Written Answers Nos. 1152-1176
1152. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the grounds on which an application was not granted as part of the Capital Programme 2018 - EYC 2018 strand 1 in the case of a person (details supplied); the procedure to be followed in respect of an appeal of the decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25203/18]
View answerSignificant efforts were made this year to announce the successful applications for the Early Years and School Age Childcare Capital programmes earlier in the year to facilitate works over the summer. The appraisal process for applications has now been completed.
Over 1,900 applications for funding were received by the closing date of Wednesday 14th March 2018. All applications were appraised in a fair, thorough and impartial manner by Pobal on behalf of the Department.
I regret to say that on this occasion, Cadamstown Montessori's application under Early Years Strand 1 did not result in an offer of funding.
The competition for the capital programme this year was particularly strong and regrettably this meant that many high quality applications fell short of the mark required to access the available funding.
Services that were not successful have been informed that they can phone Pobal and request a call-back on their application. Pobal will provide them with feedback and guidance on their application, including what steps to take if they wish to have their application formally reviewed. Information on this process was included in the correspondence sent to providers by Pobal following capital decisions.
1153. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which the €40.5 million additional funding for Tusla in 2018 will be spent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25247/18]
View answerIn 2018, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency received a budget allocation of some €753 million from my Department's voted expenditure, which includes an extra €40.6 million over its 2017 allocation.
Late last year, I issued Tusla with its 2018 Performance Statement in line with the provisions of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013. In the 2018 Performance Statement, I indicated my priorities to Tusla for this year including:
- actions to support mandatory reporting under the Children First Act, 2015,
- addressing gaps in out of hours services, and
- further investment in Family Resource Centres in local communities that deliver services to families, especially in disadvantaged areas across the country.
I am pleased that the extra funding secured will also allow Tusla to recruit over 300 additional staff, reduce the number of unallocated cases, improve its ICT infrastructure, and advance further developments in areas such as Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence services, adoption, aftercare, and homelessness supports.
Tusla prepared its Business Plan for 2018, on foot of the 2018 Performance Statement, setting out its proposed main areas of spending. The 2018 Tusla Business Plan is available on the Tusla website www.tusla.ie.
I strongly support the work of Tusla and I am committed to providing resources to meet the growing needs of children and families. The increased funding, which I have secured for Tusla in 2018, means that resources are available to meet key priorities in the years ahead.
1154. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to provide extra funding for Tusla (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25340/18]
View answerOn the 29th May 2018 I announced that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency had identified 126 cases where births were incorrectly registered between 1946 and 1969. The cases were identified during an analysis of adoption records that were transferred to Tusla by the former adoption society St Patrick’s Guild.
It was during the course of working with these records and in particular the scanning of them that the issue of incorrect birth registrations was identified, with clear evidence of this practice recorded on index cards created and maintained by St Patrick’s Guild. On foot of this discovery Tusla informed An Garda Síochána, the Mother and Baby Home Commission of Investigation and my Department. I moved immediately to inform the Cabinet, and to announce that a process has been put in place by Tusla to deal with these cases, led by experienced information and tracing social workers.
As an immediate step, Tusla put in place a Helpline, operating from 10 to 4 each day, Monday to Friday, and also put significant information on its website. Both provide information in relation to what to expect if you are one of the people affected by the incorrect registrations that have been identified in the records of St Patrick’s Guild.
A social worker-led process of making contact with those affected that can be identified has commenced. This includes the person who was incorrectly registered (the child), the birth mother and the people who participated in the incorrect registrations and subsequently raised these children as their own.
Each of the 126 cases has been assigned an experienced information and tracing social worker and the cases have been prioritised.
I acknowledge that responding to these 126 cases will put Tusla's information and tracing services under pressure and as the Deputy is aware, there is already considerable demand for this service.
The appropriate mechanism to address resource issues is through the normal annual budgetary process. I would expect any additional resource requirements arising for Tusla in this, or in any other, service to be addressed in that context.
