Written Answers Nos. 310-325
310. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which his Department continues to monitor any breaches of equality legislation whether of a gender, race or sexuality origin; the extent to which any correction required is in hand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49007/21]
View answer315. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the degree to which he and his Department have identified obstacles to integration; his plans to address any such issues in the short to medium-term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49012/21]
View answer319. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the degree to which his Department monitors breaches of equality and or integration regulations throughout the country in order to address any issues arising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49016/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 310, 315 and 319 together.
While I have responsibility for monitoring the effectiveness of the equality legislation, the role of monitoring the prevalence of discrimination and prejudice in Irish society is undertaken by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) which is Ireland’s national human rights and equality institution and is an independent public body that accounts directly to the Oireachtas. Its purpose is to promote and protect human rights and equality in Ireland and build a culture of respect for human rights, equality and intercultural understanding in the State. In mid-October 2020 the transfer took place of the Governance function of IHREC from the Department of Justice and Equality to my Department.
Significant advances have been made in recent years to address inequality in Irish society, with the Government’s commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive and equal society re-affirmed through the Programme for Government commitments to achieve social solidarity, equality of opportunity and economic equity for all.
The suite of national equality strategies, overseen and coordinated by my Department, act as the central policy framework adopted by Government to address inequality across Irish society. The strategies include the Migrant Integration Strategy (MIS), the National Strategy for Women and Girls (NSWG), the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS), the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS), the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy, the National LGBTI+ Strategy for Youth and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities (CES).
The implementation of each equality strategy is overseen by a steering committee which draws together State and non-State actors to deliver a better quality of life for all through targeted actions to promote social inclusion and improved access to public services. I chair the meetings of the committees charged with the monitoring and oversight of the strategies, with the exception of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy steering group which is chaired by my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Anne Rabbitte T.D., and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities which is chaired by Fergus Finlay.
As some of these strategies near their conclusion, I will work with stakeholders to examine what has been achieved over their term and how we can bring forth the next iterations of those strategies and ensure they are even more robust and effective.
In June of this year I announced my intention to conduct a review of the Employment Equality and Equal Status Acts to examine the functioning of the Acts and their effectiveness in combatting discrimination and in promoting equality, including awareness of the legislation and whether there are obstacles to taking an action under the Acts. The first phase of the public consultation process has commenced and the views of the public and interested organisations are being sought on their own experience of the legislation and whether, in their view, legislative amendments are required. Submissions were also invited on the scope of the current definitions of the nine equality grounds. This includes consideration of the disability ground and whether new grounds should be added, such as the grounds of socio-economic discrimination and around gender identity.
In response to requests from stakeholders, I recently announced the extension of the period of public consultation for the Equality Acts Review. The new deadline for submissions is 29 November 2021.
311. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of residential places available to children or women who may find themselves in need of secure accommodation; the extent to which such residential places have been utilised in the past five-years to date; his plans for the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49008/21]
View answerI am taking it that the Deputy's question may relate to women and children who need to avail of refuge accommodation in the context of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence, and to children who may require secure accommodation in various circumstances, including those in the care of the State and/or by orders of Courts. These are operational matters for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have referred the Deputy's question to Tusla, and requested that Tusla responds directly to the Deputy.
312. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the degree to which he and his Department have received pre-Budget 2022 submissions from the disability sector with particular reference to core recommendations which he might consider; if he has examined the submissions with a view to acceding to their requests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49009/21]
View answerI have received a number of pre-Budget submissions from a range of disability representative organisations. These covered a wide range of issues including financial supports, access to services and implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Submissions received have been noted and reviewed by my officials.
My own bid for funding has been informed by the needs set out in these submissions.
313. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which he and his Department have reviewed the disability sector with a view to addressing weaknesses in the services available to those with disabilities; if he plans to undertake a major overhaul of any such deficiencies; his plans to address them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49010/21]
View answerI have no immediate plans to carry out a review of disability services, in light of the present status of disability functions as shared between my Department and the Department of Health.
