Written Answers Nos. 539 - 556
539. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers who applied for and were not accepted on the agri-environment options scheme in 2013 will be a priority group for acceptance in the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6881/14]
View answerThe consultation process with stakeholders on the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 is ongoing and final written submissions have been invited by the 19th February 2014. Final decisions on the GLAS Scheme, including selection criteria to be used, will be made following the completion of the consultation process.
540. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total amount of land deemed ineligible for single farm payments in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6882/14]
View answerThe Deputy will be fully aware of the value of the EU funded Direct Payment Schemes to Ireland. Each year farmers in Ireland benefit from funding of over €1.5 billion under Schemes such as the Single Farm Payment Scheme, the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the Agri-Environment Schemes, etc. This comprises the entire net income of many thousands of Irish farmers.
The European Commission has an obligation to ensure that Member States manage and use the EU funding granted to them in accordance with the very restrictive provisions governing the Schemes and general financial provisions. All of the lands declared by farmers must be eligible if these lands benefit from payment under one of more of these Schemes. My Department is currently carrying out a comprehensive exercise by excluding ineligible features, such as houses, roads, scrub, rivers, etc. in land parcels declared by farmers. In the vast majority of cases, the exclusion has no impact on payments as the farmers in question have taken a prudent approach and reduced the declared area to take account of the ineligible feature. No cutbacks have been applied on eligible land.
As the Review exercise remains ongoing at present, it is not feasible to collate the data sought by the Deputy. However, data is being extracted and compiled and will be provided directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
541. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the monetary amount of penalties imposed each year on farmers since the single farm payment was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6883/14]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy is being extracted and collated and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy immediately it becomes available.
542. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applicants under the disadvantaged areas scheme 2013; the number paid to date; the number remaining to be paid, broken down by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6884/14]
View answerPayments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced, on schedule, on 25 September and, to date, payments worth €195,511,959 have issued nationally, to some 93,155 applicants, with payments continuing to issue on a twice weekly basis, with individual cases being paid as they are confirmed eligible. Details of these payments are contained in the following table. The majority of the unpaid applicants did not meet the minimum stocking density requirements of the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme.
|
County Name |
Applied |
Paid |
Gross Amount |
|
Carlow |
717 |
693 |
€1,353,040.25 |
|
Cavan |
4,635 |
4,531 |
€9,384,232.93 |
|
Clare |
5,824 |
5,710 |
€12,943,517.84 |
|
Cork |
6,794 |
6,545 |
€14,426,476.16 |
|
Donegal |
7,892 |
7,510 |
€17,199,637.05 |
|
Dublin |
118 |
109 |
€239,700.38 |
|
Galway |
11,354 |
11,003 |
€22,930,905.15 |
|
Kerry |
7,275 |
7,062 |
€16,661,169.59 |
|
Kildare |
475 |
445 |
€747,014.19 |
|
Kilkenny |
1,676 |
1,640 |
€3,244,431.02 |
|
Laois |
1,632 |
1,583 |
€2,983,925.84 |
|
Leitrim |
3,288 |
3,194 |
€6,984,875.18 |
|
Limerick |
2,746 |
2,659 |
€4,908,647.97 |
|
Longford |
2,302 |
2,223 |
€4,613,121.37 |
|
Louth |
695 |
670 |
€1,081,991.80 |
|
Mayo |
10,943 |
10,541 |
€21,976,434.97 |
|
Meath |
1,277 |
1,225 |
€2,099,029.13 |
|
Monaghan |
3,908 |
3,820 |
€7,250,475.96 |
|
Offaly |
2,269 |
2,210 |
€4,133,244.69 |
|
Roscommon |
5,467 |
5,328 |
€11,160,337.45 |
|
Sligo |
3,798 |
3,701 |
€7,760,782.19 |
|
Tipperary |
4,291 |
4,148 |
€8,361,156.04 |
|
Waterford |
1,346 |
1,304 |
€2,526,546.02 |
|
Westmeath |
2,525 |
2,452 |
€4,625,142.12 |
|
Wexford |
1,304 |
1,265 |
€2,193,639.53 |
|
Wicklow |
1,638 |
1,584 |
€3,722,484.93 |
|
TOTALS |
96,189 |
93,155 |
€195,511,959.75 |
543. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of applicants who have applied under each measure of the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6885/14]
View answerThe following table sets out the number of applications received under each Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) prior to the relevant closing dates for each Scheme.
