Written Answers Nos. 197-212
197. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which adequate resources are available to address the physical, mental or psychological problems facing children deemed to be at risk; if she has available to her adequate personnel to address these issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7389/19]
View answerChildren deemed to be at risk for reasons of neglect or abuse are managed in line with Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. If anybody becomes aware of a child at risk, they should immediately contact Tusla or, if out of hours, An Garda Síochána.
Where harm has occurred in a case involving child welfare and protection, Tusla will identify the supports required and either provide a family support response or liaise with other agencies and organisations to put appropriate supports in place.
Where a child is identified as having mental health or psychological problems, Tusla will refer the child to the appropriate HSE service.
I am satisfied that the funding secured for Tusla in Budget 2019 has provided adequate resources to meet the demand for their child protection and welfare functions.
198. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she remains in contact and dialogue with the various children’s organisations with a view to meeting their concerns on an ongoing basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7390/19]
View answerI have ongoing dialogue with children's organisations in relation to issues that effect children and young people around the country.
My Department provides annual funding to the Children's Rights Alliance, an umbrella organisation with over 100 members that advocates for children and young people in relation to legislation, policies and services. My Department has a good working relationship with the Children's Rights Alliance and through an agreed annual work plan, my Department is in regular contact with this organisation.
Through the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures National Policy Framework implementation infrastructure such as the Children and Young People's Policy Consortium, I am afforded the opportunity to listen to and engage with children's organisations on an on going basis as well as hearing from children and young people themselves.
The National Advisory Council under Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, brings into one forum a diverse range of interests from sectorial stakeholders in the domains of children and young people’s policy and provision. The Council's membership consists of non-governmental organisations and academia who are highly relevant to the progression of issues that require resolution at a national level. Representatives on the Council come from a diverse and highly relevant background such as the National Youth Council of Ireland, Early Childhood Ireland, Barnardo’s, Focus Ireland, ISPCC, Scouting Ireland, Foróige and Mental Health amongst other highly respected organisations.
My Department hosts bi-annual meetings with local coordinators from Children and Young People Service's Committees (CYPSC) where issues effecting children and young people in local areas are discussed and acted upon by officials in my Department. I have attended some of these meetings previously and have engaged with the coordinators on a range of issues regarding the resourcing of the CYPSC initiative, membership and involvement of local stakeholders, the need for strengthened leadership and the future development of CYPSC.
I and officials in my Department are always engaged with organisations that represent the best interests of children and young people, and this positive work will continue.
199. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has available to her the necessary expertise, staffing levels and resources to address issues facing children now and likely to affect them in the future based on research available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7391/19]
View answerThe Deputy's question is broad based. It is concerned with the general adequacy of resources overall to meet existing and future issues facing children.
I am very appreciative of the support which I have received from Government over recent years in increasing the Vote of my Department. Budget 2019 represented another very significant and visible commitment to children and families. In the case of my Department, the gross amount of funding being made available in 2019 is €1.510 billion, an increase of 8% over 2018 and 33% over 2016.
In terms of manpower, since my appointment as Minister there has been a 54% increase in staffing in my Department from 181 employees to a current staffing level of 279 people. The increase in staffing numbers reflects the continuing growth in the responsibilities of my Department and has included the recruitment of a number of specialists with expertise, drawn from professional streams across a number of disciplines.
The Deputy will appreciate that it is difficult to speculate as to the adequacy of the existing resources in terms of issues likely to affect children in future years. I am confident that the significant additional resources secured over recent years is enabling my Department, and its agencies, to address key issues and challenges currently affecting children's lives. My Department, through ongoing policy and research, is continuously planning for future challenges and is keenly aware of the importance of this work.
200. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she and bodies under the aegis of her Department are adequately placed and financed to address issues of self-harm in children; the most commonly identified causes that have been established; the extent to which she can address these issues in the short and medium terms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7392/19]
View answerWhere Tusla Child Protection and Welfare Services become aware that a child is self-harming they will refer the child to their local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). As the Deputy is aware CAMHS is a HSE provided service, and comes within the remit of my colleague the Minister for Health.
