Written Answers Nos. 415-430
415. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the work undertaken to date by his Department and by the Adoption Authority of Ireland to advance a bilateral adoption agreement with Russia, that is, the number and dates of meetings held between him, his predecessors, his officials, the authority and the Russian authorities and all other relevant authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29608/15]
View answer416. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the last time he held discussions with his Russian counterpart, the Russian ambassador to Ireland and the Irish ambassador to Russia to discuss a bilateral adoption agreement between the two countries; if he has any future meetings arranged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29847/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 415 and 416 together.
The Adoption Act, 2010, provides for adoptions from countries that have ratified the Hague Convention on Adoption and from countries where there is a bilateral agreement in place. Currently, adoptions are taking place with countries that have ratified the Convention. The Russian Federation has not ratified the Convention and therefore a bilateral agreement is necessary. A delegation from my Department and the Adoption Authority of Ireland visited Moscow in December 2011 to hold preliminary discussions in this regard.
Efforts have been on-going in relation to a bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption between Ireland and the Russian Federation for a number of years. There have also been a number of meetings with officials from my Department and a delegation from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation regarding a draft bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption between Ireland and the Russian Federation. The Office of the Attorney General has also provided advice to my Department in relation to the draft agreement.
The Irish Constitution protects the integrity of family life and once adopted in Ireland the child is treated as if they are the natural child of the adoptive parents. This means that the ability of the State to intervene in a family, when a child’s welfare and protection is not compromised, is limited. My Department has advised the Russian Federation of this Constitutional imperative in instances where families, who had given commitments to the Russian authorities in regard to the provision of post placement reports, fail to adhere to those commitments. In these instances the State has no legislative power to enforce compliance with the commitments given by Irish families, legal or otherwise, to provide post placement reports. In addition, other issues in the draft bilateral require further clarification. It is imperative that these matters are fully addressed so as to ensure that further discussions on other aspects of the bilateral agreement are beneficial.
It was intended that officials from my Department visit Russia in January of this year; however, it was decided to liaise with officials in the Ministry of Education and Science in Russia through the Embassy to ensure that Irish proposals in relation to the provision of post placement reports are acceptable to the Russian Federation before continuing the detailed negotiations. The Irish Ambassador to Russia has been providing the Department with consular assistance in this regard.
The issue of the negotiation of a bilateral agreement with Russia has to be considered in the context of the overall priorities of the Department in relation to adoption and the general focus of Ireland in regard to countries of origin for Inter Country Adoption.
417. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of investment from capital spending his Department has made in County Kildare since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29906/15]
View answerMy Department operates a number of capital grant schemes, and has supported capital projects in County Kildare under these schemes.
Funding was provided for early years capital developments in County Kildare, and funding was also provided from the Department's capital vote for the Childminding Development Grant and the Parent and Toddler initiative as follows:
|
Year |
Early Years Capital Developments |
Childminding Development Grant Initiative |
Parent and Toddler Initiative |
|
2012 |
€68,696 |
€6,594 |
€8,307 |
|
2013 |
€59,832 |
€13,529 |
€8,326 |
|
2014 |
€9,140 |
€2,799 |
€11,726 |
The provision of childcare capital grants has also ensured that many childcare services have been able to maintain the quality of their facilities and continue to deliver quality childcare services.
My Department has also provided some €120,281 capital funding for youth groups in County Kildare as set out in the following table.
Youth Café capital funding
|
Year |
Provider |
Amount |
|
2012 |
Kildare Youth Services Limited - The Curragh Youth Café |
€200.00 |
|
2012 |
Leixlip Youth Premises Group Limited |
€500.00 |
|
2012 |
Scooters Youth Café Rathangan |
€54,581.00 |
|
2013 |
County Kildare Youth Hub Limited |
€50,000.00 |
Youth projects capital Funding
|
Year |
Project |
Amount |
|
2014 |
Curragh Youth Project |
€15,000.00 |
The Capital Grant Funding Scheme for Play and Recreation was introduced in 2013 to support new and existing play and recreation facilities for children and young people.
Payments under this scheme made to County Kildare are set out in the following table.
|
Year |
Play and Recreation Capital Funding awarded to Kildare Local Authority |
|
2013 |
€20,000 |
|
2014 |
€15,000 |
|
2015 |
€10,000 |
418. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when he will commence the new registration process and if he is satisfied that all services will be registered through this process, as previously advised, by the end of 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29915/15]
View answerA key priority of the Government is to ensure that quality early years services are available to pre-school children. My Department is progressing the Early Years Quality Agenda which represents a programme of measures to support, monitor and regulate the improvement of quality standards in pre-school services in Ireland. A key element of the Agenda is to strengthen the national early years regulatory regime. This will result in a change of practice in a number of areas relating to early years inspections.
