I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills.
Adjournment Matters
School Accommodation
I also welcome the Minister of State.
Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré opened in 1996 in order to meet the demand in Sligo for primary education taught through the medium of Irish. Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré is the only all-Irish school in the Sligo catchment area. The first class had an enrolment of 22 children enrolled and now 192 children attend. The school has been located in temporary accommodation since its inception and has been located at St. Mary's GAA club since 1999. There are 13 primary schools in the County Sligo catchment area, including Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré.
In 2013 the school authorities sought permission from the Department to introduce a second stream, to expand from one to two junior infants classes in September 2014. The Department will not allow the school to take in the second class, a decision that means the school is limited, according to its admissions policy, to accepting one class of 30 pupils this year. As almost all of the 30 children are siblings of children already in the school, the Gaelscoil will be forced to turn away 29 children of parents who are seeking education through the medium of Irish as the preferred option for their children.
I thank the Senator for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the current position on Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré, Ballydoogan, Sligo. The over-riding objective of education capital expenditure is to meet the demographic challenge facing the education system, whereby total pupil enrolment in both primary and post-primary schools is expected to grow by around 107,000 additional pupils between 2012 and 2019, over 70,000 at primary level and over 35,000 at post-primary level. The rise will continue until 2026 at least, which is good news for Ireland. To ensure every child has access to a physical school place, it is vital that there be sufficient school accommodation available to cater for these pupil enrolments. The five year construction plan prioritises major school projects in areas in which future significant demographic changes have been identified. A priority for the Department is to ensure schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places in the area. The Department is not in a position to develop one school where this may negatively impact on other schools in the area.
There are 13 primary schools in the Sligo catchment area, including Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré, which has not been identified as an area of demographic growth. Total pupil enrolments in the catchment area have been relatively stable, with a decrease in overall enrolments of 167 pupils in the school year period 2004 to 2013. This relatively stable enrolment position is projected to continue until 2019, although it is anticipated that overall pupil enrolment numbers will decline thereafter. There is sufficient school accommodation capacity available within existing schools to cater for the demand for school places.
In the case of Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré, enrolments have also been relatively stable. While pupil enrolments increased from 140 pupils in 2003-04 to 181 pupils in 2008-09, in the five year period since 2009 enrolments have increased by 11 pupils, bringing the overall number to 192 pupils. In this regard, the Senator will appreciate that as overall pupil enrolments in the area are relatively stable, the provision of an additional eight classrooms catering for up to 224 pupils in the case of Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré has the potential to have a significant negative impact on other schools in the same catchment area.
To enable the Department to assess further the pupil enrolments trend in the Sligo catchment area, including information on school pre-enrolments for the 2014-15 academic year, it has commenced a further review, as part of which it will be contacting the patron and school authorities of all 13 primary schools in the area. Once the pupil enrolment data have been collected, collated and considered, the Department will communicate further with the patron and school authorities of Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré.
I again thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to clarify the current position on Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré, Ballydoogan, Sligo.
I am happy to hear the Minister of State say the Department will continue to review the position, which is good news. We attended a meeting of the parents and management of the school on Thursday. The parents believe they have a right to send their children to an all-Irish school. In that context, we will wait to hear the outcome of the review.
Summer Works Scheme Applications
I thank the Minister of State for facilitating this Adjournment debate.
I had received representations from the school in question in County Louth before the second round of summer works scheme funding was announced. While I welcome the announcement of the funding, particularly for schools in County Louth that have received it, I am disappointed that schools as far down as category 10 that did not receive any. I am particularly disappointed for the school in question which did not receive funding to repair the playground surface and facilities. It is appropriate and timely to discuss the issue as we promote Active School Week. Appropriate and safe playground facilities are vitally important in promoting overall wellness and healthy living. Children need to be able to play and run around during the school day. We encourage this and are trying to reduce childhood obesity by encouraging exercise.
