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Tuesday, 2 Oct 2018

Written Answers Nos. 557-574

Youth Services Data

Questions (557)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Question:

557. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of youth centres open in County Laois; the status of each centre; and the amount of funding provided to each. [39626/18]

View answer

Written answers

My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes which provide funding to youth organisations and projects in County Laois.

In 2018, an amount of €89,203 was allocated for the projects and services under Laois Youth Service, which operates under Youth Work Ireland. My Department provides funding to Youth Work Ireland Laois (YWI Laois) which has an administrative centre and youth café in Portlaoise town centre under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme.

YWI Laois also supports youth clubs and groups across the county in Ballinakill, Emo, Vicarstown, Barrowhouse, Rathdown and Portarlington. Funding of €55,165 was provided to Laois Offaly Education and Training Board in 2018 under the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme to support youth activities at a local level.

The Graiguecullen Youth Project is administered by Carlow Regional Youth Service but is available to young people on the Laois border, particularly from Arles and Killeshin. This project received funding of €82,743 under the special projects for youth scheme in 2018.

In addition, I was pleased to approve the establishment a capital grant scheme in 2018 for targeted staff led youth projects and services across the country. YWI Laois received funding of €17,578 under this initiative.

Funding of €10,000 has recently been provided to Laois Offaly Education and Training Board to identify youth services currently available to the young LGBTI+ young people in Laois and Offaly and will also to provide grant assistance to youth services in County Laois to increase contact hours with LGBTI+ young people.

Public Relations Contracts Expenditure

Questions (558)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

558. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount spent by her Department on third party public relations advice, communications advice, online advertising and public awareness campaigns to date in 2018, by month and company engaged in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39633/18]

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Written answers

Details of the costs incurred by my Department in relation to online advertising and public awareness campaigns since January 2018 are set out in the tables below.

The overall objective is to keep costs of this nature to a minimum and these services are only used when deemed necessary in the course of Departmental activity. The Deputy might note that my Department has not incurred any costs in regard to third party public relations advice and communications advice.

Online Advertising

Month

Company

Cost

January

Irish Association of Social Workers

€200.00

June

Gay Community News

€1,045.50

June-July

Facebook

€15.99

July-August

Facebook

€12.30

Public Awareness Campaigns

Month

Company

Cost

January

Iris Oifigúil - Public notice of the 1 year extension given by the Government to the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes

€75

May

Mediavest - A media campaign seeking expressions of interest to participate in a Collaborative Forum of former residents of Mother and Baby Homes and those with comparable experience in a County Home

€122,885.49

May

Inform Display Network - Poster and Leaflet distribution to GP and Hospitals Nationwide on ‘affordable childcare’

€10,332.00

July

EU Media - Full Page Ad in Pregnancy Diary on ‘affordable childcare’

€3,382.50

August

EU Media - Full Page Ad in Ultimate Maternity Guide on ‘affordable childcare’

€8,548.50

Family Resource Centres

Questions (559)

Gerry Adams

Question:

559. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there is a family resource centre in Dundalk, County Louth. [39684/18]

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Written answers

There is no Family Resource Centre in Dundalk at present. Connect Family Resource Centre, based in Drogheda, provides services to residents of Drogheda and the greater Louth area, including Dundalk.

Family Resource Centres

Questions (560)

Gerry Adams

Question:

560. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the process for establishing a family resource centre. [39685/18]

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Written answers

The Family Resource Centre Programme is administered by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. At present there are 109 Family Resource Centres in operation throughout the country, and 11 additional centres will be fully operational by the end of 2018.

As the process for establishing new Family Resource Centres, under the Family Resource Centre Programme, is a matter for Tusla, I have requested Tusla to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Family Resource Centres

Questions (561)

Gerry Adams

Question:

561. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the services delivered at family resource centres; and the locations in which they can be accessed in the absence of a family resource centre. [39686/18]

View answer

Written answers

The Family Resource Centre Programme delivers universal services to families in areas of disadvantage throughout the country. Each Family Resource Centre (FRC) operates autonomously, working inclusively with individuals and families in their communities, as well as statutory and non-statutory agencies.