Responsibility for the inspection of early years services transferred from the Health Service Executive (HSE) to the Child and Family Agency in January 2014. Legislative amendments under the Child and Family Agency Act 2013 strengthen the current inspection regime and provide a statutory basis for the registration of early years services. New Child Care Regulations giving effect to the legislative changes are expected to be published shortly. The new registration system will require that anyone seeking to open an early years service must register with the Agency prior to the facility being opened. The proposed facility will then be inspected to ensure that it meets all the necessary criteria before registration is granted. Ongoing inspections will be carried out after the service has become operational and children are attending.
The legislation also provides for increased sanctions for service providers who do not comply with the Child Care Regulations. The Agency will also be in a position to refuse to register a service provider, to remove a provider from the register, or to attach conditions to the registration of a provider.
In order to provide for the implementation of the changes included in the new legislation, it was necessary to carry out a root and branch re-examination of the existing Child Care Regulations, including a restructuring of the regulations and associated guidance in line with the latest drafting practices. This proved more time-consuming than originally envisaged. Officials in my Department are working closely with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to develop a comprehensive draft of the new regulations, and I hope to publish the new regulations shortly.
Under the new legislation, all childcare services notified to the HSE at 1 January 2014 are deemed to be registered for a period of three years from that date. All such services will be required to apply for re-registration at that stage, and all of the new legislative provisions and revised regulations will apply to those services.
419. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when he will publish the new early years regulations. [29916/15]
View answerPre-school services are subject to the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No. 2) Regulations 2006, as provided for under Part VII of the Child Care Act, 1991.
The Deputy may be aware that my Department is progressing the Early Years Quality Agenda which introduces a number of key of reforms that provide for the further development of the childcare sector. To underpin these reforms, it was necessary to amend the Child Care Act, 1991 and these legislative changes were enacted through the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013.
To provide for the implementation of the changes, it was necessary to carry out a root and branch re-examination of the existing regulations including a restructuring of the regulations and guidance content in line with the latest drafting practices. This proved more time consuming than originally envisaged. Officials in my Department are working closely with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to develop a comprehensive draft of the new regulations, and I hope to publish the new regulations shortly.
420. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will meet with a person (details supplied) who has previously been in contact with his Department. [29942/15]
View answerI understand from the Deputy's question that the person concerned may wish to engage in relation to the Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2011).
The Children First Bill, 2014, which will put elements of the Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2011) on a statutory footing was published in April last year and is currently progressing through the Oireachtas. The introduction of this legislation is in line with a key programme for Government commitment and it represents an important and necessary addition to the child welfare and protection system.
In parallel with the legislative process, my officials are currently revising and updating the existing Children First National Guidance. This is to ensure that the Guidance, which will continue as the basis for all citizens to report concerns, reflects the new legislative obligations and provides, in one place, a comprehensive reference resource for individuals and organisations. This will provide clarity and ensure consistency between the proposed legislation and the existing non-statutory obligations which will continue to operate administratively for all sectors of society.
If the person concerned wishes to have an input into the revision of the Guidance, they can make a written submission to my Department which will then be considered by the Department in the revision.
421. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to subsidise and make the cost of youth clubs and summer projects cheaper; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29955/15]
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 €49.9 m was provided to my Department for these schemes. There was no reduction in the funding for the youth services in 2015 which was a key priority for the national voluntary youth organisations.
The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme supports youth work activities at a local level. These grants are made available to all youth clubs and groups through the local Education and Training Boards. The scheme is open to some 1,600 youth groups and clubs, with an estimated 89,000 club members around the country. In 2015, €1.035m has been allocated to this scheme. The scheme, which is open to new entrants, is advertised locally and applications for funding are invited by the Education and Training Boards from local groups in their respective areas. Each year, some 600 local youth clubs benefit from the scheme.
The question of additional funding for the youth services is a matter for consideration in the context of the resources made available to my Department in the estimates and budgetary process and having regard to the priorities identified in the new National Youth Strategy for 2014-2020.
422. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of public advertising, statutory and non-statutory, funded by his Department in 2013 and 2014; the corresponding figure for agencies under the control of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30020/15]
View answerExpenditure incurred by my Department on advertising in the years 2013 and 2014 is set out in the following table:
|
Year |
Advertising Costs |
|
2013 |
€6,363 |
|
2014 |
€12,648 |
The State Agencies under the remit of my Department include Tusla, the Adoption Authority of Ireland and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children. Expenditure by them on advertising is a day-to-day operational matter and in the circumstances I have requested that they furnish the information directly to the Deputy.
423. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost in 2013 and 2014 of printing reports by his Department and agencies under the control of his Department; the corresponding figure for annual reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30035/15]
View answerDetails regarding the expenditure incurred by my Department on the printing of reports in the years 2013 and 2014 are set out in the following table:
|
Year |
Printing Report Costs |
Department`s Annual Report |
|
2013 |
€51,545 |
Nil |
|
2014 |
€32,395 |
Nil |
It might be noted that no printing costs are associated with the production of the Annual Report for the Department of Children and Youth Affairs as it is normally published on the Department`s website.
The State Agencies under the remit of my Department include Tusla, the Adoption Authority of Ireland and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children. Expenditure by them on printing is a day-to-day operational matter and in the circumstances I have requested that they furnish the information directly to the Deputy.
424. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost in 2013 and 2014 of issuing hard copy payslips to staff or retired staff by his Department and agencies under the control of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30050/15]
View answerThe Department of Health provides a shared payroll service to this Department and the majority of staff receive their payslips on-line. In 2013 and 2014 payslips were posted to 4 weekly paid staff and 2 fortnightly paid staff on a regular basis, as they had no access to the on-line payslip available on the Department's internal computer network. The estimated cost is approximately €215 in both years. As retired staff are paid by the Paymaster General, no payslips issued to them from the shared payroll service.
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.
425. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will outline and itemise all expenditure undertaken by his Department on private travel for him and-or for his private office, on legal fees, consultancy fees and hotel accommodation during the 12-month period to 30 June 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30065/15]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that Private Office staff encompasses my Private Secretary, Special Advisers, Personal Assistant, Personal Secretary and Civilian Drivers. Expenditure on travel and hotel accommodation is in respect of official business, and is broken down as follows:
Expenditure on Flights – For 12 Month Period Ending 30 June 2015
|
Month |
Flights |
Persons Travelling |
Cost |
|
December 2014 |
3 Return Flights: Dublin - Brussels |
Minister Reilly Personal Assistant Private Secretary |
€376.43 €376.43 €399.89 |
|
Total Cost €1,605.71 |
Expenditure on Hotel Accommodation - For 12 Month Period Ending 30 June 2015
|
Month |
Stay |
Persons Staying |
Cost |
|
December 2014 |
1 Night Brussels |
Minister Reilly Personal Assistant Private Secretary |
€166.32 €166.32 €173.47 |
|
March 2015 |
Dubai India [Cost of Flights involved paid by Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade] |
Minister Reilly Personal Assistant Minister Reilly & Personal Assistant |
€182.43 €182.43 €120.40 |
|
Total Cost €991.37 |
In relation to legal fees, my Department paid the following fees during the twelve month period to 30 June 2015.
|
Payee |
Amount Paid |
Date paid |
Service Provided |
|
State Claims Agency |
€347.34 |
July 2014 |
Costs associated with claims |
|
State Claims Agency |
€12,197.05 |
August 2014 |
Costs associated with claims |
|
Connolly Finan Fleming Solicitors |
€2,152.50 |
August 2014 |
Legal costs |
|
State Claims Agency |
€224.98 |
January 2015 |
Costs associated with claims |
|
KOD Lyons |
€26,338.92 |
February 2015 |
Settlement costs |
|
State Claims Agency |
€723.00 |
March 2015 |
Costs associated with claims |
It is the policy of my Department to minimise legal fees to the greatest extent possible and to engage external law firms only as the need arises and where the required professional expertise is not available in-house or through another State body.
