Skip to main content
Normal View

Wednesday, 27 Mar 2013

Written Answers Nos. 274-284

Children in Care

Questions (274)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

274. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of occasions on which the Health Service Executive has offered to take children in direct provision into care, or partial care, in cases of severe malnourishment or other illness. [15725/13]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

Questions (275)

Shane Ross

Question:

275. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the total cost to the taxpayer of paying the aggregate fees, salaries and any other remuneration to directors of all State bodies, to include majority State owned banks, all public interest directors, all semi-State bodies, all State agencies and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15404/13]

View answer

Written answers

I would like to inform the Deputy there are four agencies which are funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI); the Family Support Agency (FSA); the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) and the Ombudsman for Children. With effect from 1 January 2012, I have taken responsibility for the Children Detention Schools as provided in Part 10 of the Children Act 2001. Apart from the Ombudsman for Children's Office which does not have a board, I am responsible for all Board of Management appointments.

The total cost to the Exchequer for my Department's Boards of Management amounts to €145,853. There were no annual remuneration fees paid to Board members of the National Education Welfare Board or the Children Detention Schools. The annual remuneration paid to Board members of the Family Support Agency and the Adoption Authority of Ireland amounted to €50,873 and €94,9820 respectively.

Youth Services

Questions (276)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

276. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason that funding for Youth Work Ireland, Galway, projects under SPY, YPFSF and YIC have been cut by 10% retrospectively from 1 January 2013, rather than the expected 6.5%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15473/13]

View answer

Written answers

The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €53.173m is available in 2013 to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people are provided through the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2 and Local Drugs Task Force Projects. These funding schemes support national and local youth work provision and involve approximately 1,400 paid staff and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country.

The Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE), published in December 2011, set out the savings required from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Having regard to the savings requirements identified in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure my Department has tried to ensure that, in the determination process for the allocations, the front line youth services, particularly those for the most vulnerable young people are protected as far as is possible from the impact of any necessary reductions in funding.

My Department has commenced a comprehensive Value for Money and Policy Review of youth funding and this report is expected later this year. It is anticipated that this report will inform the provision of funding for youth programmes/services going into the future. In addition my Department is developing a new youth policy framework for publication later this year. The new youth policy framework will aim to enhance the provision of youth services and activities and it will, inter alia, promote co-ordination between government departments and youth sector organisations with a view to maximising the effectiveness of the State funding available to support services for young people in future years.

Child Care Costs

Questions (277)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

277. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to make child care universally affordable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15646/13]

View answer

Written answers

My Department currently provides support to parents to assist them with the cost of childcare. This support is provided through the provision of two targeted childcare support programmes - the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme - and the universal Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. These support programmes are available to parents who enrol their children in childcare services which are approved to participate in the programmes.

The CCS programme provides funding to community-based childcare services to enable them to provide childcare at reduced rates to parents in receipt of social welfare payments or on low incomes. For the purpose of the CCS programme, eligibility is determined by reference to a range of means-tested allowances and payments including receipt of a social welfare payment, Family Income Supplement (FIS) and qualification for a medical or GP visit card. Eligibility for a GP visit card is based on net income and takes account of outgoings such as rent and mortgage repayments and other expenses including childcare costs and travelling expenses. As a result, middle and low income working parents may also qualify for support. Parents who qualify for the top rate of subvention under the programme receive €95 per week towards full-day childcare costs.

The CETS programme provides €145 towards the weekly cost of full time childcare places to participating childcare services for trainees and students who are deemed qualified by FÁS or the VEC. Students on part-time courses are funded on a pro rata basis. The ECCE programme provides one free pre-school year to all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. Children aged between 3 years 2 months and 4 years 6 months at 1 September in the relevant year qualify for a maximum of 15 hours per week free pre-school provision over a 38 week period. This is a universal programme to which all children have access.

In 2013, the total expenditure by my Department on these three programmes is expected to be in the region €260 million. These programmes have been maintained despite the ongoing need to reduce Government expenditure and they represent a significant investment in supporting parents with the cost of childcare. You may also be aware that, as part of Budget 2013, I announced with my colleague the Minister for Social Protection, a joint school age childcare initiative which will provide further additional support to both the community and private childcare sector. This initiative, which represents an annual investment of €14 million, will provide important support to parents in low income families wishing to take up employment, along with ensuring that quality after-school care is in place to support children's development.

Future developments relating to early years care and education will be considered during preparation of the new National Early Years Strategy which is currently being developed by my Department. This Strategy will cover a range of issues affecting children in their first years of life such as health, family support, learning and development and care and education and will identify the structures and policies needed to improve early year's experience in Ireland.

Youth Services

Questions (278)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

278. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the rationale for removing the administration of funding from Youth Work Ireland's national office to the City of Dublin Youth Service Board; the amount of money that this will save in 2013 and subsequent years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15662/13]

View answer

Written answers

In 2013, €36.358m will be distributed by my Department to 477 youth projects throughout the country. Up to 2012 the allocations were distributed to the youth projects through 39 administering agencies/bodies that held funding administration status. These include VECs, national youth organisations and 11 other bodies including some county councils. The City of Dublin Youth Service Board (CDYSB), a statutory board established in 1942, under the City of Dublin VEC, is one such body. The CDYSB, on behalf of CDVEC, has for several years, undertaken the administration of over 50 youth projects in the Dublin City area and has developed a strong track record in managing these payments.

