Written Answers Nos. 424 - 440
424. Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the advice provided to his Department from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, concerning funding being made available to keep open the women and children's refuge at Cuan Álainn, Cookstown Way, Tallaght, Dublin 24; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18109/15]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency is aware that Cuan Álainn offers sheltered housing to women and families suffering from domestic violence.
Tusla endorses the use of second-stage refuge and supported accommodation to enable people to move on from emergency accommodation and this is the direction that Tusla intends to pursue in the future. At present, Tusla funding for domestic violence is targeted at emergency refuge accommodation services and community-based domestic violence supports.
Tusla has met recently with senior management from the Centre and has advised that it is not in a position in 2015 to provide funding to this service. The position will be kept under review by Tusla.
425. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps he has taken following his statement in February 2015 that he intended preventing any firm which has a contract with a tobacco group from tendering to work for bodies under the aegis of his Department; the further steps he is planning to take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18384/15]
View answerAll tendering and procurement processes undertaken by my Department and by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, are subject to specific Government rules. These rules are followed in all instances.
I have written to the Attorney General seeking her advice on the criteria that may be applied to future contracts entered into by my Department and the agencies under its remit. Specifically, I have asked whether it is legally permissible to require firms tendering for contracts to sign a declaration that they have no contractual arrangements with tobacco companies.
I will consider the matter further when the Attorney General's advice is available.
426. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of agencies, quangos or other bodies funded by or established by his Department which have been scrapped, merged or reduced since the Government was formed; the amount saved in each case; the reduction in staff as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18429/15]
View answerI would like to inform the Deputy that there are three agencies which are currently funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Child and Family Agency and the Ombudsman for Children's Office.
Up to 31st December, 2013, my Department also funded the Family Support Agency (FSA) and the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB). The Child and Family Agency, established on 1st January 2014 under the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, has statutory responsibility for services previously provided by the NEWB and FSA. In addition, the Agency has responsibility for children and family services previously delivered by the HSE together with domestic and sexual violence services, certain psychological welfare services, and preschool inspection services. The coming together under one Agency of such a range of services provides a platform for the delivery of more efficient and effective services to children and families. The remit of the Agency will contribute to the achievement of its overall vision, which is seeking to bring about greater integration of services with a focus on early intervention and community engagement.
As the new Agency subsumed all of the staff and functions of the NEWB and the FSA there have been no savings of any significance accruing. The achievement of establishing the Agency means that, for the first time, there is a dedicated body responsible for child care and protection in Ireland. However, it is envisaged that when the staff of the former FSA and NEWB move into Tusla's new building, there will be a full year saving of €112k based on rent.
In July 2011, the Government decided that the Family Mediation Service should transfer from the Family Support Agency to the Legal Aid Board. This is in line with the Government's commitment to facilitate the use of mediation in family disputes in order to speed up the legal process, reduce cost and ameliorate the stress of contested court proceedings. On 26th October 2011, the Minister for Justice and Equality signed the commencement order for Part 16 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 which gave effect to the transfer from 1st November 2011.
It should be noted that following enactment of the Child Care Amendment Act 2011 the Children's Act Advisory Board was subsequently dissolved by means of the commencement by the Minister of Health of Part 6 of the Child Care Amendment Act 2011.
427. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the new commissioning model that will replace the grant-making funding system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18445/15]
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. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. In 2015, funding of €49.9m has been provided to my Department for these schemes. There has been no reduction in the overall allocation for youth services in 2015. This was an important priority for the voluntary youth organisations that have a key role in the provision of quality youth work services for young people.
Ongoing engagement and dialogue with the voluntary youth sector organisations and with young people themselves are priorities in the formulation of policies and provision of services to support young people’s development and learning. My Department works closely with the youth sector interests in various fora in developing key initiatives.
Three of the targeted funding schemes, the Special Projects for Youth scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund, and Local Drug Task Force projects scheme, were the subject of a recently completed Value for Money and Policy Review. The schemes support the provision of youth services for young people who are at risk of drugs, alcohol misuse, early school leaving, homelessness or who are living in disadvantaged communities. In 2012, expenditure on the schemes amounted to €39.7m. The review involved an in-depth scrutiny of a complex area to do with the impact youth service provision has in young people’s lives. Overall, the review found that the youth programmes can provide a significant contribution to improving outcomes for young people, and should be considered for on-going public funding.