|
Scheme |
Number of Applications Received |
|
Bioenergy |
282 |
|
Dairy Equipment |
5,785 |
|
Poultry Welfare |
43 |
|
Rainwater Harvesting Scheme |
94 |
|
Sheep Fencing/Handling |
3,732 |
|
Sow Welfare |
153 |
|
Total |
10,089 |
With the exception of the Bioenergy Scheme, all the TAMS are now closed for the receipt of applications. In the case of the Dairy Equipment, Rainwater Harvesting and Sheep Fencing/Handling Schemes, my Department is currently processing the applications received during the course of the final tranches which closed on 31 December 2013. The final date for completion of work under the Sow Welfare Scheme is 28 February 2014 and applicants must lodge a completed payment claim with my Department by that date in order to be eligible for grant-aid under the Scheme.
544. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the interpretation of by-law 533 of the Fisheries Act 1966 as it relates to snorkelling for shellfish when snorkelling is permitted; the conditions or restrictions that apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6905/14]
View answerThe bye law referred to by the Deputy continues to be in force under the Inland Fisheries Act 2010. Responsibility for that legislation rests with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
545. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plan to address the conflict which has arisen between legislation and regulation with respect to Garda vetting for students on early education and health and social care training programmes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6180/14]
View answerThe Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006 require that a person carrying on a pre-school service shall ensure appropriate vetting of all staff, students and volunteers who have access to a child.
I am aware that a problem exists in relation to the sharing of student vetting information by training colleges with a third party. It is my understanding that timing issues between a student finding a placement with a service provider and the time they need to be on placement may not allow for the service provider to obtain Garda vetting on behalf of the student. In situations where training colleges process Garda vetting for their students and subsequently secure placement of these students in childcare settings, they are not permitted under current Data Protection regulations to release the vetting documents or copies to the childcare service. It is the position of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner that the disclosure of such information to other parties, even with the consent of the vetting subject, is not appropriate and could potentially undermine the integrity of the vetting process. Because of the requirements of the Pre-School Regulations, service providers cannot accept students on placement unless the full Garda vetting documentation is available to them. This is to ensure clear responsibility for the vetting of those working with children.
I am anxious that the issue raised by the Deputy is fully examined in order to determine if a workable solution can be devised. Officials in my Department have recently written to the Data Protection Commissioner requesting an urgent meeting to discuss this and a range of issues which relate to the delivery of childcare services.
546. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding programmes that are available from her Department to assist projects involved in youth diversion and rehabilitation; and to whom applications for State support should be directed in each instance. [6325/14]
View answerMy Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. This includes provision for the Youth Service Grants Scheme under which funding is made available to support 31 national and major regional voluntary organisations involved in the development and provision of youth programmes and services. 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 schemes support some 477 projects and services, provided by the voluntary youth sector, throughout the country. There are some 1,400 youth work staff and over 40,000 volunteers involved in the provision of these services and activities for young people. In 2014, funding of €50.530m, including €750,000 for a new capital funding programme, has been provided to my Department for these schemes. In addition, capital funding of €1.5m was provided in 2013 for the start-up of new Youth Cafés and 30 applications have been approved in locations throughout the country. Details of the successful proposals are available on my Department's website - www.dcya.gov.ie. The funding for these schemes is administered, in the main, by the Education and Training Boards on behalf of my Department.
Young people are provided with a wide range of programmes and activities, which respond to their needs, interests, capacity and age profile. The supports available are complementary to the school system and to other supports in place to assist young people who are marginalised and contribute to addressing a range of issues affecting young people and their communities including early school leaving, unemployment, drug/substance misuse, youth homelessness, and the impact of problems to do with juvenile crime and anti-social behaviour.
Having regard to the difficult funding situation in recent years, no new applications have been sought for these schemes since 2008. My Department, along with all government departments, is required to deliver substantial savings on all funding programmes in line with the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE). My Department, in determining the annual allocations for youth programmes, while having regard to the CRE, has sought to ensure that, as far as is possible, the focus is maintained on the front line youth services particularly those for the most vulnerable young people. This year, I secured an additional €1m in the 2014 Budget to offset the impact of the CRE on the youth services. As a result the overall reduction in 2014 budgets for the youth services at 3.75 % was significantly less had been indicated in the CRE.
