Written Answers Nos. 260-270
260. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a temporary home care package will be supplied to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14568/13]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
261. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce a system whereby persons with disabilities will receive an individualised payment which can be used to provide the services they need to meet their particular needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14582/13]
View answerThe move towards a model of funding which is linked to individual need is encompassed by the recommendations in the Value for Money (VFM) and Policy Review of Disability Services which I published last year.
An individualised payments model is one aspect of individualised budgeting, which describes an approach whereby a monetary value is placed on the supports required by an individual with disabilities to live a fulfilled life. It may be implemented in many ways, but the essence of individualised budgeting is that the individual is given more choice and control over how the money allocated to meet their needs is utilised. This approach must be underpinned by a standardised needs assessment to ensure fairness and transparency in the way in which funding is allocated. The Department of Health and the Health Service Executive will pursue the issue of individualised budgeting in the context of the implementation of the recommendations contained in the VFM Review. The priority is to further improve current services, while expediting the analysis of the benefits to be gained from newer models of individualised supports through demonstration projects which will be evaluated for wider applicability. The balance and emphasis will shift firmly and comprehensively towards these new models of individualised supports once sufficient analysis of the benefits is carried out in the Irish context and adequate financial management, resource allocation and governance structures are in place to ensure their long-term viability.
262. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the major road construction projects and major rail investment programmes that he will include for funding under the next round of TEN-T programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14432/13]
View answerIn relation to the next round of EU structural funding 2014-2020 the draft Ten-T and CEF Regulations are currently under negotiation and it is hoped that they will be agreed during the Irish Presidency. Therefore until such time as the new Regulations are agreed and the relevant Calls are initiated, it would be premature to speculate on what projects might be submitted under any such Calls. However, priority would be given to projects already in the Government's "Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2012-2016 Medium Term Exchequer Framework".
In the context of the current Calls for funding under the 2007 - 2013 Programme, I understand that there are a number of public transport projects which are being considered for submission under the Multi-Annual Call, the deadline for which is 26 March.
In relation to the Annual Call the deadline was 28 February and applications were made by the Ports of Cork, Dublin and Shannon Foynes. These companies are responsible for the applications and approvals processes for the projects as Sponsoring Agency. My Department has supported these applications although no capital funding has been pledged from the Exchequer.
In relation to all applications no final decision on EU co-funding is expected from the TEN-T Executive Agency until later in the year.
263. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason a sports capital programme 2012 application (details supplied) was not successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14473/13]
View answerThe club referred to by the Deputy applied for a grant under the 2012 Sports Capital Programme.
A total of 2,170 applications were received under the Programme. The applications received sought €229m in funding for projects with a total value of €374m.
Given the level of demand for funding and the amount of funding available under the programme, it is unfortunately not possible to allocate grants to every eligible applicant. The current position is that all funding sanctioned by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for the 2012 Sport Capital Programme has now been allocated and there is no more funding available at this time.
No decision has been made on the timing of the next round of the Programme.
264. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason a sports capital programme 2012 application (details supplied) was not successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14474/13]
View answerThe organisation referred to by the Deputy did not apply for a grant under the 2012 Sports Capital Programme.
265. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason a sports capital programme 2012 application (details supplied) was not successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14475/13]
View answerThe organisation referred to by the Deputy did not apply for a grant under the 2012 Sports Capital Programme.
266. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress made within his Department on phasing out the use of locall 1890 numbers that can be extremely expensive when dialled from mobile phones and introducing 076 numbers, which are generally included in tariff bundles provided by most mobile network operators and are charged at the same rate as national calls, in view of the fact that the number of mobile phones exceed the number of landlines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14491/13]
View answerMy Department introduced an 076 number in March 2012 replacing one of the two 1890 Lo-Call numbers. This 076 number is published on my Department's Website and State Directory pages. Callers can use this number to contact my Department's three core buildings in Dublin. There are technical issues in phasing out the second 1890 Lo-Call number, which is used for the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division (DVCSD) in Shannon and is integrated with an interactive voice response system. This system manages all public telephone enquiries to the office in Shannon and it is located outside the Government Networks. The 076 numbers can only be deployed in a site which has access to Government Networks. The interactive voice response system in place in the DVCSD will be reviewed and may be changed, subject to a resolution of the technical issues and satisfaction as to its cost effectiveness.
267. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has considered the use of, or implemented, integrated voice response systems in his Department's telephone systems or in the phone systems of agencies within his remit; if the staff and salary cost savings which might arise have been assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14507/13]
View answerMy Department introduced an integrated voice response system in the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division (DVCSD) in Shannon. The system was introduced to improve the quality of customer service rather than as a cost saving measure. The system facilitates improved telephone call management and provides an enhanced customer service.
The implementation of such measures for agencies under the remit of this Department is a matter to be dealt with directly by them. I have forwarded a copy of your Question to them for a direct reply. If you have not heard from the agencies within ten working days please contact my private office.
268. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has given any consideration to the use of telephony switchboard services that are shared with another Department or public body in order to reduce costs and increase call handling capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14519/13]
View answerMy Department has a shared telephony switchboard arrangement with the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in its Killarney office.
There are currently no plans to introduce similar systems with other Departments, but this is kept under regular review.
269. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he received a copy of the Being Young and Irish – Take Charge of Change report from the Office of the President, Áras an Uachtaráin as part of President Higgins's series of seminars with young persons here which took place in Dublin, Galway, Monaghan and Cork in 2012; if he has noted the Take Charge of Change declaration made by the participants; the steps he has taken arising out of the report’s findings in order to achieve young person’s vision for Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14537/13]
View answerThe Report provides a valuable insight into the views and thoughts of the young people involved in the process.
The Report ranges over the full set of Government activities, but comments in two areas were of particular relevance to my Department. The Report notes the feeling of pride which sporting achievement at a national or community level can engender. I am very mindful of the benefits which sport can bring both for the individuals who participate and for society as a whole in terms of the positive feelings which they can stimulate. It is for this reason that the Government has sought to protect, to the greatest possible extent, public funding for sports at this time of limitations on resources available to the Exchequer. For example, in recent months a scheme of sports capital grants, the first since 2008, provided funding to sporting organisations and clubs to develop their facilities, particularly in disadvantaged areas. Hopefully from these facilities will come the next set of champions to fill communities and the country as a whole with a renewed sense of pride.
I also note the call in the Report for reform of the education system in which I know my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, is engaged. One aspect of these reforms in which I have a particular interest and on which I have been working with the Minister for Education and Skills is the introduction of sport as an examinable subject as part of the revised junior certificate cycle and I look forward to progress in this regard in the coming months.
270. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of European funding used in both phase 1 and phase 2 of the R158 – Trim to Kilcock. [14550/13]
View answer€2.4 million in European funding was received for the R158 Trim - Kilcock Road Improvement Scheme.
