Written Answers Nos 223-256
223. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of times the full capacity protocol was initiated at Letterkenny University Hospital for each of the years, 2011 to date in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40389/16]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
224. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a cataract operation in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40395/16]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
226. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of negotiations on the drug, Orkambi; the other countries he has been liaising with on this; if they responded to him yet on acquiring this drug; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40400/16]
View answerI have written to the Health Ministers in England, Scotland, Canada and Australia regarding Orkambi, I understand that these countries face challenges, as does Ireland, in achieving a cost-effective price for the product. The initial feedback has been positive and I expect to have further contact with my counterparts in other countries in the coming days.
I also participated in the second Round Table meeting for European Health Ministers and CEO’s/Heads of Europe-based pharmaceutical companies, co-organised by Portugal and the Netherlands, in Lisbon on 7 December 2016. This meeting afforded me with a very good opportunity to engage with Ministers from other member states on the key issues of access to and affordability of new and innovative medicines and to discuss further the potential for collaboration between Ireland and other member states.
I took the opportunity to raise directly the situation of Orkambi, and the manner in which the company was treating patients and their families in Ireland. I also spoke on the margin of the meeting with the Dutch Health Minister regarding Orkambi and the potential for collaboration at official level between Ireland, the Netherlands and others in relation to the reimbursement of medicines.
I was pleased to learn that Vertex has responded to the HSE with a view to re-engage in negotiations with them on Orkambi.
227. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment in Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin following the HSE directing such a referral as necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40402/16]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
228. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment for surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40431/16]
View answerUnder the Health Act, 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act, 2013, bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
229. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if he will provide funding to develop fully the facility of Castlecomer Community Hospital, County Kilkenny; if homes for elderly persons will be provided as part of the development of this building, in view of the shortage of housing accommodation generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40469/16]
View answer230. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if he will conduct a needs analysis into the provision of long-term care of elderly persons in County Kilkenny; if he will fund the reopening of the old auxiliary hospital in Kilkenny city as a centre of care for elderly persons with housing accommodation for elderly persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40470/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 229 and 230 together.
The overarching policy of the Government is to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Where this is not possible, the Health Service Executive supports access to quality long-term residential care where this is appropriate. It is my objective to ensure that available resources are deployed to achieve the best possible outcomes for older people. A Single Assessment Tool is already being developed which will allow for much more consistent and objective assessment of the needs of older people and as a result a better targeting of available resources to where they are most needed, and will deliver the best outcomes.
As the issues raised by the Deputy in relation to particular HSE facilities are operational matters they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
231. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual cost of providing additional staff for the Banagher horse fair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40254/16]
View answerMy Department provided a number of staff on duty at the recent Banagher Horse Fair over the weekend of Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 September to support An Garda Síochána, Customs Division of Revenue and Offaly County Council, and provision of advice on equine welfare, equine registration and identification matters. The cost to my Department was in the region of €1,400.
232. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied) in which an allocation of a basic payment allowance was made in respect of a parcel of land. [40266/16]
View answerAn application under the 2016 Basic Payment Scheme was received in my Department from the person named on 13 May 2016. As he does not hold any Basic Payment entitlements, no payment is due him under this Scheme. Following processing, one of the parcels declared was disclosed as being dual claimed with another party. As the person named has not farmed the lands in question, it cannot be included as part of his application which has now been fully processed with respect to the remaining parcels.
The person named has recently submitted documentation in respect of the dual claimed parcel in question. This documentation is currently being reviewed by my officials.
233. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the links made between the herbicide farmers use to spray their crops containing glyphosate, a non-selective broad spectrum herbicide and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma disease; the reason it has not been banned, despite it being banned in 11 other countries, including France and the Netherlands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40320/16]
View answerMy Department is aware of the publicity surrounding the report on glyphosate issued by a World Health Organisation (WHO) affiliate, the International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC) in which a supposed link between occupational exposure to glyphosate and a risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is cited. We are further aware that another WHO affiliate, the Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) does not concur with this position.
