Written Answers Nos. 711 - 721
711. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs following the publication of the action plan for housing and homelessness four months ago the status of the progress made to date on action 1.6; the details of the safety guidance and voluntary code for child safety in emergency accommodation that has been put in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35035/16]
View answerI have asked Tusla to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.
712. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs following the publication of the action plan for housing and homelessness four months ago the status of the progress made to date on action 1.8; the details of the additional emergency refuge accommodation spaces that are to be provided and the details of a specific timeframe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35037/16]
View answerIn 2016, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has allocated funding of €20.6m for a network of some 60 organisations providing services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in Ireland. Almost €12.0m is provided for emergency refuge and support services and a further €4.6m is provided for other community based domestic violence support services. The level of expenditure in this area will further increase in 2017, arising from the provision of €37m in additional funding to Tusla for services generally.
Tusla provides revenue funding towards the running costs of emergency refuge accommodation. The local authorities continue to have responsibility for capital funding in respect of this service. In the current year, Tusla is providing funding to support the provision of six additional family units of emergency accommodation in Dublin and Kildare.
Tusla is engaged with a number of specialist domestic violence service provider organisations and other stakeholders about additional provision to support families in safe accommodation in 2017 and beyond. Tusla’s focus is on achieving the optimum use of emergency shelter accommodation and effective community based services to avoid in so far as possible the need for use of refuges by vulnerable women and families.
My priority, and that of Tusla, is to ensure that the needs of women and children fleeing domestic violence are being met in the most effective way possible. I am committed to continuing support for these vital services.
713. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the case of a person with special needs (details supplied) whose preschool applied for AIM level 7 funding in early September 2016; the time frame for the application process to be completed and for a decision to be made and communicated to the person's family; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34555/16]
View answerThe Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), which is a new programme of supports to enable children with a disability to access and fully participate in the free pre-school programme, is administered by Pobal on behalf of this Department. The degree of support provided will depend on the needs of the child in the context of the pre-school service.
This Department has made enquiries of Pobal in relation to your query. It is understood that this application has been processed and that the decision has been communicated to the parent(s) and pre-school service.
714. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the criteria according to which a child may be removed from the care or custody of its mother directly or soon after birth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34581/16]
View answer715. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of cases since 2011 when a newborn child has been removed from the care or custody of its parents directly or soon after birth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34582/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 714 and 715 together.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection and, if necessary, to receive a child into the care of the State. Social workers employed in maternity hospitals engage with vulnerable mothers to assess their capacity to care for their new born babies and, if necessary, will contact the local social work department in Tusla. When a social work department receives a referral regarding child protection concerns a social worker completes an assessment of those concerns. If the outcome of the assessment demonstrates that a child is at significant risk of harm or neglect, and that work with the family has failed to address that risk then an application is made to the Courts for a care order. Children are only separated from parents/carers when alternative means of protection have been exhausted. Re-union is always considered in the context of planning for the child’s future.
Tusla has confirmed that it does not collect a metric that collates the number of newborn children taken into care directly or soon after birth. Data regarding the number of children who were under 1 year old and in care on 31st December for the years 2011 to 2015 is set out in the following table.
|
Year |
Number of children under 1 year old in care |
|
2011 |
136 |
|
2012 |
148 |
|
2013 |
136 |
|
2014 |
139 |
|
2015 |
121 |
716. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to increase the funding allocation to the family resource centre, FRC, programme in view of the budget 2017 increase to Tusla's budget; if she will allocate €21.126 million for the FRC national programme to support voluntary boards of management in meeting the basic operational costs for the 109 FRCs throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34662/16]
View answerArising from Budget 2017, I will shortly be issuing Tusla with its 2017 Performance Statement in line with the provisions of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013. Tusla will, in response to the Performance Statement, prepare a Business Plan for 2017 which will be submitted to me for consideration.
The precise level of funding to be allocated to the Family Resource Centre Programme will be considered by Tusla, in preparing its Business Plan, having regard to the overall level of funding available in 2017, which will exceed €700m, including the additional Budget 2017 provision.
It is not my intention to prescribe the overall level of funding to be allocated by Tusla to family support services, including the Family Resource Centre Programme. It is more appropriate, in my view, that Tusla first sets out its proposals for this important service area, having regard to its statutory remit and taking account of the totality of funding available next year.
717. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if it is contrary to the Children (Amendment) Act 2015 to place a child aged between three and ten years of age in a residential care facility for the purposes of assessment. [34975/16]
View answerThe Children (Amendment) Act 2015 amends the Children Act 2001 and is primarily concerned with the detention of children in respect of criminal matters. It does not relate to residential care for children, which is provided for in the Child Care Act 1991.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, operates under the Child Care Act 1991 and the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. These Acts are not amended by the Children (Amendment) Act 2015.