Individual FRCs can differ significantly, as they are established on a community basis. Services offered by FRCs across the country can vary considerably as a result, depending on the size of the centre, local demographics, level of service usage, and the extent of other local services.

Services provided by Family Resource Centres may include:

- Provision of information, advice and support to children and families;

- Community groups to meet local needs, such as childcare facilities, after-school clubs, parent and toddler groups, men's sheds, etc.;

- Provision of free or low-cost counselling and support to individuals and groups;

- Access to information technology for members of the local community;

- Collaboration with social workers and family support services, often through Tusla's Meitheal model;

- Delivery of educational courses and training opportunities;

- Facilitation of family mediation services and child contact services.

While not every area has access to a Family Resource Centre, Tusla funds local family support services for children and families throughout the country. Such services include parenting programmes and supports, Educational Welfare services, and community-based counselling services. My Department also currently funds the Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme, which provides targeted family support services in areas of disadvantage.

It is important that the needs of children and families are met in the best way possible, particularly in areas of disadvantage. I will continue to support the work of Family Resource Centres and family support services throughout the country.

Early Childhood Care and Education

Questions (562)

Darragh O'Brien

Question:

562. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the suggestions in the early years policy to ensure that there is adequate care to meet the needs of children in the pre-early childhood care and education, ECCE, bracket in order that their parents can go to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39694/18]

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Written answers

Recent reports, such as that recently published by the ESRI, have underlined the challenges faced by families in returning to work, due to the challenge posed by the high cost of childcare.

One of my main priorities since being appointed as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has been to make high quality childcare more accessible and affordable. The recent expansion of ECCE enables children to receive two full programme years of the scheme from the age of 2 years and eight months, thus, for parents who are working or in education, reducing their childcare costs by 15 hours per week over 38 weeks of the year. The cost of childcare for children below ECCE age is very high, predominantly due to the required lower adult to child ratios involved in providing high quality care to infants and very young children.

It was for this reason that last September (2017) I introduced a new, non means tested universal subsidy, providing up to €1,040 per annum for children in this age range. Since that time, the families of more than 40,000 children have benefitted from this subsidy.

Also, for families on lower incomes that need assistance with childcare costs, I increased the level of subsidy available under existing targeted schemes. Subsidies are now available of up to €145 per week, per child to certain families. The website affordablechildcare.ie provides more information in this regard. Whilst these supports are a first step to assist families in lowering the cost of their childcare, much more must be done to provide truly affordable, accessible child care.

Earlier this year, the entitlement of families in Ireland to financial support towards the cost of child care was put on a legislative footing by my Department with the enactment of the Childcare Support Act 2018. This legislation supports a radical new infrastructure, currently under development, to introduce a new Affordable Childcare Scheme. This scheme will provide both universal and targeted subsidies towards the cost of child care. As part of the scheme, recognition is given to the additional cost of providing high quality care to children in the pre-ECCE bracket and provides a higher rate of subsidy accordingly. The scheme should also improve access to more places for children under three given the high levels of subsidisation that will be available for these services.

This country has suffered from a history of low levels of investment in childcare, leaving Ireland trailing OECD norms. The Affordable Childcare Scheme will provide a strong, sustainable platform to address this. Through this platform, I am deeply committed to maintaining the focus on high quality, affordable and accessible child care that we have witnessed in recent budgets. This is something I will also be placing major focus on in the forthcoming cross-Government ten year Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families.

Foster Care

Questions (563)

Gerry Adams

Question:

563. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the insurance implications of providing foster care to children here; and if Tusla provides insurance cover to those families that provide foster care. [39730/18]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy is aware, foster carers are no longer covered by a commercial public liability insurance policy. Attempts by Tusla to secure continuing commercial cover have proved unsuccessful. However, I am pleased to confirm that pending a permanent solution, all foster carers have an indemnity on an individual basis where required. This is on an ex-gratia basis as a temporary measure to address immediate individual cases while the overall indemnification issues are being resolved.