The conclusion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the regulatory authorities of other OECD countries is based on a large data set of high reliability and quality identifies that glyphosate can be used safely. Indeed, in addition to the EU conclusions on glyphosate, the authorities of the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have all published their reviews on glyphosate since 2015, concluding that glyphosate is probably not carcinogenic to humans and they do not intend imposing any additional conditions on the continued use of glyphosate.
Glyphosate is not currently banned in France and the Netherlands or indeed any other country in Europe.
234. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether current legislation is working effectively to prevent illness as a result of application and exposure to farm chemicals, including herbicides containing glyphosate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40321/16]
View answerMy Department is the “Competent Authority” responsible for the approval of pesticides (Plant Protection Products & Biocide Products) and also for the safe use of pesticides. Two dedicated divisions comprised of specialists including human toxicologists, environmental toxicologists, chemists, environmental chemists, efficacy experts and biologists supported by other Divisions of my Department and when necessary, other Departments and State agencies, ensure that Ireland has a robust pesticide approval process. In addition, control of pesticide use in the form of pesticide residue monitoring, pesticide application equipment testing as well as training of operators, distributors and advisers coupled with a rigorous retail wholesale and farm inspection programme ensures a extremely visible presence in the sector. This, coupled with the regulatory process in the EU, which is among the most conservative in the world, provides assurance that consumers, farm operatives and the general public are not at risk from plant protection products and biocides on farm, when used as directed on the labels. The Irish and EU systems are such that the health and welfare of both citizens and the environment takes primacy over other considerations. The removal of hundreds of pesticides from the Irish market (which are still available in other OECD countries) over the last 20 years is testament to this.
In relation to continued approval of glyphosate in the EU, an evaluation was performed by Germany and peer reviewed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and Member State experts. This review identified the safety profile of glyphosate and considered a recent review conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Reviews conducted by the relevant authorities in New Zealand, Australia and the United States derive similar but less conservative conclusions. In addition a further review of glyphosate by the European Chemicals Agency is currently ongoing. This review will consider the classification of the active substance and should be available in the later part of 2017.
235. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will receive grant aid under TAMS II for agricultural machinery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40342/16]
View answerThe applicant in question applied for a Mobile Slurry Tank under the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme of TAMS II. In accordance with the Terms and Conditions of this scheme applicants must have completed the appropriate educational course to avail of the higher rate of grant. In the case of this applicant an initial grant of €9,756.09 has been paid at the standard 40% rate and the top up of 20% will be paid when evidence of completion of the educational course is submitted.
236. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the application by the PURE project managed by the Wicklow uplands council for multiannual funding to continue its work on rural dumping and the potential for the project to be rolled out nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40252/16]
View answerThe Protecting Uplands and Rural Environments (PURE) initiative was established in 2006 to combat illegal dumping and fly-tipping in the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands. PURE is a partnership project and incorporates statutory and non-statutory organisations, including Wicklow, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils, Coillte, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Wicklow Uplands Council.
My Department, through the Environment Fund, has provided funding of over €1.14 million to PURE since its inception. The progress and success of the PURE project has been positively evaluated a number of times in 2008, 2011 and 2014. The current funding agreement is for the period 2015-2016. The PURE project addresses a specific localised issue whereby an area of outstanding natural beauty adjoins the largest population conurbation in Ireland, thus leading to high levels of illegal dumping. These circumstances are not generally replicated in other localities in Ireland.
I have recently received a proposal from PURE which outlines the outcomes of the project to date and requests a multi-annual extension of funding. I will make a decision on the proposal very shortly.
237. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the new stealth tax on tyres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40323/16]
View answerConsumers already pay a fee for the disposal of their old tyres whenever they buy new ones. However, this fee exists as an informal charge applied by tyre retailers. There is no accountability associated with this fee and no certainty for the consumer that it is being used for its intended purpose. The level of illegal stockpiles would suggest that it is often not properly applied.
