Written Answers Nos. 146-160
146. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a community employment scheme placement will be continued for a person (details provided) in County Kerry who is providing an essential service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39140/20]
View answerEmployment Programmes such as Community Employment (CE) are labour market programmes that enable long-term unemployed to progress into employment and/or further education and training. Participation limits on these schemes are necessary to allow for the maximum utilisation of places amongst qualifying persons. It is important to note that participation is intended to be for a temporary fixed term and the positions offered are not full-time sustainable jobs. Instead, the placements are designed to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness, thereby improving a person’s opportunities of returning to the open labour market.
Following 12 months in receipt of a qualifying Social Welfare payment CE placements for those aged between 21 and 55 years will be for one year. However, if a CE participant is working towards a QQI Major Award or working towards a recognised industry standard, their time on CE can be extended by up to a maximum of 3 years to complete the full award/qualification standard i.e. a total participation of 3 consecutive years in which to complete any outstanding modules.
The person concerned will have completed three years on CE on 11th December and their employment should cease on that date. However having reviewed the position my Department will continue to fund this participant placement up to 15 January 2021 to ensure no disruption of payment over the Christmas period.
The Department's Activation service will work with the person concerned to ensure that the skills and experience they received during their time on CE are maximised. This process will help identify potential employment opportunities and offer support to them in overcoming any barriers to employment. The Department strongly supports the work being done through Community Employment schemes and the vital roles they are playing in local communities. Community Employment vacancies are advertised on www.JobsIreland.ie and are promoted and supported locally by the Department's Activation service.
147. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection when PPS numbers will issue to persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39171/20]
View answerI can confirm that officials of my Department have contacted the Deputy's office regarding the Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) applications for the individuals referred to by the Deputy so that we may proceed to progress their applications.
Upon receipt of outstanding information, these applications will be processed without delay.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
148. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a PPS number application by a person (details supplied) in Dublin city. [39172/20]
View answerI can confirm that my Department has allocated a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to the individual referred to by the Deputy. A letter issued to the individual on 9th November 2020 with details of the PPSN.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
149. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of the employment sourced for JobPath participants with a breakdown of those in which the employment lasted for 13, 26, 39 and 52 weeks, respectively. [39175/20]
View answerInternationally and in Ireland research consistently indicates that the provision of a personal advisory/case management service to unemployed jobseekers is an effective method of supporting jobseekers to secure and sustain employment.
In Ireland this personal advisor/case management service is provided directly by the Department’s own staff and also by staff employed in contracted service providers – including the Local Employment Services (LES) and JobPath providers.
In general, the Department’s own case officers engage with people who are short term unemployed while those who are more distant from the labour market, including long-term unemployed people, are served by the LES and JobPath.
JobPath provides a case management based employment advice and counselling service to long term unemployed jobseekers, which aids jobseekers in finding employment. JobPath's role is not to source actual jobs for participants.
Between July 2015 and October 2020, some 283,826 jobseekers had commenced their engagement period with the JobPath service and of these 168,155 have completed at least one full engagement with JobPath. In the same period, 64,632 jobseekers had commenced employment during their engagement period with JobPath. Of these, 40,876 have sustained employment for 13 weeks, 32,811 have sustained employment for 26 weeks, 26,992 have sustained employment for 39 weeks and 22,581 were still employed after twelve months.
It should be noted that many clients who are currently engaged with JobPath are still in the first phase of the service. They have not yet had sufficient time with the service to have gained employment nor sustain that employment for up to 52 weeks.
My Department does not maintain statistics on the specific types of employment commenced through JobPath.
However, an econometric review of JobPath, published last year, noted that in 2018 the weekly employment earnings of people who secured employment with the JobPath service are 17% higher than the weekly employment earnings of people who secured employment without the support of JobPath. Taken with the 26% improvement in employment outcomes in the same period, it means the overall positive employment/earnings impact is 37% in 2018 for those who are supported by the JobPath service. These findings indicate that jobseekers who engage with JobPath are more likely to get a positive employment outcome than those jobseekers who aren't supported by the service.
150. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the date on which each direct provision centre or emergency centre contract expires. [39128/20]
View answerThe table attached shows the contract end date for each privately-owned and emergency accommodation centre and in the case of the State-owned centres shows the end date for the management company contract.
All accommodation centres for people seeking international protection, whether State-owned or privately owned, are operated by commercial companies under contract. My Department contracts for an all-inclusive service, which includes catering services, as well as cleaning, maintenance and laundry services.
There are currently 7 State-owned accommodation centres and 38 privately-owned accommodation centres, one of which is the National Reception Centre in Balseskin, Co. Dublin.
My Department has also engaged 29 temporary accommodation centres and 3 additional premises for use during the current Covid-19 crisis. One is used for the safe self-isolation of international protection applicants who have tested positive or who are close contacts of someone who has tested positive. The other two premises are used for the quarantine of new applicants and residents who had left their accommodation and wish to return.
In addition my Department has contracted 3 premises for use as Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres (EROC) for refugees arriving in Ireland under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP).
151. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to increase the provision of direct provision accommodation in the Dublin 22 area and specifically with respect to an address (details supplied). [39144/20]
View answerMy Department has no plans to open an International Protection Accommodation Centre at the location referred to by the Deputy, nor have we any current plans to increase the provision of direct provision accommodation in the Dublin 22 area.
Premises are sourced either through a full tender process which is administered through the Government’s Procurement Portal www.etenders.gov.ie or through responses to calls for expressions of interest, which are advertised in the national media. My Department is assisted with these tender projects by the Office of Government Procurement.
The tender process which commenced in late 2018, saw regional tender competitions being advertised, assessed and awarded. The competitions were held for the South East, Midlands, Mid-West, South-West, Mid-East, West, Dublin and the Border Regions.
All properties selected under the tender process must be able to meet the requirements of the National Standards for accommodation centres. Any tender for the provision of accommodation centre services must demonstrate that it will meet the requirements of the Standards. This requirement applies to the provision of new centres and to any renewal of a contract with a current provider.
The Standards were published in August 2019 and developed through an Advisory Group including representatives from UNHCR Ireland and the NGO sector. The Standards will come into force in January 2021 and address a range of themes including accommodation; food and catering; individual, community and family life; health and wellbeing; governance; and meeting the special reception needs of applicants. The Standards will ensure that all new accommodation coming on stream must be able to meet the requirements for independent living by the provision of self-catering facilities for residents including a food hall and the availability of separate family spaces apart from bedrooms.
152. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on a matter regarding a service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38895/20]
View answerMy office has recently received representations in relation to the matter raised by the Deputy.
As this is an operational issue for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, I have requested that Tusla respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
153. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 591 of 22 September 2020, if he will provide detailed responses to questions raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38901/20]
View answerThe Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (The Ryan Report) was published on 20 May 2009. Where the records of children in care are concerned, the Ryan Report recommended that reports, files and records essential to validate the child’s identity and their social, family and educational history must be retained (recommendation 7.20).
Following the publication of the Report a detailed Implementation Plan was prepared and published in July 2009. Of the ninety-nine actions contained in the Ryan Report Implementation Plan, ninety-five are now complete. The two outstanding actions referred to in the original Parliamentary Question (No. 591 of 22 September 2020) are the responsibility of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.
These actions, which are aimed at ensuring the records of people who have been in care are stored securely and are available to those to whom they relate in future, are being addressed by Tusla through the ongoing development of the National Childcare Information System (NCCIS). The Agency has implemented the NCCIS to maintain records of children in care. The NCCIS has been fully implemented in all Tusla areas and is the central repository/ archive for current children in care records. Tusla has also successfully completed the data migration to the NCCIS of all historical children in care records held in legacy ICT systems formerly managed by the HSE. The NCCIS programme and subsequent successful migration projects represent significant progress on the implementation of the relevant actions.
