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Tuesday, 20 Oct 2020

Written Answers Nos. 44-63

National Childcare Scheme

Questions (44)

Kathleen Funchion

Question:

44. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the reason that, in order to qualify for the national childcare scheme, NCS, parents need to have a public services card, given that other Departments have done away with requiring the public services card to access their services, namely the passport service. [31308/20]

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Written answers

The National Childcare Scheme has always been designed so that applications will be accepted both online and by post. A Public Services Card (PSC) and verified MyGovID account are required to apply online only.

The online system offers a user friendly application process for busy parents. It delivers greater efficiency in the administration of a major, national Government scheme. It gives parents the possibility of accessing subsidies via an online automated income assessment.

A secure identity verification system is required for any such IT system. The Public Services Card and MyGovID offers this security. It safeguards applicants' information and the administration of public funding. Our priority is to provide direct funding to hard-pressed parents and not into administration. An alternative or secondary online identity verification system would be unlikely to deliver the same level of security and would generate additional, unnecessary duplication and expense for the taxpayer.

Parents without a PSC can choose to apply to the NCS via the paper application route. Parents can contact the NCS Parent Support Centre and arrange for an application form to be sent out to them.

Sick Pay Scheme

Questions (45)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

45. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration his views on introducing sick pay for early years education workers; and if he has held meetings with trade unions or member organisations relating to his brief. [31348/20]

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Written answers

As the Deputy is aware, the State is not the employer of staff in early learning and care or school-age childcare services. My Department does not pay their wages nor does it determine working conditions for staff, including sick pay. I am, however, very aware of the negative impact that low pay and poor working conditions in the sector have on staff recruitment and retention and thereby on outcomes for children. I am also conscious that my Department is a significant funder of the sector, alongside parents.

Since coming into office, I have held a series of meetings with stakeholders in the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector, including trade unions and member organisations representing practitioners and providers in the sector. A prominent theme in many of these meetings has been pay and working conditions, including the issue of sick pay.

The Tánaiste has publicly stated his intention to establish a Statutory Sick Pay Scheme in full consultation with employers and unions. This would be in addition to the enhanced illness benefit which was introduced by the Government in response to Covid-19. Through the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF) the Tánaiste has commenced a process of engagement with the social partners on the issue of statutory sick pay. I believe it is important that the position of those working in early learning and care and school-age childcare services is considered as part of this process and my officials will engage as appropriate in any process.

In the medium-term, the New Funding Model and Workforce Development Plan will both consider future policy tools that will impact on wider aspects of pay and working conditions in the sector.

National Childcare Scheme

Questions (46)

Kathleen Funchion

Question:

46. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if his attention has been drawn to the issues surrounding the registering of CHICK numbers as this is also having an impact on the quick turnaround of NCS applications. [31310/20]

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Written answers

The National Childcare Scheme was first launched in November 2019. There are currently over 33,700 children who are subject to a NCS claim by childcare providers.

NCS subsidies are paid once a CHICK has been registered with a childcare provider and the parent has confirmed on the system that all details are correct.

My Department is not aware of any significant technical issues with the registration of children on the NCS system by childcare providers which would impact the payment of NCS subsidies for parents. A small number of issues have arisen which have been quickly resolved. Such issues are normal within any new system and are being ironed out as they arise.

Where assistance is required to register a CHICK, Pobal as Scheme Administrator, under the oversight of my Department, will continue to monitor their service delivery times and take appropriate measures to speed up processing times where necessary and bring efficiencies to bear on what is still a relatively new scheme.

If the Deputy is aware of specific issues being experienced by individual parents I would encourage him to refer them to the NCS Parent Support Centre. Childcare providers experiencing difficulties in registering children on the NCS can be referred to Pobal’s Early Years Provider Centre.

My Department has already met with a number of representative groups to identify where our systems might work better or target where further support may be required.

Pobal will also be looking to engage with users based on their experience to see where further enhancement, training or support may be required.

The NCS is constantly monitored for its success in meeting its objectives. The Scheme will be reviewed after 12 months and closely monitored thereafter to ascertain if it is meeting its stated objectives.