I would emphasise that the process will be measured, sensitive, and at the pace of the individual concerned. There will be no sudden phone calls or unannounced visits to people’s doors. The process of offering contact and supporting those affected will be handled very carefully and will take account of the requirements of the individuals.
1155. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her Department's capital allocation in each of the years 2019 to 2023; and the areas to which funds will be allocated in each of those years. [25565/18]
View answerThe National Development Plan sets out the Government`s capital investment priorities that will underpin the new National Planning Framework. My Department has been allocated €156 million in capital expenditure over the period 2018-2022 under the Plan as set out in the table below. The Deputy might note that the provisions for my Department in the year's post 2022 will be allocated through the annual Estimates process as the rolling five year multi-annual ceilings are updated.
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
|
|
Capital Allocations (€ million) |
28 |
32 |
31 |
32 |
33 |
It is not possible at this time to identify specific projects that will be funded under the Plan from 2019 to 2022 but I can confirm the resources will support continued investment in the following areas:
- Childcare, to ensure quality and supply of sufficient childcare places.
- Youth services that support and target disadvantaged young people and improve their employability.
- Tusla, through the continued development of ICT and standards of accommodation, and
- Oberstown Children Detention Campus through the provision of safe and secure places.
In addition to this, the Plan also contains a commitment to provide an additional €250 million to support the implementation of a 10 year, cross-Government Early Years Strategy to be published in 2018. One of the core objectives of this strategy will be to increase the proportion of children who have access to high quality, early years care and education. Officials in my Department are currently examining possibilities for a multi-annual capital programme for childcare as well as research on existing capital holdings and future capital needs for the sector, at national and local level. Once gathered, this data will be used to inform large-scale, targeted capital investments in childcare.
1156. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the EU fines paid in each of the years 2015 to 2017, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25727/18]
View answerThe Deputy might note that no EU fines were paid by Department in the years 2015 to 2017.
1157. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to amend legislation in regard to the restrictions on specific dog breeds here in view of a study (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24362/18]
View answerThe Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2010 set out a range of requirements for all dog owners or any other person in charge of a dog. The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 set out further requirements that owners of 10 specific breeds of dogs have to follow, namely that such dogs must be muzzled and led, on a sufficiently strong leash or chain not exceeding 2 metres in length, by a competent person over 16 years of age when in a public place.
The aim of these specific control requirements for restricted breeds is to provide a balanced and workable arrangement which puts primacy on the protection of society while recognising the rights of dog owners.
I am aware of research that critically examines the current approach to the regulation of restricted breeds. I am also aware of the view that some additional breeds may warrant inclusion on the list of restricted breeds. I have asked my officials to examine this matter in order to ensure a safe and appropriately balanced approach.
My officials have discussed the matter with the Law Reform Commission and plan to seek their advice on the appropriate approach to examining this legislation. This will ensure that existing laws and international good practice, as well as the views of stakeholders, are taken into account.
1158. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of complaints received by the Charities Regulatory Authority about an exhibition (details supplied). [24395/18]
View answerWhile the Charities Regulatory Authority (the ‘Charities Regulator’) operates under the aegis of the Department of Rural and Community Development, Section 14(3) of the Charities Act 2009, provides that the Charities Regulator is independent in the performance of its statutory functions.
My Department has no function in the investigation of potential breaches of the Charities Act, and therefore, it does not hold or record data on complaints or correspondence with organisations regarding potential breaches. In addition, it should be noted that my Department has no function in reviewing the procedures the Charities Regulator has in place for investigating potential breaches of the Act.
I am informed that the Charities Regulator does not publish information about concerns received in relation to individual charities as to do so could unnecessarily undermine confidence in the charities concerned and furthermore could undermine the Regulator's function to increase public trust and confidence in charities. However, I understand the Regulator intends to publish detailed aggregated information as part of a compliance report in the coming weeks.
Details of the Charity Regulator's complaints and concerns policies (for members of the public who are concerned that an organisation may be operating in breach of the Charities Act 2009) are published on its website www.charitiesregulatoryauthority.ie.
