Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016

Childcare Education and Training Support Programme

Questions (34, 41)

Bríd Smith

Question:

34. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if those persons availing of CET childcare will not face any increased costs in the years ahead. [40176/16]

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Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

41. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if persons availing of CET childcare, in particular new entrants onto the scheme, will not pay any extra for childcare in 2017 and in 2018 than they did in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40174/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 41 together.

I am pleased to assure the Deputies that no recipients of the CETS childcare scheme, including new entrants onto the scheme in 2016-2017, will be worse off as a result of the introduction of the Affordable Childcare Scheme. Under the current programmes, including CETS, there are many families with low income-levels who are not able to access subsidised childcare because of the requirement to be in receipt of certain state benefits or attending certain training programmes.

In moving to the new Affordable Childcare Scheme, we will have transitional arrangements in place for current scheme beneficiaries, including CETS beneficiaries. They will enjoy a “saver” status for one year, or until their current training/education course ends in the case of CETS beneficiaries. This will mean that, if they do not benefit from moving over to the new scheme they will still be able to retain their existing level of subsidy for one further year/registration period. However, I must emphasise that the Affordable Childcare Scheme has been designed in such a way that it will make childcare more affordable and accessible for parents overall, including for 95% of those who are currently benefitting from the existing schemes. For example, under the CETS scheme, which is the most generous of the current TEC programmes, the maximum parental contribution of €25 per week equates to €0.62 per hour. By contrast, under the new scheme, those getting the maximum rate of subsidy might be expected to face a lower average parental contribution of €0.30 per hour or €12 per week for full-time childcare (i.e. 40 hours). As a result, the large majority of those who would otherwise have been part of the CETS scheme are expected to see their childcare costs fall.

Any changes to the base income threshold and maximum subsidy rate for future years, and the consequent impact on the affordability of childcare, will depend on decisions made in the context of the budget available for the scheme at the time.

Finally, my officials recently met with representatives of SPARK in relation to the impact of the Affordable Childcare Scheme on one-parent families. A specific concern was raised by SPARK in relation to the impact of the Affordable Childcare Scheme on recipients of the Jobseeker’s Transitional payment who may be required to participate in training courses as a condition of their welfare payment, but who can only afford to participate in those training courses because their childcare costs are subsidised and capped by the CETS scheme. SPARK argue that the move to the Affordable Childcare Scheme could, if childcare fees rise, result in childcare costs becoming unaffordable for those parents, who might as a result risk losing their entitlement to the Jobseeker’s Transitional payment. My officials have agreed to discuss this issue further with both the Department of Social Protection and SPARK, to ensure that the Affordable Childcare Scheme has its intended effect of making childcare more affordable and more accessible, especially for low-income families.

I share both Deputies' concerns that no one should become worse off as a result of the important changes I am proposing. I accept that it would be entirely counter-productive if a change designed to improve the affordability of childcare for some of our lowest income groups had the effect of leaving some people worse off. I will work very closely with my officials as the exact details of the new system are worked out, to ensure that this is not the case.

Question No. 35 answered orally.

Child Protection

Questions (36)

Anne Rabbitte

Question:

36. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to reports from the HSE of Tusla discriminating against children with disabilities in the provision of child protection services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39923/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I think it is vital to emphasise that the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has never found, in all of the inspections that it has conducted, an instance where child protection services – when required – were not immediately available. Tusla has reiterated its position that all child protection concerns it receives are screened and assessed in line with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, and that all such concerns are treated in the same way, regardless of any other challenges a child may or may not face. Tusla has confirmed to me that no child is excluded from accessing child protection services, regardless of their situation.

Each child presenting to our State services comes with a range of differing needs and support requirements. Children in the care of Tusla receive disability services from the HSE, where appropriate. Where a child requires additional supports, for example, for a disability, the best possible care and service is sourced for them.

The commentary by the HSE refers to observations on the Joint Working Protocol between the HSE and Tusla. This document, of which disability forms just a part, was agreed upon the establishment of Tusla in January, 2014. The comments in question relate to 2014. Matters have moved on since then.

Since 2015, Tusla has been actively seeking to establish a new, detailed, disability protocol with the HSE governing children in care and aftercare, and access to disability services. This protocol would also specify how Tusla might be of assistance to HSE cases in relation to supports under Tusla’s remit.

I am pleased that, in the last few days, Tusla and the HSE have agreed a new protocol in principle, which will operate to ensure good collaboration between Tusla and the HSE on disability-related services for children. The exact wording is being finalised but, cooperation will be immediate. In addition, officials from both my Department and the Department of Health will meet soon to further develop and copper fasten the appropriate oversight of this new working arrangement.

