Written Answers Nos. 588-611
588. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a disadvantaged area payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52893/12]
View answerThe derogation application of the person named has now been considered and accepted and the person concerned is being notified, in writing, of this positive outcome. Payment will, therefore, follow shortly.
589. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1405 of 18 September 2012, when a decision on single farm payments will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52898/12]
View answerA 2011 Single Farm Payment Application was received from the person named on 09 May 2011. This case was selected for inspection following which penalties were applied to the payment made. That decision was subject to an internal appeals procedure and the penalty was upheld.
The applicant has exercised the right of appeal to the Agricultural Appeals Office and that Office will now communicate directly with the applicant in relation to this matter.
590. Deputy Tom Hayes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the disadvantaged area scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52918/12]
View answerThe payment which issued to the person named on 26 September was calculated on the basis that the applicant’s main holding/residence, as known to my Department at that time, was not located in a Disadvantaged Area. However, following further contact with the applicant and a review of the maps of the holding concerned, the ‘farm hub’ has now been confirmed as being located in a Disadvantaged Area. Accordingly, a balancing payment will issue shortly.
591. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applicants and value of payments made under the disadvantaged area scheme on a county basis; the corresponding figures for the same period in 2011; the number of outstanding applications in each; the number of these which are awaiting approval pending reaching the stocking rate rules in 2012; the number who applied for a derogation on a county basis and the numbers accepted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53029/12]
View answerThe information requested is being complied at present and will be forwarded to the Deputy directly.
592. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of interested parties to date in purchasing Coillte; his views on the possible conclusion of a sale or if he now feels Coillte should be kept in State ownership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53081/12]
View answerFurther to the Government decision that a concession for the harvesting rights to Coillte’s forests be put forward for sale, Coillte Board and management have been actively engaged in recent months with NewERA, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and my Department to examine the financial and other implications of developing the potential of Coillte’s forest assets.
The identification of the forestry assets involved, the determination of their value and the consideration of a number of issues associated with the proposed harvesting rights concession are at an advanced stage. It is not appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of that analysis which will be considered by the Government upon its conclusion.
593. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the number of new State agencies, forums and task forces that have been established in 2012; the number of new employees there are as a result of this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53693/12]
View answerMy Department has not established any State agencies, forums or task forces since the start of 2012.
594. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the 10 posts of social care leader as advertised and interviewed for in 2011 have been filled; where the 10 posts have been filled; if they have not all been filled, if she will explain the reason; when same will be filled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52176/12]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy has been requested from the HSE and I will forward this to the Deputy upon receipt.
595. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount experts such as Geoffrey Shannon, Norah Gibbons and Helen Buckley have been paid in the last decade for their services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52838/12]
View answerMr Geoffrey Shannon has received the following;
- €74,133.58 for his work over two years in producing the Report on the Independent Child Death Review.
- €44,405.30 for his work over two years in producing reports in his capacity as Special Rapporteur on Child Protection.
- €8,237.19 for his work over two years on adoption policy.
No payments were made directly by my Department to Ms Norah Gibbons. With respect to her membership of the Independent Child Death Review Group the Department entered into an arrangement with her employer.
Ms Helen Buckley was not in receipt of an individual payments by this Department in the last two years.
596. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason only 92.6 per cent of children in care had an allocated social worker at the end of September; if she expects the Health Service Executive target of 100 per cent for 2012 to be met; the action being taken to ensure that it is; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52368/12]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy has been requested from the HSE and I will forward this to the Deputy upon receipt.
597. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason 90.4 per cent of children in care currently have a written care plan, as defined by Child Care Regulations 1995; if she expects the Health Service Executive target of 100 per cent for 2012 to be met; the action being taken to ensure that it is; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52369/12]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy has been requested from the HSE and I will forward this to the Deputy upon receipt.
598. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason there were 80 fewer social workers at the end of September 2012 in comparison to the end of 2011; the prospects there are for meeting the end 2012 target; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52370/12]
View answerFigures supplied by the HSE indicate that the number of whole-time- equivalent (WTE) social workers employed in the Children and Families Service area of the HSE was 1,300 at the end of July 2012, compared to 1220 at the end of December 2011. The July 2012 figure has since been adjusted upwards arising from work which is ongoing on the disaggregation of the Children and Families resource base from the HSE in preparation for the establishment of the new Agency. The increase has arisen as a consequence of some remapping and classification of social work posts into distinct care groups. It is anticipated that the number of social workers assigned to the Child and Family Support Agency will be subject to some further change as the remapping process is refined between now and the establishment of the Agency.
The HSE has made considerable progress over recent years in recruiting additional social workers, with 260 social workers recruited under the Ryan Implementation Plan at end 2011 as had been committed to. A further 10 social worker posts which were to be recruited after 2011 are currently at various stages of recruitment, with the first four already in position. The National Director of Children and Family Services, Gordon Jeyes, will continue to apply his discretion to the filling of social work vacancies, taking account of identified need and subject to services being delivered within available resources.
599. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason there is a disparity between Health Service Executive Regions regarding the percentage of referrals of child abuse where a preliminary enquiry took place within 24 hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52371/12]
View answerThe disparity referred to by the Deputy is, I am informed by the HSE, in the main, attributable to the use of different systems of child abuse management across HSE regions. This is a legacy issue from the time of the former Health Boards and is being addressed in the context of the Child and Family Services Reform Programme. This programme is seeing the development of a single national service delivery model.
Further, HSE Children and Families Services are streamlining a national standarised Child protection Notification System and national standardised business process to seek to ensure that data and systems are unified across all regions.
600. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason no additional posts under Children and Families 2010 - the Ryan Report - were filled in September 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52372/12]
View answerFigures supplied by the HSE indicate that the number of whole-time- equivalent (WTE) social workers employed in the Children and Families Service area of the HSE was 1,300 at the end of July 2012. In advance of the establishment of the new Child and Family Support Agency, work is ongoing regarding the disaggregation of the Children and Families resource base from the HSE. Consequently the number of social workers assigned to the Children and Families Service area will be subject to change as the mapping/classification of posts into care groups is further refined between now and year end.
The HSE has made considerable progress over recent years in recruiting additional social workers, with 260 social workers recruited under the Ryan Implementation Plan at end 2011 as had been committed to. A further 10 social worker posts which were to be recruited after 2011 are currently at various stages of recruitment, with the first four already in position. The National Director of Children and Family Services, Gordon Jeyes, will continue to apply his discretion to the filling of social work vacancies, taking account of identified need and subject to services being delivered within available resources.
601. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the growing problems with child nutrition here, particularly a recent study by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland showing that babies here are having fizzy drinks, cakes and so on at ages of less than six months old; his plans to address issues regarding child nutrition and to support families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52474/12]
View answerThe Government shares with many other agencies and professional groups, concerns about the growth and nutrition of infants and children. The large scale, government funded, ‘Growing Up in Ireland’ longitudinal study has shown that one in four, 4 year olds and one in three 9 year olds are overweight or obese. Some 15% of 3rd and 4th class children report drinking soft drinks daily or more according to the recent Health Behaviour in School Children study and 28% of 3rd and 4th class children report eating sweets once a day or more.
The HSE plans in 2013 to revise the training module on infant nutrition and growth measurement Public Health Nurses and Community Medical Officers receive as part of their continuing education in delivering the HSE’s ‘Best Health for Children’ programme of child health checks. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland recently published “Scientific Recommendations for a National Infant Feeding Policy” which draws on the latest scientific evidence of best practice.
The World Health Organisation has also produced guidelines on infant nutrition which are supported by the Department of Health and which promote breastfeeding and healthy weaning practices, and compliment the Department’s own breastfeeding strategy. New growth charts developed by the World Health Organisation, and supported by the department of Health are also currently being rolled out nationally by the HSE, which will enable professionals and parents to more accurately monitor a child’s growth and development.
The Minister for Health’s Special Advisory Group on Obesity which includes a range of relevant stakeholders, including the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and an Official of my Department, has also been considering a number of issues, including Healthy Eating Guidelines, restricting the marketing of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt to children, nutritional labelling, calorie posting on restaurant menus, the detection and treatment of obesity and the promotion of physical exercise.
602. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of staff in her Department or in bodies which fall under the remit of her Department whose annual remuneration including salary, pension and benefits at 31 December 2011 fell into bands of €400,000 and above, between €300,000 to €399,999, between €200,000 to €299,999 and between €150,000 to €199,000; and if she will provide a breakdown of the positions held by the staff in relevant pay brackets. [52521/12]
View answer603. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has made any contacts requesting staff whose annual salary is more than €200,000 in her Department or in any body under the remit of her Department, to waive 15% of their salary or such amount in excess of €200,000 whichever is the lesser; if she has, the date on which she first made this contact; the number of staff who acquiesced to the request for the waiver; the number of staff who refused the request for the waiver and the number of staff who have not responded to the request for the waiver. [52523/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 602 and 603 together.
I can confirm to the Deputy that there are no staff in any Agency under the remit of my Department whose annual remuneration exceeds €150,000 per annum. With regard to my own Department, I can confirm that my Secretary General earns €180,000 per annum. As such, the Deputy's question in relation to waiving 15% of salary does not apply.
604. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will report on the status of the document one child, one team, one plan; if he will arrange to make this document available on his Department's website and if he will outline his plans for each of the services covered by this document. [52597/12]
View answerThe National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), which operates under the auspices of my Department, has a statutory remit to ensure that ‘each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education’. The Education Welfare Service, and its network of Education Welfare Officers (EWOs), is a key resource for the Board in delivering on this statutory remit.
Following a decision by Government in 2009, the Board undertook strategic and operational responsibility for the School Completion Programme and the Home School Community Liaison Scheme in addition to its Education Welfare Service. The Board was tasked with developing a single strategic approach to attendance, participation and retention in the education system to effectively utilise and target the significant resources available across the three service strands.
In working to deliver this integrated approach to school support services the Board has committed to a practice model based on the principle of “One Child, One Team, One Plan ”. I am advised by the Board that this practice model is now in the final stages of development.
The model will sit within the wider continuum of practice encompassing universal and preventative work at one end with targeted and intensive intervention at the other. It has been designed to ensure that the approach used by NEWB services is systematic, professional and based upon best practice. Significantly, this proposed referral-based model takes a consistent approach to working with pupils from point of referral to achievement of outcomes across all schools. The development and implementation of this service model will enhance delivery of NEWB services to children, families and schools with a view to improving educational outcomes. This is a significant step towards realising the commitment in the Programme for Government to protect and enhance the educational experience of children and young people.
The Board has drawn upon contributions and feedback received from schools over the last 12 months in the development process to date. A consultation process around One Child, One Team, One is currently being undertaken by the Board with staff services and relevant stakeholders. Both the draft practice model and related schools guidance document are publicly available on www.newb.ie.
The Board envisages that the model will be finalised shortly with implementation to commence in 2013.
605. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of proposals from the Being Young and Irish initiative she will pursue and the timeline for implementation; in view of the fact that the Being Young and Irish report has been sent to all Government agencies and Departments, the way she is going to follow up and monitor the progress of the report's recommendations within each Department and agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52701/12]
View answer606. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of the proposals from the Being Young and Irish initiative, established by President Higgings; if she will pursue and if she has a timeline for implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52737/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 605 and 606 together.
Given the experience of my Department in consulting with children and young people, it was represented on the oversight group for the President's Being Young and Irish initiative. The recommendations of the report, where they concern policies related to children and young people, will be taken into account in drafting both the Children and Young People's Policy Framework and the Youth Strategy, both of which are due to be published in 2013.
In the last nine years my Department, and previously the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, has worked to ensure the establishment or consolidation of the following key structures:
- Comhairle na nÓg (local youth councils);
- Dáil na nÓg (national youth parliament);
- the children and young people’s participation support team and consultations/dialogues with children and young people.