Early Years Sector

Questions (47)

Alan Farrell

Question:

47. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the status of the development of career pathways in early childhood education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30618/20]

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Written answers

First 5, the whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young, children and families, commits to developing a Workforce Development Plan. Among other objectives, this will set out plans for moving to a graduate-led workforce by 2028 and establishing a career framework for staff working in early learning and care services, including role profiles and career pathways. Work on the plan was initiated by my Department in May 2019. An interim report is on schedule for delivery by year-end, with a view to development of an implementation plan in 2021.

As part of the development of both the Workforce Development Plan and a new Funding Model for early learning and care and school-age childcare services, I launched a consultation process in August. This consultation process included an online call for submissions, which closed on 2nd October and which was open to any person or organisation which wished to contribute. In the next phase of the consultation process, a series of online consultation events with early years practitioners and providers is taking place. These consultation events began on 12 October  and will continue until Friday 23 October.

I am committed to the further development of career pathways in the sector. They are important both in terms of improving recruitment and retention of staff, and in enhancing practitioners' continuing professional development. Ultimately they are critical to support better outcomes for children.

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Questions (48)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

48. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration his plans to assist refugees and in particular children affected by the fire in the Moira refugee camp on Lesbos, Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29746/20]

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Written answers

I would like to thank the Deputy for his question on this very pressing matter.

I am extremely concerned with the plight of the refugees in Moria following the fires there, especially young people who are without parents or family in the camp.

Permission to come to Ireland, and the legal right to remain, is the responsibility of the Department of Justice and Equality. That same department administers the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP). I was gladdened by my colleague, Minister McEntees', recent announcement to bring 50 people in family units from the camp to Ireland in the coming weeks.

Due to the level of need among refugees since the destruction of the Moria camp, I am seeking to expand Ireland’s capacity to care for unaccompanied children, the vast majority of them are aged between 15 and 17 years. My Department and Tusla officials are examining the immediate requirements to fulfil Ireland’s existing commitments, including expansion of care placements and working with Department of Justice and Equality officials to identify unaccompanied children who wish to come to Ireland.

Ireland remains committed to accepting 36 unaccompanied minors and has to date received 8 teenage boys. The young people arrived safely and are settling in well with their new lives. The transfer of this group had been delayed by the COVID-19 public health crisis, and took place in June.

Tusla is presently working to progress the transfer of four additional young people from Greece, which would form part of the overall commitment to accept 36 young people.

The state’s capacity to bring unaccompanied children to Ireland is determined by the available care placements, and the commitments the state has made to unaccompanied children who are already here.

Due to the level of need among refugees since the destruction of the Moria camp, I am seeking to expand Ireland’s capacity to care for unaccompanied children and to accelerate their arrival here. In the Budget allocations last week I secured additional funding to support this aim.

Tusla was allocated an additional €61M in Budget 2021. A portion of these additional resources will support Tusla to meet our commitments to transfer additional unaccompanied minors in Greece to Ireland as quickly as possible. I am confident that we will be in a position to fully achieve our existing commitment and the additional resources provided in Budget 2021 will make sure such transfers can take place on a consistent and sustainable basis.

Tusla has a dedicated Separated Children Seeking Asylum (SCSA) Team, which has developed expertise through Ireland’s participation in international protection programmes, and through caring for unaccompanied minors who arrive unannounced at Irish ports.

Tusla currently has 59 unaccompanied children in care, all of whom come from various international protection contexts, including specific programmes and separated children seeking asylum. In addition at the end of Q1 2020 96 young people, who had previously been unaccompanied children, were in receipt of an aftercare service from Tusla. Seventy nine were in education or accredited training.

Budget 2021

Questions (49)

Jennifer Whitmore

Question:

49. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if he will expand on the provision in budget 2021 to give an additional €5 million to youth services; if he will address existing funding anomalies in relation to existing funding streams to address funding inequalities in counties affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31354/20]

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Written answers

It is in recognition of the importance of supporting young people at this time that I have secured an additional €5 million investment in youth services for 2021. This funding will support the delivery of universal and targeted youth services nationwide. My officials and I will, over the coming weeks, be considering how we can best use this funding to ensure that youth services support young people through this very challenging period, with a particular view to their mental wellbeing and their social and employment prospects.

I am not clear on what the Deputy means by funding anomalies. However, it is important to note that, in addition to funding universal youth services aimed at all young people, my Department funds targeted youth services through the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme. Under this scheme, €38.7million was allocated in 2020, to support young people between the ages of 10 and 24 who are at risk of becoming disadvantaged, marginalised or vulnerable.