Tusla has advised that further initiatives are planned under the Tusla Data Management Strategy 2019-2022 to extend the NCCIS repository to cover the registration of historical children in care paper files held by the Agency. This includes completing an audit of all paper file locations and recording high-level information on the NCCIS, such as the child’s details, as well as references to the physical location of all related paper files.
Historical children in care records, which were held by the HSE, transferred to Tusla with the establishment of the Agency under the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. These records date back to the 1970s when the health boards were established. Examples of care records held by Tusla are care orders; birth certificates; admission to care records; daily logs; key working records; care plans; family history; risk assessments; medical records; records of significant events; complaints; and education records. While the records of industrial and reformatory schools are, for the most part, maintained by the Department of Education, records relating to one industrial school held by the HSE also transferred to Tusla on establishment.
Tusla has advised that it has recently appointed a National Records Manager and is establishing a Records Management Unit. This new unit is tasked with assessing the feasibility, dependencies and budgetary requirements in relation to the outstanding elements of the relevant actions in the Ryan Report Implementation Plan. Tusla will complete a paper on the outcome of this work in 2021 to inform the decision-making process in relation to advancing these actions.
Individuals who were previously in care can seek access to their personal records from Tusla either under Freedom of Ireland (FOI) or Data Protection legislation. Guidance around how to submit FOI and Subject Access Requests is available on the Tusla website as follows:
Tusla Freedom of Information Request Guide: https://www.tusla.ie/about/your-personal-information/new-freedom-of-information/#how
Tusla Data Subject Records Request Portal: https://www.tusla.ie/about/your-personal-information/new-data-protection/
Separately, the Deputy will be aware that the Government has recently committed to working to establish, on a formal, national basis an archive of records related to institutional trauma during the 20th century. The National Archive will include historical institutional records. It will be designed in cooperation with professional archivists and historians, as well as with victims, survivors and their advocates. DCEDIY are working with the Department of the Taoiseach to advance this further.
154. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to address the effects that parental alienation have on the well-being of children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38903/20]
View answerUnder the Child Care Act 1991, the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, is the statutory body with responsibility to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. Tusla assesses all child welfare and protection concerns that are reported to it.
The Children First Act 2015, which was fully commenced in December 2017, provides for a number of key child protection measures. These include awareness raising, providing for mandatory reporting of child protection concerns by certain categories of persons and improving safeguarding arrangements in organisations providing services to children. The Act operates alongside the non-statutory obligations provided for in Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017, which sets out how all reasonable concerns about a child should be reported to Tusla. The Act recognises that a child’s welfare includes their emotional welfare while the Guidance sets out definitions of abuse, including emotional abuse, and signs for its recognition.
Referrals to Tusla regarding the possible harm to a child from a parent are assessed in line with Tusla’s policies, procedures and best practice. Tusla has advised that its child protection and welfare assessment considers any past harm and any future danger to a child as a result of complicating factors in a child's environment. These factors include any parental behaviour that is deemed to have a negative impact on a child resulting in them being seriously harmed, including the behaviours that would indicate emotional abuse. Tusla also considers any strengths and existing safety present for the child in the context of the harm and then works collaboratively with parents, professionals and others to create effective safety for the child into the future.
However, parental alienation is a very challenging and complex issue. It generally arises in situations of extreme inter-parental conflict, which can result in children withdrawing from one parent without the other parent deliberately directing them to do so, but as a response to the conflict. Mediation can sometimes offer parents an opportunity to work through issues arising.
Tusla social work staff are supported in their professional and evidence informed assessments by access to an online evidence informed toolkit that provides detailed up-to-date research and recommended interventions on key areas such as attachment, critical analysis and thinking, child development, the impact of abuse, separation and loss and parenting capacity. Tusla also provides all staff with access to an entire research centre https://www.tusla.ie/research/ with relevant current research and publications relevant to child protection and welfare practice. In addition to regular professional supervision, this ensures staff are supported in maintaining their expertise in an ongoing and supportive learning environment.