As I have stated previously, I fully support extending the State Indemnity Scheme under the State Claims Agency to foster parents. Unfortunately, this has taken longer than expected due to technical issues associated with the approvals and statutory process involved, but I can assure the Deputy that work is continuing to address these matters. My Department has been in discussion with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the matter, and my intention is to include foster carers under the General Indemnity Scheme operated by the State Claims Agency as soon as possible. In this regard, work is ongoing with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel to draft the necessary Order for Government.

My Department has written to the Irish Foster Carers Association (IFCA) outlining the position and, through the Association, foster carers have been informed as to the current position. IFCA have been kept up to date on a continuous basis. In addition, I understand that Tusla has also made publicly available the information provided to IFCA so as to communicate the position to those foster carers who are not members of that association.

Child and Family Agency Staff

Questions (564)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

564. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of social workers trained to interview child victims of sexual abuse. [39766/18]

View answer

Written answers

I have written to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency in relation to the matter. A further response will issue to the Deputy when I receive a reply.

Early Childhood Care and Education Funding

Questions (565)

Anne Rabbitte

Question:

565. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the budget allocated to the access and inclusion model of ECCE provision under each of the levels 4 to 7 of this scheme annually since its introduction to date; the amounts allocated under these levels; the amounts drawn down for 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018, respectively in each of the four levels in tabular form; the number of children in each county that have benefitted from funding under each of these four levels each year to date; the areas of support in which this funding under each of the four headings have been applied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39826/18]

View answer

Written answers

The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) supports children with disabilities to reap the full benefits of free pre-school education. Its goal is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience. AIM is a child-centred and evidence-based model, involving seven levels of progressive support, moving from the universal to the targeted, based on the needs of the child and the pre-school setting.

Where a pre-school provider, in conjunction with a parent, considers that some additional, targeted support is needed - over and above the universal supports provided under Levels 1 to 3 of AIM - in order to meet the needs of a child with a disability in an inclusive way, an application can be made for targeted supports under one or more of Levels 4 to 7 of AIM:

Level 4

This level provides access to mentoring for early years practitioners from a team of dedicated Early Years Specialists. To avail of this support, pre-school providers and parents are requested to complete an online Access and Inclusion Profile. This looks at the strengths, abilities and needs of the child, as well as the strengths and needs of the pre-school setting.

Level 5

This level provides for access to specialised equipment, appliances, assistive technology and/or minor alterations capital grants for early years settings to ensure children with a disability can participate in the ECCE programme. A short report from a designated professional is required confirming that the specialised equipment or minor building alterations are necessary. A once off provision for AIM Inclusive Play packs was also included in 2017 and 2018.

Level 6

This level provides access to therapeutic services, which is funded directly from the Department of Health Vote, where they are critical to enable the child to be enrolled and to fully participate in the ECCE Programme. To avail of this support, pre-school providers and parents are requested to complete the online Access and Inclusion Profile. The Early Years Specialist will review the profile and, where therapeutic input is likely to be required; the Specialist will initiate contact with the HSE. The HSE decides on the appropriate level of therapeutic intervention.

Level 7

This level provides additional assistance in the pre-school room where this is critical to ensuring a child’s participation in the ECCE Programme. In line with emerging best practice to support the integration and independence of children with a disability, AIM does not fund Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). Rather, it provides financial support to the pre-school provider, which can be used either to reduce the adult to child ratio in the pre-school room or to buy in additional assistance to the pre-school room. Accordingly, Level 7 assistance is a shared resource for the pre-school setting. The AIM Level 7 budget allocation also includes the service administration fee for Pobal in relation to all of the levels of AIM support managed by Pobal.

AIM was launched in June 2016. The total funding allocated by my Department and outturn in 2016 and 2017 and funding allocated and outturn to date in 2018 for levels 4, 5 and 7 of AIM is set out below. Funding for AIM Level 6 comes from the Department of Health Vote.