The scheme is underpinned by the Area Profile, Needs Assessment and Service Requirement (APNASR) process. The APNASR Tool supports each Education and Training Board (ETB) to gather and use available demographic data and local knowledge to produce an area profile of their functional area. The ETB then carries out an analysis of the data to identify the needs of young people in that area. This results in a Service Requirement for new or existing projects that will be funded by the Department under UBU. The approach ensures that we can target supports to the young people most in need of intervention and that funding is allocated on the basis of evidence- informed need.

It should be noted the ETB is there to support funded youth organisations in implementing the Service Requirement of the area. The ETB Youth Officer meets regularly with each youth organisation to this end.

Childcare Services

Questions (50)

Paul McAuliffe

Question:

50. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration his plans for an improvement in pay and conditions for childcare workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31369/20]

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Written answers

I am very conscious need for significant improvement in pay and working conditions for practitioners in early learning and care and school-age childcare services. The level of pay they receive does not reflect the value of the work they do for children, for families and for the wider society and economy. In addition, low pay and poor working conditions have an impact on the quality of the care provided through their effect on the recruitment, retention and turnover of qualified staff. The most recent data available indicates that the average hourly wage in the sector was €12.55 in mid-2019, while staff turnover was 23%. This is not good for children, families, staff, providers or the Exchequer.

As the State is not the employer, the Deputy will appreciate that my Department does not set wage levels nor determine working conditions for staff working in the sector. My Department has, however, over a number of years provided a range of supports to service providers to enable them to improve wages and working conditions. However, wages in the sector remain too low and as a significant funder of the sector, alongside parents, it is imperative that my Department works with provider representatives and staff representatives to address the issue.

I am committed to exploring new ways to impact positively on pay and conditions. In the medium term, the Expert Group on a New Funding Model and the Steering Group of the Workforce Development Plan are both considering future policy tools to support the workforce in early learning and care and school-age childcare services. Work on the new funding model is looking at ways in which some services can be funded to meet additional requirements on the quality, affordability and accessibility of services. These could include requirements in relation to wages or working conditions. In addition, the Programme for Government includes a commitment to the creation of a Joint Labour Committee for the sector, which could offer a mechanism through which a pay agreement could be achieved in the shorter term.

Traveller Community

Questions (51)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

51. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the steps he is taking to ensure that the Traveller community enjoys real equality in society here; the programmes his Department has in place to promote equality for this community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30910/20]

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Written answers

The Government is committed to improving the quality of life of members of the Traveller and Roma Community. The National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 provides the strategic framework for the Government's action on issues relating to Travellers and Roma.

This Strategy represents a whole-of-Government approach to bring about meaningful change and progress for the Traveller and Roma communities in Ireland. It contains 149 actions, grouped under ten themes including Cultural Identity; Education; Employment; Health, and Accommodation. The Strategy is a living document which will be reviewed and adjusted as required. Traveller and Roma interests were involved in its development and are members of the Committee monitoring its implementation which will be chaired by me. This type of strategic approach with Traveller and Roma representatives at its centre is the one that will pay dividends in the longer term.

In addition to the strategic framework, the Government provides significant amounts of funding to traveller projects.

In 2020, €3.8 million in funding was provided to support Traveller and Roma inclusion. I have secured an additional €1 million for 2021, bringing the total to almost €5 million. This funding will be used to continue existing supports, as well as supporting new activities designed to counteract the impact of COVID-19 on Traveller and Roma communities.

Question No. 52 answered with Question No. 40.

Early Years Sector

Questions (53)

Neale Richmond

Question:

53. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the status of the oversight group to oversee the development of the baby box programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30832/20]

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Written answers

The First 5 strategy sets out work across Government to improve the experiences and outcomes of children in Ireland from birth to age 5. Piloting Baby Boxes is one of many initiatives under First 5. Others include supports for parents to balance working and caring, developments in early learning and care, and health initiatives.

Baby Boxes are packages of items and information to assist with the transition to parenthood including safety items, baby clothes, small toys, baby toothbrushes, and books to support early development. The intention is to welcome a new arrival to a family, acknowledging this significant moment for parents.

The project will pilot and test the design, items for inclusion, registration and distribution of Baby Boxes in a selected geographic area. An evaluation will inform any plans about wider roll-out.

