. Prospective Irish adoptive parents must be aware of that fact. The situation is continually changing and we are working very hard to ensure we have in place the appropriate links with countries where there are children who can be adopted.
Will the Minister circulate the relevant information?
116. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has had any discussions with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on exempting from commercial rates community child care services which operate on a not-for-profit basis. [17302/13]
The issue of local authority commercial rates comes within the remit of the Department of Finance, which has responsibility for fiscal policy, and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, which has responsibility for the local authorities. The Valuation Office, which comes under the remit of the Department of Finance, is responsible for the implementation and interpretation of the Valuation Act 2001, under which commercial rates are levied by local authorities. The Valuation Office prepares valuation lists of commercial properties, as required by the Act, and local authorities are obliged to collect rates on properties which are listed.
Following concerns expressed by child care providers throughout the country, I raised the issue of commercial rates on preschool services with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, who confirmed that, in line with the existing legislative framework, local authorities had no discretion in the collection of commercial rates on properties that are on the valuation list.
I understand that, on the specific issue of commercial rates on community child care services, each service is considered on a case-by-case basis on the grounds of charitable status as provided for under the Act, with the specific details of each case determining whether exemption is available. There is provision for an appeals process on this decision under the Valuation Act through which services can appeal to the Valuation Office.
Officials from my Department have met officials from the Department of Finance and the Valuation Office for a briefing on the Valuation Bill and to discuss the issues. We gave all of the information on the child care sector and the demands on same in this regard. However, it is a matter for the Minister for Finance to make changes to the Bill, including a provision on exemptions. Clearly, he must take financial considerations into account. I have also arranged for some of the providers to meet the Departments involved to discuss these issues.
I thank the Minister. This matter relates to the cost of child care, which we discussed in our discussion on today's first Priority Question. This is a State cost on child care. In reply to a written parliamentary question, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, stated: "With regard to the application of rates to childcare facilities, local authorities levy rates on commercial establishments. Where child care provision is within a community facility, operating in a non-profit capacity, commercial rates do not generally apply." This approach is not consistent throughout the country. In my constituency, the local authority does not charge community child care facilities, but I have been contacted by a number of facilities the length and breadth of the country that are being charged commercial rates.
Will the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, at least undertake to discuss this matter further with the relevant Ministers? This cost places an additional burden on child care provision, yet is under the State's remit. The approach should be consistent throughout the country. Community child care facilities, which are not-for-profit organisations, should not have State charges applied to them.
As I said in reply to the Deputy's earlier question on the development of a child care infrastructure, we are not going to correct the issue overnight. However, we intend to work on ensuring that we have a more comprehensive child care system.
Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes. The Act maintains that commercial facilities, including all private for-profit child care facilities, are liable for rates. As the Deputy highlighted, services participating in the early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme are exempt if their expenses are defrayed mainly by the Exchequer. Any top-up fee or the use of the facility outside the sessional period will remove the rates exemption.
We have discussed this matter with the responsible Department and highlighted the need for consistency. Where community services are exempt, this approach should be applied across the country. I will pursue the matter further.
