Written Answers Nos. 495-510
495. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will consider allocating extra funding for playgrounds to large urban communities where there are not enough play amenities for young children, compared to the density of population of young children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29050/15]
View answerMy Department has provided funding for play and recreation facilities for children and young people through the DCYA Capital Grant Funding Scheme for Play and Recreation, which was introduced in 2013. Under this funding stream €250,000 has been provided each year since 2013 to support new and existing play and recreation facilities. Projects providing new and innovative play and recreation spaces and facilities are welcome under this scheme. This can include providing new facilities, equipment, designs and/or the utilisation of non-traditional play spaces. The refurbishment or upgrading of existing play and recreation spaces and facilities is also supported. Rigorous criteria have been developed for the Scheme and applications, which are submitted through the Local Authority, must meet these before funding can be awarded. Applications must confirm that matched funding will be provided by the Local Authority, and the maximum funding provided under the Scheme to any Local Authority project is currently €20,000.
While the evaluation of grant applications takes into account areas where no facilities exist or where play and recreation facilities are in need of refurbishment, the provision and location of playgrounds is predominantly a matter for individual local authorities.
496. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps he is taking to increase the number of free community child care places in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29051/15]
View answerMy Department administers the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) Programme which is provided through community/not-for-profit childcare services. In excess of €40 million is provided annually by my Department to support the CCS Programme and this enables the parents of some 25,000 children to avail of affordable childcare.
In the region of 900 community/not-for-profit childcare services, 15 of whom are located in County Meath, participate in the CCS programme and they qualify for subvention funding on the basis of the level of service they provide and the profile of the parents benefiting from their service. The subvention funding provided under this Programme enables these services to reduce weekly childcare fees charged to disadvantaged or low income working families.
Currently, there is no funding to allow for the entry of new community/not-for-profit childcare services to the CCS programme. New applications can only be accepted if the new service is replacing an existing service that is leaving the programme.
It is likely however, that this will be considered by the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and After-School Care and Education, which I established in February this year. This Inter-Departmental Group, which is tasked with setting out a range of options for current and future investment, will consider options to enhance affordability, options to increase the accessibility of provision and options to build the quality of provision and support the sustainability of the early years sector. The Group is expected to submit a series of recommendations to Government shortly.
497. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he has had any communication with the Department of Finance regarding the possibility of a child care tax credit in budget 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29052/15]
View answerFunding of more than a quarter of a billion euro is provided annually by my Department towards childcare. All childcare programmes supported by my Department currently provide funding directly to childcare providers, either in the form of capitation or subvention payments. This kind of funding mechanism provides the leverage to progressively build the quality of childcare provision, while at the same time making childcare more affordable.
The question of tax allowances for parents was considered prior to the introduction of these childcare programmes. A number of issues emerged at that time which did not favour the introduction of a childcare tax credit. For example, the introduction of a tax credit would not help to support quality improvements within the early years sector and would not help those families on low pay who may not have any tax liability. There is also concern that the application of tax credits could lead to increased prices and therefore have limited impact in terms of savings to parents.
Options for future investment in childcare, including childcare tax credits, are currently being considered by the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and After-School Care and Education, which I established in February this year. This Inter-Departmental Group, which is tasked with setting out a range of options for current and future investment, will consider options to enhance affordability, options to increase the accessibility of provision and options to build the quality of provision and support the sustainability of the early years sector. It will submit a series of recommendations to Government shortly.
These recommendations will be considered as part of the upcoming annual estimates cycle and budgetary process. It is not possible for me to comment at this time on what future decisions may be taken by Government in the context of Budget 2016.
498. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children of 15 years of age who were in long-term foster care, that is, in care for a minimum of three years, at the time of the passing of the children's referendum in November 2012. [29071/15]
View answerI have referred the Deputy's question to the Child and Family Agency for a response, and will revert when this is to hand.
499. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs whether he has plans to merge the child health care services in County Galway; if so, the reasons for same; the consultation that has taken place with all stakeholders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29128/15]
View answerI assume that the Deputy is referring to the review of the organisation of community based services. This review, undertaken by the HSE, proposes the establishment of Community Healthcare Organisations and the putting in place of associated governance and management arrangements for community based services including those relevant to child health. The impact of the proposed changes on how individual local services are organised and the change processes involved are matters for the Health Service Executive in the first instance, which is under the remit of the Minister for Health.
500. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in the context of budget 2016, his plans to commit to a prevention and early intervention strategy for early childhood development given that this plan is very cost-effective in the long-term and is recommended by the Hands Up for Children campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29136/15]
View answerThe development of Ireland’s first Early Years Strategy is being progressed in my Department. The objective of this Strategy is to create an innovative and dynamic blueprint for the future development of Ireland’s early years sector and a coherent approach to seeking to improve the lives of children from birth to 6 years. The Early Years Strategy will address a range of issues affecting children in their first years of life such as child health and well-being, parenting and family support, learning and development and play.
This Strategy is one of three constituent strategies to emerge from Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014-2020. The Strategy will be underpinned by the Policy Framework's five national outcomes for children (i.e. active and healthy, achieving in all areas of learning and development, safe and protected from harm, economic security and opportunity and connected, respected and contributing) and by the six transformation goals it identifies to ensure the realisation of these outcomes for children - one of these goals is early intervention and prevention.
Considerable work has been done on the development of the Early Years Strategy. The work of the Expert Advisory Group, Right from the Start, has greatly informed the work to date. I have signalled my intention to conduct focused consultations with relevant parties across the early childhood care and education sector before concluding my own deliberations on the Strategy. I am also mindful of the importance of other work which is being undertaken in parallel in respect of the future investment priorities in respect of childcare. Taking account of these developments, I expect to be in a position to bring the Strategy forward for consideration by Government later this year.
501. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of providing one extra hour per day per child under the current early childhood care and education scheme over a 38-week period, raising the length of time from three hours per day to four hours per day, five days a week for 38 weeks. [29139/15]
View answer502. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of extending the 38 week free preschool year to 52 weeks per child, at the current rate per hour, for three hours per day. [29140/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 501 and 502 together.
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children before commencing primary school. Funding of over €170 million is provided for the ECCE programme annually in which some 67,000 children receive free pre-school care and education.
The programme is designed to be delivered for three hours per day, five days per week, over 38 weeks (183 days per year), and capitation fees are paid to participating services on the basis of this provision. The programme is based on the primary school model, under which primary schools are required to open on 193 days per year (equivalent to 38.6 weeks).
The approximate additional extra cost of extending the ECCE programme, based on the current capitation rates and for the current cohort of eligible children, is:
- 4 hours per day, five days per week, for 38 weeks = in the region of €55m
- 3 hours per day, five days per week, for 52 weeks = in the region of €60m
While there are presently no plans to increase the current provision within the pre-school year, all options for future investment in childcare are currently being considered by the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and After-School Care and Education, which I established in February this year. This Inter-Departmental Group, which is tasked with setting out a range of options for current and future investment, is considering options to enhance affordability, options to increase the accessibility of provision and options to build the quality of provision and support the sustainability of the early years sector. It will submit a series of recommendations to Government shortly.
503. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding allocated to the provision of a special needs assistant, in association with the early childhood care and education scheme, from the start of 2015; and the number of special needs assistants this would involve. [29141/15]
View answer504. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the average amount, per child, allocated by his Department for special needs assistants for the free preschool year for 2015-16. [29142/15]
View answer505. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children with special needs of early childhood care and education age; and the steps taken to date to establish this number. [29143/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 503 to 505, inclusive, together.
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme is a free and universal programme for all children, including children with special needs. Approximately 65,000 children are participating in this Programme in the current school year. My Department does not collate figures in relation to the number of children with special needs who are within the eligibility age range for the ECCE programme.
While there is currently no specific funding available from my Department to provide additional support to children with special needs accessing the ECCE programme, there are a number of measures in place to ensure that the free pre-school year is more accessible to these children. These include an exemption from the upper age limit where a child would benefit from starting primary school at a later age. In addition, children with special needs can apply to have the pre-school year split over two years on a pro-rata basis, for example availing of the programme for 2 days a week in the first year and for 3 days a week in the second year.