I have seen the state of the play area. There are three playgrounds in the school which sought funding for one of them. When I visited the school in the company of the principal, within three minutes of standing outside a child had fallen badly. The school was built in 1956 and the playground still has the original surface. I understand the economic difficulties and that the most important health and safety concerns must be addressed first in this round of funding. I also understand the perspective of school principals as it takes considerable time and expense to put together the lengthy applications for funding. I appreciate how frustrating it can be to find out later that there was not enough money to cover a particular category and that applications were not being considered. The school applied for emergency works funding in the past but to no avail and the state of the playground continues to deteriorate. All parties involved have acknowledged it must be improved. From speaking to the principal, I know that the Department's engineers have been to the school and agree that it needs to be repaired immediately or replaced. I ask the Minister of State to examine this, particularly during Active School Week. The school was not fortunate in the second round, but perhaps the Minister of State might suggest other funds for which the school might apply.
I thank the Senator for raising this issue as it provides me with an opportunity to clarify the current position on Scoil Mhuire na Trócaire's application for funding under the summer works scheme 2014 to undertake works to its outdoor facilities and playground area. Last March the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, announced that 386 schools would receive funding to the tune of almost €36 million to undertake gas, electrical and mechanical works under the scheme. In a further announcement on Friday, 2 May, he announced a second round of approvals under the scheme. Almost €35 million is being provided by the Department in the second round of funding for a further 386 schools which aims to upgrade toilets and roofs in primary and secondary schools nationwide.
The Department has approved the spending of more than €70 million in total under the summer works scheme to allow 772 schools to undertake vital improvement works during the summer months when pupils are on holidays in order to minimise any disruption to schooling. These improvement works represent applications submitted in categories 1 to 6 in order of priority. Commensurate with the level of funding set aside for the scheme, applications were assessed on a top-down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the circular accompanying the scheme. Unfortunately, owing to the scale of demand for funding under the scheme, it was not possible to grant-aid all applications, including the application from Scoil Mhuire na Trócaire. However, in accordance with the scheme's circular, the school's application will be retained and prioritised for consideration in further rounds of the scheme in the future, subject to the availability of funding.
Despite the difficult economic environment, we are continuing to prioritise investment in school buildings which will enhance the learning and working environment for pupils and teachers. The school has received significant funding of €661,890 in the past eight years under previous summer works schemes and contingency grant schemes for various refurbishment projects, including toilet, mechanical and electrical upgrades, as well as for floor covering replacement.
I also advise the Senator that the school received a minor works grant of more than €9,800 in November 2013. It is open to the school to prioritise the works it wishes to undertake within the scope of the scheme. Works to the school's outdoor area would fall to be considered under the terms of the minor works grant scheme.
I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the current position on the application for upgrade of the play area at Scoil Mhuire na Trócaire, Ardee.
I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I am grateful that the application will be retained and prioritised for consideration under further rounds of the summer works scheme. It is important at times such as this when schools are vying for pupils and, perhaps, competing with brand new schools in similar areas that older schools are maintained to the highest possible level.
Child Care Services Funding
Before calling Senator Averil Power, I welcome Deputy Charles Flanagan on his maiden visit to the Seanad. I congratulate him on his recent appointment as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and wish him a long and successful ministerial career.
I echo the sentiments expressed by the Acting Chairmen and welcome the Minister. I have worked with him on other issues and know his capabilities. He is an excellent appointment to the post and I look forward to working with him on children's issues in the coming years.
There is probably much correspondence already on the Minister's desk on child care issues from all over the country on local and national issues but the matter I wish to raise is one of particular urgency and particular seriousness, namely, that the largest child care centre in the country, Jigsaw Darndale, is facing immediate closure due to lack of funding.
Jigsaw Darndale, formally known as the Darndale Belcamp Integrated Child Care Centre, provides an excellent service to 250 children and their parents. If the Minister is familiar with Darndale, Belcamp and the broader areas, he will be aware this area suffers from significant levels of socio-economic disadvantage. It is the type of place where children desperately need to get the best possible start and need to have access to State-funded child care services in order that they get the same level of child care and opportunities as children in other areas and are not falling behind before starting school. Of the 250 children served by Jigsaw Darndale, 40 are referred by the social services from families at risk. A letter from a member of staff mentioned the type of backgrounds from which the children come and expressed the view that for many of them, the centre is their only safe space as staff look out for them and check that everything is okay for them and ensure they have three hot meals per day. These are children who desperately need that level of care and attention. Obviously, not every child who uses the centre has those needs but all of them need access to a child care service. It is also essential for their parents in order that they can avail of training, education and employment opportunities to improve their life chances and those of their children. I cannot speak highly enough of the service with which I am familiar.
