Written Answers Nos. 777-790
777. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of the 2017 child care budget increase which is connected with the roll-out of measures announced in budget 2016. [37193/16]
View answerI was pleased that significant additional funding was allocated to Early Childcare in Budget 2017. The largest volume of additional funding was provided to enable the full-year costs of the expansion of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme into a second year. I provided €67.6m for this. In addition, the full year roll out of the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) within the ECCE scheme was provided for with an allocation of €18.07m.
778. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding that has been provided to County Louth over the previous three years, from 2014 to 2016, by project name, location and funding amount, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37217/16]
View answerThe information is currently being compiled by my Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy in the near future.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
779. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the applications submitted for funding projects from Louth County Council in each of the years 2014 to 2016, in tabular form; and if the applications were successful. [37233/16]
View answerThe information is currently being compiled by the Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy in the near future.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
780. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding for projects in 2017 in County Louth to be funded by her Department by project name, location and funding amount, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37249/16]
View answerThe information is currently being compiled by the Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy in the near future.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
781. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding that has been provided to County Meath over the previous three years, from 2014 to 2016, by project name, location and funding amount in tabular form. [37265/16]
View answerThe information is currently being compiled by the Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy in the near future.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
782. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the applications submitted for funding and projects from Meath County Council in each of the years 2014 to 2016, in tabular form; if the applications where successful; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37281/16]
View answerThe information is currently being compiled by the Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy in the near future.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
783. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding for projects in 2017 in County Meath to be funded by her Department by project name, location and funding amount, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37297/16]
View answerThe information is currently being compiled by the Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy in the near future.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
784. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will publish any statistics compiled by her Department regarding the increase in cycling activity among children and adolescents in areas in which public greenways have been developed. [37421/16]
View answerMy Department does not collect statistics on cycling activity among children and adolescents in areas in which public greenways have been developed. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport provides funding for greenway initiatives and may be in a position to direct the Deputy to where these statistics can be accessed.
785. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of hours of formal child care per week and the number of weeks per year a child will have to undertake for their parents to be eligible for the universal child care subsidy. [37498/16]
View answerFrom September 2017, a new Affordable Childcare scheme will be introduced which will provide financial support for parents towards the cost of childcare. The new scheme will provide a system from which both universal and targeted subsidies can be provided towards the cost of childcare. This new scheme will replace the existing targeted childcare programmes with a single, streamlined and more user-friendly scheme and is intended to provide "wraparound" care for pre-school and school-age children.
The universal element of the Scheme will be available to all families with children between the age of 6 months and 36 months (or until the child qualifies for the free pre-school programme if later than 36 months), who are attending a childcare provider who is registered with Tusla initially, including both centre-based childcare providers (e.g. crèches, preschools and daycare centres) and child-minders.
Under the scheme, there will be no requirement to avail of a minimum number of subsidised hours or weeks. Subject to the terms of the scheme, including the maximum subsidised hours per week, the universal subsidy will be payable for the number of hours and weeks agreed between the parent and childcare provider.
786. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reports commissioned by her Department since 2006 which while completed or are in final draft form have not been published; the reason they have not been published; the expected publication date; the cost to date of each such report; if tenders were invited; if it is not intended to publish any such report the reason for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37543/16]
View answerMy Department was established in June 2011, therefore all information provided to the Deputy is from this date.
|
Name of Report |
Reason for non-publication |
Internal Report/To be published |
Cost of Report |
Tendering Process Undertaken |
|
Public Knowledge and attitudes relating to children’s rights, welfare, protection and services |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€103,011.98 |
Yes |
|
Issues for consideration in developing an on-line resource to support implementation of QCBI and preliminary Roadmaps (scoping project on data sources relating to children) |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€20,932.79 |
Yes |
|
Comhairle na nÓg and Garda Síochána survey on the Attitudes of Gardaí to Young People. Questionnaire for Gardaí and Young People |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€7,650.00 |
Yes |
|
Report on the process, methodology and work of the Comhairle na nÓg National Executive 2014-2015 |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€7,915.05 |
Yes |
|
Audit of education and training on children’s rights and children’s and young people’s participation in decision-making in all third level and further education programmes and continuing professional development programmes in Ireland |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€19,978.00 |
Yes |
|
A review of public policy on play and recreation in Ireland |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€13,200.00 |
Yes |
|
Report of the workshop discussions at the Comhairle na nÓg Showcase 2016 |
December 2016 |
€9,203.00 |
Yes |
|
|
Report of consultations and meetings of Phase 1 of the Children’s Poverty Truth Commission |
July 2017 |