The regulations I am introducing will formalise this fee and ensure that it is used correctly to support the sound environmental treatment of waste tyres. As things stand, the consumer pays on the double – first, when they purchase new tyres and then again, through their taxation when local authorities have to remove illegal tyre stockpiles across the country.
The Compliance Scheme will be operated by Repak End of Life Tyres (ELT) with a registration and reporting role for the Producer Register Limited. Repak ELT will operate on a not-for-profit basis and its primary function will be to carry out all regulatory functions on behalf of its members.
I met with some tyre industry representatives recently who contended that the visible Environmental Management Charge (vEMC) will cause a distortion in the market, with non-compliant operators undercutting compliant ones. I have, however, received a lot of support during the extensive consultation that has taken place from other parts of the tyre industry for the introduction of the scheme. These operators understand that the scheme will lead to greater visibility and traceability of tyres coming on and off the market and that it creates a level playing field for all economic operators.
I am convinced that the new structures I will be introducing together with a strong enforcement regime by the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs) and the EPA can address this issue.
238. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the warmth and well-being energy efficiency upgrade scheme will be extended to Dublin 3, 5, 13 and 17; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40343/16]
View answerThe Warmth and Well-being scheme is a pilot initiative being delivered under the Government’s Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty and the Healthy Ireland Framework. The scheme intends to demonstrate the positive effects that making their homes warmer and more energy efficient can have on the health and well-being of people in energy poverty who are living with a chronic respiratory condition.
As it is a pilot scheme, eligibility is limited. The operational area for the scheme was selected as Community Health Area (CHO) 7, following consultation with the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE). This CHO encompasses Kildare/West Wicklow, Dublin West, Dublin South City and Dublin South West. Within CHO 7 the need to build capacity in the local public health and SEAI teams, and establish communications on the pilot with the local community, meant that a further localisation was necessary and Dublin 12 and 24 were selected as the initial operational areas.
With the additional resources I have made available to the scheme in 2017, the steering committee for the scheme, made up of representatives from my Department, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), the Department of Health and the HSE, determined that the area covered by the scheme could be expanded to cover Dublin 8, 10 and 22 and that eligibility could be expanded to cover families with young children. By including families with young children it is hoped that the scheme can also show a positive impact on school attendance and social inclusion.
The scheme is intended to run for a further two years (2017-2018). In parallel with the scheme’s delivery, an independent research project will be commissioned by my Department, which will assess the impact the scheme is having. At the conclusion of the scheme and with independent evidence on its effectiveness, the potential for a wider roll-out will be considered.
I would finally note that the Warmer Homes scheme is available on a nationwide basis to low income households who are at risk of energy poverty. More information on this scheme is available on SEAI’s website at:
http://www.seai.ie/Grants/Warmer_Homes_Scheme/About_the_BEWH.html.
239. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will confirm that Knockharley dump in Kentstown, County Meath will not be used again for emergency dumping, in breach of planning permission, and that the issue of lack of capacity in Dublin for waste disposal will be dealt with. [40364/16]
View answerWaste Management planning, including infrastructure provision, is the responsibility of local authorities under Part II of the Waste Management Act, 1996. I am precluded under section 60(3) of the Waste Management Act, 1996 from the exercise of any power or control in relation to the performance by a local authority, in particular circumstances, of a statutory function vested in it under the Act.
Issues relating to planning are a matter for individual planning authorities or An Bord Pleanála, with policy responsibility resting with the Minster for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.
Notwithstanding the above, I am aware that in November an emergency situation arose where there was insufficient capacity to dispose of residual waste. To prevent or limit potential environmental pollution, both Meath and Wicklow County Council activated the available landfill capacity in Knockharley and Ballynagran under Section 56 of the Waste Management Act 1996. Dublin City Council as lead Authority for the Eastern and Midlands Regional Waste Management Planning Office, also invoked this legislative provision which gives a local authority broad powers to take measures in order to prevent or limit environmental pollution.
My Department is working with the three Regional Waste Management Planning Lead Authorities and other regulatory bodies to ensure such emergency measures are not required going forward.
240. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeframe for upgrading the N17 Sligo to Galway national road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40229/16]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and operation of individual national road projects is a matter for the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly known as the NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
241. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the application process for the sports capital grant will commence; the closing date for submission of applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40339/16]
View answerThe Sports Capital Programme (SCP) is the Government's primary vehicle to support the development of sports facilities and the purchase of sports equipment. The most recent rounds of the programme were in 2012, 2014 and 2015.
Following the conclusion of the 2017 Estimates discussions, a total of €52m has been provided for sports capital projects. This will meet all existing commitments under previous rounds of the Sports Capital and Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme. It will also allow for a new round of the of the Sports Capital Programme. In this regard, the new round will be open for applications by January at the latest. Based on previous rounds of the programme, the assessment process takes a number of months to complete so I expect that actual grant allocations will begin to be made during the Summer of 2017. More comprehensive details of the new round will be announced shortly.
242. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will commission Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, to conduct a review on the N24 between Carrick on Suir and Mooncoin, inclusive of all junctions and assess the need for upgrades of the safety measures currently in place to ensure the necessity for same will be brought to the attention of him and TII and commenced immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40341/16]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and operation of individual national road projects is a matter for the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly known as the NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. The assessment of safety on the national road network is also a matter for TII.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
243. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the rationale for the introduction of a maximum weight limit for 5 axle rigid trucks; if his attention has been drawn to concerns within the transport industry regarding these changes (details supplied); if he will consult with industry representatives on the proposed changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40401/16]
View answerBeing generally not suited to international transport operations, five axle non-articulated trucks (rigids) are a relatively recent phenomenon on Irish roads. Across the EU there is no maximum weight 'norm' for such vehicles and a lacuna in Ireland's Construction and Use Regulations has meant that a maximum weight limit for such vehicles has hitherto remained unstipulated.
It is precisely to correct this regulatory anomaly that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the Road Safety Authority (RSA), were tasked with analysing the pavement wear effects of this 39 tonne variant, as well as the associated vehicle standard related requirements attaching to the operation of 5 axle rigids in Ireland.
The results of TII's commissioned study concluded that, because of their shorter wheel base they impacted negatively on both our bridge infrastructure and pavements. In circumstances, where in real terms, road maintenance funding has been severely cut over successive years, it was therefore recommended that the maximum regulatory weight limit for such vehicles should be set at 36 tonnes. The results of TII's study were presented to the Society of the Irish Motor Industry and other interested industry representative bodies.
A regulatory exemption, subject to certain technical requirements and manufacturer approval, will however apply to those rigids with five (or more) axles which are in service before 1 March 2017. Separately, the RSA is working with the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) so that the registration details of the owners of 4 axle rigids who've had a fifth axle fitted under the existing arrangements, and who have not yet accurately updated their details on the NVDF, can do so by the 1 February 2017.
244. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the detail of the resource allocation model for the allocation of funds under the sports capital programme at the last round; and if he will provide a link to the place, the model and criteria, as published in detail. [40436/16]
View answerThe Sports Capital Programme (SCP) is the Government’s primary vehicle for supporting the development of sports facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment. While the terms and conditions of the SCP are subject to change from time to time, for applications received under the 2015 SCP, a multi-stage assessment process was used to assess applications.
Firstly all applications received were assessed by officials in the Department. Every application was assessed by one official and reviewed by another official. Applications were first checked to ensure eligibility and eligible applications were then initially scored by officials against criteria designed to give higher scores to applications that: (i) would increase participation including by the sharing of facilities; (ii) were from designated disadvantaged areas; (iii) had not received substantial funding in the past and (iv) were in a position to be progressed quickly.
In deciding the final allocations of funding to projects within each county, regard was paid to a number of factors, including:
- The score obtained by each application in the assessment process
- Ensuring a geographical spread of projects within each county
- Ensuring an appropriate spread of projects between rural and urban areas within each county and
- Ensuring that there is a spread of projects among different sports.