Further information about the specific projects and services can be had from the projects themselves or the Youth Officer in the relevant local Education and Training Board or directly from my Department. If the Deputy has a particular case in mind and wishes to make the details available to officials in my Department, they will be more than happy to assist in providing a link to the specific project.
My colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality has overall responsibility in the area of crime and anti-social behaviour and his Department funds a range of youth services, in particular Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs) and Young Person Probation Projects (YPP). I see the role of my Department as working in an integrated way to develop strong linkages between all those working in prevention and intervention, developing closer working relationships between the prevention services provided by Child and Family Agency, and services provided by the Irish Youth Justice Service, which is co-located in my Department, and the youth sector. The main focus is on ensuring best outcomes for all our children and young people through the most efficient use of available resources thereby achieving best value for money. I want to ensure, notwithstanding the significant challenges we face, that we build on best practice and continue to innovate to ensure that young people are enabled and empowered to acquire the skills and experiences to realise their potential and to engage and develop in society.
547. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of funding that will be made available to each specific project under the design stage of the ABC programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6368/14]
View answerThe Area Based Childhood (ABC) scheme 2013-2016 is being implemented by my Department, in partnership with Atlantic Philanthropies who are co-funding the programme's total allocation of €29.7m. The programme will deliver the Programme for Government commitment to adopt an area-based approach to child poverty, drawing on best international practice and existing services to break the cycle of child poverty where it is most deeply entrenched and improve the outcomes for children and young people. The ABC programme will build on and continue much of the work of the Prevention and Early Intervention (PEIP) Programme, which was also implemented by my Department and co-funded by Atlantic Philanthropies.
50 applications to participate in the programme were received by the closing date of 31 May 2013. Three of these were from the previous PEIP participants and these were evaluated and approved for entry to the programme in July 2013. The remaining 47 applications were then evaluated and nine were approved in November 2013 for entry to the next, design stage of the programme. Applications were evaluated against the criteria set out in the applications process, namely Evidence of Need, Quality of the Proposal, Additionality & Sustainability, and Understanding and Capturing Outcomes, and ranked accordingly.
During the design stage, the selected entrants will be required to further develop their proposals including providing more detailed costings. Pending successful completion of the design stage, it will not be possible to approve specific funding allocations for the new entrants. Some projects may advance to the final approval stage more quickly than others, however, I hope to see as many as possible of the projects at implementation stage by July 2014.
To assist this process, my Department, in partnership with Atlantic Philanthropies, has engaged Pobal and the Centre for Effective Services to provide the new entrants with technical assistance. To begin this engagement, an Information event was held on 30 January 2014 in the F2 Centre, Rialto, Dublin, at which information on the various actions required and associated timeframes envisaged for completion of the design stage was given. Representatives from all of the new projects were present at the event.
548. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the language supports available to migrant children in care with poor standards of English; and the supports available to their foster carers in order that they may be able to assist them with normal activities such as helping with homework. [6379/14]
View answerUnder Section 3 of the Child Care Act, 1991, the Child and Family Agency has a duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and attention. Where a child is taken into the care of the State, the policy of the Agency is to place him/her in care settings, preferably in foster care, as in foster care, as close as possible to their home and community.
In 2013 the CFA ran a Foster Care Awareness Campaign to encourage carers from ethnic minorities to apply to foster in the hope of increasing the diverse pool of carers available to match the ethnic, cultural, religious and language needs of the country's increasingly diverse and secular society.
Separated Children Seeking Asylum
Where children are identified as Separated Children Seeking Asylum by An Garda Siochana their circumstances are investigated, and if there are any concerns about their welfare, they are placed into the care of the CFA. Young children are always placed with foster carers, and older children are either placed with a private foster company or following assessment and by their own preference, in dedicated children's residential accommodation. They are allocated a Social Worker, their needs are assessed and a Care Plan is developed. In both Dublin and Cork the Specialist Social Work Teams for Separated Children Seeking Asylum have developed a wide range of services to meet the needs of children presenting to this service including language support.
Any child or family referred to child protection services in the community who is deemed to require assistance will be offered interpreter services through their Social Work Team in order to facilitate their full engagement in services. The majority of unaccompanied children present in Dublin. The team has put in place a programme to provide separated children with language support, prior to entering mainstream school through the City of Dublin Education and Training Board Refugee Access Programme.