My Department is seeking to streamline the tasks associated with the financial management of funding for projects to achieve greater transparency and efficiency in the administration of funding. For these reasons, from January 2013, it was decided to transfer the administration of the allocated funding for some 30 youth projects, involving six national organisations, including Youth Work Ireland, to CDYSB. The new administration process will be monitored during 2013 for efficiency and effectiveness for the Department and for the projects concerned. Discussions have taken place between officials of my Department and the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) on this issue and it is intended that further meetings will take place.

It is expected that the successful streamlining of the administration of the funding for the youth projects will deliver benefits in terms of saving on the administration costs incurred under the present arrangements and efficiencies for both the Department and projects themselves. It is not possible to identify such savings at this early stage of the process. All such efficiencies are important in a context where significant savings are being sought on the €51.423m funding provided in 2013 for youth programmes and youth projects and services throughout the country. Every effort is being made by my Department to ensure that, in the administration of the funding allocations in the present challenging budgetary situation, the focus is maintained on the provision of the front line services for young people.

Ministerial Transport

Questions (279)

Seán Fleming

Question:

279. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the full cost of ministerial transport and the breakdown of this cost between salaries, mileage allowance and other travel costs for Ministers and Ministers of State in her Department for 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15668/13]

View answer

Written answers

In line with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines on ministerial appointments, I employ two civilian drivers on a week on/week off basis to drive my private car on official business. Each driver receives €631.75 per week in respect of these duties and are not entitled to claim overtime. A total of €65,929 was paid in civilian driver salaries in 2012. Civilian drivers are entitled to claim subsistence payments in respect of certified official travel at the appropriate Civil Service rates and under the regulations applying to such subsistence. A total of €5,416 was paid in 2012 in this regard. In addition, mileage claims totalling €15,354 in respect of the use of my personal car have been paid in 2012.

Medical Card Applications

Questions (280)

John O'Mahony

Question:

280. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15544/13]

View answer

Written answers

The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Domestic Violence Refuges

Questions (281)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

281. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of women and the number of children refused access to domestic violence refuges yearly from 2006 to 2012. [15711/13]

View answer

Written answers

I would like to advise the Deputy that the information sought is not collected by the Health Service Executive. However, I have been informed by the HSE that there is ongoing work to establish a standardised data collection template for all HSE funded services for victims of Domestic, Sexual and Gender based violence. The information requested by the Deputy for the number of children refused access to domestic violence refuges will be collected and collated for 2013.

Home Care Packages

Questions (282)

Ciaran Lynch

Question:

282. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an extensive home care package in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15379/13]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Primary Care Services

Questions (283)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

283. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the role he envisages for private health insurers in the provision of primary care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15397/13]

View answer

Written answers

Minimum benefit is one of the key principles on which the Irish private health insurance regulatory system is based. Minimum Benefit Regulations, made under the Health Insurance Acts, require insurers to offer a minimum benefit to every insured person. The key purpose of the Regulations is to ensure the continued availability of the type of broad hospital cover traditionally held as a minimum by the insured population and to ensure that individuals do not significantly under-insure. The inclusion of primary care services in health insurance products is not a statutory requirement, as the primary purpose of current health insurance legislation is to provide cover for hospital treatment within an appropriate regulatory system.

This Government is committed to a single-tier health service, supported by universal health insurance (UHI), which provides equal access based on need, not ability to pay, and which delivers the best health outcomes for everyone. Under UHI, everyone will be insured for a standard package of curative services comprising primary and hospital care services, including mental health services. Health insurance will be mandatory, with a system of financial support ensuring affordability by paying or subsidising the cost of insurance premiums for all those who qualify. The system will be founded on principles of social solidarity, including financial protection, open enrolment, lifetime cover and community rating.

The introduction of UHI will see the purchasing of primary and hospital care largely devolved to insurers. Health insurers will commission care for their members from primary care providers, independent not-for-profit Hospital Trusts and private hospitals. In doing this, they will have a duty to use their purchasing role to ensure that quality, continuous care is provided at the lowest level of complexity that is safe, timely, efficient and as close to a person's home as possible. Furthermore, in line with the fundamental principle of social solidarity, neither insurers nor providers operating within the UHI system will be allowed to sell faster access to services covered by the UHI standard package of care. While it is envisaged that supplementary insurance may be purchased for items not covered by the standard package, this may not interfere with the fundamental overriding principle of access to care being based on need.

My Department is currently undertaking detailed work in relation to the preparation of a White Paper on Universal Health Insurance. This White Paper will provide further detail on the UHI model for Ireland in addition to the estimated costs and financing mechanisms associated with its introduction. The work involved is both complex and technical and demands a wide-range of specialised legal and financial expertise. My Department has recently engaged specialised legal expertise to support work in relation to the design of the UHI model and work in this area is underway.

Medical Card Applications

Questions (284)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

284. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15398/13]

View answer

Written answers

The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Top
Share