Written Answers Nos. 439-453
439. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health the efficiency targets that were set, through the social care division, for section 39 organisations; the process through which section 39 organisations were asked to make savings; the way the amounts were calculated and, specifically, the methodology that was used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43322/14]
View answerMy Department does not provide funding under section 39 of the Health Act 2004. The Health Service Executive (HSE) funds a range of service providers under section 39 of the Health Act 2004 and the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
440. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health the way the amount of funding deducted from Ability West in County Galway was calculated; where it was recommended that savings could be identified within the organisation; if a breakdown of the total amount of savings will be given in terms of Haddington Road agreement savings and value for money savings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43323/14]
View answerThe Value For Money (VFM) Review identified fundamental issues that need to be addressed in the way in which HSE-funded disability services are managed and operated, and lays the groundwork for the introduction of a significant restructuring of the Disability Services Programme.
VFM efficiency targets of €5 million were identified this year in the National Service Plan. In order to arrive at a fair and equitable allocation of these efficiency targets, the Social Care Division of the HSE has been assessing the capability of the voluntary disability providers to implement the necessary measures.
In recognition of the time required to complete this work I understand that only 50% of the 2014 requirement, i.e. €2.5 million, is being assigned to disability providers this year.
In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service issues, they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with the HSE.
441. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the travel arrangements he will put in place in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow to enable them to keep their daily appointments at Soilse, Green Street, Dublin, in view of the fact that they are on limited means and cannot cover the cost. [43325/14]
View answerAs the issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
442. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if threat of legal action by Intrym Justitia in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny relative to their care at St. James's Hospital, Dublin, will be withdrawn immediately as their care was required after an accident while working for the Health Service Executive and is linked to legal proceedings; and if he will expedite a positive response. [43326/14]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
443. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number and the locations of any representations made between 26 and 30 October 2014 to the State's embassies and consulates seeking a change in Ireland's laws on the termination of pregnancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42972/14]
View answerBetween 26 and 30 October 2014, representations in the form of peaceful protests seeking a change in Ireland's laws on the termination of pregnancy were made to nine missions abroad. The missions included embassies in Athens, London, Nicosia, Ottawa, Stockholm, Tel Aviv and Warsaw and consulates general in Boston and New York. At eight of the locations, letters were conveyed to mission staff who relayed them to the relevant authorities. A separate, similar representation was made to our Embassy in Rome on 24 October. Between the listed dates, Ireland’s Embassies in Uganda and Tanzania also received written representations concerning the same issue.
444. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) who is subject to the death penalty after a conviction for blasphemy and is now in solitary confinement in prison appealing their sentence; if a protest has been made to the Government of Pakistan; if the matter has been raised at EU level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43026/14]
View answerThe Government remains very concerned about this case, particularly following the recent decision of the High Court of Lahore to uphold this person’s conviction. Our concern at the conviction and sentence was first conveyed by the Irish Ambassador accredited to Pakistan (from Ankara, Turkey) to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad in 2013. The Ambassador also expressed our disquiet at the nature of Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Last week, on 6 November, our Ambassador to Pakistan visited Islamabad. In the course of his meetings there, he raised this case with a senior Foreign Ministry representative, noting that her case is a matter of grave public concern in Ireland. Officials in my Department also keep in regular contact with the Embassy of Pakistan on this and other issues. We recently raised the case, and our concerns regarding the blasphemy laws and persecution of Christians generally, with the Embassy of Pakistan.
Pakistan underwent a ‘Universal Periodic Review’ of the human rights situation in the country at the United Nations Human Rights Council in October 2012. At this review, concern was expressed about this case and calls were made for Pakistan to consider adopting an official moratorium on the death penalty. During the process, Ireland recommended that Pakistan take all appropriate measures to combat and prevent discrimination against religious and other minority groups, including by removing educational material which could serve to perpetuate discrimination.
At EU level, freedom of religion or belief and freedom of opinion and expression play a central role in the EU’s dialogue with Pakistan. The High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the European Union, Catherine Ashton has expressed her concerns at the judgment, and others like it, on numerous occasions, and has called on Pakistan to respect human rights as guaranteed under international conventions.
In June 2014, the EU issued a Declaration on violence against women in Pakistan, expressing deep concern at the wide-spread violence perpetrated against women there.
The fifth meeting of the EU-Pakistan Joint Commission, which reviews EU-Pakistan bilateral relations annually, met in Islamabad on 24 June 2014. On human rights, the EU, while acknowledging efforts of the Government of Pakistan to strengthen human rights infrastructure in the country, expressed its concern on a number of issues including freedom of the media, freedom of religion and belief and the situation of women.