In relation to consultancy services engaged by my Department during the twelve month period to 30 June 2015, expenditure is as follows:
|
Name of Consultant |
Amount Paid |
Date paid |
Service Provided |
|
Capita Business Services Ltd |
€8,200 |
July 2014 |
Internal Audit Report Community Childcare Subvention/Childcare Education and Training Supports Programmes |
|
Axis Consulting Engineers |
€4,305 |
July 2014 |
Mechanical & Electrical specifications for capital works |
|
Bramell Lane Ltd. |
€29,151 |
July 2014 |
Policy analysis and development on remission of sentence |
|
Eamon Doyle Associate Consulting Engineers |
€1,445 |
July 2014 |
Structural specifications for capital works |
|
Lisney Chartered Surveyors |
€2,152 |
August 2014 |
Land Valuation Report |
|
Irish Child and Family Institute Ltd. |
€16,605 |
September 2014 |
Analysis and report of policy practices |
|
Prof. Trevor Spratt |
€1,476 |
October 2014 |
Review of proposed Policy Statement on Parenting and Family Support |
|
BFK Brand Ltd |
€16,390.28 |
December 2014 |
Design of the branding of Better Start, the National Early Years Quality Support Service |
|
Dr. Geoffrey Shannon |
€24,513.90 |
December 2014 |
Report of the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection |
|
Conor Feeney |
€1,230 |
December 2014 |
Drafting advice for the Registration and Care and Welfare Regulations relating to Special Care |
|
Peter Smyth Management Consultancy Limited |
€10,332 |
December 2014 |
The provision of Process Audit and Associated Procurement Advice Services to assist in the tendering and commissioning process for Phase 2 of the National Longitudinal Study of Children in Ireland (Growing Up in Ireland) |
|
Dr. Satya Brink (Canada) |
€20,237.16 |
December 2014 |
International expertise provided to the Growing Up in Ireland Steering Group and Project Team. |
|
Professor Ann Sanson (Australia) |
€9,616.21 |
December 2014 |
International expertise provided to the Growing Up in Ireland Steering Group and Project Team |
|
Capita Business Services Ltd |
€16,858 |
January 2015 |
Internal Audit Report: Programme Integration Platform |
|
Prof. Nick Frost |
€1,200 |
January 2015 |
Review of proposed Policy Statement on Parenting and Family Support |
|
JJ Campbell and Associates |
€2,418 |
January 2015 |
Engineering specifications for capital works |
|
Carmel Corrigan |
€6,300 |
February 2015 |
Report on Ireland’s Implementation of EU Youth Strategy |
|
The Change Exploratory Ltd |
€1,600 |
February 2015 |
Report on meeting of Advisory Council ‘Becoming an Active Player’ |
|
Eustace Patterson Ltd. |
€1,476 |
February 2015 |
Preparation of synthesis document for the Advisory Council |
|
Sandra Roe |
€6,000 |
April 2015 |
Report of the involvement of children and young people in the recruitment of the Ombudsman for Children |
|
Capita Business Services |
€12,623 |
June 2015 |
Internal Audit Report National Children Detention Facility |
|
Capita Business Services |
€15,675 |
June 2015 |
Internal Audit Report: Programme Integration Platform |
All contracts entered into by my Department must conform to the relevant laws and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines on Public Procurement. It is the policy of my Department to minimise to the greatest extent possible the use of external consultancy and to ensure that where it is necessary to engage an external consultant, my Department achieves maximum value for money. In order to deliver key commitments in relation to children and young people and to put in place a unified framework of policy, legislation and provision across Government in respect of children and young people, it is at times necessary to commission reports and utilise expertise from a range of expert individuals and bodies.
426. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is responsible for all board appointments where such power to appoint persons to State boards is vested in him by statute; if any politically appointed State employee outside his Department is involved in decision-making concerning such appointments, in particular, if, during the lifetime of the Government, a named person (details supplied) has had any influence over any appointments made by him; if he or officials from his Department have corresponded with that person regarding the composition of and appointments to State boards to which he has statutory power to make appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30105/15]
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 in Oberstown, Co. Dublin.
I can confirm that no politically-appointed State employee outside of my Department has been involved in the decision-making concerning board appointments and that the Department had no contact with the named person in relation to any board appointments during the lifetime of the Government.
New arrangements concerning appointments to State Board were approved by Government in November 2014. Guidelines covering the process to be used were published on 25th November 2014 by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Under these new arrangements, the Public Appointments Service will manage the process of advertising and subsequently, the selection of suitable potential appointees to State Boards.
In making my decisions on appointments to boards, subject to the governing legislation, I will consider the most suitable persons for the positions available with due regard to the body or agency in question and its particular responsibilities and I will seek to ensure that the appropriate mix of skills and experience is in place to best serve that body or agency.
427. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the current and capital funding allocated to his Department; the underspend or overspend in 2015 to date under each category based on his Department's spending profile; the funding made available within and external to his Department's functions to support innovation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30120/15]
View answerThe gross Vote allocation to my Department for 2015 is €1,027m. This is represented by a current allocation of €992m and a capital allocation of €35m. Gross expenditure for the period to the end of June 2015, amounts to €524m which is €25m below the profile of €549m. The underspend at this time includes €15m on current and €10m on capital and is primarily due to timing factors relating to the disbursement of funds. Officials in my Department are continuing to monitor the situation and it is expected that all monies will be drawn down by year end.
The Deputy might note that my Department was set up to drive the delivery of key commitments in relation to children and young people. It has a mandate to put in place a unified framework of policy, legislation and provision across Government in respect of children and young people. In carrying out the work of the Department my officials strive to achieve outcomes using measures and functions which support best practice and make use of innovative approaches as appropriate.
428. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his Department or agencies under the authority of his Department have performed an assessment of the potential savings to be accrued if current paper-based application processes by members of the public were replaced with a fully online application system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30135/15]
View answerI can confirm that neither my Department nor its agencies are currently conducting the type of assessment outlined by the Deputy. However, in the past some processes have been migrated to electronic forms of communication, with resultant savings.
In recognition of the potential benefits of on-line application systems, my Department developed an on-line management platform - the Programmes Implementation Platform (PIP) - to administer a range of childcare programmes. The objectives of the PIP are to reduce paperwork and duplication of effort, to simplify administration and to enhance the service experience of childcare providers and the other stakeholders involved, including City/County Childcare Committees. The PIP also provides a more comprehensive, integrated set of management processes, more efficient work practices, greater visibility and control of funds.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has developed and implemented on-line processes in a number of its services, resulting in significant savings. As part of its ongoing internal reform agenda it is currently exploring other options to make better use of its on-line access channels and to expand these to include other services.
429. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his Department has received a funding application in respect of a youth facility (details supplied) in County Kildare; the status of the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30160/15]
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. In 2015, funding of €49.9 m was provided to my Department for these schemes. There was no reduction in the funding for the youth services in 2015 which was a key priority for the national voluntary youth organisations.
My Department has not identified a recent application for funding for the facility indicated in the details supplied by the Deputy.
I am advised that the application from the Hub Youth Café was successful under the 2013 Capital Funding Scheme for new Youth Café facilities, and that the project was provisionally allocated an amount of €50,000 towards the cost of a new Youth Café. I understand that the project is now working with Pobal to develop the project to the next stage of development.
Youth Cafés offer young people a safe, alcohol and drug free space, for recreation, non-formal learning and youth activities. Over the period 2011-2013 capital funding made available to my Department has supported the development of some 100 Youth Café facilities throughout the country. Youth Café facilities will continue to be a priority should further capital funding become available to my Department in future years.
430. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount his Department currently spends on the provision of child care to school-going and preschool-going children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30181/15]
View answerFunding of more than a quarter of a billion euro is invested annually by my Department in early years services with the greater proportion of this funding going to support the 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. This funding, which is in addition to the direct support provided to all parents in the form of Child Benefit, supports more than 100,000 children each year. This high level of investment has been maintained despite the difficult budgetary situation that prevailed in recent years.
The funding provided by my Department on early years services in 2015 is allocated as follows:
- €172.4 million to support the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme that provides a free pre-school year to almost 67,000 children each year.
- €45 million to support the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, which assists low income and disadvantaged families to access childcare services in community childcare facilities. More than 25,000 children benefit from this programme.
- €17 million to support the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme which provides childcare places to qualifying Solas or Education and Training Board (ETB) trainees or students for the duration of their courses.
- €6.5 million to support the Community Employment Childcare programme, which provides 2,000 childcare places for parents engaging in Community Employment programmes.
- €1.6 million to support the After-School Childcare (ASCC) programme that assists parents returning to employment with the cost of after-school childcare.
- €13 million has been provided to support the work of the City and County Childcare Committees and the National Voluntary Childcare Organisations who support the development of childcare services and offer a variety of support to childcare providers, parents and staff working in the childcare sector.
- €7 million has been made available under the Early Years Capital Programme 2015 with €5 million of this funding available for grants specifically for community/not-for-profit services. This funding will provide grants for significant upgrades of community childcare facilities and also for essential refurbishment and relocation to new premises.
Funding has also been provided to support quality development and upskilling of the early years sector and to administer the various programmes.