In March 2009 the Children and Young People’s Participation Support Team was created. The Team is made up of the staff in the Citizen Participation Unit of my Department and three regional Children and Young People’s Participation Officers, from two national youth organisations (Foróige and Youth Work Ireland). The reports of the independent evaluation of the Comhairle na nÓg Development Fund (2008-2009) and (2009-2010) highlight the value of the support, information and training provided by the three regional Participation Officers. They note the marked improvement in the operation of many child and youth councils resulting from the involvement of the Participation Officers. They also note the important role played by these officers in creating a strong link between child and youth councils at local level and my Department at national level.
In addition to their direct work with organisers of the 34 child and youth councils, the DCYA Participation Officers were involved in the planning and management of a wide range of children’s participation initiatives including consultations with children and young people on Reform of the Junior Cycle, the National Children and Young People’s Strategy (2013-2017) and the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in Primary Schools.
500 teenagers from the 34 Comhairle na nÓg around the country attended the first-ever Comhairle na nÓg National Showcase on Friday, 9th November 2012.
On the day there were four TOPIC ZONES run by key decision-makers where young people could seek advice and support on how to become more effective improving the lives of young people in relation to mental health, sexual health, youth facilities and engaging with Decision Makers.
My Department provides opportunities for children and young people to contribute their views on issues of national and personal importance, and has conducted national consultations/dialogues with children and young people on a range of issues, including:
- the Taskforce on Active Citizenship (2006);
- the age of consent for sexual activity (2006);
- the Irish Youth Justice Strategy (2007);
- the misuse of alcohol among young people (2007) and
- Teenage Mental Health: What Helps and What Hurts (2008).
A Thematic Group on the development of a national policy on children and young people’s participation in decision-making was established in 2011, comprising representatives of Government Departments, State Agencies, the research community and other key stakeholders. Its work will feed into the National Children and Young People’s Policy Framework (2013-2017).
607. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reasons for not including public health nurses in phase one of the new Child and Family Agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52798/12]
View answerThe Government has formally decided to proceed with the drafting of a Bill to establish the Child and Family Support Agency. From its establishment the Child and Family Support Agency will have service responsibility for:
- Child welfare and protection services currently operated by the HSE including family support and alternative care services.
- Child and family related services for which the HSE currently has responsibility including pre-school inspections and domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services.
- Community-based psychology services (this does not encompass psychologists operating within acute, disability, mental health or other specialist settings). The Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Health will work jointly on an impact analysis of proposed future arrangements for this service as they relate to children and family services covered by the Child and Family Support Agency and to services provided by the HSE.
- The Family Support Agency which currently operates as a separate body under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and will be merged into the new Agency.
- The National Educational Welfare Board which also currently operates as a separate body under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and will be merged into the new Agency.
The above decisions are in line with the recommendations made in the report of the Task Force on the Establishment of the Child and Family Support Agency which I published in July on this year. The Task Force also recommended that certain other services, including the children and family aspects of public health nursing, should transfer to the new Agency. I believe further work is required on the additional services to be considered for transition to the new agency. I am committed to working with the Minister for Health on the Task Force's proposals in this regard. I share with the view of the Task Force that in order to achieve genuine improvements for children and families, the Agency must have a broader focus than child protection. The inclusion of both the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board functions will broaden the base of the organisation and bring on board a range of additional expertise and service infrastructure which highly is relevant to the children and their families at both universal and targeted level. My priority is to get these services well established and integrated as quickly as possible and to continue to examine in parallel, opportunities for further expansion of the Agency's functions once it is up and running.
608. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the anticipated increased cost of the constitutional changes to the taxpayer in terms of the establishment of the new Child and Family Support Agency and any other costs which may be incurred; the anticipated savings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52824/12]
View answerA dedicated new budget sub-head had been established for the first time in the HSE Vote in 2012, in preparation for the planned establishment of the Child and Family Support Agency (CFSA) in 2013. In preparation for the establishment of the Agency a comprehensive due diligence and disaggregation process is underway to further review and refine the detailed components of this sub-head. In terms of the establishment of the Agency, it is anticipated that while there will be some costs attaching to its establishment but such costs will be kept to a minimum and the Agency will seek to maximise efficiencies across services through economies of scale and the usage of shared services wherever possible.
