Written Answers Nos. 189-196
189. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has considered an application under the EU solidarity fund to address some of the costs being incurred by farmers during the course of the recent fodder shortage as a result of prolonged bad weather in 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22118/13]
View answerWith regard to the EU Solidarity Fund, this Fund is, in the main, confined to major disasters which have lasting repercussions on economic stability, living conditions and the natural environment. A natural disaster is considered as 'major' if it results in damage on the State’s territory estimated either at over €3 billion (2002 prices), or at more than 0.6 % of its gross national income. I am keeping the funding and fodder situation under review and will react as appropriate to emerging situations.
190. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the measures she is putting in place to deal with a projected increase in the young population, under 14 years, of up to 100,000 by 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22028/13]
View answerAs well as a number of childcare, youth and other programmes, my Department is responsible for the implementation of the free pre-school year in early childhood care and education (ECCE programme). As a result, statistical information in relation to the numbers of children and young people living in Ireland is a crucial factor in my Department’s planning for programme development and budgetary requirements.
The significant increase in birth rates in Ireland in recent years has been closely monitored by my Department. In particular, the introduction of the ECCE programme for 3 to 4 year olds in January 2010 coincided with a significant upward trend in the birth rate during the period 2006 to 2009. As a result, the annual cost of the ECCE programme has risen over the course of 2010 to date.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was advised that this would be the case, and this was reflected in the additional budgetary provision of €9.8m which was secured for the ECCE programme in 2012.
It is my intention to maintain the free pre-school year as a universal programme despite the continued increase in the number of eligible children which the latest CSO study continues to indicate, and the fact that additional funding may be required.
I am also very conscious that work is continuing on improvement of quality within the pre-school year. All of the available evidence indicates that the quality of the provision is key to obtaining good outcomes for children. In particular, I would like to see further progress in workforce development within the sector and I will be working with my colleagues, the Minister for Education and Skills and the Minister for Social Protection, to determine how this might be managed in the context of current financial constraints.
191. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to concerns about exploitation in the au pair industry arising from the lack of a regulatory framework (details supplied); if she accepts that this puts both children and au pairs at risk; and if she will consider the establishment of an interdepartmental working group to address the issues concerned. [21951/13]
View answerI recently met representatives of the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland in relation to these matters. It transpired from our discussions that the issues of concern were primarily in relation to the establishment and protection of employment rights. As such it is a matter for the consideration of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, whose function it is to establish and protect employment rights, as would the introduction of any regulatory framework.
192. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of travel and subsistence both foreign and domestic claimed by each junior Minister and Secretary General in her Department for the period 2007 to date in 2013; the number of staff appointed by each Minister and junior Minister in her Department or constituency office and their relevant cost including travel and subsistence in each case for the period 2007 to date in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22031/13]
View answerAs my Department was established in June 2011, the information requested by the Deputy refers to this period onwards and is set out below. As there are no Ministers of State at my Department the information relates to the Secretary General and to Ministerial staff appointments made by me.
In accordance with Department of Finance instructions on Ministerial appointments, I have appointed three Special Advisers (two of whom work share on a 50/50 basis), a Personal Assistant, a Personal Secretary and two civilian drivers. Their relevant costs, including travel and subsistence is set out hereunder:-
|
- |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
- |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
Secretary General (Travel and Subsistence) |
283 |
3,171 |
0 |
|
Ministerial Appointees (Travel and Subsistence) |
4,509 |
13,279 |
5,147 |
|
Ministerial Appointees (Salaries) |
197,061 |
345,577 |
120,241 |
193. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she has had discussions with providers of youth support services throughout the country with a view to targeting areas or priority deemed to be in need of early attention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22072/13]
View answer198. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the degree to which her Department is in a position to liaise with various youth groups and organisations throughout the country with a view to addressing the issues most commonly identified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22077/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 198 together.
Funding of €53.498m, including €1.75 for a new capital funding programme, has been provided to my Department in 2013 for the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country through a number of schemes.
These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2, Local Drug Task Force projects and certain other provisions including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and Youth Information Centres. This funding supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth sector. There are some 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and over 40,000 volunteers involved in the provision of services and activities for young people.
Each year over 380,000 young people participate in youth services. Youth work and non - formal learning in its many programmes and activities; recreational, sporting, learning, volunteering and personal development, offers young people opportunities to acquire new competences and skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, resilience, motivation, creativity and leadership. These are core and transferable life skills; the 21st century skills that are so important to equip young people for the challenges in today’s world.
My Department works closely with the youth sector organisations to address the needs of children and young people. The National Youth Work Advisory Committee is an important source of advice and guidance to my Department in developing youth policy and initiatives. The committee is composed of a chairperson and 32 members drawn equally from the voluntary and statutory sectors involved in the administration and provision of youth work programmes and services. This committee advises my Department on matters relating to the development and coordination of youth work policies, programmes and services.
I have met, and will continue to meet, with many youth organisations and groups to try and see how we can work together to minimise the impact of the savings required under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure and to see how we can work together to ensure the most effective and efficient use of the resources available in order to continue to support the provision of quality youth services to young people.
194. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which incidents of physical, psychological or other forms of child abuse have been notified to her Department in each of the past two years to date; the extent to which adequate follow up response has been achieved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22073/13]
View answerStatutory responsibility for the delivery of child welfare and protection services rests with the HSE, which is the appropriate body to receive all reports of concerns relating to all forms of child abuse.
My Department occasionally receives calls from individuals concerned about the safety and wellbeing of a child. In all such cases my officials provide whatever assistance is required to allow such an individual make a proper referral to the statutory authorities. Such assistance can often include my officials contacting the HSE directly on behalf of a correspondent. It is not possible to quantify the volume of such calls.
As regards the Deputy's query in relation to follow up of such referrals, my Department does not receive information in this regard. However, the HSE are always requested to highlight to my Department any cases which may have policy or legislative implications. This is the position for all cases referred to the HSE, not only those which come through my Department.
196. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she has adequate resources available to her Department in line with requirements and responsibilities arising from child protection legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22075/13]
View answerMy Department was set up to drive the delivery of key commitments in relation to children and young people and to put in place a unified framework of policy, legislation and provision across Government in respect of children and young people.
The 2013 estimate includes an allocation of €443m for my Department which represents an increase of €16m over the 2012 allocation and this clearly demonstrates the continuing commitment of this Government to the ongoing development of quality and effective services to support children and families.
As regards service delivery, the commitment to establish a new Child and Family Agency is at the heart of the Government's reform of child and family services. The new Agency will assume responsibility for Children and Family Services, currently provided by the HSE, and the Family Support Agency. It will have a workforce of approximately 4,000 staff, and a combined existing budget of over €590 million. The Agency will be headed by Gordon Jeyes, as the Chief Executive designate, who will be supported by a senior management team. In order to achieve genuine improvements for children and families, the Agency will have a broader focus than child protection. Prevention, early intervention, family support and therapeutic & care interventions are all key to the provision of integrated multi-disciplinary services for children and families based on identified need.
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 and less expensive responses which have a preventive function.
The new Child and Family Support Agency and the wider transformation of children's services represents one of the largest, and most ambitious, areas of public sector of reform embarked upon by this Government. The level of resources available to the Agency year on year will be progressed through the usual Estimates process in the context of service planning and performance monitoring processes.