On 18 October last, a spokesperson for the European External Action Service expressed sadness and deep concern at the High Court decision to uphold this person’s conviction, and called on Pakistan to ensure for all its citizens, full respect of human rights as guaranteed by international conventions to which it is party. The spokesperson further noted that the EU considers the death penalty a cruel and inhumane punishment and expressed the hope that the verdict would be appealed to the Supreme Court and struck down swiftly.
The issue of the death penalty in Pakistan and this case were also the subject of a statement made on behalf of the EU High Representative/Vice-President Catherine Ashton at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 22 October last. In the course of that Statement, it was noted that the EU, and particularly its Delegation in Islamabad, would continue to follow the case closely and would continue to advocate for the verdict to be overturned and for the person concerned to be released. While not trying to intervene in an ongoing court case, the Statement noted that the EU would use any opportunity to raise this case and the wider issues of the death penalty and blasphemy law, with Pakistan.
The EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Mr Stavros Lambrinidis also visited Pakistan at the end of last month, where he held an in depth dialogue with the Pakistan authorities on key human rights issues.
Ireland attaches great importance to the fundamental human rights of freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief. We are aware of the vulnerable situation of persons belonging to religious minorities in Pakistan and will continue to raise this case and others bilaterally with the Pakistan Government as well as through the framework and mechanisms of the European Union and the United Nations.
445. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the efforts his Department has made or is making to alert Irish tourists travelling to Turkey about the levels of financial debt they may be exposed to by having to access Turkey's health care system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43065/14]
View answerMy Department advises all Irish citizens, before travelling abroad, to consult the Travel Advice pages on the Department’s website at https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/. The Travel Advice pages provide relevant information on a vast range of countries and issues that people travelling should be aware of, and pages are updated frequently. On the Travel Advice webpage for Turkey, as is the case with all other country-specific pages, citizens are strongly advised to obtain comprehensive travel insurance before travelling. The separate ‘Know Before You Go’ section of the Department’s website also gives detailed information about the type of cover that we would recommend in travel insurance. Having such insurance ensures that citizens have best prepared themselves for unfortunate eventualities like illness and hospitalization abroad, and the costs that can arise in such cases. It would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the internal medical or health care systems or costs in another country.
446. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 825 of 4 November 2014, the situation that arises where their Irish citizenship is not in question, both adoptive parents are now deceased and the twins do not have copies of their birth certificates; the way in which a person may obtain such birth certificates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43208/14]
View answerThe individuals concerned do not need to produce copies of their birth certificates. Instead the individuals can apply for Irish passports by enclosing the certificates of entry in the Adoption Authority of Ireland’s Register of Foreign Adoptions, relating to their adoption, and an Irish birth certificate for at least one of the Irish parents, available from the Irish General Register Office at https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Apply-for-Certificates.aspx
447. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of meetings of heads of mission that have taken place in the past ten years; when the next heads of mission meeting is scheduled for; its strategic goals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43230/14]
View answerSince 2004, the Department has organised two formal Heads of Mission conferences, one in 2009 and the other in 2011. The next Heads of Mission conference will take place in Dublin from 12 – 14 January 2015. While the programme for the conference has yet to be fully finalised, the conference will provide an opportunity to coordinate the work of Ireland’s diplomatic network in advancing key Government priorities and in providing a first-rate service to Irish citizens and businesses. The Deputy will also wish to note that officials at Headquarters regularly meet with Heads of Mission on an individual and regional basis to discuss issues and to set strategic priorities for their respective missions.
448. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of diplomats due to retire in 2015 and 2016; if there is a strategic plan in place to deal with the exodus of talent and experience from our diplomatic missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43231/14]
View answerA total of 12 diplomatic officers will retire during 2015 and a further 5 diplomatic officers will retire in 2016. In common with other Departments, the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade has sustained substantial staff reductions under the moratorium on recruitment. Permanent Departmental staff numbers have fallen approximately 200, or about 13%, since 2009. In order to try to ameliorate the impact of the ongoing reductions in staffing, a major re-structuring of the Department’s Headquarters operations was completed in early 2012. Other functions and staff are routinely reorganised or reallocated to maximize continuity of work output and minimise disruption to service delivery to the citizen. For succession planning reasons, and on foot of comprehensive workforce planning exercises undertaken by my Department, exceptional sanction was received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform over the last two years to promote a number of officers to the grades of Counsellor and First Secretary to fill gaps created mainly by retirements. Sanction was also received to recruit a number of Third Secretaries, the entry grade to the diplomatic service, to fill existing and emerging vacancies in the grade at home and abroad. The first appointments from this competition were made in April 2014 and a total of 27 new Third Secretaries are now in situ, with a further 2 to join the Department over the coming weeks. These promotions and recruitment have constituted the main steps to counteract the loss of talent and experience from the diplomatic grades which has taken place over the last number of years. I acknowledge that retirements at senior level represent a significant loss of experience and talent for the Department. In this regard, it is important that we recognise the contribution this outgoing generation of officials has made to the advancement of our country at home and abroad, including through active involvement in the Northern Ireland peace process, promoting our trading and cultural links, ably representing Ireland at the EU and UN and other international fora, and building our globally-acclaimed development cooperation programme.
However, the recent recruitment and promotion of very high-calibre officers is helping to offset this tangible loss of experience, and is bringing an infusion of talent into the various grades and functions across my Department. In addition, focussed training opportunities are being provided to staff at all levels so as to ensure that the service provided by our officials remains at a very high level.
My Department will continue to assess its staffing requirements in the period ahead as part of its ongoing workforce planning process, in tandem with the setting of strategic priorities through the forthcoming Foreign Policy Review and Statement of Strategy.
449. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a FÁS course in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42859/14]
View answerThis is a day to day operational matter for the Kerry Education and Training Board. I have asked the ETB in question to contact the Deputy directly with the information requested.
450. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the FETAC level 5 carers courses available in the mid-west region; the dates of commencement of the courses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42911/14]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy provided by the Limerick/Clare Education and Training Board is as follows:
Healthcare and Childcare Courses Available in Limerick and Clare
|
Course Name |
Centre |
Location |
Major Award / Minor Award - L5 |
Start Date |
|
Healthcare Support |
Limerick Training Centre |
Ennis |
Minor Award |
16/02/2015 |
|
Healthcare Support |
Limerick Training Centre |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
13/04/2015 |
|
Healthcare Support |
Adult Education Centre |
Scariff |
Major Award |
03/09/2014 |
|
Healthcare Support |
Adult Education Centre |
Ennis |
Major Award |
05/09/2014 |
|
Healthcare Support |
Adult Education Centre |
Kilrush |
Minor Award |
17/09/2013 |
|
Healthcare Support |
Adult Education Centre |
Kilrush |
Minor Award |
09/09/2014 |
|
Childcare Support |
Community Location |
Killaloe |
Major Award |
07/01/2013 |
|
Childcare Support |
Adult Education Centre |
Ennis |
Major Award |
01/09/2014 |
|
Healthcare Support |
Adult Education Centre |
Abbeyfeale |
Minor Award |
24/09/2014 |
|
Childcare |
Adult Education Centre |
Abbeyfeale |
Minor Award |
24/09/2014 |
|
Healthcare Support |
Community Enterprise Centre |
Croom |
Major Award |
07/01/2014 |
|
Early Childhood Care and Education |
Community Enterprise Centre |
Croom |
Major Award |
25/09/2014 |
|
Healthcare Support |
LCAES, O'Connell Avenue |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
04/02/2013 |
|
Healthcare Support |
Our Lady of Lourdes |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
07/02/2014 |
|
Healthcare Support |
LCAES, O'Connell Avenue |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
26/02/2014 |
|
Healthcare Support |
Northside FRC, Ballynanty |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
02/10/2014 |
|
Healthcare Support |
LCAES, O'Connell Avenue |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
02/02/2015 |
|
Early Childhood Care and Education |
Tait House, Southill |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
14/11/2013 |
|
Early Childhood Care and Education |
Corpus Christi School, Moyross |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
30/09/2014 |
|
Early Childhood Care and Education |
Northside FRC, Ballynanty |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
13/10/2014 |
|
Early Childhood Care and Education |
LCAES, O'Connell Avenue |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
20/09/2010 |
|
Healthcare Support |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Major Award |
01/09/2014 |
|
Childcare Support |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Major Award |
01/09/2014 |
|
Childcare Support |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Cappamore |
Major Award |
01/09/2024 |
|
Early Childhood Care and Education |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Cappamore |
Major Award |
02/09/2024 |
|
Early Childhood Care and Education |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Major Award |
03/09/2024 |
|
Care of the Special Child |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Major Award |