Per diem rate – number of days to be determined |
Yes |
|
|
Report of Evaluation of Phase 1 of the Children’s Poverty Truth Commission |
July 2017 |
Per diem rate – number of days to be determined |
Yes |
|
|
Strategic Human Resources |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€20,602.50 |
Yes |
|
Needs Assessment for the Redevelopment of www.childrensdatabase.ie |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€18,400.00 |
No |
|
"Becoming an Active Player" - Report on meeting of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures Advisory Council |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€1,600.00 |
No |
|
Care Issues Review |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€3,556.56 |
No |
|
Report on Structural Damage |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€7,668.74 |
Yes |
|
Staff Roster Review |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€6,715.80 |
Yes |
|
Care issues Review |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€13,636.21 |
No |
|
Care Issues Review |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€13,500.00 |
Yes |
|
Policy Analysis and Development on Remission of Sentence |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€29,151.00 |
No |
|
Land Valuation Report |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€2,152.50 |
Yes |
|
Valuation Report |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€1,230.00 |
No |
|
Internal Audit Report: Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme & Audit Report on ICT Shared Services Arrangements |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€23,803.00 |
Yes |
|
Internal Audit Report: Community Childcare Subvention/Childcare Education & Training Supports Programmes |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€8,200.00 |
Yes |
|
Internal Audit Report: National Children's Detention Facility |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€12,623.00 |
Yes |
|
Internal Audit Report: Programme Integration |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€16,858.00 |
Yes |
|
Internal Audit Report: Programme Integration Platform |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€15,675.00 |
Yes |
|
CFA Governance Audit |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€23,468.50 |
Yes |
|
Policies & Procedures Review |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€4,125.00 |
Yes |
|
Report of Ireland's Implementation of EU Youth Strategy |
Internal & EU use only |
Internal Report |
€6,300.00 |
Yes |
|
National Consultation with Children (Aged 3-5) on the National Early Years Strategy |
Report not yet finalised |
Report not finalised |
€23,865.00 |
No |
|
Evaluation of the strategic options to deliver an ICT system to support the Single Affordable Childcare Scheme |
Internal use only |
Internal Report |
€27,950.00 - Phase 1 |
Yes |
787. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the case of persons (details supplied) in County Louth; if her Department provided funding to repay a number of refundable registration fees; if so, the amount of funding which was allocated; if the persons will also be refunded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37574/16]
View answerMy Department provided Arc Adoption with €10,000 in July 2014, to assist with its cashflow problems and enable it to refund 3 clients who were due repayment of their refundable registration fees at that time. Arc Adoption is a company limited by guarantee, not having a share capital and operates on a “not-for-profit basis”. The fees in question were paid as part of an agreement between Arc Adoption and its clients.
My Department was not party to this agreement and having taken legal advice on the matter, has been advised that it has no legal responsibility for repayment of these fees. This is a complex issue which has been given detailed consideration by both myself and my officials in the Department. While I regret the time involved in reaching this decision, it was necessary to clarify a number of issues, including legal ones, to ensure that I could make a fully informed decision. After careful consideration of all the facts, the decision was made not to provide funding to repay the registration fees owed to clients of Arc Adoption. My Department has written to the persons referred to by the Deputy and advised them of the decision.
788. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department, or the agencies that report to her Department, entered into any non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements with any organisation due to court action or a threatened court action; and if so, the persons or groups with which these agreements exist. [37623/16]
View answerNo agreements as referred to by the Deputy have been entered into by my Department. The public bodies funded through my Department's Vote are the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Child and Family Agency (Tusla), the Oberstown Children Detention Campus and the Ombudsman for Children's Office. My Department also provides the primary source of funding for Gaisce, the President's Award. Gaisce is a limited company set up under the Companies Acts. I am asking each of these bodies to respond directly to the Deputy.
789. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the provision of a youth officer for County Kildare in view of the fact that it is a county with one of the highest youth populations and one of only a few without a dedicated youth officer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37757/16]
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 2016, funding of €51m has been provided to my Department for these schemes. In addition €2.6m in capital funding, also provided in Budget 2016, will be used to support small scale projects, including refurbishment, health and safety fit-outs and accessibility improvements in local youth services.
In 2016, an amount of €500,405 has been allocated for the projects and services under Kildare Youth Services, which operates under Youth Work Ireland. My Department provides funding to Kildare Youth Services under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme in respect of six local youth projects in Athy, Naas, Leixlip, Newbridge, the Curragh and Kildare town and a Youth Information Centre in Naas.
I, and officials of my Department have met, and continue to meet, regularly with many voluntary organisations and groups providing services to children and young people to see how we can work together to bring about the best possible outcomes for young people, having regard to resources available to us and to ensure that the programmes and services being provided are relevant and responsive to young people’s needs. Ongoing engagement and dialogue with the youth sector organisations and with young people themselves are priorities in the development of the policies and services to support young people’s development and learning.
The Department is engaging with Kildare Wicklow ETB with regard to the provision of a full-time youth officer for County Kildare. In the interim, the county shares a youth officer with Wicklow, who is very active in both counties.
790. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the appointment of additional special advisers by her and Ministers of State in her Department. [37884/16]
View answerI have appointed two Special Advisers in this Department in accordance with the Instructions for Ministerial Appointments published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