We should bear in mind that Departments have endorsed the service. It has been awarded the Síolta framework in 2013, ahead of many private services which charge high fees but have not reached that quality mark. Everybody recognises the service is doing a good job and is of the highest quality and should be retained yet, as we speak, it is facing the risk of closure this week. It has flagged various issues with the Department in recent years. It has had a succession of funding cuts in the past five years. It flagged to the Department in recent months that it had serious and immediate issues and was given short-term funding while discussions took place. So far nothing has come out of those discussions and it is still faced with a €200,000 gap in funding. It costs €2 million to run the service and it has only €180,000. It has already reduced staff wages to deal with the cuts of recent years. It has done massive fundraising, it charges the parents fees ranging from €25 to €200, depending on the family income.
The centre has gone out of its way to raise the money in order not to have to go back to the Department but it has no choice. There is nothing else it can cut. I sat down with the manager of the service yesterday who told me they have looked at everything from pens to toilet rolls and there is nothing else they can cut. At this stage it is looking at a situation where it will have to let its staff go immediately. Unless it gets a guarantee from the Government it will not be able to pay wages in a few weeks.
I have tabled this Adjournment debate to bring the matter to the Minister's attention and ask him to prioritise it among the various issues that have been put in front of him to ensure a solution to the issue. It may be that it will take a few weeks to figure out the best course in terms of finding a sustainable arrangement. While that is being worked out, I stress the need for an immediate cash injection to deal with the cashflow problems in order that the service does not go to the wall while arrangements are being made. I ask the Minister to prioritise the issue and look forward to his response.
I thank the Acting Chairman and Senator Averil Power for their kind words.
I welcome the opportunity to respond to the issue raised by the Senator. Firstly, I acknowledge the importance of the services delivered by Damdale Belcamp Integrated Childcare Service Limited to some 260 children across the areas of Darndale, Belcamp and Moatview. The centre was established in January 2001 and has evolved into the largest crèche nationally.
In 2013 the Darndale Belcamp Integrated Childcare Service incurred expenditure of €2.022 million and received funding amounting to €1.96 million. This resulted in a deficit of €62,000. I am aware that the centre has been experiencing cash flow difficulties recently and that this has given rise to concerns regarding its future operation. In order to assist the centre, the Child and Family Agency recently prepaid funding due in May and June and I want to acknowledge the support of the agency in this regard. I would expect that the agency will be open to providing some further pre-payments to the centre if this is of assistance in seeking to resolve underlying issues.
The Child and Family Agency is one of a number of State agencies which provides funding to support the provision of services at the centre. The level of support provided is very significant and is being provided at a time when all service providers are faced with particular challenges arising from the need to restore order to the public finances. The Child and Family Agency provided funding of almost €360,000 last year.
My Department is responsible for funding three child care schemes including the community child care subvention programme, the child care education and training support programme, both of which are administered by Pobal, and the early childhood care and education programme which is administered directly by my Department. Funding to the centre under these schemes amounted to over €550,000 in 2013. This represents total funding in excess of €900,000 from my Department's Vote. Funding is paid to the service in respect of actual attendance of children under the various programmes and funding is paid according to national capitation rates paid to all preschool services. The Department does not provide a grant to the service directly for salaries or administration in any way.
I have asked my officials to meet urgently - I acknowledge the use of the word "urgently" by the Senator - with the Child and Family Agency and with Pobal, which administers a number of child care schemes on behalf of my Department, to explore all possible solutions to the current difficulties. My predecessor recently advised the centre that, in her view, the overall provision of early years services in the area might usefully be considered in seeking solutions to the current difficulties.
I agree with this view because we need to ensure that all available resources to support these key services are maximised. All services in receipt of State funding have had to generate efficiency savings. While I appreciate the challenges involved, it is important that all such avenues are fully explored.
