Written Answers Nos. 1238-1256
1238. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on south County Tipperary being left behind in relation to the to the roll-out of the national prevention, partnership and family support service; and the initiatives being taken currently to rectify the matter. [19577/21]
View answerSouth Tipperary PPFS continues to develop as do other PPFS services across the country in line with available resources. The purpose of the Prevention, Partnership and Family Support Programme is to support children, young people, parents and families in accessing preventative and support services while enabling their participation in decisions which affect their lives. It aims to prevent risks to children and young people arising or escalating through building sustainable services within Tusla and partner organisations to perform preventative and early intervention work. The programme addresses Tusla’s statutory requirement under the Child and Family Agency Act to provide ‘preventative family support services aimed at promoting the welfare of children’. PPFS works to build connectivity by engaging with Tusla and external services across the continuum of care.
Tusla has established 118 Child & Family Support Networks (CFSNs) across Ireland, which help to support integrated and co-ordinated supports for children, young people and families at local community level. CFSNs are a frontline operational structure set up by Tusla to support integrated service delivery. Members of CFSNs come from a variety of agencies or local voluntary and community services such as the Community and Voluntary Sector, HSE Primary Care Social Work, Early Years Services, Sports Clubs, Speech & Language Therapy, An Garda Síochána Youth Probation Services, Primary and Secondary Schools etc. There are three CFSNs supported by PPFS staff in South Tipperary.
I refer to my previous response of 01 April 2021 to PQ 17833/21 and to my response to PQ 19578/21 in this regard.
1239. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the date and plan for when a prevention, partnership and family support team will be operational in south County Tipperary as is operating in neighbouring Tusla business areas. [19578/21]
View answerThe purpose of the Prevention, Partnership and Family Support Programme is to support children, young people, parents and families in accessing preventative and support services while enabling their participation in decisions which affect their lives. It aims to prevent risks to children and young people arising or escalating through building sustainable services within Tusla and partner organisations to perform preventative and early intervention work. The programme addresses Tusla’s statutory requirement under the Child and Family Agency Act to provide ‘preventative family support services aimed at promoting the welfare of children’. PPFS works to build connectivity by engaging with Tusla and external services across the continuum of care.
Tusla has established 118 Child & Family Support Networks across Ireland, which help to support integrated and co-ordinated supports for children, young people and families at local community level. CFSNs are a frontline operational structure set up by Tusla to support integrated service delivery. Members of CFSNs come from a variety of agencies or local voluntary and community services such as the Community and Voluntary Sector, HSE Primary Care Social Work, Early Years Services, Sports Clubs, Speech & Language Therapy, An Garda Síochána Youth Probation Services, Primary and Secondary Schools etc. There are three CFSN networks in South Tipperary, and South Tipperary PPFS continues to develop as do other PPFS services across the country in line with available resources.
In practical terms, if a family presents to one service within the Child & Family Support Network and that service is not equipped to meet their needs, that network member can effectively re-direct the family to the most appropriate network member(s) or service. To be able to do this, CFSNs develop a good understanding and become familiar with one another’s work. The CFSNs also facilitate the coordination of the use of Meitheal, the Tusla-led early intervention national practice model that identifies a child’s and their families’ needs and strengths, and brings together a team around the child to deliver preventative support. There are three CFSNs supported by PPFS staff in South Tipperary.
Tusla commissions services from its community and voluntary sector funded partners, including the FRCs, based on identified need. The Senior Manager for PPFS would have a key role in identifying the need for these community based services and oversees related service level agreements.
In relation to the specific question, I would refer to my previous response of 01 April 2021 to PQ 17833/21 and to my response to PQ 19577/21 in this regard.
1240. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he plans or has had engagement with any party in relation to potential future use of houses at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; if so, the nature of the plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19641/21]
View answer1254. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the position regarding direct provision accommodation for asylum seekers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20232/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1240 and 1254 together.
My Department has not had any engagement with any party in relation to the premises referred to by the Deputy. My Department has not been offered these premises and has no current plans to use these premises.
1241. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 535 of 17 February 2021, the status of the investigation into the leak of the report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19776/21]
View answerAs previously advised, the Secretary General of the Department of An Taoiseach is currently investigating the matter. As part of the process, he has been tasked with examining the broader issue of unauthorised dissemination of documentation and other information related to the work of the Cabinet and its sub-committees. I can assure the Deputy that this matter continues to be pursued and the outcome of the investigation will be publicised.