Finally, it should be noted that there is a clear escalation process that can be used by Tusla or the HSE should an issue arise, or if there is an unresolved matter regarding access to appropriate, available services.

Questions Nos. 37 to 40, inclusive, answered orally.

Question No. 41 answered with Question No. 34.

Child Care Services Provision

Questions (42)

Bríd Smith

Question:

42. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the progress made in providing the 60,000 child care places that the Government committed to by April 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40177/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

My Department has worked intensively on the expansion of the Early Childhood Care and Education scheme, which began in September of this year. As the Deputy mentions my Department projects that the expanded ECCE scheme will have a peak enrolment of 127,000 children in the April-June session in 2017. This is an increase of 60,000 children from the pre-expansion volume.

In anticipation of the increased demand for places in the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme for 2016/17, we introduced a number of measures to assist Early Years providers and ensure sufficient capacity. For example, I provided capital funding of €4m to services throughout the country to increase capacity, a fund that was later increased to €6.5m, allowing all applications that met the criteria for grant funding to be approved. This capital scheme has already provided several thousand new places, and this number will increase as works are completed. A further €4.5 million has been made in Budget 2017 for Capital expenditure and I will bring formal proposals in this regard as soon as possible.

We have encouraged ECCE Room Leaders to improve their qualifications via targeted Learner Funds, while also widening access to Higher Capitation payments for the 2016/17 preschool year.

My Department has worked closely with Childcare Committees Ireland (CCI) to analyse demand for places on a geographic basis, to identify any shortages in provision, and to work intensively with services in areas where shortfalls might have been expected to occur. CCI has indicated to my Department that sufficient places should exist for the January intake and CCI is now analysing the April capacity. My Department will continue to actively monitor and manage the situation to ensure sufficient capacity is available in 2017.

Legislative Measures

Questions (43)

Anne Rabbitte

Question:

43. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the changes to existing legislation that the introduction of the new affordable child care scheme will necessitate; the timeline that she plans to use to make these changes to the legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39926/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I am working to introduce a new Affordable Childcare scheme from next September which will provide financial support for parents towards the cost of childcare. The new scheme will provide for both universal and targeted subsidies towards the cost of childcare. It will replace the existing targeted childcare programmes with a single, streamlined and more user-friendly scheme. I want it to provide “wraparound care for pre-school and school-age children.

To ensure good governance, the Affordable Childcare Scheme will be put on a statutory basis. The necessary primary legislation will encompass:

- clear and detailed rules for the assessment of income and the provision of subsidies

- clearly prescribed authority in relation to the sharing of data across public bodies and administrators

- comprehensive provisions in relation to the powers and obligations of the scheme administrator and

- high-level requirements and associated powers of sanction in relation to scheme participation by childcare providers

The primary legislation will take account of all necessary amendments to existing legislation. As part of this, the use of the PPS number and data sharing across public bodies and agencies will be supported through legislation and formal data sharing agreements. Officials in my Department are currently drafting Heads of Bill for the scheme, which are at an advanced stage. I intend to bring the Heads of Bill to Government for approval early in the New Year. Thereafter, the precise timeframe for the drafting of the legislation and its passage through the Houses will be subject to the usual considerations regarding scheduling and allocation of parliamentary time. My objective is that legislation will be in place in early summer, and I look forward to piloting this important scheme through both Houses.

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Questions (44)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

44. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide an update on the current situation, from her Department's perspective, on the status of the 200 unaccompanied minors from Calais which the Government committed to bringing here in the form of a cross-party motion. [39928/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

As the Deputy is aware, there was a recent Dáil motion in respect of unaccompanied children who were previously living in the unofficial camps near Calais and work is ongoing. I am co-ordinating my efforts with the Tánaiste and the Minister for Foreign Affairs to ensure that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is in a position to play its part when the children begin to arrive here. I understand that there have been a number of contacts with the French authorities and that they have welcomed our offer of solidarity. I have had productive consultations with Tusla and I am happy with the progress that we are making. My officials have also recently met with volunteers who had worked with children in the unofficial camp in Calais. The volunteers are aware of the steps needed to implement the Dáil motion.