I remarked that the centre incurred a deficit of €62,000. This would have been far more substantial but for successful fund-raising by and on behalf of the centre. I understand that fund-raising projections for this year are not as strong and there is a risk of a projected deficit of up to €200,000. I acknowledge the need to avoid such a deficit, but the centre's income projections show that income of €1.8 million continues to be available. With such a level of financial support available, it should be possible to work constructively to continue services and to avoid the closure scenario outlined by Senator Power. The funders will be available to support this process.
I am acutely aware that access to affordable high-quality child care can be a significant barrier preventing many low-income and disadvantaged families from availing of work opportunities. I acknowledge what Senator Power has said about the high level of disadvantage in the immediate area.
Significant investment totalling more than €260 million is being provided this year by my Department to support child care programmes. These include the free preschool year, from which approximately 68,000 children benefit on an annual basis. The Government is attaching significant priority to children and family services, including the provision of early years services. This is being done against the backdrop of significant and necessary constraints in overall public expenditure.
I hope the current difficulties at the Darndale Belcamp centre can be satisfactorily resolved. There is a requirement for all of the parties mentioned to work to resolve the current difficulties in a constructive and proportionate manner. As a first step, I have arranged for a meeting tomorrow of funding agencies, following which I expect there to be an early meeting with the centre to constructively explore all options for achieving a sustainable approach to the centre's operations. I call on all parties to work with this process and, as suggested by my predecessor, to use whatever space can be provided to identify constructive solutions which will continue to deliver a service to young children and their parents in the area.
I welcome the Minister's indication that there will be a meeting of the funders tomorrow. The issue is urgent, and it is significant that a meeting is taking place tomorrow. I welcome the Minister's commitment to the effect that after the meeting an early meeting will be held with the Jigsaw Childcare Service. I emphasise to the Minister the urgency of the provision of short-term funding for the centre. Those responsible in the centre should be given an indication that there will be breathing space of one month or whatever while the talks are taking place. The representatives of the centre have explained to me that as a company under law - the Minister is familiar with company law - once those responsible are aware that the centre is incurring debts, such as staff costs and other costs, that it will be unable to pay, there is a risk that they will be found to be trading recklessly.
The directors of the centre have been advised that unless they are given a clear indication that they will have short-term funding to pay wages in one, two or three weeks' time they will have to give people statutory notice and the various entitlements that employees have under law. That is why I emphasise the need for an indication as soon as the meetings take place with the funders. I appreciate that it could take some weeks to reach a longer-term agreement about how the service will be funded in future. There is a need for those responsible in the centre to be informed straight away that at the least they can keep the doors open for the coming month and that there is some breathing space while all of this is worked out.
The Minister referred to the fact that the former Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, had advised that perhaps there could be some solution in examining the overall position of early years services in the area. However, the representatives from the Jigsaw centre have informed me that it is the only service for those under three in the area. There are other services that cater for children of immediate preschool age, but this is an area with significant socioeconomic disadvantage and, therefore, the earlier children from those homes can get access to high-quality childhood education and care, the better. That should be considered as well.
I appreciate the Minister's attendance this evening. I realise it has been one of his first duties in the post. Furthermore, I appreciate that the Minister has called the groups together in order that we can get all the different agencies around the table and work out a solution. It would be a disgrace if a service such as this were allowed to close. I assure the Minister that those involved in the centre are prepared to do everything they can to work with the funders and provide a solution.
I accept the urgency of the issue. Again, I thank the Senator for bringing the matter to my attention in the Seanad this evening. She referred specifically to the matter of direct funding. The company has been in discussion with the Child and Family Agency, which is one of several State agencies that provides funding to the centre. The agency has already provided a level of short-term relief by way of a prepayment of cash for June. It has not been possible for the agency to provide direct funding. I have no wish to pre-empt what might happen at the meetings. There is a meeting tomorrow. I hope a resolution can be found by having all the stakeholders and parties involved. I undertake to liaise with the Senator in the hope we can find a satisfactory solution to this urgent and important issue.