Foster Care
The Specialist Teams described above and all Social Work Fostering Teams throughout the country, in line with the National Foster Care Standards 2003, endeavour to place children "with carers who are chosen for their capacity to meet the assessed needs of the children and young people". This includes the provision of carers who can speak the child's language of origin where possible. In the rare circumstance where this is not possible, the social workers will contact the Embassy of the child's country of origin to seek the support of those from the child's own community of origin who are residing in Ireland. In all cases foster carers will be provided with extra Social Work link support so that the needs of the child are met. All assessment and care plan meetings will be carried out through an appropriate interpreter.
Educational Settings
All children, whether in residential care or with foster families, who are attending DEIS schools (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) can avail of school-based language initiatives under the DEIS strategy for Educational Disadvantage including English as an Additional Language. Some School Completion Programme Projects will also target after-school supports towards children who are in the early stages of learning English.
Social Workers will also identify community groups such as PAVEE Point and other NGO groups who may be able to provide linguistic and cultural support to the child and Foster Carers.
In 2013 the CFA ran a Foster Care Awareness Campaign to encourage carers from ethnic minorities to apply to foster in the hope of increasing the diverse pool of carers available to match the ethnic, cultural, religious and language needs of the country's increasingly diverse and secular society.
549. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is satisfied with the adequacy of inspections and the standard of child care provided throughout the State; if follow-up inspections and sanctions were imposed on those who have been found to be in breach of the relevant regulations and guidelines during the past year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6380/14]
View answerThe commitment to improve the quality of early childhood care and education for all children has been a key priority for me since becoming Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. During 2013, I prioritised the implementation of a Pre-School Quality Agenda, which represented a long-awaited programme of measures to support, monitor and regulate the improvement of quality standards in pre-school services in Ireland. A key element of this Agenda is to strengthen the national pre-school inspection system.
My Department is working with the Early Years Inspectorate to develop the new protocols on regulatory compliance so that there is greater clarity and consistency of approach as to how inspection reports deal with findings of serious non-compliance as opposed to minor breaches and full compliance. My Department also reviewed the penalties in place for breach of regulations, and legislative changes have been introduced to allow for an increase in the range and severity of sanctions that can be applied.
I understand that the Early Years Inspectorate follows up on complaints and makes visits to services found to be in breach of the regulations. However until the new legislation was enacted, there were no sanctions that the Inspectorate could impose other than through prosecution in the District Court. The power to impose conditions and to close services will now give the Inspectorate the capacity to deal with issues more effectively.
A number of additional measures being introduced will further strengthen the inspection framework. The new National Quality Standards for pre-school services being developed this year will complement the existing Pre-School Regulations replacing previous explanatory notes and will set out the quality outcomes and supporting criteria against which inspection under the pre-school regulations will be measured.
Standard Operating Procedures have been introduced to address issues of inconsistency and provide greater clarity for pre-school services. The Early Years Inspectorate transferred from the HSE to the Child and Family Agency when it was established in January last and I am confident that the comprehensive reforms which are being introduced will provide for the operation by the Child and Family Agency of a more consistent and robust pre-school inspection regime.
On foot of Budget 2014, I will be allocating €4.5m in Exchequer funding to support the implementation of the Pre-School Quality Agenda with €0.5m of this funding being allocated towards the cost of increasing staffing levels to further strengthen the pre-school inspection system.
The new reforms also provide a statutory basis for registration of pre-school services. Under the new system, which was introduced in January this year, all pre-school services will have to be registered in order to operate. Inspectors will be empowered to specify improvement conditions that a service must comply with.
550. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has not received the higher capitation grant for the early childhood care and education free preschool year. [6416/14]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, which provides a free pre-school year for all children before they commence primary school, is implemented by my Department. Approximately 68,000 children avail of the programme each year.
It is currently a requirement of the programme that all the pre-school leaders in participating childcare services must hold, as a minimum, a qualification at FETAC Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications of Ireland (NFQ). A standard weekly capitation fee of €62.50 is paid for each eligible child participating in the ECCE programme in these services. A higher capitation fee is payable to pre-school service providers where all the pre-school leaders delivering the ECCE programme hold a bachelor degree in childhood/early education (minimum of Level 7 on the National Framework for Qualifications ( NFQ) or equivalent) and have 3 years experience working in the sector, and where all the pre-school assistants in the service hold a relevant major award in childcare/early education at level 5 on the NFQ or its equivalent.