Tusla works collaboratively with child and adult mental health services, the Courts and other therapeutic services in respect of any relevant matters referred to it, including in relation to necessary interventions to support the safety and wellbeing of a child.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to enact a Family Court Bill. The Family Court Bill will be a key element in the development of a more efficient and user-friendly family court system that puts families at the centre of its activities, provides access to specialist supports and encourages the use of alternative dispute resolution in family law proceedings. The Department of Justice has recently established the Family Justice Oversight Group. This Group will agree a high-level vision and key medium and longer-term objectives for the development of a national family justice system, in parallel with the establishment of a dedicated Family Court structure, as envisaged by the forthcoming Family Court Bill. My Department is represented on the Oversight Group.
155. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason funding was not awarded to establish a family resource centre (details supplied) in County Mayo. [38921/20]
View answerI am aware of correspondence seeking additional family support services in the area to which the Deputy refers. Tusla has advised me that there is currently a family support worker in the area, employed by Castlebar Family Resource Centre.
The Family Resource Centre Programme is administered by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have requested that the Agency responds directly to the Deputy on this issue.
156. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the analysis that has been undertaken on the number and location of accessible bathrooms, particularly in public buildings; if there are regions with no accessible toilet facilities; his plans to address this important issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38929/20]
View answerNew buildings and extensions or material alterations to existing buildings must comply with the legal minimum performance standards set out in the Building Regulations 1997 - 2019. In this context, the Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2010, and the accompanying Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use (2010), which came into effect on 1 January 2012, set out the minimum statutory requirements that a building must achieve in respect of access.
157. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the means by which the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation is contacting witnesses that gave testimony to it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38942/20]
View answerIn accordance with the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Act 2020, the Commission is obliged to make every reasonable effort to notify persons who gave evidence to the Confidential Committee of their entitlement to request that their personal information is redacted prior to that evidence being deposited with my Department as part of the Commission's archive.
Many of the witnesses who described their personal experiences to the Confidential Committee did so in the legitimate expectation that their confidentiality would be protected. Others may wish to ensure their name is attached to their evidence. Most importantly, the amendment made to the records legislation following the Seanad debate protects the agency of each person who provided a personal story to the Confidential Committee to decide if they want their names and other identifying information included in the records which the Commission must transfer to the Department.
The Commission is making initial contacts with relevant persons by telephone but it is important to clarify that I have no role in the arrangements by which the independent Commission is contacting witnesses. Any person who wishes to have their name redacted must tell the Commission this in writing.
158. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the adoption information and tracing Bill will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38949/20]
View answerI am committed to developing legislation that will help deliver much needed access to information for adopted people. It is important to acknowledge that this process will take some time, as there are complex and sensitive issues at play, involving the balancing of rights and interests of both parties. I am, however, committed to advancing fresh proposals next year.
I am very much aware that this is a subject of fundamental importance to very many adopted people. I have engaged with representative groups on this issue and will continue to engage widely in order to help achieve consensus towards a legislative solution.
159. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding under the aegis of his Department have implemented social clauses in their public procurement contracts in the past three years (details supplied); and if so, the nature of these social clauses. [39043/20]
View answerNotwithstanding the standard OGP contract conditions including complying with EU Directive 2014/24/EU in relation to environmental, social and labour law, my Department has not implemented social clauses in public procurement contracts in the past three years. The Adoption Authority of Ireland, the National Disability Authority and Oberstown Children Detention Campus have confirmed likewise.
I have referred the question to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the Ombudsman for Children's Office and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and asked them to provide the information sought directly to the Deputy.
160. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will work with Tusla to ensure duty social workers are seconded to divisional protective service units as would be best practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39079/20]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the allocation of staff resources is an operational matter for Tusla and my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on the matter.
