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Tuesday, 6 May 2014

Written Answers Nos. 353-363

Forestry Sector

Questions (353)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

353. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of tree health reports compiled by arborists or tree surgeons that were examined by the Forest Service before issuing licences to cut dangerous trees during the same period, from 20 December to date; the number of these tree health reports that were requested by the Forest Service before issuing licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20348/14]

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Written answers

The Department received one tree health report as supporting documentation for a tree felling licence to fell storm damaged trees. This report was duly examined and a general felling licence issued. It is not Department policy to put additional costs and an extra administrative burden on felling licence applicants by requesting such reports when Forest Service Inspectors are fully qualified to assess the need and justification for a felling licence. The Department is the competent authority for regulating tree felling and licences are issued by my Department based on assessments by Forest Service Inspectors – such assessments may or may not be aided by arborist or tree surgeon reports, or other supporting documentation.

Child and Family Agency Remit

Questions (354)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

354. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to give the National Educational Welfare Board authority to monitor children's attendances from their first day of school instead of from the date they turn six in view of the fact that a child may start school from age four and that a habit of not sending their child to school may be formed in that two year period which then is very difficult to tackle; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20168/14]

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Written answers

As the Deputy may be aware the functions and operational responsibilities of the former National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) are now part of the Child and Family Agency, which was established on 1 January 2014. Since this date the staff of the former NEWB, including its Educational Welfare Officers, have transferred to the new Agency. Within the Child and Family Agency, the statutory Education Welfare Service (EWS) has specific authority for the Agency’s general functions to monitor school attendance and ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education.

The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, provides the legislative framework for promoting school participation, retention and regular attendance as well as tackling the causes of absenteeism and early school leaving. The legislative provisions include distinct responsibilities for parents, school authorities and the Agency in respect of school attendance. Every child has a right to an education and it is a parental responsibility to ensure that children of compulsory school age attend school or otherwise receive an education.

Recognised schools are required to record and monitor daily attendance for all students enrolled in the school, irrespective of the age of the student. Schools must report patterns of non-attendance or concerns about the educational welfare of individual students, including those aged under 6 years, to the designated Educational Welfare Officer (EWO). The EWO will then work with the family, the school and other services where appropriate to improve attendance and participation in school.

There is no legislative impediment to proactive intervention by schools and the Agency to positively support parents of children under six years of age who may be experiencing difficulties. However, as compulsory school attendance does not extend to children under six years of age, EWOs cannot consider a prosecution against parents of children under six. It is important to understand that the Act requires the Agency to exhaust all welfare interventions to remedy the situation before considering legal action in any case. The focus of an Educational Welfare Officer’s work centres on establishing the barriers preventing a child from attending school regularly and then working with the family to resolve these issues. If appropriate or necessary, the EWO will link in with other agencies and support services. Therefore only a small percentage of the overall casework ends up with parents being prosecuted.

Foster Care Supports

Questions (355)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

355. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if financial assistance is available for fostering children (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20240/14]

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Written answers

Under the Child Care Act, 1991 and the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, the Child and Family Agency has a statutory duty to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. The majority of children in care are in foster care, one third of whom are placed with relatives. The Child and Family Agency receive a child into care where it appears that a child requires care and protection that he is unlikely to receive unless he is taken into care. Children are not received into care for the purpose of alleviating financial hardship. The Department of Social Protection provides for a guardianship payment in such circumstances.

The Department of Social Protection has advised that Guardian's payment (contributory) and guardian's payment (non-contributory) are payments made to a person caring for a child who is defined as an orphan under Social Welfare legislation; both of whose parents are dead, or a child whose parent or parents have abandoned and failed to provide for them. In cases where one or both of the child's parents are still alive, a Deciding Officer considers all of the evidence available, including the nature of the relationship between the parent(s) and the children concerned, in order to establish whether or not the children in question have been abandoned.

Inter-Country Adoptions

Questions (356)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

356. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide an update on the status of the bilateral adoption agreement between Russia and Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20003/14]

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Written answers

Efforts are ongoing in my Department in relation to a bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption between Ireland and the Russian Federation. A delegation of Russian officials travelled to Ireland in October 2013 for further discussions on a bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption between Ireland and the Russian Federation. The meeting was very positive and detailed discussions took place between the Russian officials and officials from my Department, the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Health Service Executive. My Department prepared revised draft wording on a number of specific points which were forwarded to the Russian Authorities in February of this year. In transmitting these revisions it was suggested that should these revisions be acceptable to the Russian Federation, it would be useful for both sides to meet again for further discussions.

Child Care Services Provision

Questions (357)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

357. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding available from her Department for a community playgroup (details supplied) to build its own premises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20260/14]

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Written answers

Considerable capital funding was made available to community and commercial mainstream childcare providers for the development and refurbishment of childcare facilities under the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) 2006-2010, and previously under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme (EOCP). Because of the economic situation, a review of capital expenditure was undertaken in 2009 and following this a decision was taken not to approve any further capital grant applications under the NCIP programme.