For the 2012, 2014 and 2015 rounds of the Programme it was decided that counties that had fared less well under previous rounds of the programme would receive more money per capita than counties that had previously received more than their per capita share. Details of allocations under these previous rounds of the Programme are available on www.dttas.ie.
A new round of the of the Sports Capital Programme will be open for applications by January at the latest and we will be announcing more comprehensive details of the new round shortly.
245. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 271 to 273, inclusive, of 8 December 2016, the reason her Department has declined to provide figures for the aggregate amount of employer's PRSI, employees' PRSI and aggregate net pay for Civil Service workers in her Department, in view of the fact that other Departments were able to provide such information; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40372/16]
View answerI refer further to parliamentary questions 271 to 273 of 8 December which my Department received late afternoon on 6 December. For the sake of clarity, my Department has not declined to provide the information sought by the Deputy. As explained in my response it was not possible to provide the extensive detail being sought by the Deputy in the limited time available for response.
It should be appreciated that the Deputy is seeking 9 years of payroll data spread over 11 different pay bands. There are currently 1,100 people on the Department’s payroll and the indicative total of all records falling under the scope of the Deputy’s questions will be in excess of 11,000 records spanning back to 2007.
By way of context, my Department’s payroll operation has not yet transitioned to the centralised Payroll Shared Services provided through the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The scheduling for transitioning different Departments into the Payroll Shared Services operations has been undertaken on a tranched basis, Department by Department. This process has been undertaken at a timescale organised and overseen by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. My Department is, therefore, not yet in a position to avail of the benefits of the Payroll Shared Services greater analytical capacity. My Department, however, is scheduled to transition to Payroll Shared Services next summer.
In the meantime, my Department’s Payroll software is not as customised to the same extent as Payroll Shared Services. Therefore facilitation of such extensive data requests, such as these made by the Deputy spanning over 9 years, can take longer to be finalised.
Nevertheless, I have requested my officials to work on this issue as a matter of urgency and I hope that the detailed information requested can be provided to the Deputy very shortly.
246. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which the money from cuts to funding of the Rape Crisis Network of Ireland in 2015 has been reallocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40294/16]
View answerFunding from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to Rape Crisis Network Ireland ceased during 2015. The background to this decision was the subject of Oireachtas interest and debate last year.
Domestic and sexual violence services are being developed by Tusla as a specialist national service with a dedicated national budget and a single line of accountability. This is designed to ensure that Tusla achieves better outcomes for children and adults who are survivors of abuse.
Tusla's priority has been on supporting front line services and putting in place measures to meet the Agency's obligations under the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention) and the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence services.
I attach a high priority to the provision of enhanced services to victims of domestic and sexual violence. This has been formally communicated in the 2017 Performance Statement which I issued to Tusla, and which sets out key policy priorities and financial parameters for the coming year.
The national budget for domestic and sexual violence services increased in 2016 to €20.6m and is being further increased in 2017 arising from the provision of increased overall funding of €37.0m to Tusla. The precise level of increase in funding to the domestic and sexual violence sector will be set out by Tusla in its 2017 Business Plan, which I expect to receive later this month.
I am pleased to have been in a position to secure additional resources to support Tusla in this important work and my Department will closely monitor progress in effecting further service enhancement in the sector in the coming year.
247. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if, having launched the report Doing the Sums: the Real Cost of Providing Childcare in Ireland, compiled by Early Childhood Ireland, she plans to address low pay and poor conditions in the sector that make it very difficult to retain the highly qualified and motivated persons that work with young children to provide quality care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40292/16]
View answerAlthough my Department does not act as employer to childcare it does acknowledge that the sector is under cost pressure. To go some way towards addressing this, I have secured additional funding of €14 million in Budget 2017 which will enable ECCE providers to be paid for a 39th week and part of a 40th week (7 ECCE days in total or 1.4 ECCE weeks) where they will have no children present and they will be able to pay staff to concentrate on administrative workload. Services themselves can decide how to use the payment when it is received. For the average ECCE service with 25 children, this will mean an additional annual payment of approximately €2,400 per annum. Part of the additional funding €14m will be given to CCS and TEC providers on a pro rata basis also to acknowledge their administrative burden also. The Affordable Childcare Scheme when introduced in Sept 17 will replace CCS and TEC and will have recognition of non-contact time built into its cost base.