Children can self- harm for a range of reasons and CAMHS are best placed to provide a response to this query. Where the underlying cause is associated with abuse or neglect Tusla will work with CAMHS and the child and family to try and resolve these problems.
The Deputy may also wish to raise this important issue with the Minister for Health for a direct response with respect to the role of mental health services.
201. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps she will take either directly or in co-operation with other Departments to address the issues affecting children at risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7393/19]
View answerChildren First promotes the protection of children from abuse and neglect, by setting out what persons and organisations need to do to keep children safe, and how to deal with concerns that a child may have been, is being, or is at risk of being abused or neglected. A Children First Inter-Departmental Implementation Group (CFIDIG) with membership from all Government Departments, the Health Service Executive, An Garda Síochána and the Child and Family Agency - Tusla, provides a forum for members to raise child welfare and protection issues of general concern or with a cross-departmental or cross-sectoral dimension.
The Children First Act 2015, which I fully commenced in December 2017, provides for a number of key child protection measures, including in particular:
- An obligation on defined categories of persons (mandated persons) to report child abuse, at or above a defined threshold, to Tusla;
- A requirement on providers of relevant services to children to carry out a risk assessment and develop a Child Safeguarding Statement outlining the policies and procedures in place to manage any risks identified
The Act also places the CFIDIG on a statutory footing and requires each Minister of the Government to prepare and publish a Sectoral Implementation Plan, setting out the programme of measures that are either in place or planned to ensure compliance with Children First. My Department’s Sectoral Implementation Plan and Child Safeguarding Statement are available on my Department’s website.
The legislation operates alongside the non-statutory obligations provided for in Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. The guidance sets out definitions of abuse, and signs for its recognition. It explains how reports about reasonable concerns of child abuse or neglect should be made by the general public and professionals to Tusla. It sets out what organisations need to do to keep children safe. It also describes the obligations under the Children First Act 2015 and who they attach to. These guidelines have been in place since 1999 and were fully revised and published in October 2017 to include reference to the provisions of the Act.
The Children First Act is part of suite of child protection legislation that also includes the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016; and the Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012.
202. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of at-risk children whose situations were brought to the attention of her Department in the past 12 months; the extent to which she was able to respond to their needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7394/19]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency, has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. I propose to reply in respect of children at risk who come to the attention of Tusla child protection services.
The most recent data available from Tusla covers the period up to and including November 2018. Referrals data is published on a provisional basis each month and validated figures are published quarterly. The monthly data from Tusla indicates that there were a total of 52,779 referrals to Child Protection and Welfare Services up to end of November 2018. This is almost 5,700 ahead of the comparable figures from 2017. This is an average of approximately 4,800 referrals per month.
There has been an increase in referrals in recent years. An increase of 9% in 2016, an increase of 13% in 2017 and it is expected that there will be a similar increase when the final figures for 2018 are compiled. This increase in referrals clearly shows the growing awareness and concern in society with respect to children’s wellbeing and safety.
All referrals to Tusla are screened in a timely manner. Where appropriate, the referral will be routed to family support services or, in the case of child protection and welfare concerns, to a social work service. It is important to stress that urgent and emergency cases receive immediate attention by the local duty social work team.
203. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she remains in contact with local youth organisations nationally with a view to identifying issues of concern and providing a resolution thereto; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7395/19]
View answerMy Department maintains close contact with the national youth organisations and I and officials from my Department meet formally with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments in the youth sector. A separate meeting is held on the day of these bi-annual meetings with national organisations in receipt of targeted youth funding to keep them updated on the ongoing work on the Value for Money and Policy Review reforms.
Youth Officers of the Education and Training Boards (ETB) provide an important support role to my Department in the co-ordination and administration of youth services at local level across the country. In order to keep my Department informed of their ongoing work, officials hold quarterly meetings attended by all Youth Officers from across the country. These meetings assist my Department in identifying service needs and emerging issues, particularly for vulnerable young people. The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department has set up a working group with five Youth Officers focussed on strategic planning for future capital funding for the youth sector.
My Department holds scheduled meetings with Youth Work Ireland twice a year in relation to the important work of this organisation. There is also ongoing active engagement between my Department and the youth constituency of the of the Better Outcomes Brighter Futures Advisory Council. Some national youth organisation representatives are members of this Council.
