Written Answers Nos 532-545
532. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs how he will ensure that the national aspects of the family resource programme will be retained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1228/16]
View answerThere are currently 109 communities supported through the Family Resource Centre Programme which is funded by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Family Resource Centre Programme is a national programme with its own dedicated budget. Tusla provides core funding to Family Resource Centres to cover the employment of two to three members of staff and some overhead costs. In 2015, Tusla provided €13.09m in funding for the Family Resource Centre Programme.
Family Resource Centres (FRCs) are front-line services rooted in the communities they serve. Acting as a focal point within their communities, Family Resource Centres provide a holistic service of child, family and community support and advocacy to all children and families in their communities. While Family Resource Centres operate an open-door policy and provide many services and development opportunities at a universal level, they also proactively target specific cohorts within their communities. Tusla fully appreciates the role that Family Resource Centres play in offering early intervention support to families in difficulty.
As the Deputy will be aware, I announced a significant increase in the funding allocation to Tusla for this year. Tusla has available to it some €676 million in funding, representing an increase of €38 million over 2015. This increase in funding will allow Tusla to address critical shortcomings such as the number of children and families awaiting services.
The precise level of funding to be provided to Family Support Centres for this year has been considered by Tusla in developing its Business Plan for 2016, which has been submitted to me for consideration.
The Government, since its establishment, has attached particular priority to supporting vulnerable children and families and the significant increase in funding being made available to Tusla this year represents further evidence of our delivery on this ambition.
533. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the legal advice he has been given regarding the legacy debt issues relating to refundable registration fees paid by clients to Arc Adoption agency, when he will reach a conclusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1245/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, I am not in a position to outline in detail the legal advice that I have received. However, I am advised that my Department has no legal responsibility for repayment of these fees. Arc Adoption is a company limited by guarantee, not having a share capital and operates on a “not-for-profit basis”. These fees were paid as part of an agreement between Arc Adoption and its clients and my Department was not party to this agreement.
I am aware that there is an issue regarding the repayment to clients of refundable registration fees they are owed by Arc Adoption and I gave a commitment to examine the issue. This is a complex matter which I am currently considering.
534. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the discussions his Department has had with suppliers or service contractors to his Department or to agencies of his Department to ensure employees of such suppliers and contractors are paid the living wage of €11.50 per hour; the cost of implementing this wage for these employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1367/16]
View answerIt is important that Ireland’s statutory National Minimum Wage and the Living Wage concept are not conflated. The Living Wage is a voluntary societal initiative centred on the social, business and economic case to ensure that, wherever it can be afforded, employers will pay a rate of pay that provides an income that is sufficient to meet an individual’s basic needs, such as housing, food, clothing, transport and healthcare.
The Living Wage is voluntary and has no legislative basis and is therefore not a statutory entitlement and cannot be imposed on suppliers or contractors by either my Department or its agencies.
It is different to the National Minimum Wage which is a statutory entitlement and has a legislative basis. This Government established the Low Pay Commission to annually assess the appropriate level of the National Minimum Wage. The national minimum hourly rate of pay increased to €9.15 per hour on 1 January this year following Government acceptance of the Low Pay Commission recommendation of July 2015 to increase the rate from €8.65 per hour.
Separately, wage rates and other conditions of employment are provided for in Employment Regulation Orders for the Contract Cleaning and Security sectors. These statutory Orders came into effect on 1 October 2015 and provide for minimum rates in excess of the National Minimum Wage, with €10.75 per hour payable to workers in the Security sector and €9.75 per hour payable to workers in the Contract Cleaning sector.
Statutory minimum rates of pay may also be supplemented by social transfers such as Child Benefit, Family Income Supplement or health, education or housing assistance payments where the need arises and to reflect family circumstances.
535. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of persons with Down's syndrome (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46524/15]
View answerIn line with Government policy, disability providers are delivering an increasing proportion of services and supports which are individualised, person-centred and community-based from the block grants allocated to them by the Health Service Executive (HSE). The Government’s policy is this area is set out in the Report of the Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services in Ireland (VFM Review)which recommends migration from an approach which is predominantly organised around group-based service delivery towards a model of person-centred and individually chosen community-based supports underpinned by a more effective method of assessing need, allocating resources and monitoring resource use. Transforming Lives, the programme to implement the recommendations in the VFM Review is a key priority in the HSE's National Service Plan for 2016. The HSE is actively working with disability providers towards the migration of more services in 2016 to this person-centred supports model for all people with disabilities, including those with Down Syndrome.
536. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the options available to a senior health care professional nurse, who is employed by a major hospital, who has paid ten years contributions to the voluntary hospitals superannuation scheme, VHSS, pension scheme and who now, for family reasons has relocated to the west of the country and has switched to agency-led employment within the Health Service Executive hospitals and centres, to continue to make payments to and remain within the VHSS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1519/16]
View answerMembership of the Voluntary Hospitals Superannuation Scheme (VHSS) is available to certain public servants who are directly employed by one of the hospitals to which the scheme applies and who meet the relevant eligibility criteria. Based on the information supplied, it appears that the individual in question is employed by a private agency and is therefore not eligible for continued VHSS membership.
537. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details suplied) in the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46428/15]
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.
538. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the situation regarding the use of closed circuit television systems in health care settings and in protecting vulnerable patients, in particular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46429/15]
View answer616. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the status of the review of the 15 Health Service Executive disability service units following the Áras Attracta RTE "Prime Time" programme; the changes he has made or recommended as a result; if the Health Information and Quality Authority have been in contact with the executive regarding concerns with service providers of disability services, the outcome and actions taken as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46869/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 538 and 616 together.
I am informed that the HSE has been exploring the use of CCTV monitoring within residential facilities. The HSE is very conscious of the potential difficulties in relation to privacy and data protection. To date research has shown that there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of CCTV as a means of preventing abuse and of increasing the safety of people living in residential centres. I understand that the HSE is continuing to liaise with a range of other bodies in relation to this complex issue in order to consult widely, prior to progressing this matter further.
As 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.
539. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of the orthodontic and dental services (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46430/15]
View answer623. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of children awaiting orthodontic treatment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46926/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 539 and 623 together.
The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. It should be noted that the nature of orthodontic care means that immediate treatment is not always desirable. It is estimated that in up to 5% of cases it is necessary to wait for further growth to take place before treatment commences. Patients are assessed by the HSE Orthodontic Service under the modified Index of Treatment Need. Patients with the greatest level of need are provided with treatment by the HSE. In the HSE South region, which includes Co Kerry, over 70% of patients are assessed within 6 months and over 99% of patients are assessed within 12 months.
A pilot scheme in the Dublin North East area (DNE), which involves up-skilling staff to work as orthodontic therapists is currently underway. One member of the dental hygienist staff and one member of the dental nursing staff completed a one-year training course in September 2015. They are now working in the HSE under the supervision of specialist orthodontists. The scheme is currently undergoing an evaluation, which includes consideration of how the scheme is affecting waiting lists. Figures are currently being collated and early indications are positive. It is planned to extend the scheme nationally after the evaluation has been completed.
In addition, a national procurement process is currently underway to provide treatment for certain categories of misalignment by a panel of independent practitioners under contract to the HSE over the next three years, with consideration of an extension to four years. This initiative will especially focus on those waiting for four years or longer. Tenders have been evaluated and will be awarded in the coming weeks. It is expected that these initiatives will have a positive impact on waiting times.
540. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the level and location of such services for each category of patient needing mental health services in County Louth; the waiting list for such services; the number of staff vacancies; how long they have been outstanding; the proposals to expand these services in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46434/15]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred 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.
541. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Health the grants available from his Department to help community and artistic groups to work with older persons with dementia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46435/15]
View answerMy Department administers a National Lottery Discretionary Fund from which once-off grants are paid to community and voluntary organisations providing a range of health related services. If an organisation wishes to make an application for National Lottery Funding in 2016 it should submit a formal application. Detailed procedures along with the application form for 2016 are now available on my Department's website at http://health.gov.ie/about-us/national-lottery-grant-scheme/.
542. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if he will relocate the Blanchardstown Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service from Cherry Orchard to the Dublin 15 area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46443/15]
View answer543. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the number of staff in the Blanchardstown Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in each year since 2011. [46444/15]
View answer544. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if he will increase the staffing level of the Blanchardstown Child and Adolescent Mental Health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46445/15]
View answer545. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the number of persons awaiting psychological treatment with the Blanchardstown Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service. [46446/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 542 to 545, inclusive, together.
As this is a service issue these questions have been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a response within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