1242. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if all vacancies (details supplied) are advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19809/21]
View answerI can confirm that vacancies on the boards of state bodies under the aegis of my Department are advertised through the Public Appointments Service (PAS) on www.stateboards.ie where required.
1243. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if any person can apply for a position (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19864/21]
View answerAppointments to the boards of bodies under the aegis of my Department are made in accordance with the requirements of the governing legislation and the Government Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards. The particular requirements and skill sets are set out by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) in the relevant information booklet attaching to the various positions. The composition of Boards in respect of bodies under the aegis of my Department is broad based and not confined to any particular group.
1244. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the draft national standards for children's social services once approved will replace the existing National Standards for Foster Care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19922/21]
View answer1251. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the draft national standards for children’s social services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20108/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1244 and 1251 together.
HIQA are developing Draft National Standards for Children’s Social Services to include foster care, residential care, special care and child protection and welfare services. The draft national standards are underpinned by four principles of human rights, safety and wellbeing, responsiveness and accountability.
The current National Standards for Foster Care have been in place since 2003 and have provided clear guidance to foster carers, social workers and inspectors. It is important that all standards are kept under review, to ensure that they remain fit for purpose.
HIQA is currently holding a six week public consultation to inform of the development of new Draft National Standards for Children’s Social Services. The standards set out what outcomes a child should expect and what a service needs to do to achieve these outcomes. HIQA's consultation through online questionnaire to collect feedback (http://hiqa.survey.fm/draft-national-standards-for-children-s-social-services) or views via email to standards@hiqa.ie will conclude on 21 April. Submissions will be collated and used to help inform the development of the draft national standards.
Stakeholders must have confidence in standards in order to deliver quality services to children and families.
Following completion of the consultation and drafting process HIQA will present the Draft National Standards for Children’s Social Services for consideration and approval by the Minister for Health in consultation with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Inclusion and Youth. The Standards must be accepted and approved before being implemented.
1245. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the promised disability (miscellaneous provisions) Bill; the timeline for the publication of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19974/21]
View answerThe Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016, which was drafted to ensure implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, had completed Dáil Committee Stage during the previous Government, but lapsed with the dissolution of the previous Dáil and Seanad and was not restored to the Order Paper. Consideration is being given to the possibility of amalgamating it with the Assisted Decision-Making Capacity (Amendment) Bill. Policy proposals for that Bill are due to be settled shortly with the aim of enactment before year end.
1246. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the promised assisted decision-making (capacity)(amendment) Bill; the timeline for the publication of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19975/21]
View answerThe Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill has been given high priority in the Department. Policy in relation to the Bill is currently being finalised. I am aiming to publish the Bill later this year. The aim is that the Bill would be enacted by year end.
1247. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timeline for Ireland’s ratification of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19976/21]
View answerIreland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in March 2018. Advancing the implementation of the UN Convention is a priority and this is reflected in the Programme for Government. The obligations arising from the Convention will be met over time, with initial priority given to meeting legislative commitments.
The Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international treaty that establishes two procedures aimed at strengthening the implementation and monitoring of the Convention. The first is an individual communications procedure allowing individuals to bring petitions to the Committee claiming breaches of their rights; the second is an inquiry procedure giving the Committee authority to undertake inquiries of grave or systematic violations of the Convention.
The Programme for Government reiterates the commitment to ratify the Optional Protocol after the first reporting cycle.
Ireland’s Initial State Report under the UNCRPD is currently being finalised by my Department following the conclusion of a public consultation process earlier this month. Following submission of the Report this year, Ireland will wait to be called to appear before the committee. Following that process and the subsequent comments issued by the Committee, the first reporting cycle will conclude, at which point work will be undertaken on the ratification process.
1248. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the decision support service; when it will be fully operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19977/21]
View answerThe Director of the Decision Support Service (DSS) was appointed in 2017 and has been preparing, along with her staff, for the establishment of the DSS when the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (the 2015 Act) is commenced in June 2022. Funding of €5.8 million was secured for the DSS in 2021 to ensure that it can commit to all of the preparations necessary for opening for business, including building the required ICT infrastructure; hiring staff and panel members; and putting the administrative processes in place to underpin the support options that will be available for people with capacity difficulties once the legislation has been commenced.
The DSS participates in the High-Level Inter-Departmental Steering Group, chaired by my Department, that is preparing for the DSS to become operational. There are representatives from relevant sectors on the group including from the Department of Health, the Department of Justice, the Courts Service, and the HSE as well as the DSS. They meet monthly to resolve issues and maintain momentum towards commencement of the 2015 Act in June 2022, following which the DSS will open for business.
