Written Answers Nos. 378-392
379. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the current budget for the establishment of the Child and Family Support Agency in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43552/13]
View answerAn amount of €546 million has been allocated in the HSE vote for 2013 in respect of children and family services. This consists of €545 million in current expenditure and €1 million in capital.
The Child and Family Agency is in the process of being established. In addition to taking on responsibility for the HSE Children and Family Services budget the Agency will, on establishment, also assume responsibility for the budgets of both the Family Support Agency (€23.599 million in 2013) and the National Educational Welfare Board (€9.042million in 2013).
380. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide an outline of the staffing resources at the Adoption Authority of Ireland; if this has increased or decreased in the past number of years; if she will provide the specific figures of staff employed in the Adoption Authority in the area of inter-country adoption; if she will confirm that current staffing levels in the area of inter-country adoption are sufficient enough to allow for inter-country adoption to resume here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43576/13]
View answerThe Adoption Authority of Ireland has advised that it currently employs 25 staff (24.1 whole time equivalent). Issues in relation to staffing within the Adoption are a matter for the Authority as a quasi-judicial independent body. As such, I have asked the Authority to respond directly to the Deputy.
381. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when inter-country adoptions will commence between Ireland and the United States of America in view of the recent conclusion of inter-country adoption operating arrangements between both countries; if she will provide details of the road map governing the inter-country adoption process that will operate between the two countries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43577/13]
View answer382. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on whether it will be necessary to put in place transitional measures for Irish applicants for inter-country adoption who are already registered with a US Hague-accredited agency, before an Irish agency is approved to work with US agencies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43578/13]
View answer383. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on whether Irish applicants for inter-country adoption already registered with a US Hague-accredited agency will incur any additional costs when switching to an Irish agency once an Irish agency is established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43581/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 381 to 383, inclusive, together.
At a meeting at the US State Department in September which was attended by myself and the Chairman of the Adoption Authority, the administrative arrangement in relation to intercountry adoption from the USA which had been agreed between Ireland and the USA was given effect. It was agreed that adoptions from the USA into Ireland will continue and that all adoptions between the two States will be carried out in accordance with the terms and conditions of the 1993 Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.
Pending the delegation of functions to an Irish based accredited body working in the USA, the Authority will continue to send Article 15 assessment reports to US adoption service providers. The Authority advises that should certain functions under the Hague Convention be delegated to an accredited body there may be a charge to applicants for this service, including the possibility of a lesser charge for a partial service where the process was initiated prior to the delegation date. Any proposed fees to be charged by an accredited body must be approved by the Authority prior to their commencement.
384. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding inter-country adoption between Ireland and Vietnam since the signing of the administrative agreement on inter-country adoption between Ireland and Vietnam in 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43582/13]
View answerIn September 2012 the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) and the Vietnamese Central Authority for Adoption signed an administrative arrangement for intercountry adoption. The administrative arrangement is the first international arrangement for intercountry adoption entered into by the AAI and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam since both countries ratified the Hague Convention. The Adoption Authority accredited Helping Hands for activities in relation to facilitating adoptions from Vietnam and Helping Hands has received approval from the Vietnamese authorities to operate there. Helping Hands have advised that they expect adoptions to commence shortly.
385. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will consider the use of the city-county childcare committees structure for the implementation of the new mentioning system for childcare providers; her views on whether that the CCC structure could undertake this important new task relatively quickly and effectively. [43600/13]
View answerAs I have outlined on a number of occasions, my Department and I, in conjunction with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and other stakeholders, are 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. The actions include:
- Increasing the qualification requirements for all staff in pre-school services to a minimum standard at FETAC Level 5
- Improving the quality and curricular supports for pre-school services when implementing the Siolta Framework and Aistear Curriculum
- Implementing the new National Pre-School Standards
- Introducing a registration system for all pre-school services
- Taking steps to make the inspection system more consistent and more robust
- Publishing inspection reports online
- Ensuring appropriate action is taken in response to findings of non-compliance
- Increasing and widening the sanctions which can be taken for non-compliance
Síolta, the Childcare Quality Framework (2006), is a set of National Principles, Standards and Components of Quality which collectively articulate a national vision and practical guidelines on quality in practice across all early childhood care and education settings. Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework (2009), is organised around four themes – Well-being, Identity and Belonging, Communication, Exploring and Thinking – and expresses the national vision for good practice in relation to curriculum in early childhood.
Financial resources to support the implementation of Síolta and Aistear in pre-schools are provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs via the local Childcare Committees and Voluntary Childcare Organisations. International practice indicates that the best way to support quality in pre-school services is to provide regular mentoring support. Northern Ireland, which introduced a free pre-school year some time ago, did so with Early Education experts providing mentoring support to services. As a result, pre-school services in Northern Ireland have been evaluated as having very high standards of provision.
