Written Answers Nos. 1-17
6. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Leanaí agus Gnóthaí Óige cén fáth nach bhfuil an eagraíocht a dhéanann freastal agus comhordú ar na naíonraí atá ag feidhmiú trí Ghaeilge taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht agus a thugann bun-tacaíochtaí dóibh ag fáil bun-mhaoiniú óna Roinn; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [52227/18]
View answerIs maith atá a fhios agam faoin luach a bhaineann le tacaíocht a thabhairt do sholáthar seirbhísí sa Ghaeilge do leanaí óga, agus an ról a bhaineann leis an tacaíocht seo chun cumas sa Ghaeilge a chothú agus chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn mar theanga bheo. Mar sin, tá baill ó dhá eagraíocht Ghaeilge i bhFóram na Luathbhlianta, agus mise i mo chathaoirleach ann.
Cé nach dtugann mo Roinn maoiniú tiomnaithe d’aon ghrúpaí Gaeilge ar leith faoi láthair, tacaíonn sí leis an nGaeilge i go leor bealaí eile agus tá sí tiomanta do roinnt gníomhartha suntasacha sa Phlean Gníomhaíochta don Ghaeilge 2018-2022. Tá sé mar aidhm ag na gníomhartha seo ná cur le agus feabhas a dhéanamh ar na bearta, tacaíochtaí agus comhpháirtíochtaí atá ann cheana agus a chuirtear ar fáil trí, mar shampla, Tús Níos Fearr, tríd an Chigireacht Luathbhlianta ag TUSLA, agus trí na Coistí Contae agus Cathrach i gCúram Leanaí.
Tá mo Roinn chun dhá phost a cheapadh atá tiomnaithe do chomhardú a dhéanamh ar thacaíochtaí Gaeilge in earnáil na luathbhlianta, agus beidh an gníomh seo barrthábhachtach. Tá mo Roinn ag obair ar sonraíochtaí na poist seo le comhghleacaithe sa Roinn Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, d'fhonn earcaíocht in 2019.
San iomlán, tugann mo Roinn maoiniú do 228 seirbhís a thugann siad Naíonraí orthu iad féin, laistigh agus lasmuigh de na ceantair Ghaeltachta araon. Gach rud san áireamh, cuireadh maoiniú €16m ar fáil do na seirbhísí sin le ceithre bliana anuas agus tá na tacaíochtaí go léir a sholáthraíonn mo Roinn ar fáil do gach uile sheirbhís luathbhlianta agus naíonra, laistigh agus lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht araon.
Amach anseo, beidh mé ag coimisiúnú athbhreithniú neamhspleách maidir leis na struchtúir in earnáil na Luathbhlianta go luath. Cé nach féidir liom teacht roimh aon cheann de thorthaí an athbhreithnithe, tá súil agam go mbeadh sé ríthábhachtach go mbeidh próiseas plé ann le gach ceann de ghrúpaí páirtithe leasmhara na luathbhlianta, eagraíochtaí Gaeilge ar nós an chinn a luaigh an Teachta san áireamh.
I am very aware of the value of supporting the provision of services in the Irish language to children at an early age, and of the role this can play in fostering Irish language proficiency and promoting Irish as a living language. As such, the Early Years Forum which I chair, includes membership from two Irish language organisations.
While my Department does not currently provide dedicated funding to any specific Irish language groups, it does support Irish in many other ways and has committed to a number of significant actions within the Action Plan for the Irish Language 2018-2022. These actions aim to build and improve on existing measures, supports and partnerships that are provided through, for example, Better Start, the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate and local City and Country Childcare Committees.
Key among these actions will be the appointment of two dedicated posts to co-ordinate Irish language supports in early years. My Department is currently working on specifying these posts with colleagues in the Department of Culture Heritage and the Gaeltacht, with a view to recruitment in 2019.
In all, my Department funds some 228 services which identify themselves as Naíonraí, both within and outside the Gaeltacht areas. Total funding of some €16m was provided to such services over the past four years and the many supports which are available from my Department are offered to all early years services and naíonraí, both inside and outside the Gaeltacht.
Looking to the future, I will shortly be commissioning an independent review of structures that support the Early Years Sector. While I cannot pre-empt any of the findings of any such review, I would expect that a key component will be a process of engagement with all of the early years stakeholder groups, including Irish language organisations such as that referred to by the Deputy.
7. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which the €1.2 million funding to provide first aid training for each registered childcare service has been dispersed by county; the number of childcare providers that have availed of the service; and the average amount dispersed to each facility. [52441/18]
View answerThe allocation of €1.2million was made in Budget 2019 and I am pleased to confirm that preparations are well under way for roll-out of training to every registered early learning and care service to meet the new First Aid Response (FAR) standard. Roll out is expected to begin early in 2019, for completion by 1st June 2020. June 2020 is the date after which Tusla will require every service to meet the new standard.
During 2019 and the first half of 2020, my Department will provide funding to allow one free place on a First Aid Response training course for every service provider in the country. The training will be organised through the City and County Childcare Committees.
Early learning and care providers are all familiar with their City and County Childcare Committee and should be in regular contact with them. In early 2019, the City and County Childcare Committee will be in contact with each service in their area to ensure that they have the opportunity to access the first aid training.
The training will be organised and paid for by the City and County Childcare Committees, through funding provided by my Department. The training will be free at the point of delivery for the staff attending. As a result, no money will be disbursed to early learning and care service providers.
There are currently 4,519 early learning and care service providers in contract with my Department. Initially, City and County Childcare Committees will be asked to prioritise services who do not have First Aid Response training already and who have other first aid training that is due to expire soon, but they will ensure that all service providers are given the opportunity to have a staff member attend the training.
8. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of take-up of the ECCE free preschool year for 2017 and 2018; the way in which it has been impacted by the change in dates and requirements for entry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52469/18]
View answerAccording to the latest figures there are 105,503 children registered on the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme for 2018/2019.
The comparable figure for the same time last year was 90,589. The figure in the earlier years of ECCE stood at approximately 67,000 children. The increase in participation for this programme year is explained by the extension of the ECCE programme to a full two year provision.
All children meeting the minimum age requirement of 2 years and 8 months are now eligible for a full two programme years on ECCE. This measure increases the duration of each registered child on ECCE from the original entitlement of 38 weeks to a potential duration now of 76 weeks (two programme years).
This delivers fully on a commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government that is good for children, families and Early Learning and Care providers.
Now that we have a full two-year programme, we reduced the number of entry points from three to one in September this year. One enrolment period at the start of the pre-school year helps to streamline the administration process and makes it easier for childcare providers to operate and budget for the programme year.
It also makes it easier for parents to secure places on the ECCE programme for their children. ECCE now mirrors school entry, with one enrolment point.
The minimum and maximum ages for ECCE were chosen based on a number of considerations. These were:
- national experience,
- a review of international practice,
- the regulatory environment for early learning and care,
- issues such as child development readiness,
- adult-child ratios and the policy of the Department of Education and Skills with regard to school start age.
I believe that the new system is right for children and helps ensure that parents and providers can plan with clarity for the needs of children.
9. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the purpose of her recent visit to Brussels; and the way in which the European Solidarity Corps will operate in an Irish context. [52443/18]
View answerThe purpose of my trip to Brussels on 26 November 2018 was to attend the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (EYCS) Council. The Council of Ministers with responsibility for youth policy in each Member State meet twice a year towards the end of each presidency.
Among the issues discussed at the Council was the European Solidarity Corps which brings a number of opportunities for young people to enhance their personal, educational, social and civic development. It is made up of two strands, the volunteering strand and occupational strand.
The volunteering strand consists of a full-time voluntary unpaid solidarity activity for a period from 2 to 12 months. It gives young people the chance to take part in the daily work of organisations.
Activities can take place either in a country other than the country of residence of the participant (cross-border) or in the country of residence of the participant (in-country).
In the occupational strand, traineeships and jobs provide young people with opportunities for work practice or employment, helping them to enhance their skills and experience thus facilitating their employability and transition into the labour market.
Full-time learning and work practice of between 2 to 6 months is remunerated by the organisation responsible for the traineeship of the Corps participant.
As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs I am excited about the opportunities for Irish young people that the European Solidarity Corps will open up and I welcome the fact that the European Solidarity Corps gives special attention to young people with fewer opportunities as Irish youth policy is particularly concerned with inclusion.