It is essential that we have the services in place to receive these children from France and the existing service will need to be expanded to achieve this. Tusla has outlined the necessary steps to increase its capacity to receive unaccompanied minors, and the resources they will need, with the intention of ensuring that the equity of care principle is observed. As it will take time to put all the elements needed in place, it can be expected that the relocation of unaccompanied minors will be on an incremental basis. On my recent visit to Greece, the range of needs of refugee children, especially those without their parents, was apparent and it is important that we are in a position to meet the needs of this very vulnerable cohort and that our efforts are a success.

Homelessness Strategy

Questions (45)

Paul Murphy

Question:

45. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will report on her Department's actions in respect of the record levels of child homelessness; her views on the long-term impact on those children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40122/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

Homelessness, whether for a child presenting alone or as part of a family, is a distressing experience. Children under 16 who present as out of home to emergency services without a parent or guardian are taken into care. Children aged 16 and 17 similarly presenting may be taken into care, or provided with a service under section 5 of the Child Care Act 1991 (accommodation for homeless children). For young people who were formerly in the care of the State, aftercare services are also put in place in respect of the specific needs of a child, including accommodation and educational supports.

Children who are homeless as part of a family group remain in the care of their parent/s. Where there are no welfare or protection concerns Tusla’s role is to provide family support. As the Deputy is aware, my Department, as part of a whole-Government approach to homelessness is committed to helping families by supporting implementation of Rebuilding Ireland: the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness .

The overarching aim of the Action Plan is to ramp up delivery of housing across all tenures in order to help individuals and families, with a particular focus on those in emergency accommodation, to meet their housing needs. It is explicitly acknowledged in the Action Plan that any medium to long-term period living in a hotel seriously impacts on normal family life and is particularly detrimental to children. My Department is committed to doing everything it can to minimise this impact by supporting families and children as much as possible while they are in emergency accommodation.

My Department is working to provide such additional supports by funding research to identify issues regarding access to food and potential nutritional impacts, and by enhancing access to early years services for homeless families. It is planned to launch this scheme next January.

Also, 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.

Many of the remaining child-focused actions in the Action Plan are being advanced by Tusla. This year, Tusla provided funding to Focus Ireland for additional child support workers to assist with the challenges facing families in emergency accommodation. Furthermore, the joint protocol between Tusla and the Dublin Region Homeless Executive governing child welfare and protection matters is fully operational and it is intended to replicate this protocol across the State.

Child Protection Services Provision

Questions (46)

Gino Kenny

Question:

46. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason children in care at a residential centre run by Tusla in County Tipperary were exposed to behaviours and situations that were higher risk than the situations they were removed from, according to HIQA; the safeguards for their care that have been put in place to ensure their current safety and security; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39934/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

As the Deputy is aware the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) carried out an unannounced inspection of this residential centre, which is operated by Tusla, in August 2016. The report in respect of monitoring against national standards was published in November 2016.

The inspection report identified a worrying level of high risk behaviours by some young people, which staff were not able to manage, and which impacted on other young people in the centre. Tusla accepted the findings of the report and informed the Minister that these behaviours stopped by May 2016 and that the number of significant notifications had decreased significantly before the inspection took place in August. However, this does not detract from the risk to safety identified in the report. An action plan was prepared by Tusla to address improvements that were needed and were published with the report. Tusla has updated its child protection policy and training is being provided. Professional supervision training, a deficit highlighted in the report, is important for improving safety and this is being provided for all staff and management.

The inspection report showed that the children received good education, their health was well looked after and there was a good range of age appropriate activities. All of the children had an allocated social worker.

I have expressed my deep concern about this report to Mr Fred McBride, CEO of Tusla and requested assurances that the children are safe and doing well. I have also sought action on the institutional aspects of care highlighted in the report and have directed that I be kept up to date on progress of improvements to the service on a regular basis.

Child Protection

Questions (47)

Gino Kenny

Question:

47. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason senior child protection sources who spoke to RTÉ said apparent discrimination by Tusla, reported by the HSE, which may have excluded children from child protection services was ongoing, but Tusla have issued a statement saying this was an issue only in the past; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39933/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I think it is vital to emphasise that the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has never found, in all of the inspections that it has conducted, an instance where child protection services – when required – were not immediately available. Tusla has reiterated its position that all child protection concerns it receives are screened and assessed in line with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, and that all such concerns are treated in the same way, regardless of any other challenges a child may or may not face. Tusla has confirmed to me that no child is excluded from accessing child protection services, regardless of their situation.

Each child presenting to our State services comes with a range of differing needs and support requirements. Children in the care of Tusla receive disability services from the HSE, where appropriate. Where a child requires additional supports, for example, for a disability, the best possible care and service is sourced for them.