The review makes a number of recommendations for the future operation of the youth schemes and their development in the years ahead. It recommends that the three schemes be replaced with a single, targeted, evidence-based and outcomes focussed scheme designed to secure the optimal outcomes for young people and their communities. It sets out guidance as to how services may be developed to better meet the needs of young people in the target cohort and how demographic information and CSO data about local areas should be part of the programme design.
My Department has undertaken a detailed consultation process with the youth sector and providers of youth services, including volunteers, about the review's findings and recommendations. The consultation included regional meetings across the country. All local services were invited to participate. My Department is committed to working collaboratively with the voluntary youth sector, in the development and implementation of the new programme over the next two years. Support for volunteers engaged in the provision of youth services is a priority for my Department in this context. Supports in place include training and awareness programmes in child protection matters through the National Youth Council of Ireland, and support programmes for both staff and volunteer led youth services in implementing the quality standards initiatives in local youth services. I intend that the reforms recommended in the review will be progressed in the context of the new National Youth Strategy, which is nearing completion. The strategy will be a universal strategy for all young people aged 10 to 24 years. It will have a particular focus on the needs of young people who are at risk of experiencing the poorest outcomes. It is anticipated that the new National Youth Strategy will be finalised in early Summer
428. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the State boards, bodies or committees on which vacancies exist or are anticipated up to and including 1 January 2016; the number of vacancies in each case; when the vacancy arose or will arise; if the vacancy relates to a chair or member; if he will provide details of the appointment process in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18481/15]
View answerI am responsible for appointment of members to the boards of the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Child and Family Agency (Tusla), Gaisce and the Board of Management for the Children Detention Schools. The following table sets out the number of vacancies and anticipated vacancies up to 1st January 2016 on each board including the Chairperson.
The Deputy may be aware that the Government approved new arrangements in 2014 for the making of appointments to State Boards and bodies. New guidelines were published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in November 2014. The Public Appointments Service (PAS) manages the new process of advertising and selection of suitable potential appointees for consideration by Ministers in filling State Board vacancies. All appointments, with some limited exceptions, are to be advertised on the State Boards portal, Stateboards.ie operated by PAS.
|
Board |
Number of Current vacancies |
Date current vacancies arose |
Number of anticipated vacancies up to 1/1/2016 |
Date of anticipated vacancies |
|
Adoption Authority of Ireland |
None |
N/A |
4 members 1 Chair |
4 Members 31/10/2015 1 Chair 31/10/2015 |
|
Gaisce |
7 Members |
1 Member September 2014 1 Member February 2014 3 Members 11/3/2015 2 Members 22/4/2015 |
None |
N/A |
|
Children Detention Schools |
1 Member 1 Chair |
1 Member 6/10/2014 1 Chair 27/4/2015 |
12 Members 1 Chair |
To coincide with the enactment of the Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 later this year. |
429. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the correspondence (details supplied) regarding the closure of a vital family resource centre in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18503/15]
View answerI refer the Deputy to my recent reply of 6th May in relation to this matter. The current position remains unchanged, but I hope that this issue can be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties involved.
430. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the legal cost incurred by the National Educational Welfare Board in the most recent available time period to enforce the statutory school attendance requirement under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18578/15]
View answerThe Child and Family Agency, established in 2014 under the aegis of my Department, has statutory responsibility in relation to school attendance and supports for young people at risk of educational disadvantage. Through its Educational Welfare Service, the Agency responds to instances where children are not attending school regularly, leading to concerns for their educational welfare. These responsibilities were carried out by the then National Educational Welfare Board prior to the establishment of the Agency.
The Agency has advised that in 2013, the most recent period for which the information is available, legal fees of €222,191 were incurred in relation to the statutory school attendance requirement under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000.
431. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide a breakdown by year, from 2016 to 2021, inclusive, of the estimated additional expenditure required to meet the requirements of demographic changes on a no-policy-change basis; and if he will identify the component parts of that expenditure. [18698/15]
View answerFunding requirements and how resources should be prioritised and allocated across each area of Government spending are generally considered as part of the annual estimates cycle and budgetary process. My overall objective over the period 2016 to 2021 will be to realise funding allocations that reflect expenditure policy priorities and demographic provision and that sufficient resources are directed towards those areas of greatest impact on children and young people.
Ireland is experiencing substantial demographic growth. For example, a report titled “Primary and Post-Primary Education 2015-2030” prepared by the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (DPER) indicates that pupil numbers at primary and post primary level have increased by over 60,000 in the last 5 years. The same report considers a likely increase of some 15,000 pupils in primary/post primary schools in 2015 compared to the previous year, gradually rising to a peak of approximately 979,000 pupils in school in 2024, compared to 889,000 in 2014. While this report was prepared in the context of the Education sector it is reasonable to extrapolate a similar increase in demographic demand in relation to services provided across the vote of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, in particular in the range of services provided by the Child and Family Agency, the youth sector and pre-school services.
There is an increasing demographic demand manifesting itself in child and family services. The period since 2006 has seen an upward trend in child welfare and abuse referrals. Since 2012 there has been a change and standardisation in the counting methodology used by the HSE/Tusla for abuse and welfare referrals making it difficult to make direct comparisons with current figures. However it is clear that the trend in referrals has been increasing, with totals reaching over 40,000 child welfare and abuse referrals per annum. Following screening, the numbers of cases deemed as needing a social work service has not increased to the same degree.
While the overall number of children in care has increased, the number of children being admitted to state care has been decreasing steadily over the last number of years. This fall is contrary to other key related figures: the rising child population, rising levels of referrals to Tusla, and the rising number of children in care. The increase in the number of children in care overall is a feature of children not exiting care. This is due to an increase in the number of children staying longer in care and, although the numbers entering care has decreased, it is still greater than the numbers leaving. Introduction of standard business practices, the application of national thresholds and measures to address children’s needs through other interventions (eg: Pathways/Meitheal) are expected to provide better information for the management of services.
Therefore, it is vitally important that unavoidable costs due to demographic pressures are fully addressed in the annual estimates process and that the impact of demographic change in this regard for the costs of programmes and schemes administered by my Department are properly captured on an ongoing basis.
The Deputy might also note that Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014-2020 was published and launched by Government in 2014. The framework comprehends the continuum from infancy through early and middle childhood to adolescence and early adulthood. It provides the overarching framework for the development and implementation of policy and services for children and young people. The Framework brings together key policies instanced in the Programme for Government including those relating to prevention and early intervention initiatives, early childhood education, breaking the cycle of disadvantage, through area based approaches to address child poverty, aftercare provision and addressing issues around anti-social behaviour. It also provides a means for cross departmental collaboration to promote the well-being of children and young people and a fresh impetus to a whole-of-government approach to current and emerging issues, including childhood obesity, healthy lifestyles, the impact of media and new technologies, the sexualisation of children and promoting pro-social behaviour. It accommodates a number of constituent strategies which focus in greater detail on the areas of Participation, Early Years, and Youth.
432. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to continue with the school completion programme; the funding that is being provided in 2015 as compared to 2014; when the local management committees will be able to inform groups implementing the programme whether the programme will operate for the forthcoming school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18702/15]
View answerThe School Completion Programme aims to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and to improve the school attendance, participation and retention of its target cohort. It is a targeted intervention aimed at school communities identified under the Department of Education and Skills DEIS Action Plan. It involves 124 locally managed projects and provides targeted supports to approximately 36,000 children and young people.
Since 1st January 2014, the Child and Family Agency has operational responsibility for the School Completion Programme, including the allocation of funds to local projects. In 2014, an allocation of €24.756 million was provided for the School Completion Programme. The Agency has indicated a similar allocation for the programme in 2015. The Agency has advised that Chairpersons of Local Management Committees have been requested to prepare their school retention plans for the 2015/2016 school year based on the expenditure allocated last year and to return them to the Agency by June 5th. Following receipt of these plans projects will be notified of their allocations for the 2015/2016 school year.