Where a service provider applies for the higher capitation rate, the relevant qualifications are checked in my Department to confirm eligibility. The ratios and sessions operated within the service must also be checked to ensure that all the ECCE children in the service are benefiting from the higher qualified staff.
Because of the high level of checking required, and because the range of qualifications which may entitle the service to the higher rate is very wide, the checking process can be slow. Staff resources have been prioritised towards ensuring that all pre-school services receive payment at the standard rate in respect of all the children in the service. However, every effort is being made to process all outstanding higher capitation claims as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, many service providers have been inconvenienced by the delay in awarding the higher capitation rate and this is deeply regretted. I can assure them, however, that where they are found to qualify for the higher rate, payment will be backdated.
My Department is currently working with Pobal with a view to transferring some of the administrative functions of the ECCE and other Childcare Programmes to that organisation. It is anticipated that at least part of this transfer will have been completed by September 2014. This will free up staff resources within my Department which are currently occupied in the manual processing of a significant amount of ECCE documentation.
In relation to the particular case raised by the Deputy, I am glad to let you know that the service provider concerned is entitled to the higher capitation rate. The application has been processed and the arrears due to the provider will be issued this week.
551. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will name each company awarded a contract for the provision of professional services by her Department and agencies under her aegis since May 2011; the value and purpose of the contract; if a competitive tendering process was undertaken in line with public procurement best practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6450/14]
View answerI would like to inform the Deputy that all contracts entered into by my Department must conform to the relevant laws and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines on Public Procurement.
My Department is currently working to compile a complete list as requested and this will be forwarded directly to the Deputy immediately as it becomes available.
In the interim, I would refer the Deputy to the Parliamentary Question 1915/14 from Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin answered on January 16th 2014, which detailed professional services for which payments were made since the establishment of my Department on 2 June 2011 and detailing the year in which the payment issued.
552. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the total amount spent on advertising by her Department and each agency under her aegis in 2013; if she will provide a breakdown of the amount spent on television, radio, print, outdoor, Internet and social media platform advertising, respectively; the amount spent on advertising agencies; if she will provide the information in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6577/14]
View answerMy Department had no spend on advertising in 2013. With regard to the bodies under my Department's aegis, there was no spend by the Adoption authority of Ireland; the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board. The Ombudsman for Children is an independent officer of the State and any such spend is a matter for the Ombudsman for Children. I will forward the Deputy's request to that body for direct response.
553. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department currently engages in real-time reporting of online conversations on issues relating to her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6593/14]
View answerThe Department for Children and Youth Affairs does not currently engage in real time reporting of on line conversations on issues relating to the Department.
554. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding adoptions; if she will consider bringing forward legislation to deal with this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6619/14]
View answerThe Adoption Act 1952 placed adoption on a regulatory footing in Ireland and all adoptions that have taken place since then should, in accordance with the law, have been in compliance with that Act. I am advised by the Adoption Authority of Ireland that 44,042 adoptions took place in Ireland between 1953 and 2012. While records exist in relation these adoptions these records may not be as expansive as current day practices would envisage.
I am also aware that some of the arrangements which were put in place were not within the provisions of the adoption legislation leaving people assuming they were adopted, when they in fact were not, or that their births were the subject of illegal registrations. Information in regard to illegal registrations is scant as these placements were by their nature shrouded in secrecy.
Existing procedures for the tracing of birth parents by people who have been adopted are not ideal and I have been anxious to see improvement brought about. The Information and Tracing Service of Tusla – the Child and Family Agency recognises the importance attached to this area of service provision and is working to provide a more streamlined services and to ensure that enquiries in regard to information and tracing are handled as quickly as possible. The Agency has advised me that, in the first instance, any person seeking information on adoption, or an illegal registration of a birth, should contact the Adoption Authority of Ireland or the Agency’s Community Services who will assist in directing them to the personnel dealing with their particular records. The existing arrangements for those seeking access to information reflect a transition from complex and historical situations and I am anxious that the Agency implement much more improved and consistent arrangements.