The commentary in question released by the HSE refers to observations on the Joint Working Protocol between the HSE and Tusla. This document, of which disability forms just a part, was agreed upon the establishment of Tusla in January, 2014. The comments in question relate to 2014. Matters have moved on since then.

Since 2015, Tusla has been actively seeking to establish a new, detailed, disability protocol with the HSE governing children in care and aftercare, and access to disability services. This protocol would also specify how Tusla might be of assistance to HSE cases in relation to supports under Tusla’s remit.

I am pleased that, in the last few days, Tusla and the HSE have agreed a new protocol in principle, which will operate to ensure good collaboration between Tusla and the HSE on disability-related services for children. The exact wording is being finalised but, co-operation will be immediate. In addition, officials from both my Department and the Department of Health will meet soon to further develop and copper fasten the appropriate oversight of this new working arrangement.

Finally, it should be noted that there is a clear escalation process that can be used by Tusla or the HSE should an issue arise, or if there is an unresolved matter regarding access to appropriate, available services.

Youth Services Provision

Questions (48)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Question:

48. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the details of the expansion of youth services that support, in particular, early school leavers into employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39940/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services by the voluntary youth sector. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people by approximately 1,400 paid staff and 40,000 volunteers. A number of these schemes focus on young people who are disadvantaged, or who are out of school.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to the expansion of youth services that support, in particular, Early School Leavers into employment, a commitment to fund schemes such as the Youth Employability Initiative, and a commitment to implement Ireland’s first ever National Youth Strategy 2015-2020.

Earlier this year, I announced details of youth work projects that are to receive funding under the new €600,000 Youth Employment Initiative. The initiative targets young people who are most at risk of unemployment and not in education, employment or training. It is being provided to support the provision of programmes to enhance employability skills and competencies of young people. Over 1,000 young people across the country will benefit. Along with participating in a learning forum all 28 projects will contribute to a National Evaluation which seeks to capture lessons from the pilot to inform future initiatives.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that Budget 2017 has provided an additional €5.5m in current funding to my Department for voluntary youth services. My Department has now commenced a process with national organisations and local services to identify service development needs for 2017 and to agree the 2017 allocations. Every effort will be made to complete this process as soon as possible.

Industrial Disputes

Questions (49)

Clare Daly

Question:

49. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the efforts being made to avoid the 3 January 2017 all out strike in Oberstown; the contingency plans in place for the care of the young persons residing there; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39921/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

Discussions are ongoing between Oberstown management and staff unions in relation to a number of issues and the Workplace Relations Commission is available to both parties to assist them in resolving matters. Oberstown management will draw up and put in place contingency plans in the event of strike action or other events occurring to ensure the safety and welfare of both staff and children. In the event of an all out strike in 3 January 2017, these suitable plans will be put into effect.

Youth Services Provision

Questions (50, 56)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

50. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide support to the youth services sector, acknowledging their work; and her plans to restore their funding in line with predicted population increases of 13% in the age group between 18 to 25 year olds. [40179/16]

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Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

56. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the drugs and alcohol awareness programmes and interventions being offered through youth clubs and youth services in Dublin; and if she will provide support to them to further their vital work. [40181/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 56 together.

My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services by the voluntary youth sector, to young people throughout the country. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people. The voluntary youth sector involves approximately 1,400 paid staff, including youth workers and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country.

I am pleased to tell the Deputy that Budget 2016 has provided an additional €5.5m in current funding to my Department for voluntary youth services. The increased funding will support, in the main, the targeted programmes for young people who are at risk of drugs or alcohol misuse, homelessness, unemployment or early school leaving. It will allow, potentially, an increase of up to 5% to all existing youth projects; the inclusion of organisations providing much needed services to young people and which have not been funded up to now and the re-examination of current funding streams to ensure best outcomes for young people.

Following the Budget 2017 announcement, my Department commenced the process with local services, via the Education and Training Boards and national organisations to identify service development needs for 2017 and to agree the 2017 allocations. Every effort will be made to complete this process as soon as possible.

You will be aware that the targeted schemes supporting youth services were the subject of a Value for Money and Policy Review. The review involved an in-depth scrutiny of the impact youth service provision has on young people’s lives. The review made a number of recommendations for the future operation of the youth schemes and their development in the years ahead.

The work on the development of a new funding scheme has been prioritised by my Department and consultations with youth services are continuing with a view to introducing the new youth funding programme in line with the Value for Money and Policy Review of Youth Programmes over the coming years.