The ESRI is currently reviewing the School Completion Programme, which will help in future decisions on its structure, governance and operation. Its final report is expected next month. The Minister for Education and Skills recently published an evaluation of the DEIS programme which was also prepared by the ESRI, and which refers to the School Completion Programme as an integral support within DEIS in improving attendance and engagement in education.
I have advised the Agency of my commitment to ensuring that there is no diminution in the school completion programme services. The School Completion Programme is an important service within the Agency’s educational welfare services. It is highly regarded as a key response in securing improved educational outcomes for children and young people at risk of early school leaving.
433. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the shortage of places at an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18111/15]
View answerPreparations are under way in respect of all school-leavers and rehabilitative training (RT) graduates to ensure that needs are identified and appropriate services are provided to young people with disabilities. The Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed that all young people and their families will be notified by the end of June of the placement that will be available to them from September. Additional funding of €6 million (at a full year cost of €12 million) has been allocated in the Social Care Operational Plan 2015 to meet the needs of around 1,500 young people who will require continuing health-funded supports.
The HSE is very aware of the challenges faced by St. Michael’s House and other service providers and remains committed to working with all voluntary disability service providers to ensure that all of the resources available for specialist disability services are used in the most efficient and effective manner possible. The HSE has informed me that they are on schedule to meet the day service needs of all young people with disabilities who are due to leave school or graduate from an RT programme in the coming weeks.
434. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18112/15]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
435. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if additional funding will be provided to the Health Service Executive, specifically to address the deficit in funding for home sharing and respite services; if his attention has been drawn to the huge difficulties experienced by families who have no respite services or have had their services cut as a result of across the board budgetary constraints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18143/15]
View answerThe vision for the Health Service Executive's (HSE) Disability Services Programme is to contribute to the realisation of a society where people with disabilities are supported, as far as possible, to participate to their full potential in economic and social life, and have access to a range of quality personal social supports and services including respite care to enhance their quality of life.
Respite care for children and adults with disabilities is provided by the HSE directly in some instances, or by agencies funded by the HSE to provide services on its behalf. In many instances respite services are part of the overall suite of services provided by voluntary service providers to people with disabilities under their service level agreements with the HSE. The HSE remains committed to working with all voluntary disability service providers to ensure that all of the resources available for specialist disability services, including respite services, are used in the most efficient and effective manner possible.
The HSE’s Social Care Operational Plan for 2015 aims to provide 190,000 overnight stays in centre-based respite services to almost 5,300 people. The HSE is also committed to continuing to explore methods of community respite care as an alternative to centre-based respite care, including advancing the Host Family Support Model.
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.
436. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if the salary of a person who is on a career break from the Health Service Executive may be used to fill that person's position on a temporary basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18144/15]
View answer437. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if the position of a person in the Health Service Executive who is on maternity leave may be filled temporarily; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18145/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 436 and 437 together.
There was a requirement to reduce public service numbers and maximise savings in the public service from the time of the downturn in the economy. The HSE introduced an embargo on recruitment in 2007, and this was followed by the moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public sector in 2008. The HSE has had the capacity to recruit where it is necessary, to deliver front-line services.
The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced in Budget 2015 that he intends to delegate greater autonomy to Departments and Agencies to manage their own staffing levels. The change from the application of a rigid employment control framework, with its particular focus on a moratorium on recruitment and compliance with employment ceilings and targets, to one operating strictly within allocated pay frameworks will allow for recruitment where it is determined that this can achieve more economical service delivery.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) has advised that the HSE and Department of Health are required to submit a 2015 Pay and Numbers Strategy, outlining planned pay expenditure and staff numbers. Following approval of the strategy by DPER, a letter of delegated sanction will be issued. As this process is still ongoing, the existing moratorium and Employment Control Framework arrangements continue to apply.
438. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the care plan in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8; if he considers the care to date to have been appropriate; and if he is assured that all aspects of the person's needs are being addressed [18154/15]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
439. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be provided with hip replacement surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18155/15]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
440. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3 has been unable to access his medical records from two hospitals. [18157/15]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been sent to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