I did secure capital funding totalling almost €9m in 2012 and 2013 under two capital programmes to support the ongoing improvement of established childcare services participating in one or more of the childcare support programmes implemented by my Department. These programmes were over subscribed with the result that the funding available to qualifying applicants was limited.

I have also provided a further €2.5 million in 2014 for maintenance and upgrade of community/not-for-profit childcare services. The objective of this funding is to ensure that previously funded community facilities remain fit-for-purpose, maintain and improve quality, and to make community service more efficient and sustainable through improving the energy rating of these facilities. The closing date for applications for grants under this programme, which will be administered by Pobal on behalf of my Department, is the 7th May 2014 and full details is available on the Pobal website at www.pobal.ie. There is no further capital funding available to my Department this year of the scale that would assist new childcare providers to purchase or develop new premises.

Child Care Services Funding

Questions (358)

Seán Kyne

Question:

358. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding streams available to community child care facilities with particular reference to facilities in rural locations which are the only child care providers for significant distances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20305/14]

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Written answers

A number of childcare support programmes are implemented by my Department to support parents with the cost of childcare. These include the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme and the new After-school Childcare programme. These programmes represent an annual investment of approximately €260 million in childcare supports.

The ECCE programme is a universal programme to which all children have access and provides a free pre-school year to eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. This programme is provided by both community and commercial services and the funding allocated to each service is based on the number of qualifying children and the level of service provided.

The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme is confined to community not-for-profit childcare services and provides targeted funding primarily to support lower income and disadvantaged families. The funding provided is used by the participating services to reduce the weekly fees charged to qualifying families. This programme is presently closed to new entrants and new community childcare services seeking to enter the CCS programme can only do so if they are in a position to replace an existing community services that has opted out of the programme and support the parents who had previously used that service.

Funding is also provided by my Department to support the Childhood Education and Training Support (CETS) programme which targets funding to support parents seeking to return to the workforce who are participating in Solas or Education and Training Boards education and training programmes. This programme also supports Community Employment scheme participants along with supporting social welfare recipients returning to the workforce with the cost of after school care.

The After-school Childcare scheme is targeted to support low-income parents returning to the workforce. The aim of this initiative is to ensure that affordable and quality childcare is available to disadvantaged families when work opportunities are offered. The CETS and After-school programmes are provided by both community and commercial childcare services and the funding provided is used by the services to reduce the weekly fees charged to qualifying parents.

Capital funding grants to childcare services for major developments were discontinued following a review by Government of all capital expenditure in 2009. I did secure capital funding totalling €9 million in 2012 and 2013 to support ongoing improvement of established childcare services participating in one or more of the childcare support programmes implemented by my Department. I secured a further €2.5 million in 2014 for maintenance and upgrade of community/not-for-profit childcare services to ensure that previously funded community facilities remain fit-for-purpose and in a position to deliver quality services.

Hospice Services

Questions (359)

Noel Grealish

Question:

359. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if funding to address the shortfall in capital funding for expansion which was promised to Galway Hospice in 2012 was put in place; if not, the reasons this funding was not put in place; the timeframe for when it will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19279/14]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Data

Questions (360, 361)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

360. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the amount spent on the fair deal scheme in 2011, 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20140/14]

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Billy Kelleher

Question:

361. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of eligible clients that were beneficiaries of the fair deal scheme in 2011, 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20141/14]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 360 and 361 together.

As these are service matters they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (362)

Michael McGrath

Question:

362. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if it is a requirement that a person with a disability such as Down's syndrome would be required to have been signed off by their service provider before being employed by a local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19979/14]

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Written answers

Issues concerning the terms and conditions of employment operated by a local authority are a matter for the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. However I am not aware of any reason why an individual would require to be signed off by a disability service provider before taking up employment.

Many individuals with intellectual, physical or mental health disabilities gain full-time or part-time employment in the open labour market but may still receive health-funded supports on an intermittent or continuing basis, depending on their individual needs and abilities. The HSE and the voluntary disability agencies recognise the importance of employment to people with disabilities and are committed to supporting the participation of people with disabilities in the social and economic lives of their communities.

One of the key actions in the National Disability Strategy Implementation Plan, which I published last year, is the development of a cross-sectoral employment strategy for people with disabilities. Accordingly, the National Disability Authority has recently completed a draft ten-year Comprehensive Employment Strategy at my request. The draft Strategy, which is currently with the Disability Stakeholder Group for consideration, is due to be published at the end of this year as set out in the national Action Plan for Jobs 2014.

HSE Properties

Questions (363)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

363. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if St. James's Hospital is considering purchasing Basin Street flats, Dublin 8. [19981/14]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.

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