The Programme for Government commits to conducting and publishing an independent review of the cost of providing quality childcare. This commitment aligns closely with work on the design and development of a new Single Affordable Childcare Scheme and is currently being progressed in that context. Work is well underway on the development of policy proposals for the new Affordable Childcare Scheme. As part of this, Department officials are reviewing previous published research and analysis on the cost of childcare provision, are assessing available data sources and are scoping the precise requirements for the independent review.
Under the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, registered providers of pre-school services will, from 31 December 2016, be required to ensure that each employee working directly with children attending the service holds at least a major award in Early Childhood Care and Education at Level 5 on the National Qualifications Framework or a qualification deemed by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to be equivalent. The Learner Fund was introduced in 2014 to provide support for existing childcare staff to achieve this minimum requirement. The fund was later expanded to support existing pre-school leaders to up-skill to Level 6 on the National Qualifications Framework, which is now the minimum requirement for pre-school leaders delivering the Early childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme.
Funding of €1.5m will be available in 2017 to continue to Level 6 support in the context of the expansion of the ECCE programme. I also hope to extend the Learner Fund to support childcare staff to achieve higher level qualifications in childcare, i.e. Fetac Level 7 and Level 8. In this regard, my Department, in association with the Department of Education and Skills and Pobal, intends to commence work as soon as possible on the development of an approved panel of Level 7 and Level 8 training providers, and a new Learner Fund application process.
I also hope to be in a position to make some funding available to those childcare staff who have already completed higher level courses entirely at their own expense.
248. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 24 of 8 November 2016 regarding the supports she was making available to homeless children, if she will confirm if Leap cards have now been granted to families; the events she is hosting for families experiencing homelessness this Christmas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40390/16]
View answerAs part of a whole-Government approach to homelessness, I am committed to helping families by supporting the implementation of Rebuilding Ireland: the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.
In recognition of the burden that transport costs can place upon families, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) is working to provide free public transport for those homeless families in the Dublin Region who are residing in hotel accommodation. Five 24-hour family LEAP cards have been made available for each family. These are valid for use on all Dublin transport systems, allowing for family days out at weekends or during holiday periods. With regard to free public transport for school journeys, the application process is being finalised with a view to having the required cards distributed in early 2017.
I am conscious that Christmas is a particularly difficult time for any family to be living in emergency accommodation. In line with Action 1.5 of Rebuilding Ireland, my Department is working to strengthen supports for homeless families, in order to mitigate the challenges they face. We are enhancing access to early years services for homeless children between 0 and 5 years of age. I will be announcing this in the coming days. We are also funding research to identify issues regarding access to food and potential nutritional impacts on families in emergency homeless accommodation
Action 1.6 of the Plan involves putting in place a safety guidance/voluntary code for child safety in emergency accommodation. The DRHE has developed draft National Quality Standards for Homeless Services. The joint protocol between Tusla and the DRHE governing child welfare and protection matters is fully operational and it is intended to replicate this protocol across the State.
In Action 1.7, the Government pledged to work to ensure that young people leaving State care and at risk of homelessness are identified and catered for through appropriate housing and other supports for their needs. I recently secured the agreement of the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government that the provision of accommodation for young people leaving State care would be eligible for funding under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) operated by his Department. My Department and Tusla will work to ensure that any accommodation proposed, and ultimately delivered, will be provided with the appropriate levels of protective factors for the young person making the transition to independent living.
249. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which procedures are now in place to identify children at risk at an early stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40404/16]
View answer252. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which the most modern methods are currently available and utilised, to identify children at risk and activate satisfactory process and outcome; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40410/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 249 and 252 together.
