Written Answers Nos. 150-155
150. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of child care orders sought; the number granted by location for each of the past five years and to date in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18120/14]
View answerI have requested the information from the Child and Family Agency and I will revert to the Deputy when this information is to hand.
151. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will ensure voluntary youth organisations are involved in the roll out of the Youth Guarantee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18154/14]
View answerMy Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country by the voluntary youth sector. The work of the voluntary youth work sector, in the provision of these services, has a significant contribution to make to the Government's jobs agenda including the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work and the implementation of the Youth Guarantee in Ireland. Many youth organisations are working closely with relevant Government Departments and delivering measures to implement the Guarantee for young unemployed people.
My Department, in consultation with the youth sector, has developed a 'Youth Employability Initiative' which involves the expansion of proven youth work initiatives that increase the employability of marginalised young people in the 15 to 24 age group. It aims to target the hardest to reach young people who are at risk of becoming NEET (i.e. not in employment, education or training) for intensive support to prevent unemployment. The development and expansion of the Youth Employability Initiative is a priority for me, should additional resources become available to my Department for youth services. In this regard, my Department continues to make efforts to secure the necessary resources for the initiative including exploring the potential of the initiative for ESF funding and is liaising with the relevant Government Departments in this regard.
My Department will develop a new Youth Strategy in 2014. This Strategy will have its basis in the Children and Young Person's Policy Framework - Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures which is being launched this week. The Youth Strategy will focus on ensuring greater coordination in policy and provision across Government for young people aged 10 – 24 years and will aim to be responsive to current and emerging issues such as youth employment.
My Department continues to work closely with the Departments of Education and Skills, Social Protection and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, to identify in what ways, the youth sector can contribute to shared policy objectives to address youth employment and the Youth Guarantee and in the context of the Action Plan for Jobs.
152. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide a breakdown of all funding allocated to youth projects and preschools in County Donegal for years 2011, 2012 and 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18221/14]
View answerMy Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme under which funding is provided to support 31 national and major regional youth organisations. 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, Local Drugs Task Force Projects and certain other programmes including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and Youth Information Centres. In 2014, current funding of €49.78m has been provided to my Department for these schemes. Co. Donegal Education and Training Board (ETB) is one of a number of bodies (in the main these are the ETBs) that administer funding for youth services on behalf of my Department.
Details of the funding allocated to youth work projects and services in Co. Donegal for the years 2011 to date are outlined hereunder.
|
Special Projects for Youth Scheme |
Grant |
|
2014 |
|
|
Daybreak Youth Project |
74,651 |
|
Donegal Youth Service Outreach Project |
80,653 |
|
Donegal Town Youth Project (Part of former Youth Information Centre |
56,696 |
|
Foróige Youth Development Scheme |
80,653 |
|
2013 |
|
|
Daybreak Youth Project |
77,559 |
|
Donegal Youth Service Outreach Project |
83,796 |
|
Donegal Town Youth Project (Part of former Youth Information Centre) |
58,905 |
|
Foróige Youth Development Scheme |
83,796 |
|
2012 |
|
|
Daybreak Youth Project |
86,177 |
|
Donegal Youth Service Outreach Project |
93,106 |
|
Donegal Town Youth Project (Part of former Youth Information Centre) |
65,450 |
|
Foróige Youth Development Scheme |
93,106 |
|
2011 |
|
|
Daybreak Youth Project |
92,168 |
|
Donegal Youth Service Outreach Project |
99,579 |
|
Foróige Youth Development Scheme |
99,579 |
|
Youth Information Centres |
|
|
Letterkenny Youth Information Centre (Donegal YIC and Letterkenny YIC up to 2011) |
|
|
2014 |
128,208 |
|
2013 |
133,203 |
|
2012 |
148,003 |
|
2011 |
316,585 |
|
Local Youth Club Grant Scheme |
|
|
2013 |
42,607 |
|
2012 |
42,607 |
|
2011 |
41,529 |
The 2014 allocations for the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme are being finalised by my Department and it is anticipated that notification will be available for the ETBs by early summer.
In addition, under the 2013 Youth Café Programme, capital funding has been approved for two new youth café facilities in Co. Donegal as follows:-
|
Youth Café Capital Funding Programme 2013 |
Grant |
|
Ballybofey Youth Café |
50,000 |
|
Gort a Choirce Youth Café |
50,000 |
Information concerning pre-schools in Co. Donegal is not readily available. I will arrange for this information to be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
153. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the construction of Edenmore primary health care centre in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18114/14]
View answerThe development of primary care is central to the Government's objective to deliver a high quality, integrated and cost effective health care system.
In addition to locations ranked as a result of the HSE's 2012 prioritisation exercise, the mechanism and timescale for delivery of primary care infrastructure is dependent on a number of factors including GP participation. GP commitment to sharing accommodation with HSE staff and delivering health care services from these facilities is essential for primary care centre delivery. All potential primary care centres are also subject to suitable locations being offered/provided/available and to successful planning processes. In addition the operational lease mechanism is subject to market pressures such as the developers' access to sufficient financing. Delivery of primary care infrastructure is a dynamic exercise, constantly evolving to take account of changing circumstances including the feasibility of implementation.
As with all capital projects the primary care infrastructure programme including this location must be considered within the overall capital envelope available to the health service. There will always be more projects than can be funded by the Exchequer. There is limited funding available for new projects over the period 2014-2018 given the level of commitments and the costs to completion already in place.
154. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health the numbers of persons on a daily basis who waited on trolleys in the accident and emergency of the University Hospital Limerick since 21 January 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18118/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
155. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if the respite opportunities cut from the services provided for a person, details supplied, will be restored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18125/14]
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.