My Department is currently examining the introduction of such a mentoring system in order to support the implementation of Síolta and Aistear, and the financial implications of introducing such a system in the context of budgetary discussions.
386. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department is aware of the concerns of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15 in respect of their children's welfare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43620/13]
View answerI have been advised by the HSE that both children are in the care of the HSE and have been appointed a Guardian Ad Litem. The assessment is ongoing and both the children and parents are involved.
The HSE also advised that it will work closely with the family developing relationships, ensuring that all views are considered in order to achieve the best outcome for the children.
387. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Health if his Department and the Revenue Commissioners are participating in the high-level implementation group to oversee the project plan for the introduction of plain packaging of tobacco products; the number of meetings his Department and the Revenue Commissioners have been represented at to date; if he or his officials will highlight the extent of illicit trade in the tobacco sector and the negative impact it is having on jobs in the retail sector; if he will summarise the viewpoints expressed by his Department and the Revenue Commissioners to the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43059/13]
View answerGovernment approval was received on 28 May 2013 to begin the process of introducing standardised packaging of tobacco products in Ireland. A Steering Group on Standardised Packaging has been established to oversee the implementation of a project plan. This is an interdepartmental group and includes a representative from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. The group has met twice to date.
The Group has no direct responsibility in relation to illicit tobacco. Revenue’s participation in the Group is concerned with the accommodation of its needs, particularly in relation to the fiscal stamp, in the context of any new packaging arrangements.
Revenue has advised that it is very aware of the negative impact that the illicit tobacco market has on legitimate business and on the exchequer and tackling this problem remains one of its key objectives.
388. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the cost of the war on drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43071/13]
View answerDrugs misuse continues to be one of the most significant challenges facing our country. It is highly destructive and has devastating effects on individuals, relationships, families, communities and society in general.
Implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 which sets out Government policy in dealing with the drugs problem is being pursued across a range of Government Departments and Agencies. Solid progress is being made across the 63 Actions of the Strategy which are based around the five pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. The Oversight Forum on Drugs, which I chair, meets on a quarterly basis and reviews the implementation of the Strategy.
An annual progress report on the implementation of the actions of the National Drugs Strategy is compiled and the 2012 report is available on the Department of Health website.
Expenditure directly attributable to Drugs Programmes across Government Departments and Agencies for 2012 was in excess of €241m.
389. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that all elderly persons with severely limited mobility and living in isolated rural areas with poor public transport services were entitled to be considered for motorised transport grant while that grant was open to new applicants, and that eligibility was not restricted solely to those requiring a car for the purposes of travelling to and from employment.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43509/13]
View answerThe Motorised Transport Grant Scheme, which was abolished on 26th February last, was a grant payable by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to successful applicants, over the age of 17 years, towards the purchase of a vehicle and/or adaptations to a vehicle, where the vehicle was essential to retain employment. The scheme, as it then operated, had no upper age limit. Apart from the "retain employment" condition, the eligibility criteria included an Exceptional Circumstances clause for persons with a severe disability who lived in isolated circumstances and for whom the severity of their disability prevented the use of public transport.
In 2012, the Ombudsman carried out an investigation in relation to a complaint regarding the refusal by the HSE to grant a person a Motorised Transport Grant. Arising from her investigation, the Ombudsman made recommendations to the HSE regarding the Motorised Transport Grant scheme. On foot of the recommendations by the Ombudsman the HSE established a working group, to review the Motorised Transport Grant. As part of this work, the HSE reviewed the guidelines for the assessment of Exceptional Circumstances. The HSE issued National Guidelines for the Assessment of Exceptional Circumstances under the scheme in March 2013 to ensure a consistent national approach in respect of those applications which had been received in advance of the 26th February 2013 and were under consideration or appeal. I will arrange for a copy of the guidelines to be sent to the Deputy.
390. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for funding under the national lottery scheme (details supplied); when payments are expected to be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43022/13]
View answerMy Department has received an application for funding from the 2013 National Lottery allocation from the organisation in question. This is one of a large number of applications currently being assessed. The Deputy will be informed of the outcome of the application as soon as a decision has been made.
391. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when increased home help hours in line with their reduced mobility and high dependence on medication will be arranged in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43040/13]
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.
392. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will advise citizens on the fair deal scheme and the best way to plan for their future using this scheme. [43042/13]
View answerThe Nursing Homes Support Scheme is a system of financial support for people who require long-term nursing home care. The Information Booklet and Application Forms for the scheme can be found on the HSE website at www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/olderpeople/nhss/.
These are also available from the local Nursing Homes Support Office. The relevant Nursing Homes Support Office for the individuals referred to by the Deputy is based in Ballymun. The telephone number is 01-8467148. This office can also answer questions about the Scheme and assist in any queries about the application process.