Under the Acts of 1991 and 2013 referred to above, there is no prohibition on a child aged between three and ten years old being placed in a residential care facility for the purpose of assessment.
As the Deputy is aware, in terms of independent oversight, HIQA inspects children’s residential care services provided by Tusla. HIQA also monitors such settings operated by Tusla against the National Standards for Children’s Residential Services.
718. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he has made representations to President Michael D. Higgins seeking the formal invitation and recognition of the members of A Company, 35th Battalion, UN service, of the Army ONUC contingent renowned for its struggle during the siege of Jadotville during the United Nations intervention in the Katanga conflict in Congo in 1961; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34963/16]
View answerOn the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Siege of Jadotville, I decided to issue a Unit Citation to honour the collective actions and bravery of the men of “A” Company, 35th Infantry Battallion. My Department organised and hosted a ceremony in Custume Barracks, Athlone on Saturday, 17 September 2016 at which a Unit Citation was presented to the Company in recognition of their collective heroism and professional performance during the Siege of Jadotville whilst cut-off from support and reinforcements.
During the ceremony a copy of the Citation was presented to each member of the Unit or next-of-kin in the case of deceased members. This was the first time a Unit Citation was awarded within the Defence Forces and I was delighted to be able to formally recognize the collective bravery and actions of the men of “A” Company, 35th Infantry Battallion. In addition, a specially commissioned insignia, which is currently being procured, will be provided to the members and the next of kin of deceased members of “A” company.
These recent steps to honour and recognise the bravery of those who served with “A” Company, 35th Infantry battalion build upon previous initiatives taken by former Minsters for Defence as follows:
A. In November 2005, a plaque was unveiled in Custume Barracks Athlone to commemorate the events at Jadotville and the very significant contribution of “A” Company and of the 35th Battalion, as a whole, to the UN Peace Support Mission in the Congo.
B. There was a presentation of scrolls in 2006.
C. Portraits of Lt Col McNamee (35th Battalion Commander) and Comdt Quinlan (Company Commander “A” Company) were commissioned. On the 23 February 2007 these portraits were unveiled at the Military College and now hang in the Congo Room in the United Nations Training School in the Curragh.
D. In July of 2010 the 50th anniversary of the first deployment to the Congo was commemorated in a highly publicised and well attended event in Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel. A Congo photographic book was also produced for the occasion; a section of which was dedicated to the events at Jadotville in 1961.
E. A nominal roll of “A” Company, printed in copper, has been affixed to the monument in Costume Barracks and was unveiled as part of the 50th Anniversary of the Jadotville affair in September 2011.
I I am satisfied that the events and happenings to date properly honour the bravery of the men of “A” Company.
719. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of overseas trips the Minister of State with responsibility for defence has taken since the formation of the Government; and the precautionary measures taken before each trip. [34407/16]
View answerSince I was appointed Minister with Responsibility for Defence in May 2016 I have undertaken six overseas trips in total to the following locations: Warsaw (Partnership for Peace), Lebanon (UNIFIL), Sardinia (Pontus), London (UN Peacekeeping Conference), Mali (EUTM Mali) and Brussels (Foreign Affairs Council/Defence).
Where deemed necessary an assessment of the security situation in the location being visited is undertaken by the Defence Forces, as a precautionary measure, before each trip.
720. Deputy John Deasy asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of men and women from County Waterford that are currently members of the Defence Forces; and the number of these who are based overseas. [34639/16]
View answerI am informed by the military authorities that there are a total of 211 members of the Defence Forces with addresses in Waterford, of which 15 are serving overseas. The overseas figure includes one member of the Naval Service currently serving with Operation PONTUS in the Mediterranean.
721. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason the annual ceremony to honour deceased members of the Defence Forces which was due to take place at the national defence monument in Merrion Square on Sunday, 6 November 2016, was cancelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34646/16]
View answerThe National Day of Commemoration is held annually by the State in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Annual commemorations are also held by the Defence Forces at the National Memorial in Merrion Square during the summer months. In addition commemorations are held in military barracks during November.
A commemoration to honour deceased members of the Defence Forces was conducted in November 2015 at the National Memorial in Merrion Square on a pilot basis. Having considered the pilot, I am satisfied that deceased members of the Defence Forces are already appropriately remembered at dignified commemorations throughout the year and there is no requirement for a further public commemoration.
Arrangements are currently being made to award the 1916 Centenary Commemorative Medal to all members of the Defence Forces who have served during this centenary year of 2016. It is a fitting tribute and thank you from the Government, on behalf of the people of Ireland, to our Defence Forces and it is my intention to recognise also the service of Members of the Defence Forces who passed away during 2016.