Owing to COVID-19, work on this project has been delayed. However, invitations will issue over the coming weeks to key early childhood experts to join an oversight group being established to oversee this development.

This Group will finalise the scope of this project and agree a detailed project plan. Key initial considerations will include the identification of the pilot geographic area, agreement on the optimal timing for (pre- or post- natal), and channel of, distribution of the baby box and the likely contents. A researcher will be appointed to oversee focus groups and/or consultations with new and expectant parents to inform the identification of items for inclusion.

Following this initial scoping phase, which should conclude by end Q1 2021, the Oversight Group will oversee a competitive procurement process to appoint suitable tenderers to a) develop and distribute the baby boxes and b) undertake a full evaluation of the pilot. Given the likely value of these contracts, the procurement process will take several months and distribution of the baby boxes will commence in end Q3 2021 / early Q4 2021.

Equality Proofing of Budgets

Questions (54)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

54. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if he will provide details of any equality proofing of budget 2021 that his Department was involved in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31343/20]

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Written answers

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is leading the work of equality budgeting across Government, developing the process of budget and policy proofing as a means of advancing equality, reducing poverty and strengthening economic and social rights, and introducing a pilot Equality Budgeting Initiative for the 2018 budgetary cycle.

My Department is represented on the Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory Group convened by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to advise on the most effective way to advance the Equality Budgeting Initiative. In partnership with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, my Department commissioned the OECD to undertake a Policy Scan of Equality Budgeting in Ireland published in tandem with Budget 2020, that provided recommendations on further development of the programme in light of international experience. Implementation of these recommendations is ongoing. My Department is continuing to work with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to advance and expand this programme of work.

City and County Child Care Committees

Questions (55)

Christopher O'Sullivan

Question:

55. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if there is a timeline in place for the implementation of the Workplace Relation Commission agreement of August 2019 between SIPTU and city and county childcare committees; if funding will be provided in Budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31097/20]

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Written answers

Officials of my Department are reviewing the Workplace Relations Commission's consideration of the pay rates of the managers of the City and County Childcare Committees.

The City and County Childcare Committees, or CCCs, are one of the key support mechanisms of my Department, and I want to acknowledge the important role they play in providing vital support and guidance to early learning and care and school age childcare providers and to parents. The CCCs act as my Department's local agents throughout the country.

In 2005 the Minister for Finance sanctioned the rates payable to CCC managers as comparable to the rates applicable in the Local Authorities for Grade 6. Officials from my Department have been engaging with representatives from the CCCs, including both manager and Board of Management representatives, and their union representatives, in relation to a proposal for a review of the grading of CCC managers.

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Questions (56)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

56. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the status of progress to fulfil his plans to expand capacity care for unaccompanied refugee children here; the timeline of same; his plans to accept more children from the Moria refugee camp; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30630/20]

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Written answers

I am extremely concerned with the plight of the refugees in Moria following the fires there, especially young people who are without parents or family in the camp.

I wish to advise you that Ireland supports the ongoing EU efforts to relocate unaccompanied minors from the former camp at Moria. I can confirm that Officials in my Department are presently engaged with the Department of Justice and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency on the matter.

Ireland remains committed to accepting 36 unaccompanied minors and has to date received 8 teenage boys. The young people arrived safely and are settling in well with their new lives. The transfer of this group had been delayed by the COVID-19 public health crisis, and took place in June. Tusla is presently working to progress the transfer of four additional young people from Greece and they are also working with An Garda Síochána on the Greek island to identify unaccompanied minors who wish to come to Ireland.

Due to the level of need among refugees since the destruction of the Moria camp, I am seeking to expand Ireland’s capacity to care for unaccompanied children and to accelerate their arrival here. In the Budget allocations last week I secured additional funding to support this aim.

Tusla was allocated an additional €61M in Budget 2021. A portion of these additional resources will support Tusla to meet our commitments to transfer additional unaccompanied minors in Greece to Ireland as quickly as possible. I am confident that we will be in a position to fully achieve our existing commitment and the additional resources provided in Budget 2021 will make sure such transfers can take place on a consistent and sustainable basis.

Tusla has a dedicated Separated Children Seeking Asylum (SCSA) Team, which has developed expertise through Ireland’s participation in international protection programmes, and through caring for unaccompanied minors who arrive unannounced at Irish ports.