The Inter-Department Group, which developed AIM recognised that it would take approximately three years to fully develop and implement the Model.

The number of children in each county who have benefitted from supports under AIM Levels 4, 5 and 7 for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 ECCE programme years is shown in the attached table.

Level of AIM

2016

2017

@ Sept 2018

Allocation

Outturn

Allocation

Outturn

Allocation

Outturn

€m

€m

€m

€m

€m

€m

Level 4

5.40

4.24

10.10

4.42

6.00

4.42

Level 5

1.61

0.12

  2.50

3.07

2.50

1.39

Level 6

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

Level 7

5.43

1.83

15.41

11.40

12.00

8.30

The number of distinct children benefitting from AIM in each programme year by county division AIM 2018 figures as at 27.9.2018

AIM 2016

AIM 2017

AIM 2018 (to date)

County Division

Level 4

Level 5 Alterations

Level 5 Equipment

Level 7

Level 4

Level 5 Alterations

Level 5 Equipment

Level 7

Level 4

Level 5 Alterations

Level 5 Equipment

Level 7

Carlow

30

0

2

14

52

0

4

48

14

1

5

33

Cavan

55

0

7

32

46

3

8

64

25

0

3

43

Clare

95

1

6

64

97

5

13

110

30

6

14

81

Cork - Cork City

65

1

3

26

93

12

10

97

29

1

6

80

Cork - Cork County

285

0

28

177

333

0

54

412

103

8

18

295

Donegal

110

6

6

76

120

5

14

134

44

4

8

85

Dublin - Dublin City

172

1

8

81

275

1

12

295

93

0

6

184

Dublin - Dun Laoghaire - Rathdown

59

1

2

26

70

0

7

78

27

0

3

29

Dublin - Fingal

159

1

5

68

170

1

9

199

85

3

10

142

Dublin - South Dublin

131

0

9

57

181

1

12

179

60

1

7

141

Galway

119

1

9

79

153

1

15

180

73

3

6

102

Kerry

91

3

17

63

126

2

18

137

35

2

8

109

Kildare

111

1

12

71

161

0

12

160

42

0

3

90

Kilkenny

35

1

5

25

55

0

10

60

22

0

4

37

Laois

59

0

7

36

79

2

10

82

26

2

6

50

Leitrim

14

2

1

6

21

1

2

23

8

0

0

14

Limerick

138

3

7

83

154

3

23

182

50

1

8

135

Longford

30

0

1

15

18

0

0

20

9

0

0

13

Louth

77

1

9

34

106

0

7

119

59

0

8

100

Mayo

50

0

5

23

96

3

17

102

23

1

8

64

Meath

98

1

16

34

173

3

18

169

59

0

7

119

Monaghan

28

0

4

21

25

1

2

37

15

0

0

22

Offaly

41

0

6

25

57

1

7

72

29

0

4

56

Roscommon

31

2

0

13

45

2

3

50

8

0

0

26

Sligo

21

0

5

13

28

1

7

34

14

0

2

22

Tipperary

99

1

9

59

116

1

11

138

48

2

4

92

Waterford

52

1

6

34

62

0

4

64

16

1

5

48

Westmeath

41

0

5

20

58

0

2

58

30

2

2

30

Wexford

88

1

1

57

111

0

4

138

36

1

6

97

Wicklow

49

1

5

20

89

2

6

80

19

0

2

47

Total

2433

30

206

1352

3170

51

321

3521

1131

39

163

2386

Early Childhood Care and Education

Questions (566)

Anne Rabbitte

Question:

566. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties that early education and childcare providers are experiencing in recruiting staff to provide the access and inclusion model, AIM, scheme; her plans to address this difficulty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39827/18]

View answer

Written answers

The AIM, which was introduced in September 2016 and continues to be rolled out, has greatly assisted ECCE services to offer inclusive services and to better meet the needs of children with disabilities. It includes 7 levels of progressive support, moving from the universal to the targeted. The degree of support provided depends on the needs of the child in the context of the pre-school setting they are attending. In addition to the tens of thousands of children who have benefitted from universal supports under AIM, more than 6,000 children with more complex disabilities have so far benefitted from targeted supports.

