Written Answers Nos. 57 - 61
57. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to provide funding for the renovation and upgrading of Garda stations in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9286/16]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) has the primary responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation and works closely with the Garda authorities in this regard.
I am happy to inform the Deputy that the provision at Naas Garda Station of a new property and exhibit management storage facility was included in the Garda Station Building and Refurbishment Programme 2016-2021, which I announced in late October 2015 with my colleague the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works.
The Programme will be delivered by the Garda authorities in cooperation with the Office of Public Works and will benefit over thirty locations around the country. It includes major refurbishment of Garda stations and facilities, including facilities for meeting victims of crime, essential remedial works to existing stations, development of large scale property and exhibit management stores, the upgrade of cells and the provision of improved custody management facilities.
58. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of young persons in care and without an allocated social worker in County Kildare, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9287/16]
View answerThe latest figures I have to hand from the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, indicate that on 29th February 2016 there were 6,398 children in care. Almost 93% of children in care were in a foster care setting. Of all children in care, 93% (5,951) had an allocated social worker. Tusla's policy is that all children coming into care and those in high risk placements have an allocated social worker. Subsequent gaps may be attributed to a number of factors including maternity leave, vacancies and competing priorities.
Where a child is awaiting the allocation of a social worker, this is responded to by a social work duty team on a risk management basis. During this time, work with the child and their family may be undertaken by the social work team leader or social workers in the duty system. Some of these children may have had an allocated social worker, but due to a social worker leaving, they are reclassified as awaiting a social worker. The increased budget for Tusla for 2016 should result in higher levels of children in care having an allocated social worker.
The data provided is not disaggregated at county level, but is provided grouped in 17 administrative areas. County Kildare is included with the Dublin South West/Kildare/West Wicklow area. The following table represents the national data available as at 29th February 2016:
|
Area |
No. of Children in Care |
No. of Children in Care without Allocated Social Worker |
% of Children in Care without Allocated Social Worker |
|
Dublin South Central |
400 |
19 |
5% |
|
Dublin South East/ Wicklow |
307 |
0 |
0% |
|
Dublin South West/ Kildare/ West Wicklow |
457 |
64 |
14% |
|
Midlands |
365 |
63 |
17% |
|
DUBLIN MID-LEINSTER TOTAL |
1,529 |
146 |
9.5% |
|
Dublin City North |
624 |
23 |
4% |
|
Dublin North |
329 |
16 |
5% |
|
Louth/ Meath |
401 |
16 |
4% |
|
Cavan/ Monaghan |
164 |
0 |
0% |
|
DUBLIN NORTH EAST TOTAL |
1,518 |
55 |
4% |
|
Cork |
896 |
37 |
4% |
|
Kerry |
146 |
0 |
0% |
|
Carlow/ Kilkenny/South Tipperary |
381 |
24 |
6% |
|
Waterford/Wexford |
444 |
43 |
10% |
|
SOUTH TOTAL |
1,867 |
104 |
6% |
|
Mid West (Clare, Limerick & North Tipperary) |
605 |
71 |
12% |
|
Galway/ Roscommon |
414 |
10 |
2% |
|
Mayo |
143 |
0 |
0% |
|
Donegal |
212 |
61 |
29% |
|
Sligo/ Leitrim/ West Cavan |
110 |
0 |
0% |
|
WEST TOTAL |
1,484 |
142 |
10% |
|
NATIONAL TOTAL |
6,398 |
447 |
7% |
59. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to support a matter regarding post-adoptive services, particularly for children adopted outside Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9318/16]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, Barnardos provides professional supports to children adopted from abroad and their families who are living in the Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow area on a range of post adoption issues. In other areas, Tusla Adoption services provide information on the availability of local services, access to the social work duty system and facilitate peer support groups for parents of adopted children.
However it should be noted that under the Adoption Act 2010, when a child is the subject of a domestic or intercountry adoption, that child is considered the child of the adopter/s. The Adoption Act 2010 also provides that children adopted from abroad should be registered with the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, it is open to any adopted child to access the full range of services which are currently available to all Irish children. These include specialist psychiatric and psychological services, health services and speech and language services.
While I appreciate that some children adopted from abroad may require specialised services for complex needs, such need would be consistent for all children with complex needs, not just those adopted.
60. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Health to facilitate extra hours with a special needs assistant for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9307/16]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, is the responsibility of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has brought forward a new model of supports to facilitate the full participation of children with a disability in the ECCE Programme. The new model will provide supports including enhanced continuing professional development for early years practitioners; grants for equipment, appliances and minor alterations; and access to therapeutic intervention. Funding of €15m has been provided to phase these supports in during 2016. Full year costs for these supports are estimated to be €33m from 2017 onwards. This model of supports was launched on 18th November last by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs with my full support and the support of my Government colleague Jan O'Sullivan T.D., Minister for Education and Skills.
Improving access to therapy services for children in primary care and in disability services is a particular priority for the Government. Building on additional investment in recent years, funding of €8m is being provided to the HSE in 2016 to expand the provision of Speech and Language Therapy in primary care and the further development of early intervention therapy services under the Progressing Disabilities Programme to facilitate the inclusion of children with a disability in mainstream pre-school settings, as part of the roll-out of the new inclusive preschools model.
It should be noted that while the Health Service Executive has no statutory obligation to provide assistant supports for children with special needs wishing to avail of the ECCE scheme, it has, to date, worked at local level and in partnership with the relevant disability service providers to address individual needs as they arise. This has been done, for example, by funding special pre-schools that cater specifically for children with disabilities. In some limited and specific cases at local level, disability services have in the past also facilitated children with a disability to attend mainstream pre-schools by providing additional supports where possible and where resources are available. The provision of such additional pre-school supports should not be confused with Special Needs Assistants, who are funded by the Department of Education and Skills to support children with special educational needs in primary and post-primary school settings.
Within this context, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to the individual case he has raised. 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.
61. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason parents are not being provided with the manufacturer's patient information leaflet on the risk involved prior to the administration of a drug (details supplied) to their children. [9196/16]
View answerAll vaccination information provided to parents is prepared from the available licensed documentation for each vaccine, the Summary of Products Characteristics and Patient Information Leaflet. The information is presented in clear simple language and approved by the National Adult Literacy Agency so that it can be understood by all adults as the average reading age in Ireland is 12 years of age.
Prior to all school immunisation parents receive an information pack in a sealed package which contains an information leaflet, consent form and cover letter. Information packs for all immunisation are standardised nationally. The information booklets include information on the most common adverse events that can occur after each vaccination. Parents are also given contact details for their local immunisation office and advised to speak to a member of the school immunisation team if they have any further questions.
Should parents require additional information about vaccines the immunisation leaflet refers to the HSE’s national immunisation website (www.immunisation.ie) where further information is available. The national immunisation website has been accredited by the World Health Organisation for credibility, content and good information practices. The website allows members of the public to contact the National Immunisation Office to ask a question if they require further information. These questions, when possible, are answered by the staff of the National Immunisation Office within one working day.