Tusla currently has 59 unaccompanied children in care, all of whom come from various international protection contexts, including specific programmes and separated children seeking asylum. In addition at the end of Q1 2020 96 young people, who had previously been unaccompanied children, were in receipt of an aftercare service from Tusla. Seventy nine were in education or accredited training.

Budget 2021

Questions (57)

Jennifer Whitmore

Question:

57. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if he will expand on the provisions contained in budget 2021 that intend to reduce child poverty in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31352/20]

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Written answers

I welcome the child poverty and social protection measure introduced in Budget 2021 by my Government colleague Minister Humphreys and other Government colleagues.

The reduction of child poverty is a key political priority for the Government and this has been reflected in the measures introduced over the last five budgets including Budget 2021.

Under the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People, my Department, in collaboration with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and other Departments, is taking a whole-of-government approach to tackling child poverty.

Social transfers play a crucial role in alleviating poverty and inequality and Ireland is among the best performing EU States for reducing poverty through social transfers.

Under Budget 2021, the additional €5.5 million investment in the hot school meals programme will mean the provision of a hot school meal for up to 35,000 more children in the coming year.

The cost of raising children, particularly older children, is a significant factor in determining income need. In recognition of this, the budget also introduced other welcome measures such as the increase in the Qualified Child Allowance by €5 for children over 12 and €2 for children under 12. The weekly payment for a qualified child aged 12 or over will increase from €40 to €45, while the payment for a child aged under 12 will increase from €36 to €38. These changes represent increases for over 419,000 children in households, which are dependent on social welfare and will take effect from January 2021.

Other Social Protection measures introduced in Budget 2021 in relation to poverty reduction include:

- Parental Benefit increasing to 5 weeks for parents of children born or adopted from November 2019 –an increase of 3 weeks;

- A €10 increase in the weekly income threshold for Working Family Payment for families with up to three children to help working parents on low incomes; and

- Working lone parents will no longer lose their One-Parent Family Payment when their employment income exceeds the current €425 limit. This limit of €425 will be removed from April 2021.

Further supports in education are being provided as part of the DEIS programme to those schools catering for the highest concentrations of educational disadvantage. This will be supported by additional funding of €2 million in 2021 and €5 million in a full year.

In Budget 2021 I have secured extra funding of some €121 million for Tusla, International Protection Seekers Accommodation, and Youth services, bringing the total investment by his Department to over €1.9 billion for 2021.

The increase of €61m in funding for Tusla alone will meet increasing demand for existing services including residential care, supporting the community and voluntary sector, services for victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence, and unaccompanied minors.

The significant additional funding for my Department will be targeted at improving outcomes for children, young people and their families as well as the promotion of equality and human rights. The funding also provides for the inclusion and integration of persons seeking international protection.

The Deputy will also be aware of my commitment to ensure that a central focus of the successor strategy to Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures will be on addressing poverty for children and young people. This will be developed in 2021.

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Questions (58)

Christopher O'Sullivan

Question:

58. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the plans in place to assist refugees and in particular children affected by the fire in the Moria refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31098/20]

View answer

Written answers

Ireland strongly supports the principle of solidarity and recognises that assistance is required for Member States who face a disproportionate number of applicants and particularly where incidences such as that which occurred in the Moria camp in Lesbos can cause additional hardship.

I committed in September to working with Tusla and colleagues across Government to relocating four unaccompanied minors from Greece into the care of Tusla. My officials are working with Tusla to accelerate the arrival of additional unaccompanied refugee children from the Moria Camp. I am pleased to have secured additional resources and funding in Budget 2021 to further fulfil our overall commitment in this regard.

Tusla was allocated an additional €61M in Budget 2021. A portion of these additional resources will support Tusla to meet our commitments to transfer additional unaccompanied minors in Greece to Ireland as quickly as possible. I am confident that we will be in a position to fully achieve our existing commitment and the additional resources provided in Budget 2021 will make sure such transfers can take place on a consistent and sustainable basis.

Tusla has a dedicated Separated Children Seeking Asylum (SCSA) Team, which has developed expertise through Ireland’s participation in international protection programmes, and through caring for unaccompanied minors who arrive unannounced at Irish ports.

Tusla currently has 59 unaccompanied children in care, all of whom come from various international protection contexts, including specific programmes and separated children seeking asylum. In addition at the end of Q1 2020 96 young people, who had previously been unaccompanied children, were in receipt of an aftercare service from Tusla. Seventy nine were in education or accredited training.

