Written Answers Nos. 29-33
29. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide a detailed update on the roll-out of the 116000 missing children hotline; the publicity strategy in place to publicise this facility; if she will give a commitment to future funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32591/13]
View answerThe 116000 Missing Children Hotline is an EU-wide initiative designed to provide a single point of contact across the European Union for missing children and their families. The number is currently operational in 23 EU countries and has been allocated and will soon be in operation in a further three countries. In Ireland, the service is operated by the ISPCC and is overseen by a cross-sectoral project team, chaired by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. Funding for the operation of the line in Ireland is being provided by my Department and the EU, through its Daphne funding stream. The funding received from the EU Daphne fund and from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs includes the establishment costs, national promotion and advertisement of the service. In common with all Exchequer funding, requirements for the operation of the service in future years will be considered in the context of the usual Estimates process. The Missing Children Hotline has been operating on a limited hours pilot basis in Ireland since December 2012 and on a full-time 24/7 basis since the end of April 2013. The service was officially launched on 5 June last.
A key component of the service is a successful awareness programme. It is vital that those who could benefit from the service know it exists and that users are aware of the scope of the service. During the initial set-up phase of the service, the ISPCC focused on community-based promotion of the service. This included presentations to local community groups. Posters, flyers and business cards have been distributed to all Garda stations from Garda headquarters and promotional material has been distributed to a variety of community based projects in various locations throughout the country. The ISPCC has made extensive use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter to advertise this service on an ongoing basis. The official launch of the service on 5 June 2013 also provided the opportunity to further promote the scope of the service. The 116000 Missing Children Hotline website, missingchildrenhotline.ie, was launched on 5 June 2013, the day of the official launch of the service. In less than a month since its launch, the website has received approximately 2,000 hits. To date, some €35,000 has been spent on awareness measures. This amount will be doubled for further awareness measures in the rest of 2013. It is important to note the 116000 number is not an emergency number. Emergency calls should always be directed to the 999/112 number in the first instance, where the relevant emergency responses, including the recently launched Garda Missing Children Amber Alert mechanism, may be activated. The establishment of the 116000 line will be of valuable support and assistance to the families of missing children and to missing children themselves.
30. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the efforts she is making to protect front-line youth services in view of funding cuts in the sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32598/13]
View answerThe Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €53.498 million 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 to some 400,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 paid staff and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. The savings required under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure in respect of 2013 amounted to €5.393 million, which equated to almost a 10% reduction on 2012 funding available for the provision of youth services. 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 possible from the impact of any necessary reductions in funding.
My Department has tried to be as equitable as possible in achieving these savings. In considering how best to manage within the reduced budgets available, organisations are being asked to consider the scope for reducing administration costs and overheads, if possible, in order to maintain front-line youth services for young people. I have met and continue to meet many youth organisations and groups to try to see how we can work together to minimise the impact of these necessary savings and thereby ensure the provision of quality youth services to young people is sustained in these challenging times. A comprehensive Value for Money and Policy Review of youth funding has been commenced in my Department. It is anticipated that the findings of this report will inform the future development of youth programmes and services. 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. 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.
31. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will outline the budget allocations to youth services in the Dublin area since taking office; if her attention has been drawn to the implications to youth services of reductions in funding and the effect future reductions will have on these services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32358/13]
View answerThe Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €53.498 million 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, Youth Information Centres and Local Drugs Task Force Projects. These funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 400,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 paid staff and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. As with all Government Departments and agencies, funding for the programmes of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs has been reduced in recent years due to the general budgetary situation in which we find ourselves. The savings required under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure in respect of 2013 amounted to €5.393 million, which equated to almost a 10% reduction on 2012 funding available for the provision of youth services. In 2014, the savings required in the youth budget under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure amount to €2.976 million. Having regard to the savings requirements identified in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure, my Department has tried to ensure in the determination process for the allocations that front-line youth services, particularly those for the most vulnerable young people, are protected as far as possible from the impact of any necessary reductions in funding.
My Department has tried to be as equitable as possible in achieving these savings. In considering how best to manage within the reduced budgets available, organisations are being asked to consider the scope for reducing administration costs and overheads, if this is at all possible, in order to maintain the front line youth services for young people. I have met and continue to meet many youth organisations and groups to try to see how we can work together to minimise the impact of these necessary savings and thereby ensure the provision of quality youth services to young people is sustained in these challenging times. Funding provided by my Department to support youth projects in the Dublin City area is administered, on behalf of my Department, by the City of Dublin Youth Services Board. The board receives funding under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2 and under the Local Drug Task Force since 2011. Details of funding to the board for 2011, 2012 and 2103 are as follows:
|
Year |
Special Projects for Youth Scheme |
Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Round 1 |
Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Round 2 |
Local Drug Task Force |
Total |
|
2011 |
€3,858,955 |
€4,105,502 |
€5,003,200 |
€962,700 |
€12,992,253 |
|
2012 |
€3,608,123 |
€3,838,644 |
€4,645,361 |
€900,125 |
€13,930,357 |
|
2013 |
€3,413,085 |
€3,501,491 |
€4,281,318 |
€800,761 |
€11,996,655 |
My Department continues to work with the City of Dublin Youth Services Board, as it does with all agencies administering funding on behalf of my Department, to ensure the most efficient and effective use of the funding allocated for the provision of youth services in the Dublin City area.
33. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 5 of 9 May 2013, if it is her position that a referendum on privacy is required in order to afford adopted persons the same rights as other Irish citizens; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32542/13]
View answerWork is continuing on the preparation of the heads of Bill of the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill. My view is that people affected by adoption should be given a statutory right to as much information as possible within permissible constitutional boundaries. The constitutional and legal context within which the development of legislative proposals must be undertaken is complex. This has influenced the existing approach to access to information which, while subject to significant development in recent years, has heretofore operated based upon the consent of all the parties. The proposed legislation is intended to provide for a structured and regulated approach for applicants seeking access to adoption information and is also intended to facilitate contact between parties affected by adoption, including in circumstances where an adoption order was not effected. Complex legal and constitutional issues have arisen during the course of the preparation of the heads of Bill, including the setting of criteria for balancing an adopted person's right to information about his or her identity with a birth parent's right to privacy. This is a particular challenge in considering the impact on individuals in respect of adoptions which took place in the past where the concept of confidentiality and privacy were very central in the adoption process. These issues are receiving careful examination. Detailed consideration on the part of my Department and the Office of the Attorney General is under way. I am anxious to bring the heads of Bill before the Government at the earliest possible date. Again, my view is that people affected by adoption should be given a statutory right to as much information as permissible within constitutional boundaries. However, there are undoubtedly challenges remaining in developing a workable framework which respects the constitutional rights of all parties. I remain committed to achieving my policy objectives notwithstanding these challenges.