As a first step, my Department has embarked on an exercise, in conjunction with Pobal and each Education and Training Board Youth Officer, which will map youth service provision across the State. This mapping exercise will assist my Department and the relevant Education and Training Board in developing a detailed social demographic profile in terms of both population numbers and deprivation levels, particularly when the Census 2016 data becomes available. It is my intention that this mapping exercise will inform future development and investment in youth services.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have had the pleasure of visiting many youth services across the country since my appointment. I have seen, first hand, the enormous contribution that these services make to improving outcomes for young people and I can assure the Deputy of my continued support for the sector, over the coming years.

From within this budget, my Department provides funding to projects that are located in disadvantaged areas where a significant addiction problem exists or has the potential to develop. The objective is to attract “at risk” young people into facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of substance abuse. These schemes target young people who are “at risk” because they live in disadvantaged communities and they are vulnerable to drugs, alcohol misuse, or they are out of school, or at risk of homelessness and account for 70% of the funding available to my Department for the provision of youth services.

In addition, My Department was represented on the Oversight Forum on Drugs chaired by the Minister for Health which examined progress on implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016.

Direct Provision System

Questions (58)

Mick Wallace

Question:

58. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has satisfied herself with the care of children in the direct provision system and with the work of Tusla in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40016/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

As 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. Concerns about the welfare, safety or well-being of a child in direct provision are referred to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, 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, which has responsibility for direct provision.

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.

Child Protection Services Provision

Questions (59)

Mick Wallace

Question:

59. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her department plans any specific measures to give particular attention to vulnerable children in the Christmas period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40015/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, local duty social work teams will put in place arrangements to appropriately monitor and action cases, ensuring continuity of service to vulnerable children during the Christmas period.

Tusla also provides a range of services aimed at addressing emergency situations which arise out of hours. The Out of Hours Service is provided 365 days a year outside of normal office hours including Saturdays, Sundays and Bank holidays. This service can be contacted directly by An Garda Síochána, hospital staff or other professionals who have a concern regarding the safety and welfare of a child outside of normal office hours. Where a young person is referred or self refers out of office hours and are out of home and seeking accommodation, an initial social work assessment is carried out to ensure the safety and welfare of the young person. For a young person who is out of home who requires accommodation for the night, there are a number of placement options available suited to the child's age and vulnerability. An emergency placement may be provided until the next working day when the case can be referred to the local Tusla Social Work Department.

The aim of Emergency Out-of-Hours Social Work Services is to ensure that the disruption and upset to which children may be exposed in emergency situations is minimised and the rights of parents and guardians are respected.

Child Protection Services Provision

Questions (60)

Paul Murphy

Question:

60. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the measures being taken by her Department regarding socially and economically disadvantaged young adults; her views on the levels of poverty and homelessness among young adults; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40121/16]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

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.

The National Youth Strategy 2015-2020, published last October, sets out Government’s aims for young people, aged 10 to 24 years. The Strategy identifies some fifty priority actions to be delivered by Government departments, state agencies and by others, including the voluntary youth services over 2015 to 2017.

To achieve this aim, a number of objectives have been set in relation to each of the five national outcome areas. One of these is that “Young people are a particular focus in policies that address social inclusion and poverty”.

The Government set a child-specific poverty target in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures to reduce consistent child poverty by at least two-thirds by 2020. I chair the Policy Consortium that leads the work of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures to drive key actions, including those on child poverty. The Department of Social Protection has the lead role in coordinating government strategies on child poverty, and is the Sponsor Department for outcome four in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: that all children and young people should be enjoying economic security and opportunity. It also has lead responsibility for the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion and has identified child poverty as a key cross-sectoral priority to be addressed under Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures. To progress this priority, I am advised by my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection that his Department are working on developing an implementation plan for reaching the child poverty target in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures. This should be finalised in time to go to the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures Consortium for approval in February 2017.

This plan was informed by officials from a number of departments, as well as from members of the Advisory Council for Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, which brings together key community and voluntary sector organisations, as well as independent experts with experience working with and for children and young people.

I am also advised by my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, that the national social target for poverty reduction, which sets out the Government’s ambition for reducing and ultimately eliminating poverty, is to reduce consistent poverty to 2% or less by 2020, from the baseline rate of 6.3% in 2010. Since 1997 Ireland has developed national anti-poverty strategies to provide a strategic framework in which to tackle poverty and social exclusion. The National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016 was recently updated and extended to 2017.