1159. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of the appointment process of the 13 members of the Charities Regulatory Authority; when they were appointed; and when their position is due for renewal. [24398/18]
View answerThe appointment process for members of the Board of the Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA) is set out in the Charities Act, 2009. Schedule 1, section 2(1) of the Act states that the Authority shall consist of not less than nine and not greater than twenty members. At present, there are 13 appointed members on the Board. In accordance with Section 2(2) of schedule 1, all of the current Board members of the CRA have been appointed by the Minister, with the approval of the Government.
Appointments to the Board are made in line with the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards which require that appointments are advertised openly on the State Boards portal www.stateboards.ie operated by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). Applications are processed by way of a transparent assessment system designed and implemented by PAS to support the Minister in making the appointments. Section 2(5) of Schedule 1 to the Charities Act requires the Minister to ensure that among the members of the Authority are persons who have knowledge of and expertise in relation to:
(a) the law relating to charities,
(b) the keeping of accounts by, and funding of, charitable organisations, and
(c) the management of charitable organisations.
Under Section 2(6) of Schedule 1 of the Charities Act 2009, appointments to the Authority are made for a period not exceeding five years. Sections 2(7) and 2(8) of the Schedule provide that a member of the Authority shall be eligible for re-appointment subject to the condition that they shall not hold office for periods the aggregate of which exceeds ten years.
The table below shows the composition of the current Board, including appointment dates.
|
Name |
First Appointed |
Reappointed |
Expiry Date |
Position type |
|
Patrick Hopkins |
16/10/2014 |
15/10/2018 |
Chair |
|
|
Cynthia Clampett |
16/10/2014 |
15/10/2018 |
Board Member |
|
|
David Brady |
16/10/2014 |
16/10/2017 |
15/10/2022 |
Board Member |
|
Fergus Finlay |
16/10/2014 |
15/10/2018 |
Board Member |
|
|
Graham Richards |
16/10/2014 |
15/10/2018 |
Board Member |
|
|
Katie Cadden |
16/10/2014 |
15/10/2018 |
Board Member |
|
|
Noel Wardick |
16/10/2014 |
15/10/2018 |
Board Member |
|
|
Patricia Cronin |
16/10/2014 |
16/10/2017 |
15/10/2022 |
Board Member |
|
Sandra Chambers |
16/10/2014 |
15/10/2018 |
Board Member |
|
|
Tom Costello |
16/10/2014 |
16/10/2017 |
15/10/2022 |
Board Member |
|
Maire McMahon |
16/01/2018 |
15/01/2023 |
Board Member |
|
|
Niamh Cahill |
16/01/2018 |
15/01/2023 |
Board Member |
|
|
Ercus Stewart |
16/01/2018 |
15/01/2023 |
Board Member |
1160. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason a book written here must be approved and purchased by a company (details supplied) in the UK before a supply and purchase can be made by county council libraries nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24612/18]
View answerThe provision and management of public library services is primarily a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority under the Local Government Act 2001. This includes the purchase of public library book-stock which, in 2016, was subject to a national tender run by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on behalf of the 31 local authorities.
The LGMA had sole responsibility for managing the tender competition and the post-tender contracting process. Four suppliers were awarded contracts on foot of the tender process and these are managed by the LGMA on behalf of local authorities.
There is no requirement in these contracts for specific books to be approved by the contract holders. In the case of a local publication or a self-publication of limited availability, there is provision for a local authority to exercise its own discretion and purchase such book-stock directly, subject to the usual public sector purchasing requirements.
1161. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the persons or bodies that are entitled to apply for funding through SECAD in view of the boundary changes (details supplied) in County Cork. [24648/18]
View answerLegislation is currently being drafted to give effect to the Government decision in December 2017 to alter the boundary between Cork City and Cork County. Each Government Department including my own is considering the possible implications of the boundary alteration in relation to matters within their areas of responsibility, including relevant schemes or programmes.
The Social Inclusion and Communities Programme (SICAP) and the Rural Development (LEADER) Programme 2014-2020 are both under the remit of the Department of Rural and Community Development. Both Programmes are delivered locally with companies such as SECAD Partnership working as implementing partners providing services to community organisations and individuals.