The most vulnerable children are those living with families experiencing difficulties. These include families where parents have drug or alcohol problems, or suffer mental ill-health. Children who live in homes where they are exposed to domestic violence are also at risk. I wish to assure the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, deals immediately with emergency cases, where for instance, a child has been abandoned or is in immediate physical danger or at immediate risk of sexual abuse.
Each referral received by Tusla is assessed and dealt with on an individual basis by the relevant social work team. Preliminary screening and initial assessments of concerns are undertaken to decide the best course of action for the child and their family. It should be noted that approximately 50% of all referrals do not proceed to initial assessment. This is due to a number of factors including duplication of referrals, that the child is already known to Tusla or in receipt of services, or the referral was not deemed to be appropriate.
Following initial assessment, the case remains with the duty team, who monitor risk until the case is allocated to a dedicated social worker. Over half of all referrals received by Tusla are welfare concerns and Tusla's policy is to refer these to relevant family and community support services. If it seems that the problem relates to abuse of the child, the child protection pathway is followed.
Children First National Guidance (2011) gives advice for notifying Tusla of situations where abuse is suspected. A range of professionals including teachers, nurses, early years educators, gardaí and other health professionals, who see children regularly, are in a good position to identify children at risk. Where someone has reasonable grounds for suspecting a child is being, or has been, abused, they are expected to immediately contact Tusla.
The Children First Act, 2015, once it is fully commenced, will place a statutory obligation on key professionals (mandated persons) to report concerns of harm above a defined threshold to Tusla without delay. It is my intention that these provisions will be commenced by the end of 2017.
Early intervention in the lives of vulnerable children is a key priority of mine. Tusla through its Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme is a joint prevention and early intervention initiative led by my Department and Atlantic Philanthropies. The aim of the programme is to test and evaluate prevention and early intervention approaches in 13 areas of disadvantage to improve outcomes for children, in particular children and families living in poverty.
250. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which youth services in County Kildare have been able to access supporting funds in 2016; if this is in line with expectation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40407/16]
View answer255. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department continues to support Kildare youth services throughout the county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40415/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 255 together.
My 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 was pleased to launch the “the Hive”, Kildare Town Youth Hub in June 2016. My Department has provided €50,000 in capital funding towards the cost of developing this youth café facility which offers a safe environment for young people.
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.
251. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she has identified the areas of child support services deemed to be most deficient and needing attention; when she expects to be in position to fully address the situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40408/16]
View answerIt is recognised that particular groups of children and young people can face more challenges in achieving the five national outcomes set out in Better Outcomes Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014-2020), and numerous specific commitments of the Framework reflect this.
My Department identified prevention and early intervention as a key cross-sectoral priority. This is being addressed through the Area-Based Childhood programme, the development of a Quality and Capacity Building initiative, and supporting relevant priorities of other Government Departments. As part of this, the Advisory Council for Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, which brings together members of the community and voluntary sector as well as independent experts, has worked on a number of priority areas including homelessness and child poverty. Members of the Council and officials from my Department recently met with representatives from Focus Ireland and St. Vincent de Paul to progress these issues.
My Department funds the County and City Childcare Committees and Childcare Committees Ireland to provide business support to services. Funding is also provided to Better Start to provide a quality support service and to Pobal who undertake compliance visits on behalf of this Department and the Department of Education and Skills who provide education-focused support to childcare providers.
My Department also administers a range of funding schemes and targeted programmes that support the provision of youth services for young people who are at risk of drugs, alcohol misuse, early school leaving, homelessness or who are living in disadvantaged communities. Overall, 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.
The Deputy will be aware that my Department provides funding for the Child and Family Agency, Tusla. Budget 2017 provides €713 million for Tusla, representing an increase of €37 million on the current spending allocation for 2016. Tusla provides a comprehensive range of services and supports for children at risk and their families. These include: Child Welfare and Protection Services; Services previously delivered by the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board; Preschool Inspection services; and Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence services.
253. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she and her Department continue to identify children at risk while in direct provision or whose parents are undocumented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40411/16]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the direct provision system is under the policy remit of my colleague the Tánaiste, the Minister for Justice and Equality. Children living in direct provision are not in the care of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Concerns about the welfare, safety or well-being of a child in direct provision are referred to Tusla, in line with Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. Tusla has been working closely with the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of the Department of Justice and Equality.
The needs of children in direct provision relate to education, preschool, development and health and where needed, they will be referred to relevant services. Tusla provides services that offer advice and support to families in their parenting role. This includes family support workers, social workers, youth workers, family resource centres, support groups and counselling services.
The Child and Family Services Unit within RIA has a post for a seconded member of Tusla, and links are made to the HSE, GPs, Tusla and voluntary and community groups as necessary. The role of this Unit is to manage, deliver, coordinate, monitor and plan matters relating to the health and welfare of children and families living in the direct provision system.
Children are protected in a number of ways in the direct provision system - primarily through RIA’s child protection policy. Referrals include welfare concerns for a child when a parent is hospitalised and there is no family member to care for the child, ongoing parental illness, or parental mental health problems, while a smaller number relate to child protection concerns.
The Department of Justice and Equality established a working group to review a range of issues pertaining to asylum seekers and direct provision; the Report of the Working Group on the Protection Process was published in June 2015. The report identified that direct provision, while satisfactory as a support to families in the short term, was not an environment conducive to family life over the longer term. Tusla has been engaging with the HSE and RIA on progressing the recommendations from this report. Also the enactment of the International Protection Act, 2015 greatly simplifies the process for those entering direct provision, and aims to reduce the time spent there significantly.
254. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department continues to monitor the welfare of children in the various forms of State care; if she continues to be satisfied that adequate safety measures remain in place to deal with the situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40414/16]
View answerTusla, 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. I am satisfied that Tusla takes its responsibility very seriously regarding the welfare of children in care and that there is a robust framework of regulations and standards, to ensure that children are placed in safe and caring settings.
Tusla, within its national office, has a dedicated Quality Assurance Team. This team produces monthly, quarterly and annual reports in respect of Tusla's functions, and includes detailed reporting on child safety and protection services. Tusla also provides me with information on children in care, their placement type, care status and allocation of social workers. Within my Department there is a Unit which scrutinises these reports and briefs me and senior officials on issues of note. The reports also provide statistical evidence of improvements to child welfare and protection services and highlights challenges and areas where further improvement is required such as the recruitment of additional social workers including link workers. The additional funding of €37 million which has been secured for Tusla in 2017 will provide increased resources for this extra recruitment.
All foster care organisations and statutory residential centres are inspected by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), and private and voluntary residential centres are inspected by Tusla against national standards. These inspection reports of children's residential centres, fostering services and child protection services are also reviewed and analysed by my officials. The overview from these reports provides me with a level of assurance on the overall capacity of Tusla to identify and provide services to families and children at risk.
Additional information is gleaned from the National Review Panel reports on individual cases and findings from investigations conducted by the Ombudsman for Children. Officials meet Tusla management on a regular basis to review the overall level of service provision, including areas in need of improvement. I meet on a regular basis with the CEO and Chair of Tusla. Contact is maintained with the non-governmental bodies on issues within the sector, including, for example, the Children's Rights Alliance, EPIC and the Irish Foster Care Association.
256. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will reconsider a request in correspondence (details supplied); and if the reply provided to Parliamentary Question No. 1212 on the 17 May 2016 will be reconsidered in view of the current situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40396/16]
View answerMilitary vehicles undergo regular maintenance and overhauls to ensure that they are roadworthy. It is not the practice to retain a vehicle in service if it is not considered roadworthy. When, having regard to age, condition and mileage, vehicles are considered by military transport personnel to have reached the end of their economic life, the vehicle is withdrawn from operational service and proposed for disposal. Military vehicles are normally disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the ‘End of life Vehicle Regulations’.
While I recognise that Portlaoise Action To Homelessness is a worthy organisation that is involved in good work for disadvantaged people, it would not be appropriate to transfer ownership of a military vehicle to this organisation.