1249. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of young persons who have been taken into wardship in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021 for oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder and emotional behaviour disorder; the number of these young persons that have been sent for specialist treatment to a hospital (details supplied) in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19978/21]
View answerMy colleague, the Minister for Justice, has provided the below information for this response.
The High Court has jurisdiction in wards of court matters and management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions under the Courts Service Act 1998.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made to the Courts Service who have responded that the Wards of Court Office does not maintain information in relation to specific disorders. The following wards of court had orders transferring them to the specific hospital referred to in the question. The Courts Service further inform that no minors have been sent to the hospital since early 2019 as the hospital is in the process of closing its children's unit.
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
|
Declared Ward of Court |
5 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Date of Order Transferring to Specific Hospital |
4 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1250. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of Irish young persons resident in a hospital (details supplied); the way in which their progress is monitored by Tusla or other State bodies while they are resident there; the way in which their reintegration on return to Ireland is managed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19979/21]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for her question. As this is an operational matter, it has been sent on to Tusla who will reply directly to the Deputy.
1252. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timeline for the full commencement of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. [20198/21]
View answerThe Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (the 2015 Act) provides a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity difficulties.
The Act was signed into law on 30 December 2015 but has not yet been fully commenced. Eleven sections have so far been commenced to allow the Director of the Decision Support Service (DSS), the agency which will support the legislation, to be appointed; to allow work to begin on codes of practice; and most recently to repeal the Marriage of Lunatics Act to allow wards to marry if they have capacity to do so. The Government made a commitment in the Programme for Government to commencing the 2015 Act, recognising the importance of the much needed reform it represents. The timeline for commencement is June 2022.
Before the Act can be fully commenced, the DSS must be ready to provide the services required under the Act. Funding of €5.8 million was secured for the DSS in 2021 to ensure that it can commit to all of the preparations necessary for its establishment including building the required ICT infrastructure; hiring staff and panel members; and putting in place the forms and other processes needed to administer the new support options that will be available for people with capacity difficulties once the legislation has been commenced.
My Department chairs the High-Level Inter-Departmental Steering Group that is preparing for the commencement of the 2015 Act. There are representatives from relevant sectors on the group including from the Department of Health, the Department of Justice, the Courts Service, the HSE and the DSS. They meet monthly to resolve issues and maintain momentum towards commencement of the 2015 Act in June 2022.
1253. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of outbreaks of Covid-19 that have been recorded in early childhood education and care facilities each month to date in 2021. [20200/21]
View answerThe recording and collation of Covid-19 outbreak data for all sectors, including the early learning and care sector, is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The HSE produce and publish weekly Covid-19 outbreak reports and those reports may be accessed here https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/surveillance/covid-19outbreaksclustersinireland/ .
Requests for further information in relation for Covid-19 outbreak data should be directed to the Minister for Health or the HSE.
1255. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the final report of the collaborative forum of former residents of mother and baby homes and related institutions will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20233/21]
View answerIt was not possible to publish the Collaborative Forum's report when it was submitted to the then Minister for Children and Youth Affairs because the contents of the report encroached upon the work of the independent statutory Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes. For this reason, only the Forum's recommendations were initially published and a commitment was given to revisit the question of the report's publication following the completion of the Commission's work.
I know how important it is to honour that commitment. Arrangements are being advanced by my Department to address the separate procedural requirement for parties identified, or identifiable, in the report to be afforded due process prior to publication.
I expect this process to be completed in the coming weeks. I will then be in a position to engage further with the Collaborative Forum and finalise arrangements for the publication of the report.
1256. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the date for publishing the interim report of the Anti-Racism Committee; the scheduled timeframe for the implementation plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20366/21]
View answerFollowing Government approval yesterday 20th April, the Anti-Racism Committee’s Interim Report was published this morning. The Deputy can access the report on my Department's website, www.gov.ie/dcediy.
The Interim Report is the first Report from the Committee. It sets out the overall approach that the Committee intends to take to its work in developing the Action Plan, which is in keeping with the fundamental principles of human rights as outlined by the United Nations, and the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan 2020-2025.
The Anti-Racism Committee is launching its public consultation today, 21 April 2021, to coincide with the publication of its report.
The Committee is due to recommend to Government its National Action Plan Against Racism by the end of the year.