My colleague, the Minister for Justice, Helen Mc Entee T.D., recently announced an additional commitment under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) to welcome up to 50 people in family groups from Greece following the recent fire that almost completely destroyed the Moria camp on the island of Lesbos. This area of work transferred to my Department on 14 October 2020 and my department will now make the necessary arrangements to receive these families.

The families who will arrive from Greece have already been granted an international protection status by the Greek authorities. The International Protection Office (IPO) in the Department of Justice will grant them ‘programme refugee’ status immediately upon their arrival in Ireland. My officials are liaising with the European Commission on the detail of this commitment, and along with members of An Garda Síochána will travel to Greece in the coming weeks to make the arrangements for their safe passage to Ireland.

The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was established in 2015 in response to the migration crisis in central and southern Europe. Under this programme, the Government committed to accepting up to 4,000 people into the State, primarily through a combination of the EU Relocation Programme and the UNHCR's Refugee Resettlement Programme.

To date, more than 3,350 people have arrived in the State under this first phase of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP). Most of the remaining people will arrive under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme Humanitarian Admissions Programme (IHAP).

Last December, a second phase of the IRPP was announced giving a commitment to welcome a further 2,900 refugees between this year and 2023, through a combination of resettlement and community sponsorship. The refugees who are due to arrive from Greece are in addition to this number.

Question No. 59 answered with Question No. 38.
Question No. 60 answered with Question No. 27.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (61)

Kathleen Funchion

Question:

61. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the letters issued by Pobal to providers in relation to refunds; and the reason his officials are seeking refunds from providers whose businesses are at risk of closure due to historical inadequate funding. [31307/20]

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Written answers

The DCYA-led Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS) was launched on 15 April as a unique, sector specific response to the COVID-19 crisis. While the scheme was being developed, preliminary payments were paid in advance to providers to enable them to retain their staff and cover some overhead costs. These preliminary payments were primarily based on pre-covid staffing levels. It emerged subsequently that such staffing levels were not maintained by some providers and this has resulted in excess funding.

A letter was issued to providers by Pobal on 16 September informing of their overpayment status and set out how proposed recoupment of the excess funding will take place.

The TWSCS rules made clear the purposes for which this sector specific funding was intended for. Excess funding provided was required to be returned to the Exchequer at the earliest opportunity. Many services will therefore still have the excess amount in their accounts and be in a position to repay it when requested. Some providers have expressed a wish to return the excess funding immediately and structures are in place to facilitate this.

My Department, in recognition of pressures the providers are facing in trying to safely reopen have allowed a “grace” period by delaying the recoupment process until November. This will give providers an opportunity to manage their cashflow requirements in the coming weeks.

My Department has worked closely with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and it is not possible from an Exchequer perspective to extend repayment into another financial year, except of course in exceptional circumstances as discussed below.

It is acknowledged that some providers may require special or alternative arrangements due to ongoing cashflow difficulties. My Department is prepared to be flexible in supporting providers who may struggle with recoupment and Pobal will be available to work closely with these providers.

If a provider continues to experience ongoing viability issues, my Department has recently launched a new Sustainability Fund. This will assist providers (not-for-profit and for-profit) struggling with an imminent threat to the viability of their service arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic. In the meantime my Department encourages providers seeking further advice and support to contact their City/ County Childcare Committee in the first instance.

It is worth noting that in 2020, it is estimated that an additional €180m, above and beyond the childcare budget, will have been invested in the sector. Also, for the first 3 months of 2021 alone, the EWSS will be worth €63m to providers, again on top of their usual Departmental payments. Intensive and very successful efforts have been made by the Department to boost the income of providers in recent years with the 141% increase in investment in the sector. This has enabled services to grow from an average size of 33 places to 47, to access subsidies for twice the number of children as before, to access increased ECCE capitation payments, free CPD for staff, Programme Support Payments worth at least €19m per annum and extra capital investment, for example.

My Department remains committed to supporting services to provide accessible, affordable and high quality services to children and families.

Asylum Seekers

Questions (62)

Denis Naughten

Question:

62. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the engagement by his Department with children within the asylum system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30627/20]

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Written answers

Generally, three cohorts of children can be involved with the international protection process, those in the company of their parents or guardian, children who arrive unaccompanied by a guardian (separated children) to ports of entry and unaccompanied child refugees who come to Ireland under specific relocation projects under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP). The processing of all international protection applications is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice.