Officials from the Youth Affairs Unit are engaged with programmes run by the National Youth Council of Ireland, such as the Youth Arts Strategic Review and Plan Advisory Steering Group and the National Health Programme Strategic Planning Working Group, both of which receive funding from my Department.
Officials from my Department also meet with youth organisations on an individual basis when the need arises.
In 2019, €60.4m has been allocated in current funding to support the provision of youth services, an increase of €1.5m on 2018. The additional funding is being used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services. Funding to staff led youth services has generally been targeted at areas of disadvantage and not in proportion to the youth population of a given area. Funding allocations for 2019 are currently being finalised by the Youth Affairs Unit of my Department. Letters of allocation will issue shortly.
Future development and investment in youth services will be informed by the mapping exercise completed in 2017, which mapped youth service provision across the State. This mapping will assist the Department and the relevant ETB in developing a detailed social demographic profile in terms of both population numbers and deprivation levels. My Department is committed to working with ETBs to identify need and explore ways to address this need where it emerges.
204. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if issues relating to the mother and baby homes are near a resolution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7396/19]
View answer205. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position relating to occupants of the various mother and baby homes, including the Magdalen laundries, Bethany Home and others; if compensation has been paid, is pending or otherwise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7397/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 205 together.
The Commission was established by Government in February 2015 to investigate concerns related to the institutional care of unmarried mothers and their babies during the period 1922 to 1998. The Commission is tasked with providing a full account of what happened to vulnerable women and children in these institutions. Following a request from the Commission, Government granted an extension to the time frame for the delivery of its final Report. The Commission is due to report in February 2020.
The scope of the Commission’s remit includes several specific areas of practice and procedure in the care, welfare, entry arrangements and exit pathways for the women and children who were residents of 14 named institutions and the representative sample of County Homes identified by the Commission.
The Government is satisfied that this independent Commission has sufficient scope to examine the broad range of public concerns, and to make a determination on their relevance to the central issues in question, and where appropriate to make any recommendations to Government which the Commission deems necessary.
The Commissions of Investigation Act 2004 provides an effective mechanism to investigate complex and sensitive matters of significant public concern. The Act gives the Commission robust powers to compel persons to produce information and answer questions. It is important to recognise that a statutory Commission is fully independent in the conduct of its investigations. The precise approach to examination of evidence are matters for the Commission to decide and progress.
The approach being taken provides a clear and deliberate emphasis on the experiences of women and children who spent time in Mother and Baby Homes. Accordingly, the Terms of Reference focus on these institutions.
While the Magdalene Laundries did not function as Mother and Baby Homes, their role as entry and exit pathways will be examined and these institutions are also included in the Social History module of the Commission's work. A restorative justice ex-gratia scheme was established for former residents of these Laundries, however this scheme is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality.
In its Second Interim Report the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes made a recommendation that the decision to exclude unaccompanied children who were resident in Mother and Baby Homes, including the Bethany Home, from the Residential Institutions Redress Act should be re-examined by Government.
As the Deputy will be aware, my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills is responsible for the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002 legislation and related arrangements. I understand that the redress scheme established under the act has not been extended to any additional institution since 2005 and related issues have been considered by previous Government's on a number of occasions.
In its examination of these matters in 2017, the Government decided it was not possible to consider any such arrangements in advance of the findings and conclusions of the Commission on relevant matters. When the Commission delivers its final report, its conclusions on all matters regarding the treatment of former residents of Mother and Baby Homes will be taken into careful consideration when determining the State's response.
206. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the person or body that has responsibility for managing the interment of a person who dies with no assets and no family; the person or body responsible for paying the expenses of the internment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7240/19]
View answerIf someone dies without the means to pay for burial and if this person has no traceable next of kin, legislation provides that the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection may make arrangements for and provide assistance towards the burial of a person who has died and in respect of whose burial suitable arrangements are not otherwise being made.
Contact details for that Department’s Community Welfare Service, which administers these matters, can be found on that Department’s website, www.welfare.ie.
207. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of reports commissioned from firms (details supplied) in 2018; the firm that completed each report; and the cost of each report. [7184/19]
View answer208. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of consultants from firms (details supplied) contracted to perform work in 2018; and the amount spent on consultants from each firm. [7201/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 207 and 208 together.
I can confirm that my Department did not contract consultants for the timeframe in question, and does not have expenditure to report in relation to consultants for the firms concerned.
Furthermore, the Department did not commission reports from these firms and does not have expenditure to report in this regard.
209. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when an application for aid pursuant to the urban and rural development fund from Westmeath County Council in respect of a project at Kinnegad, County Westmeath, will be finalised; when a decision will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7384/19]
View answer210. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when an application for aid pursuant to the urban and rural development fund from Westmeath County Council in respect of a project at Castlepollard, County Westmeath, will be finalised; when a decision will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7385/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 210 together.
Under Project Ireland 2040, the Government has committed €1 billion to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund over a 10 year period to support rural economic development and help build strong communities. The Fund has been allocated €315m over the period 2019 to 2022 and the various allocations over that period will be confirmed as part of the annual budgetary process.
The first call for applications for the Fund closed at the end of September and there was an excellent response from all across the country, with 280 applications received.
The assessment of applications for the Fund has now been completed with the aid of the Project Advisory Board, made up of representatives from key Government Departments and external experts, established to oversee the process. A report is now being prepared detailing recommendations for funding in relation to remaining Category 1, "shovel ready" projects, and Category 2 projects - those which need development funding to become potential Category 1 applications in future calls for applications.
Following consideration of the recommendations, I will make an announcement this week detailing the final round of successful projects from the first call under the Fund. Feedback will be given to those applicants who were unsuccessful in this round and a second call for applications under the Fund will take place later this year.
The Urban fund falls within the remit of my colleague Minister Murphy.
211. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of reports commissioned from firms (details supplied) in 2018; the firm that completed each report; and the cost of each report. [7177/19]
View answerThe Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection engages consultants (individuals or organisations) to provide analysis and advice over a wide range of areas including the delivery of reports that contribute to evidence-based policy. The procurement of these services supports the Department in providing a high-quality service to the public and is governed by a comprehensive regulatory framework.
The services of only one of the firms mentioned in your parliamentary question was engaged by the Department in 2018. This consultancy service is being provided by Deloitte Ireland in relation to the development of a Departmental Data Strategy. The amount paid to date to Deloitte Ireland for this service is €188,289.
In the interests of transparency, a breakdown of annual expenditure on consultancy and contracts for service for €25,000 and above, are published on the Procurement Policy page of the Department’s website http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Procurement-Policy.aspx.
212. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of consultants from firms (details supplied) contracted to perform work in 2018; and the amount spent on consultants from each firm. [7194/19]
View answerThe procurement of external consultancy services is essential to support my Department in providing high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner.
The Department is engaged in a number of service delivery modernisation and transformation programmes involving business process, organisational and technological change. These programmes are supported by the procurement of separate external development services (IT external service provision) as well as engagement of external consultants to provide strategic technical advice.
Consultants are engaged for a fixed period following procurement exercises conducted in accordance with Department procedures that are compliant with EU and national legislation and with guidelines set down by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
A breakdown of annual expenditure on consultancy and IT external service provision, and a list of purchase orders for €20,000 and above, is available on the Department’s website at http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Procurement-Policy.aspx Under the FOI publication scheme and with effect from January 2016, the Department also publishes details of public contracts awarded over €25k at http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Procurement-Contracts-Awarded.aspx.
All consultancy related payments in my Department are made from the consultancy budget (A2(vii)subhead). In 2018, Deloitte LLP were awarded two consultancy contracts (i) for External Development Services to produce a DEASP Data Strategy and (ii) for the provision of expert consultancy support on the deployment of online services and the development of a strategic implementation plan for the implementation of a Digital Transformation and the Front Office/Back Office service model.
In 2018, two consultants worked on the Data Strategy and invoices totalling €188,289 were paid and ten consultants worked on the Digital Transformation project and invoices totalling €100,294 were paid. No payments were made to the other companies listed by the Deputy from the my Departments consultancy budget in 2018.
