Written Answers Nos. 300-314
300. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the contact he has had with the Samaritans on their concerns regarding the Children First Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44799/14]
View answerMy officials have met with a wide variety of stakeholders in relation to the development of the Children First Bill 2014. I understand that the Samaritans were among a group of providers of telephone counselling and help lines services who were briefed by my officials.
I assume that the Deputy is referring to the submission that the Samaritans made to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children in July 2012 in which some concerns were expressed in relation to the Heads of the Children First Bill. These concerns specifically related to the proposal to create Designated Officers and the impact of mandatory reporting on the Samaritans telephone helpline.
If the Deputy is referring to this submission, I would like to clarify that the proposal to create Designated Officers was not included in the Children First Bill which was published in April of this year, and so this issue is in effect, resolved.
As regards the effect of mandatory reporting on the telephone helpline, the Samaritans expressed concerns that distressed persons may terminate their call to the helpline if they believe that the information that they are discussing may be reported to the Child and Family Agency.
The reporting requirements under the Bill apply to information that a mandated person receives in the course of their professional duties. Under the provisions of the Children First Bill, 2014, as initiated, volunteers who are staffing a helpline will not have statutory obligations to report placed upon them; however it is expected that all reasonable grounds for concern that a child may have been, is being or is at risk of being abused or neglected should be reported to the Agency in accordance with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2011).
301. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on concerns raised by Westbank orphanage survivors in County Wicklow regarding the proposed mother and baby homes inquiry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44811/14]
View answer304. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will include Westbank orphanage and other relevant protestant institutions in the proposed mother and baby homes inquiry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44943/14]
View answer307. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if Westbank orphanage and the Bethany Homes will be included in the proposed mother and baby inquiry, recognising the importance of establishing a full account of what happened in all mother and baby homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45184/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 301, 304 and 307 together.
The Government has undertaken to establish a statutory Commission of Investigation into matters relating to Mother and Baby Homes in accordance with the Motion passed by the Dáil on the 11th June. Considerable progress has been achieved since this date, including the publication of the Inter-Departmental Group’s Report, the announcement that Judge Yvonne Murphy will chair the Commission and an inclusive consultation process with stakeholders. The Government has also publicly confirmed that the intended scope of this investigation will go beyond the home operated by the Sisters of Bon Secours in Tuam, Co. Galway and these announcements have been widely welcomed.
As the Deputy will be aware, I am consulting with a number of key stakeholders, including the Bethany Survivor's Campaign and Survivors of Protestant Children's Institutions whom I have met in recent days, in order to update the parties on the emerging issues and to seek their further views.
Requests to include a range of institutions, and concerns related to particular practices are being examined in our current deliberations.
A key challenge in deciding on the scope of the investigation is to ensure that a realistic approach is taken so that the Commission is in a position to investigate these matters in a workable and effective manner. As recommended by the Inter-Departmental Report, our approach should have regard to the facts established through recent inquiries into related institutions, and the general experience gained in conducting similar investigations into matters of public importance.
Following the finalisation of the terms of reference it is my intention to bring these matters to Government as soon as possible thereafter.
302. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the research undertaken by Tusla to examine best practice models for service delivery to survivors and victims of sexual abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44870/14]
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.
303. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to change the current system of funding and services provision of rape crisis centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44872/14]
View answerResponsibility for the funding of the Domestic, Sexual and Gender based Violence services transferred from the HSE to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, upon its establishment on 1 January, 2014.
In 2014, the Agency is providing over €17 million in funding to support the provision of Domestic, Sexual and Gender based Violence Services.
This includes the funding of some 60 services throughout the country:
- €10 million for 20 Crisis Refuges and support services
- Over €4 million for 16 Rape Crisis Centres
- Almost €3.5 million for 24 Domestic Violence Support Services.
Tusla has concluded a review of Domestic, Sexual and Gender based Violence services and a consolidated national budget is in place for these services. A roadmap for the future delivery of services has been approved by the Board of the Agency. The Agency has continued to engage with funded organisations during the review period and representatives of all those involved in the delivery of services were invited to consultations throughout the review process.
A structure for the national oversight of Domestic, Sexual and Gender based Violence Services is currently being put in place, with dedicated roles to support the delivery of these services. This approach will facilitate the provision of effective, high quality services with more equitable availability of services across different geographical areas and different population groups.
Sexual Violence services will be developed as a national specialist service in order to achieve greater co-ordination of responses to both adult and child victims of sexual violence across all relevant services. The ultimate goal is to enable better experiences and outcomes for those who have experienced sexual violence and the important role of Rape Crisis/Sexual Violence services in this respect is recognised.
As part of the Child and Family Agency performance framework, the Agency is committed to implementing a commissioning approach to funding all external service providers, including Sexual Violence services.
Tusla's budgetary arrangements are currently being finalised. The Agency will liaise with funded Sexual Violence services regarding services required and funding arrangements for 2015 once its budget has been signed off. Frontline Sexual Violence services will be prioritised within available resources.
305. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to ensure funding is secured to enable Childline to continue providing a 24 hour service. [45081/14]
View answerMy Department does not provide direct funding in respect of Childline. However, I have asked the Child and Family Agency, as the body with statutory responsibility for promoting the welfare and protection of children, to look into the matter and I will revert to the Deputy when I have received their advice.
306. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding the budget and poor pay and conditions of child care workers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45085/14]
View answerApproximately €260m is invested annually by the Government to support the provision of early childhood care and education through three childcare support programmes, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes. Despite the difficult budgetary position that has prevailed in recent years, the Government has maintained the investment in these programmes, in particular the free pre-school programme which alone costs €175m annually. While considerable progress has been made in correcting the overall budgetary situation, the funding available to my Department does not allow for the consideration of an increase in the capitation paid to childcare providers participating in the ECCE programme at this time.
These programmes, and in particular the Early Childhood Care and Education programme, provide a guaranteed source of income to participating services and given that many parents would otherwise not be able to avail of pre-school care and education for their children, the funding has ensured that many childcare services, both commercial and community, have the resources to continue to operate.
All international research and experience shows that the supports provided to children in their early years results in improved outcomes for children and an economic and social return to the State, but only where the services provided are of a high quality. Following the broadcast of the Primetime programme in May 2013, Minister Fitzgerald announced the Early Years Quality Agenda which comprises a range of actions designed to improve quality in early years services. These actions include the strengthening of the Early Years Inspection system, the introduction of a registration system for all pre-school services and supporting the implementation within early years services of the Síolta Framework and the Aistear Curriculum.
Within the broader context of quality improvement, the Department of Education and Skills Inspectorate has been asked to lead and organise focused inspections on the quality of educational provision in early childhood education settings participating in the ECCE programme. These education-focused inspections will concentrate on the improvement of educational provision for pre-school children, and will complement the inspections undertaken by the Child and Family Agency Early Years Inspectorate.
A National Early Years Quality Support Service, known as Better Start, has been introduced. This service has 30 graduates in early childhood care and education who will work directly with services to improve quality, including assisting services in the implementation of the Síolta Framework and the Aistear Curriculum. The National Manager of the Service has been recruited and the Early Years Specialists took up their posts in October. The new service will work closely with the City and County Childcare Committees and the Voluntary Childcare Organisations to support service providers in improving the quality of their services. The work of the service will be based on a new Practice Guide based on Síolta and Aistear, which is currently being developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA).
308. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason for the delay in responding to correspondence (details supplied) regarding mother and baby homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45295/14]
View answerI am advised that a reply issued on the 19th August to the Deputy's initial correspondence of 6th August regarding Mother and Baby Homes. A further reply outlining the current position issued on 21st November from my office in response to the Deputies letter of 28th October. As an independent body, it will ultimately be a matter for the Commission itself to determine the approach to matters which fall within its specific terms of reference. My Department will arrange to pass the details supplied by the Deputy to the Chair of the Commission.
309. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his Department, or any agency of his Department, has awarded any contracts to a company (details supplied) since 9 March 2011. [45341/14]
View answerMy Department and the Agencies under its remit has not formally entered into any contract for the provision of services by the company concerned.
310. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health his Department's policy on defibrillators in schools; the number of schools with no defibrillator; the number of schools with a defibrillator and no one trained to use it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45159/14]
View answerThe Department of Health has no information on defibrillators in schools nor the operational issues relating to their use within schools.
It was agreed that there are a number or questions that need to be considered when designing a public defibrillation programme for Ireland and Government approval was therefore granted for the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to undertake a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) of a Public Access Defibrillator Programme for Ireland. HIQA is currently preparing its Final Draft Report. Public Consultation on this issue ended late October. The health technology assessment of public access defibrillation currently being conducted by HIQA will examine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of different configurations of any potential public access defibrillation programme, which includes matters of training. The HIQA health technology assessment is due to be completed by end November 2014, when its results will be conveyed to the Department of Health for its consideration.
311. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the reason for an hour delay in an emergency ambulance call-out (details supplied); his views that this delay is unsatisfactory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44772/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly. If he has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days will he please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
312. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a much needed motorised wheelchair will be provided in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44778/14]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. 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 the matter up with the HSE.
313. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Health the reason Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin withdrew physiotherapy services for children with referrals from rheumatoid paediatricians without any alternative service being available to them in the Kildare west area; in view of the extensive delays experienced by children in the area, if he will confirm when physiotherapists in the Kildare west Wicklow area will be in a position to provide the services required by children with referrals from rheumatoid paediatricians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44787/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly. If he has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days will he please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
314. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health his plans to meet with the canal community local policing forum (details supplied). [44791/14]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of further information concerning the nature of the issues it is difficult to respond in full to her. I would suggest the Deputy might consider corresponding with my office outlining the issues involved.