It is my intention that the new Agency will address the persistent issues which have been raised regarding the standardisation of services, communication, coordination and sharing of risk assessment, management and treatment for many of the children and families with the most complex needs. At the same time, the Agency will have a role in supporting families - providing less complex, less intrusive, less expensive responses which have a preventive function.
The new Agency and the wider transformation of children's services represents one of the largest, and most ambitious, areas of public sector reform embarked upon by this Government.
609. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the State contribution to Barnardos; ISPCC; Children's Rights Alliance and the Campaign for Children; the amount of money spent by these organisations; if the proposed change in the constitution will affect the amount of money that the State funnels into these organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52835/12]
View answerMy Department has allocated the following funding in 2012 to the Organisations referred to:-
Barnardos - €915,759
ISPCC - €100,730
Children's Rights Alliance - Nil
Campaign for Children - Nil
The amount of money spent by the named Organisations does not come within the remit of my Department.
It is not possible to comment at this point in time on the amount of money that may be allocated to these Organisations by my Department in 2013.
610. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of a Guardian ad Litem; who supplies Guardian ad Litem services; if Guardian ad Litem will be a feature of every case involving a child under Amendment 31; the cost to the taxpayer; if Barnardos, ISPCC and Children's Rights Alliance offer Guardian ad Litem services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52836/12]
View answerAppointment of a guardian ad litem (GAL) in child care cases is a matter for the Courts. Under section 26 of the Child Care Act 1991, the Court may appoint a guardian ad litem to a child who is the subject of care proceedings, if it is satisfied that it is necessary in the interests of the child and in the interests of justice to do so. They are always appointed where a child is subject to Special Care proceedings.
Currently GAL services are provided by Barnardos, a small number of agencies and a number of self employed independent guardian ad litem. The HSE has advised me that the total GAL costs for 2011 amounted to €4.6 million.
The amendment to the Constitution makes explicit reference to the best interests of the child as the paramount consideration when significant decisions in relation to the child are being made. It means that legislation must be enacted to require that the best interests of the child must be the paramount consideration when a Court is making any decision in relation to proceedings taken by the State where it intervenes to protect the safety and welfare of a child and issues of adoption, guardianship, custody of, or access to, a child in proceedings between any persons. In addition, the amendment gives recognition at constitutional level to the rights of the child to have their views heard and given due weight in such Court proceedings.
The ascertaining of the views of the child as specified in the Amendment in other judicial proceedings, will require a review of all the related legislation to ensure it meets the new constitutional standard. The views of a child do not necessarily have to be mediated by a guardian ad litem, although this is appropriate in some cases. it is likely a range of arrangements will be put in place across both child protection, guardianship, adoption, access and custody proceedings to ensure children's views are heard. The Minister for Justice and I are reviewing the needs in this area.
611. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the child protection staff currently employed by the Health Service Executive will be transferred to the new agency; the number of staff that will be transferred; if they receive will redundancy payments and if so what is the estimated cost; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52837/12]
View answerThe Government has approved the Heads of the Child and Family Support Agency Bill and has also agreed to the priority drafting of this Bill. The necessary legislative and organisational preparations are being prioritised so that the Agency can be established early in 2013. A precise target date for the transfer of staff will be set when consideration of the legislation is advanced. From its establishment the Child and Family Support Agency will have service responsibility for:
- Child welfare and protection services currently operated by the HSE including family support and alternative care services.
- Child and family related services for which the HSE currently has responsibility including pre-school inspections and domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services.
- Community-based psychology services (this does not encompass psychologists operating within acute, disability, mental health or other specialist settings). The Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Health will work jointly on an impact analysis of proposed future arrangements for this service as they relate to children and family services covered by the Child and Family Support Agency and to services provided by the HSE.
- The Family Support Agency which currently operates as a separate body under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and will be merged into the new Agency.
- The National Educational Welfare Board which also currently operates as a separate body under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and will be merged into the new Agency.
At this point it is envisaged that approximately 4,500 staff will transfer to the new Agency after its establishment. Staff who are transferring are not being made redundant. In the circumstances the issue of redundancy payments does not arise.