Of the seven levels of support provided through AIM, Level 7 involves recruitment of additional staff by providers of ECCE services. I am aware of the difficulties reported by some providers in recruiting staff under Level 7 of AIM. I am seeking incrementally additional investment to address this issue and to address the wider issue of attracting and retaining staff across the early years sector. I acknowledge that pay and conditions are major issues that impact on recruitment and retention of staff. While my Department is not the employer of childcare workers, it does continue to invest significant resources in the early years sector. In the last three budgets (2016, 2017 and 2018) investment in the early years sector has increased by figures approaching 80%, which reflects the emphasis being placed on developing quality services with appropriately supported staff.

From September 2018 capitation rates to childcare providers for the provision of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme increased by 7%, which is intended to support the workforce. The increase in capitation is targeted at increasing the quality of care and education provided through ECCE and, in particular, supporting the recruitment and retention of high quality staff. Further, my Department and the Department of Education and Skills has committed to delivering a new workforce plan for the early years sector. The workforce plan will examine and address the impact of a rapidly changing policy and practice landscape in the childcare sector in Ireland on future skills requirements so that Government can ensure that a high quality workforce is in place over the next decade.

The ten-year national early years strategy will also be published shortly, and this will outline planned developments for the childcare sector and will set the overall direction to be followed by the workforce plan.

Rape Crisis Network Funding

Questions (567)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

567. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of funding provided to each rape crisis centre in each of the years 2008 to 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39874/18]

View answer

Written answers

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for care and protection for victims of domestic, sexual or gender-based violence, whether in the context of the family or otherwise. Accordingly, Tusla has provided funding to rape crisis services since its creation in 2014.

I have requested that Tusla respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (568)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

568. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of funding provided to an organisation (details supplied) in each of the years 2008 to 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39875/18]

View answer

Written answers

My Department has not directly funded the organisation to which the Deputy refers.

I am aware that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has funded the organisation to which the Deputy refers in the past. As Tusla was established in 2014, no funding would have been made prior to that date. I have requested Tusla to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Childcare Services

Questions (569)

Darragh O'Brien

Question:

569. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of childcare services switching from full-day care to a part-time or sessional model from January 2018 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39889/18]

View answer

Written answers

Any change in circumstance(s) that a Registered Provider proposes to make to their original registration (excluding temporary services) must be notified to Tusla prior to any change being made. This includes a change in service type, as noted by the Deputy.

Officials in my Department have made contact with Tusla concerning the question raised by the Deputy. I can confirm that for the period 1 January 2018 to 1 September 2018, a total of nine registered services have changed from full-day care service types to either part-time or sessional service types.

Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme

Questions (570)

Timmy Dooley

Question:

570. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when there will be an outcome to a review of an application by a person (details supplied) for funding under the strand 3 natural outdoor play area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39918/18]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy is aware, my Department provided a capital scheme again in 2018 to assist providers improve the quality of their service or expand capacity. The response to the scheme was extremely positive. In order to facilitate service providers who were dissatisfied with the outcome of the appraisal of their application, a Capital Review process was offered to applicants.

This Review of applications is managed by Pobal on behalf of my Department, and as such I have a limited role in this process while it is on-going. However, I can confirm that the service provider in question's application is indeed being reviewed, and that the results of the review process will be communicated directly to all services concerned in the coming weeks.

Child Abuse

Questions (571)

Clare Daly

Question:

571. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the percentage of allegations of child sexual abuse adjudged to be either founded or unfounded by Tusla or a specialist unit contracted by Tusla to assess such allegations in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018. [39928/18]

View answer

Written answers

Tusla currently do not collate data on the number of assessments deemed to be ‘founded’ and ‘unfounded.’