04/09/2024 |
|
Community and Health Services |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Major Award |
05/09/2024 |
|
Childcare Support |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Major Award |
06/09/2024 |
|
Advanced Early Childhood Care and Education |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Major Award |
07/09/2024 |
|
Advanced Early Childhood Care and Education |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Cappamore |
Major Award |
08/09/2024 |
|
Child Development |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
22/09/2014 |
|
Childhood - Social, Legal & Health Issues |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
23/09/2014 |
|
Childcare - Equality & Diversity |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
24/09/2014 |
|
Early Childhood Curriculum |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
25/09/2014 |
|
Early Childhood Literacy and Numeracy |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
26/09/2014 |
|
Supervision in Early Childhood Care |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
27/09/2014 |
|
Child Health & Wellbeing |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
28/09/2014 |
|
School-age Childcare |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
29/09/2014 |
|
Childminding Practice |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
30/09/2014 |
|
Child Development |
Limerick College of Further Education |
Limerick City |
Minor Award |
01/10/2014 |
|
Early Childhood Care and Education |
Ennis Community College |
Ennis |
Major Award |
01/09/2014 |
451. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update regarding the minor works scheme; the budget for same; when a list of those successful will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42857/14]
View answerCircular Letter 0062/2013 which was published, as the Minor Works Grant for the school year 2013/2014 issued last November in the amount of €28m, states "the grant will only be paid in future years as funding permits". The focus under the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme 2012-2016 is on meeting the demand for additional school places. At this time there is no funding available within my Department's 2014 financial allocation for the payment of the 2014/2015 Minor Works Grant. I am aware that whenever my Department is in a position to issue a Minor Works Grant (to all primary schools with permanent recognition) that it is welcomed by school communities and management bodies as a valuable contribution towards the cost of maintaining school infrastructure.
452. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the continuing delay in processing an application to Student Universal Support Ireland in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; if this application will be expedited due to hardship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42873/14]
View answerAs part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage the assistance of their public representatives in making enquiries about their grant applications.
This service compliments the established channels provided by SUSI which include online application tracking, a dedicated website, a telephone helpdesk, email and social media, including Facebook and Twitter.
Enquiries, such as that raised by the Deputy, may be emailed direct to SUSI at oireachtas@susi.ie. SUSI are responding to email queries within a matter of days.
453. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress in the implementation by her Department of Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. [42890/14]
View answerMy Department is committed to ensuring that the views of children are considered and taken into account in all matters affecting him or her in accordance with Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In particular, my Department's Inspectorate listens to the voices of students during inspections as getting their views on the work of schools is an important step in arriving at sound evaluative judgements regarding the quality of the education provided. The Inspectorate has, in recent years, given students a greater voice in the evaluation process. As a result:
- Inspectors interact with students during inspections, and in whole-school evaluations at post-primary level they meet with a focus group of students
- To strengthen the voice of students in evaluations, the Inspectorate introduced confidential learner questionnaires as part of whole-school evaluations in primary and post-primary schools in 2010. These questionnaires collect information on the views of students about the work of the school and their experiences at the school.
- Between September 2010 and December 2012, over 35,900 learner questionnaires were administered by the Inspectorate in primary schools and over 26,500 learner questionnaires were administered in post-primary schools.
- The learner questionnaires are confidential. They are processed in the Evaluation Support and Research Unit (ESRU) of the Inspectorate and a copy of the analysed statistical data from the questionnaires is made available to the inspectors conducting the evaluation and to the school. The data is used as an important source of evidence by the inspection team.
Other examples include:
The establishment of student councils in primary and post primary schools to give students a voice. Data from latest Lifeskills survey (2012) indicate that 14% of primary and 97% of post primary schools have established student councils. My Department will continue to encourage the establishment of student councils in schoolsThe work by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) to ensure that the voice of the child contributes to the development of policy and service delivery in relation to the provision of psychological services to schools and children
On-going consultation with children and young people as part of the revision of curricula, including the Primary School Curriculum and the Junior Cycle Curriculum.Children and young people were consulted on the Digital Strategy for Schools. As part of the internet safety awareness initiative of the PDST Technology in Education initiative, the views of young people are sought through the Webwise Youth Advisory Panel.
Young people working as apprentices have their views represented on the National Apprenticeship Advisory Committee through their union representation. The views of apprentices also informs the work of the Education and Training Boards, the Institutes of Technology and SOLAS.
My Department's continued commitments to the voice of the child will form part of the strategy on Children and Young People's participation in Decision Making which is being developed by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