Orthodontic Service Waiting Lists
Like others, I was pleased to see Deputy Charles Flanagan become a senior Minister. It is long overdue and well deserved. This may be his maiden visit to Seanad Éireann, since he has not served here but has always been in the other House. He is very welcome.
I am tabling this Adjournment matter this evening because I visited a house where I met a 15 year old girl who has been waiting five years to have orthodontic treatment. This is having a detrimental effect in her formative years. We all know that early second level education is remarkably important and that, where possible, students should have all their faculties operating to their best capacity. That has not happened in this case.
We are in a modern society and a delay of more than five years is altogether unacceptable. I have noted the responses we have received from the HSE to the effect that it will be dealt with within three to six months. I strongly believe this young lady in north Clare should be accommodated if there are extended hours or if a cancellation arises. We have no wish to see some other poor unfortunate losing out because of the fact that I have the facility of raising the matter in Seanad Éireann, but I believe the HSE has a responsibility and a duty of care to this young lady to ensure that she gets the treatment she requires as a matter of urgency. I would like to think this could be resolved in a matter of weeks rather than months.
I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, Deputy Alex White, Minister of State with responsibility for primary care. I thank the Senator for raising the issue.
Orthodontic referrals are received via the HSE's dental service school screening programme. Referrals are assessed for eligibility and patients with the greatest clinical need are treated within the public health system.
There have been particular difficulties in the mid-west area concerning waiting times for assessment in recent years. However, progress has been made in finding a resolution to the issue. At the end of 2010 there were 1,890 patients awaiting assessment in the mid-west area. In 2010 and 2011 a local initiative succeeded in reducing waiting times and numbers on the assessment waiting list. The most recent figures for the first quarter of 2014 show that there are 421 awaiting assessment and that 87% of these patients are seen within one year.
The individual to which the Senator has adverted was assessed by the orthodontic specialist on 12 April 2012, deemed to be eligible for orthodontic treatment and placed on the treatment waiting list.
It is expected that she will be called to begin treatment within the next six months. I acknowledge what the Senator said about her condition and that the six-month wait may cause further anxiety, pain and suffering. I note, too, the Senator's point regarding a cancellation or appointment in lieu. We will contact the HSE with particular reference to such an arrangement.
Orthodontic services are provided mainly by orthodontic consultants, orthodontic specialists and support staff, including dental nurses and hygienists. The recruitment moratorium and the number of staff on long-term leave have had an impact on waiting lists in some areas. The HSE is considering a number of options to tackle waiting lists where they are problematic. These include skills mixes and the procurement of services. Pilot schemes involving the use of orthodontic therapists are being introduced. Such a scheme is already under way in the HSE's Dublin north east area and it is hoped to extend it to the mid-west area, including County Clare, within the next 18 months. These changes will have a positive impact on waiting times for patients such as the individual referred to by the Senator.
An independent national review of orthodontic services, commissioned by the HSE, has recently been completed. The key issue highlighted by the review is that the orthodontic service should be fully integrated within the primary care service. This is under consideration by the HSE to be implemented as part of its transformation programme. In addition, a new overall oral health policy is being developed. This new policy will aim to set out how services can best be integrated with general health services and aligned with the current and future needs of the population. The project will have three key parts. First, a needs assessment will inform how new services should be provided. The second part will be a review of resources. Finally, there will be consultation with stakeholders, including the public, on new ways of delivering oral health services in County Clare, the mid-west and beyond.
I thank the Senator for bringing this matter to my attention. I hope a resolution can be found to the individual's difficulties.
I thank the Minister for his reply. I acknowledge that a great deal of progress has been made nationally. Unfortunately, however, there seems to be a significant number of hiccups in the health services in the mid-west. This is a very sensitive issue for the young woman to whom I referred, as it would be for any young person. I ask the Minister to request the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Alex White, to ensure an official from the HSE contacts this young woman to assure her she is at the top of the cancellation list and that the necessary arrangements will be made whereby she will be informed by telephone of any cancellation and can respond at short notice.
I will be pleased to convey the Senator's views to the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White. I am sure he will be in direct contact with the Senator in due course.
The Seanad adjourned at 7.05 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 14 May 2014.