With respect to SICAP, all eligible organisations should be able to access supports regardless of who is delivering the programme in their area. The final decision as to how LEADER applicants are treated in the areas affected by the boundary alteration is likely to require the agreement of the European Commission.
Cork City Council and Cork County Council are currently working with the Local Government Implementation Oversight Group (appointed by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government) to develop and implement a Transition Plan to underpin the implementation process for the boundary alteration. I do not expect the current arrangements in respect of either SICAP or LEADER to undergo any change in the short term.
1162. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the current and capital allocations in 2018 to the Western Development Commission. [24361/18]
View answerThe Western Development Commission (WDC) was established on a statutory footing in 1999 under the Western Development Commission Act, 1998. The main aim of the Commission is to promote, foster and encourage economic and social development in the Western Region, covering counties Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and Clare.
The WDC plays an important part in the Government's wider focus on regional development, which is underpinned by the National Planning Framework and also involves a deeper role in economic development by the Local Authorities and the Regional Assemblies.
Minister Ring appointed a new Board to the WDC in August 2017 and has delegated responsibility for oversight of the Commission to me. I met with the new Chair and the Acting CEO in November 2017 and in May 2018 I met with the new Board to discuss issues pertaining to financing and other areas of priority for both the WDC and the Department.
There is also on-going engagement between my Department and the WDC at executive level to deepen the Commission’s involvement in the regional development agenda and to benefit from their experience.
The Exchequer allocation for the WDC in the Revised Estimates Volume for 2018 is €1.516 million in Current funding. There is no capital allocation to the WDC.
In addition, the WDC operates the Western Investment Fund (WIF), which is a revolving fund into which the Exchequer provided a total of €31.7m to the end of 2014. The fund contributes to the development of the region by investing through equity or loans in business start-up, growth-oriented small and medium enterprises and in community-based measures to encourage enterprise development.
By the end of 2017, the WIF had invested €48.5 million in 135 enterprises and currently has approximately €21.4 million available for reinvestment in SMEs, micro-enterprises and Community and Social Enterprises in the western region.
1163. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a school (details supplied) under measure 1 safety works. [24365/18]
View answer1164. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a school (details supplied) under measure 1 safety works. [24366/18]
View answer1165. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a school (details supplied) under measure 1 safety works. [24367/18]
View answer1166. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a school (details supplied) under measure 1 car park. [24368/18]
View answer1167. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a school (details supplied) under measure 1 safety works. [24369/18]
View answer1168. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a school (details supplied) under measure 1 safety works. [24370/18]
View answer1169. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a school (details supplied) under measure 1 safety works. [24371/18]
View answer1170. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a school (details supplied) under measure 1 safety works. [24372/18]
View answer1171. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a group (details supplied) under measure 1 footpath. [24373/18]
View answer1172. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a village (details supplied) under measure 1 public lighting. [24374/18]
View answer1173. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a group (details supplied) under measure 1 public lighting. [24375/18]
View answer1174. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a group (details supplied) under measure 2 community playground. [24376/18]
View answer1175. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a school (details supplied) under measure 2 school play area. [24377/18]
View answer1176. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding will be awarded to a school (details supplied) under measure 2 school play area. [24378/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1163 to 1176, inclusive, together.
CLÁR is a targeted capital investment programme for rural areas which have experienced significant levels of depopulation.
I launched the 2018 CLÁR programme on the 15th of March last, with an indicative allocation of €5 million for qualifying projects under the following measures:
Measure 1: Support for Schools/Community Safety Measures
Measure 2: Play Areas/Multi-Use Games Areas
Measure 3: First Response Support Measure
The closing date for CLÁR 2018 was 30th April and I can confirm that applications have been received in respect of all of the schools/groups referred to by the Deputy. However, more than 400 applications were received in total by my Department.
My officials are currently assessing all applications received under the 2018 CLÁR programme and I hope to be in a position to announce the successful 2018 CLÁR projects shortly.