The Agency provides an Information and Tracing Service throughout the country to birth mothers, adopted persons and their families. The Adoption Act 2010, requirement that agencies providing Information and Tracing services would gain accreditation resulted in a number of religious orders deciding not to apply for accreditation and transferring records from their Mother and Baby Homes and Adoption Societies to the Agency. Approximately 25,000 records have been transferred to the Agency’s Regional Adoption Service in Cork, from the Sacred Heart Adoption Society. Work by the Agency on the organising and storage of these records has taken place. The advice of the National Archives has been sought in relation to the proper storage of these records that are of great significance. The Agency has also received records from other agencies. A comprehensive list of the locations of the records relating to the various adoption societies and Mother and Baby homes is available on the Agency website. I would urge birth mothers to enrol on the National Adoption Contact Preference Register (NACPR), which was established in 2005 to assist adopted people and their natural families to make contact with each other, exchange information or state their contact preferences. They decide, through a range of information and contact options, how they wish to proceed. The Adoption Authority of Ireland has responsibility for the operation of the Contact Preference Register.
My Department is continuing to work on the Heads of Bill for the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill and I hope to be in a position to seek Government approval to publish the Heads of Bill as soon as possible.
555. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the action she intends to take regarding the significant number of unconfirmed higher capitation applications under the ECCE scheme where child care providers have recruited staff on higher salaries and are still awaiting approval for higher capitation rates of funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6624/14]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, which provides a free pre-school year for all children before they commence primary school, is implemented by my Department. Approximately 68,000 children avail of the programme each year.
It is currently a requirement of the programme that all the pre-school leaders in participating childcare services must hold, as a minimum, a qualification at FETAC Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications of Ireland (NFQ). A standard weekly capitation fee of €62.50 is paid for each eligible child participating in the ECCE programme in these services. A higher capitation fee is payable to pre-school service providers where all the pre-school leaders delivering the ECCE programme hold a bachelor degree in childhood/early education (minimum of Level 7 on the National Framework for Qualifications (NFQ) or equivalent) and have 3 years experience working in the sector, and where all the pre-school assistants in the service hold a relevant major award in childcare/early education at level 5 on the NFQ or its equivalent.
Where a service provider applies for the higher capitation rate, the relevant qualifications are checked in my Department to confirm eligibility. The ratios and sessions operated within the service must also be checked to ensure that all the ECCE children in the service are benefiting from the higher qualified staff.
Because of the high level of checking required, and because the range of qualifications which may entitle the service to the higher rate is very wide, the checking process can be slow. Staff resources have been prioritised towards ensuring that all pre-school services receive payment at the standard rate in respect of all the children in the service. However, every effort is being made to process all outstanding higher capitation claims as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, many service providers have been inconvenienced by the delay in awarding the higher capitation rate and this is deeply regretted. I can assure them, however, that where they are found to qualify for the higher rate, payment will be backdated.
My Department is currently working with Pobal with a view to transferring some of the administrative functions of the ECCE and other Childcare Programmes to that organisation. It is anticipated that at least part of this transfer will have been completed by September 2014. This will free up staff resources within my Department which are currently occupied in the manual processing of a significant amount of ECCE documentation.
556. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is concerned at the high number of child psychologist positions that are vacant in our health care system; and if she has raised this issue with the Department of Health. [6663/14]
View answerThe Child and Family Agency was formally established on 1 January, 2014. The functions of the Agency as set out in the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013 include responsibility for the provision of services relating to the psychological welfare of children and their families.
Detailed discussions have taken place with the Department of Health and the HSE in order to determine the most effective mechanism for the delivery of psychology services by the Child and Family Agency in accordance with its statutory remit. Lead psychologists, appointed to the Child and Family Agency and the HSE are preparing final proposals for consideration by the Chief Executive Officer of the Child and Family Agency and the Director General, HSE. The work being done in this area will have regard to the current number of psychologists employed within the health and social care system and the deployment of these resources.
Child psychologists are in the main employed at present by the HSE. A small number of clinical psychologists are employed by the Child and Family Agency in the Assessment, Consultation and Therapy Service (ACTS) which operates across special care and high support settings, as well as the children's detention schools. They provide assessment and focused interventions for children and young people with complex clinical needs and high risk behaviours in the context of multi-disciplinary teams. They also provide support to other professionals in order to guide interventions with children and families.
It should be noted that the HSE will continue to have responsibility for a range of other child and adult psychological services including:
- psychological services associated with the provision of specialist mental health services to children;
- adult psychological services other than services which relate to the effective functioning of families and the improvement of relationships between parents and children, including effective parenting;
- psychological services to a child in respect of a disability; or
- psychological assessments in accordance with section 8 of the Disability Act 2005 or with section 4 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004.