Current Tusla policy “Policy and Procedures for responding to allegations of child abuse and neglect"(September 2014), outlines the policy basis for the use of ‘founded’ and ‘unfounded.’Best practice in a number of other jurisdictions utilises the terms ‘founded’ or ‘unfounded’ as a means of concluding a position on child protection enquiries. It has been decided to use the terms 'founded' and 'unfounded' to keep in line with international best practice.

In Children First, 2011, Section 5.5, ‘Unfounded Concerns’, provides guidance on actions to be taken where, after an assessment or appeals process, concerns or suspicions of child abuse are considered as ‘unfounded.’

A ‘founded’ assessment is an authentication that a judgement has been made that evidence exists which confirms that child abuse occurred. An ‘unfounded’ assessment is one where the evidence does not support a finding of abuse. It does not mean the abuse did not occur, rather that there is a lack of evidence to support a ‘founded’ outcome. For example, there may be no convincing disclosure, no clear evidence, no witnesses, and/or no admission on the part of the Person Subject to Allegations of Abuse (PSAA). The ‘balance of probabilities’ is interpreted as the degree to which something is more likely to have occurred than not.

The key principles informing decision-making when an assessment is being made include the following:

a. The welfare of the child is the paramount consideration.

b. The requirements of Children First must be met.

c. Tulsa must determine and assess any current or future risk to a child.

d. If a child is deemed to be at immediate serious risk the child's interest takes priority over the suspected person’s right to be informed of allegations against him/her.

e. If Tusla concludes there is an immediate serious risk to a child, this must be communicated to an appropriate relevant third party to enable Tusla to take whatever protective action is necessary.

f. Maintaining children in their own home is in their best interests. If the child is living with an alleged abuser, the safety of the child is paramount.

g. Social work professionals make a determination on a balance of probabilities.

h. Natural justice and fair procedures must be applied in relation to persons suspected of abuse, including their right to be informed about allegations against them and to respond.

i. A Tusla assessment should take representations made by a person suspected of abuse into account.

j. Any action or protection plan should be signed off by all relevant parties, including the person suspected of abuse, where possible.

k. A person suspected of abuse has a right to have their data protection rights protected, to obtain legal advice, to see all relevant documentation, to submit relevant documentation, to make oral or written submissions and have these considered, to identify any third parties with relevant information for Tusla consideration for interview, and to request an independent review of the assessment undertaken by the social worker.

Question No. 572 answered with Question No. 554.

Walks Scheme

Questions (573)

Martin Kenny

Question:

573. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the €2 million increase in allocation of funding for the walks scheme will be announced as promised in the programme for partnership Government. [39931/18]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy is aware, my Department administers the Walks Scheme which facilitates the development and maintenance of many of Ireland’s walking trails. The scheme involves landholders as key participants in the provision of high quality walking trails, by contracting them to undertake maintenance work on sections of National Waymarked Ways and other priority walks that traverse their lands. Participant landholders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken, in line with agreed work plans.

The scheme currently covers 39 trails, with payments made to approximately 1,900 landholders to maintain those trails.

The Programme for a Partnership Government and the Action Plan for Rural Development both include a commitment to increase the number of trails covered by the Walks Scheme.

My officials are working towards this objective and will review the scheme’s operation over the coming months to determine how best to expand the scheme and to maximise the impact of the resources available to me.

By the end of this year I hope to be in a position to make an announcement in relation to this matter.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (574)

Niall Collins

Question:

574. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the communications, press and public relations budget allocated to his Department for 2018; the way in which it is being spent; if it is behind or ahead of profile; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39378/18]

View answer

Written answers

The Press and Communications Office of the Department liaises with the media on behalf of the Department and does not use the services of public relations firms.

The Department of Rural and Community Development allocate spend relating to communications and press to the Administration programme "Training and Development and Incidental Expenses" which has an overall budget of €539k which is behind profile. Within this programme costs relating to press are allocated to the Press Office subhead. Spend for the year to the end of August for the Press Office was €11,087. In addition a range of staff in the Department are engaged in communications as part of their normal duties.

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