Written Answers Nos. 213-221
213. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if area aid is being claimed or has ever been claimed in respect of land (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41700/13]
View answerI have arranged for an official of my Department to make direct contact with the person named regarding this matter.
214. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an outstanding area aid payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41736/13]
View answerAs processing of the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application has recently been finalised, payment will shortly issue to the nominated bank account of the person named.
215. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider allowing farm laneways to be included in the total area allowed for area aid payment as has been the case in the past in view of the fact that these laneways are an essential and integral part of internal farm infrastructure which permits the maximum return from grass; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41776/13]
View answerPayments under the Single Payment Scheme may be made only in respect of eligible land. The rules governing land eligibility are defined in EU Regulations and for ease of reference, are detailed in the Scheme Terms and Conditions booklet that issues annually to all applicants. In the case of each hectare the eligible area excludes amongst other exclusions, any areas under roads, paths and areas fenced off from grazing use.
I must point out that practically all agricultural land is now eligible for SPS payments with the exception of:
- land under permanent crops,
- forestry that was planted prior to 2009 with the exception of Forestry Set-aside,
- forestry planted on eligible land, or
- any land used for non-agricultural purposes (golf courses, etc.).
216. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she or her Department has given consideration to the implementation here of a simple three digit 24/7 non-emergency contact for every citizen to interact with Government, semi-State, public bodies and organisations, charitable/voluntary and support services, that will assist callers in dealing with health, educational, civic, local government, social problems and so on; if she or her Department have examined the way this successfully operates in places such as the USA and Canada; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41560/13]
View answerI have no plans to introduce such a service at this time. However, my Department would cooperate fully with any future proposal to introduce such a service on an inter-departmental basis.
217. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has plans to extend the early childhood care and education scheme so that children can avail of two years as opposed to one; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41622/13]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children before commencing primary school. Approximately 68,000 children availed of the provision in 2012. In line with the Programme for Government, I succeeded in maintaining the universality of the free pre-school year, including securing an additional funding requirement of €9.8m in 2012 to address increased demand due to an increase in births since 2009.
There is an increasing body of Irish and International evidence which quantify the benefits of early year’s interventions in terms of improving children’s outcomes and in delivering significant economic and societal return to the state. I this context I believe the introduction of a second year would benefit children’s educational and developmental outcomes as well as proving significantly beneficial to children with special needs. In addition a second pre-school year would represent €2,500 to €3,000 worth of free childcare to parents and likely generate 4,000-5,000 new positions, albeit mostly part-time. The benefits of introducing a second year were further referred to in the OECD reports on Ireland published last week.
However, the introduction of a second pre-school year would require considerable additional funding, with the additional cost broadly in line with the cost of the current one year provision, which is €175 million. This funding is not currently available due to the financial constraints under which the Government is currently operating. However I would hope that this proposal is one which Government could continue to work towards as our public finances recover.
In the meantime, I am progressing a Pre-School Quality Agenda involving a range of actions in eight key areas, aimed at improving quality within early years services and enhancing the regulatory regime. I see this agenda as a key building block for any further extensive of universal childcare provision, including any proposal to introduce a second free pre-school year. Future developments relating to early years care and education have been considered during preparation of the new National Early Years Strategy which will be published later this year.
218. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 28 of 19 September 2013, if she will elaborate on the work that will be undertaken by the Irish Youth Justice Service and the Health Service Executive Child and Family Service to analyse the trend of children exiting the HSE secure residential system and thereafter being remanded in custody in the Oberstown Campus; and when it is expected that this analysis will be completed. [41694/13]
View answerAs part of the ongoing dialogue between the Irish Youth Justice Service and the HSE (Child and Family Services), a work plan is being developed to improve the coordination between youth justice services and secure residential facilities for children, so as to ensure that the appropriate services are available for young people based on their individual needs. This will be an ongoing activity for both services.
219. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 37 of 19 September 2013, if she will provide more information on the in-depth review being undertaken of all residential care services for children and young persons by an appointed national manager of the Health Service Executive; and when this review will be completed. [41695/13]
View answerI have been advised by the HSE that the Children and Family Services in the HSE are implementing a major programme of reform and development in preparation for the establishment of the Child and Family Agency. Recognising the shortcomings in child care services which have been identified in Reports in recent years ( Ryan, Roscommon) this reform programme is aimed at strengthening the organisational capacity, business processes and systems necessary to deliver safe and reliable child protection services.
One element of this programme involves a national review of all residential services including National High Support and Special Care Services which has been commissioned by the National Director. This national review is being implemented under the direction of the newly appointed Service Director for Children’s Residential Services and the incoming Chief Operations Officer for Children and Family Services. The HSE has a statutory responsibility to provide Alternative Care Services under the provisions the Child Care Act, 1991, the Children Act, 2001 and the Child Care (Amendment) Act, 2007. Children who require admission to care are accommodated through placement in foster care, placement with relatives, or residential care. The HSE also has a responsibility to provide Aftercare services.
The process is encompassing a comprehensive review of current capacity, current demand, occupancy levels, statutory and regulatory compliance and manpower management. The purpose of the review is to establish a fit for purpose national, standardised residential service which is fully integrated with all other Children and Family Services locally and nationally and which has the capacity and resources to meet anticipated demand. The HSE has advised that the review will be completed in Q1 2014.
220. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 37 of 19 September 2013, the number of additional special care places which will be made available in 2014 as part of the planned increase in capacity from 17 places at present to 35 places in 2016; and if it is intended that a new special care unit will be built or if additional places will be made available at the three existing special care units. [41696/13]
View answerThe HSE has advised me that it is envisaged that there will be a further nine Special Care beds made available in 2014 bringing the total capacity in 2014 to 26 Special Care beds. It is intended that this increased capacity will be achieved through the reconfiguration of a unit under the Governance of the National High Support and Special Care Service (NHSSCS).
221. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to difficulties faced by child care providers under the early childhood care and education scheme in paying for staff in view of the fact that the scheme does not cover staff costs for the full calendar year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41780/13]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme was introduced in January 2010, and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children before commencing primary school. In line with the Programme for Government, I have made a very significant commitment to maintaining the pre-school year on a universal and free basis despite the budgetary situation. The free pre-school provision represents an annual investment in the region of €175 million with standard capitation of €2,375 being paid to service providers for each eligible child enrolled in their service. There is no further funding currently available to my Department to provide for any increased payments to services participating in the ECCE programme.
It has always been the case that services opting to participate in the programme meet the cost of providing the pre-school year, including the costs of meeting the statutory entitlement of employees to paid leave, from the capitation provided. It is a matter for each participating service to manage its business affairs including how the service aligns itself with the provisions of the programme.