In addition, while the Health Service Executive has no statutory obligation to provide assistant supports for children with special needs wishing to avail of the free pre-school year, it does work at local level and in partnership with the relevant disability service providers to address individual needs as they arise. This is done, for example, by funding special pre-schools that cater specifically for children with disabilities. In some limited cases at local level, disability services have also facilitated children with disabilities in some instances to attend mainstream pre-schools by providing assistant supports where possible and subject to resources.
This Government recognises however, that co-ordination and provision of appropriate supports for pre-school children with special needs could be improved. Accordingly, when I established the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and School Age Care and Education, I included in its terms of reference the need to examine how best to provide for children with special needs within the ECCE Programme.
To advance this, the Departments of Children and Youth Affairs, Education and Skills, and Health have agreed to work together to develop a new model of supports for pre-school children with special needs. My Department is leading the process, with full and active support from the other two Departments and their respective agencies.
A group comprising representatives from these three Departments, the HSE, Tusla, the National Council for Special Education, the National Disability Authority, Better Start and the Dublin City Childcare Committee has started its work. This Group aims to have an agreed model by early September, with a view to making a cross-departmentally supported proposal for the resources required in time for the Estimates process.
506. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the current average age of permanent staff employed in his Department and the agencies under his Department's remit; the way this varies from the end of 2008 and the end of 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29192/15]
View answerThe average age of civil servants in my Department is currently 46 years of age. My Department was established in June 2011 and at the end of that year the average age was 45 years of age.
The information requested in respect of the agencies under my aegis is not normally held in my Department and I have asked my officials to arrange for the Child and Family Agency, The Adoption Authority of Ireland, The Ombudsman for Children's Office and the Children Detention Schools to supply this information directly to the Deputy.
507. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health further to an oral Parliamentary Question of 8 July 2015, the number of children under five years of age who have been diagnosed as requiring additional needs; the number of children awaiting assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29072/15]
View answerThe particular issues raised by the Deputy are service matters for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be 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.
508. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Health the reason e-mails sent to the primary care reimbursement service from this Deputy's office on 4 June 2015, with documentation (details supplied) that was outstanding and additional information due to a change in circumstance since the initial application, had still not been processed as of 6 July 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28243/15]
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.
509. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin den Aire Sláinte cén líon páistí atá ag feitheamh ar mheasúnú uathachais, cén líon daoine atá ag déanamh measúnuithe agus cén tréimhse ama a mbíonn páistí ag feitheamh ar mheasúnú; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [28269/15]
View answerIs le Feidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte (FSS) a bhaineann na saincheisteanna ar leith a tharraing an Teachta Dála anuas. Dá réir sin, shocraigh mé go gcuirfí an cheist faoi bhráid FSS agus is ise a thabharfaidh freagra díreach don Teachta Dála. Mura bhfuil freagra faighte agat ó FSS laistigh de 15 lá oibre, déan teagmháil le m’Oifig Phríobháideach agus fiosróidh sí an t-ábhar léi.
510. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the name of the appropriate institutions where all terminations under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 were carried out, or the name of the location if carried out elsewhere in an emergency, as provided for in the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 (Section 20) (Notifications) Regulations 2013 Statutory Instrument No. 546 of 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28272/15]
View answerThe Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act was signed into law by the President on 30 July 2013 and was commenced on 1 January 2014. Section 3 of the Act sets out appropriate institutions for the purposes of the Act:
3. (1) The Minister may by order, where he or she thinks it appropriate for the purposes of this Act, specify any institution managed by the Executive, or by another person pursuant to an arrangement entered into under section 38 of the Health Act 2004—
(a) at which in-patient services are provided under the direction of medical practitioners from not less than 3 medical specialties and which is wholly or partly used for the care and treatment of women in relation to any one or more of the following:
(i) pregnancy;
(ii) childbirth;
(iii) post-partum care,
or
(b) at which in-patient services (including intensive and critical care services) are provided under the direction of medical practitioners from not less than 7 medical specialties, and any institution so specified shall be an appropriate institution for the purposes of this Act.
The Schedule to the Act sets out a comprehensive list of such ‘Appropriate Institutions’ for the purposes of the Act.
As the Deputy will be aware, the first annual report on the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act has been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, as required under Section 20 of the Act. However the information published on these procedures is restricted. It is restricted in order to limit the risk of identification in what is a private, confidential matter between women and their doctors. I hope the Deputy appreciates this.