While Tulsa has no role in the asylum system, it has a specialist team of social workers dealing with separated children - the Separated Children Seeking Asylum (SCSA) team. The SCSA team also works with unaccompanied minors that Ireland has agreed to accept under specific projects led by the IRPP. The SCSA will assist the child in completing a protection application form for the International Protection Office and will also provide emotional support to the child.

Separated children are the largest cohort of children who come into Tusla care when they present to the immigration authorities at our sea and air ports. The service provided to these children is demand-led, and accurately estimating future demand is challenging as the international situation can change quickly. These children are received into care and are placed in residential and foster care.

Tusla's SCSA team received 167 referrals in 2019. Often such referrals include children who arrive unaccompanied at a port of entry but who have an adult relative or friend who lives in Ireland and is willing to care for them. The children who do not have adult relatives or guardians are received into care. There were 46 of these children in 2019.

With regard to children who are accompanied by their parents or guardians, such children are included in the protection applications made by their parents. The International Protection Accommodation Service of my Department (IPAS) has no role in the processing of asylum applications. IPAS is responsible for the provision of accommodation and other services to persons who indicate their need for such accommodation during the protection application process. IPAS has developed a number of policies, including a Child Protection and Welfare Policy and a Domestic and Gender Based Violence Policy. The implementation of the Child Welfare Policy is overseen by a social work team leader on secondment from Tusla to the Child and Family Services unit of IPAS. This unit provides assistance to centres, develops policies, oversees their implementation and works to ensure that families receive the supports they require while they are being accommodated in our accommodation centres.

Numerous organisations, including NGOs and State Partners, provide in-reach assistance to the families to assist with their orientation to the country. Such assistance includes linking them in to State supports and legal advisory services.

Other key service responses delivered, or supported, by Tusla such as Tusla Education Support Services, Family Support Services and Children and Young People’s Services Committees actively engage with children in these settings to support their transition and integration.

In addition, IPAS has a seconded official from the Department of Education working fulltime with the service to assist residents with the placement of their children in local schools. All children, irrespective of their gender, including children of international protection applicants, refugees, migrant workers and unaccompanied minors can access pre-school, first and second level education in a manner similar to Irish nationals, until they have reached the age of 18 years.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (63)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

63. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if requests for PPE have been made by childcare and early years education providers since August 2020; and if so, if he will provide a breakdown of same. [31346/20]

View answer

Written answers

Expert guidance on the operation of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services during the COVID-19 pandemic has been published by the HPSC and is available at https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/childcareguidance/.

The HPSC advice is that additional PPE, over and above normal requirements for ELC and SAC services, is not required to be used by staff while they are caring for children.

It is important to note that the sector already had cleaning, hygiene and infection control measures in place before COVID and the good practice in the sector has been a significant contributor to the relatively low incidences of COVID in services since they began reopening almost 4 months ago, on June 29.

In line with normal practice in these services, the HPSC guidance sets out that staff should wear disposable, single-use plastic aprons, and non-powdered, non-permeable gloves when there is a risk of coming into contact with body fluids (such as when nappy changing). Supplies of these should be readily available in services.

The HPSC has advised that services should keep a small supply of surgical masks in a readily accessible place for use by a staff member who develops symptoms of COVID-19, or by staff members caring for a sick child who is waiting to be collected by a parent.

The guidance provides the following clarification on the use of face coverings in a childcare setting:

“The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) recommends the use of cloth face coverings in certain indoor settings. This guidance is applicable to adults in childcare settings where it does not pose a barrier to care. This includes situations where there is interaction between adults when not caring for children.

If a childcare worker wishes to use a face covering but this may pose a barrier to care, they may consider use of a visor. Visors should extend from above the eyes to below the chin and from ear to ear.”

Responsibility for accessing supplies of PPE for safe operation of services is a matter for the individual service provider. The cost and sourcing of PPE was raised as an issue by provider representatives at meetings of the Department's Advisory Group on Reopening during Covid. In order to assist services with reopening, the Department has put financial supports in place, including a once-off reopening grant, and access to the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme which covers approximately 38% of services' operating costs, in addition to Departmental schemes and parental income.

These measures are being very effective is assisting providers with their operating costs.

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