The Department of Health is leading on improving the provision of services to people with disabilities through, for example, the Disability Capacity Review and Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People. My intention is to continue with these reform programmes when the disability function of the Department of Health transfers into my Department.
316. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent of the dialogue his Department has had with the youth sector throughout the country over the past three years; the degree to which he has identified specific needs arising therefrom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49013/21]
View answerMy officials and I maintain close contact with 30 national youth organisations which it funds under the Youth Service Grant Scheme. Formal meetings are held with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments or challenges in the youth sector. Although this schedule was impacted by Covid-19, meetings resumed in July of this year. This provides a forum for organisations to give information on national issues but also identify specific locations that require additional focus.
My Department has engaged with the youth sector during the pandemic to develop sector specific guidance which are updated in tandem with the evolving Covid-19 developments. My officials continue to engage regularly with youth sector representatives in relation to the impact of the pandemic and associated health restrictions on young people and youth services.
DCEDIY also provides funding to all 16 Education and Training Boards (ETB) around the country to support youth services in their area and that each ETB has a Youth Officer. Youth Officers provide an important support role to my Department in the co-ordination and administration of youth services at local level. My officials hold quarterly meetings with them and these meetings assist my Department in identifying service needs and emerging issues, particularly for vulnerable young people.
A key tenet of the UBU scheme is the production of evidence of local need. In allocating funding under the scheme, each ETB carries out an Area Profile, Needs Assessment and Service Requirement process . This process draws upon quantitative and qualitative information to objectively identify the needs of young people within the ETB’s functional area. This analysis leads to the development of a Service Requirement, which is then used as the basis for discussion between ETBs and service providers in terms of service delivery to meet the needs of young people in the area. This approach ensures that DCEDIY can target supports to the young people most in need of intervention and that funding is allocated on the basis of evidenced need.
Officials from my Department also meet formally with youth organisations on an individual basis when the need arises and also maintain informal contacts.
As we begin to move beyond the pandemic, the Department will continue to ensure there is sufficient engagement with this important sector which provides enormous value to young people.
317. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the degree to which his Department continues to liaise with youth organisations at community level throughout the country; the extent to which he has identified any specific needs in respect of future engagements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49014/21]
View answerThe Deputy may be aware that DCEDIY provides funding to all 16 Education and Training Boards (ETB) around the country to support youth services in their area and that each ETB has a Youth Officer. Youth Officers provide an important support role to my Department in the co-ordination and administration of youth services at local level. My officials hold quarterly meetings with them and these meetings assist my Department in identifying service needs and emerging issues, particularly for vulnerable young people.
A key tenet of the UBU scheme is the production of evidence of local need. In allocating funding under the scheme, each ETB carries out an Area Profile, Needs Assessment and Service Requirement process . This process draws upon quantitative and qualitative information to objectively identify the needs of young people within the ETB’s functional area. This analysis leads to the development of a Service Requirement, which is then used as the basis for discussion between ETBs and service providers in terms of service delivery to meet the needs of young people in the area. This approach ensures that DCEDIY can target supports to the young people most in need of intervention and that funding is allocated on the basis of evidenced need.
DCEDIY also maintains close contact with 30 national youth organisations which it funds under the Youth Service Grant Scheme. The Minister and officials meet formally with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments or challenges in the youth sector. Although this schedule was impacted by Covid-19, meetings resumed in July of this year. This provides a forum for organisations to give information on national issues but also identify specific locations that require additional focus. Throughout Covid-19, the Department engaged with a representative group from the sector on pandemic specific issues including the regular updating of national guidelines for the youth sector relating to COVID
Officials from my Department also meet formally with youth organisations on an individual basis when the need arises and also maintain informal contacts.
As we begin to move beyond the pandemic, the Department will continue to ensure there is sufficient engagement with this important sector which provides enormous value to young people.
318. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the efforts his Department continues to make with various youth organisations to encourage integration and observance of equality requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49015/21]
View answerThe Department funds the provision of universal and targeted youth services to young people, generally aged between 10 and 24, throughout the country. Between 2016 and 2021, the annual current youth funding allocation for youth services increased from €51.9m to €66.79m.
The largest youth funding scheme funded by my Department is the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme. As described in the National Youth Strategy, young people aged between 10 and 24 years old who are experiencing marginalisation or are disadvantaged or vulnerable are the primary target group for youth services funded by UBU Your Place Your Space.
The Department also provides funding support to equality, intercultural and integration programmes managed by the National Youth Council of Ireland, the purpose of which is to embed inclusion and diversity actions within the youth sector and to engage hard-to-reach young people.
DCEDIY has strong governance arrangements in place with 30 national youth organisations it funds, and with 16 Education and Training Boards which are the mid-level governance structure for most of Ireland's youth funding. Through these governance arrangements, DCEDIY can ensure national policy is implemented.
The suite of national equality strategies, overseen and coordinated by my Department, act as the central policy framework adopted by Government to address inequality across Irish society. The strategies include the Migrant Integration Strategy (MIS), the National Strategy for Women and Girls (NSWG), the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS), the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS), the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy, the National LGBTI+ Strategy for Youth, and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities (CES).
The implementation of each equality strategy is overseen by a steering committee which draws together State and non-State actors to deliver a better quality of life for all, through targeted actions to promote social inclusion and improved access to public services. The Minister for CEDIY chairs the meetings of the committees charged with the monitoring and oversight of the strategies, with the exception of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy steering group which is chaired by the Minister of State for Disability, Deputy Anne Rabbitte T.D., and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities which is chaired by Fergus Finlay.
As some of these strategies near their conclusion, DCEDIY will work with stakeholders to examine what has been achieved over their term and how we can bring forth the next iterations of those strategies and ensure their effectiveness.
320. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which his Department continues to monitor children deemed to be disadvantaged; his plans in progress or otherwise to address these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49017/21]
View answerBetter Outcomes, Brighter Futures, the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People, takes a whole-of-government approach to addressing disadvantage and child poverty. The BOBF indicator set tracks progress for children and young people aged 0-24 across the five national outcomes outlined in Better Outcomes Brighter Futures.
My Department uses a range of data, metrics and evidence to formulate policy for children, young people and families, with a particular focus on those experiencing disadvantage, such as the Outcomes For Children Data and Information Hub developed under the What Works initiative, Growing up in Ireland, and our statistical spotlight series.
My Department has a number of strategies and initiatives in place that address disadvantage including the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy, The National Childcare Scheme, and What Works. The Deputy will be aware that my Department takes a particular focus on prevention and early intervention which can be an effective tool to address issues children and young people experience without causing distress or disruption.
Under the What Works initiative over €1 million has been allocated to children and youth services in 2021, under a number of funding measures that promote innovation, collaboration, learning and development in order to address aspects of disadvantage and identified need. Specifically, I recently launched a What Works Training Fund designed to support nonprofit community and voluntary organisations, who provide direct services to children, young people and families, to meet training needs. As a condition of funding, the organisations which will be awarded grants under this fund must serve an area of disadvantage in Ireland.
My Department also supports Tusla’s Prevention, Partnership and Family Support Programme which aims to prevent risks to children and young people arising or escalating through building sustainable intellectual capacity and manpower within Tusla and partner organisations to perform early intervention work.
Furthermore, my Department is working on the implementation of the European Child Guarantee which aims to break the cycle of poverty and social exclusion across generations. It is my intention to submit our national action plan to the Commission by mid-March 2022. The development of the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures successor framework has now commenced, in parallel with the development of the action plan and enabling framework for the EU Child Guarantee and reporting to the United Nations Children’s Rights Convention. This successor framework will be an important milestone in mitigating disadvantage in our society, and ensuring a robust alignment with the EU Child Guarantee.
321. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a refuge centre for victims of domestic abuse will be established in counties Cavan and Monaghan in 2022; the progress to date in reviewing emergency accommodation nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49035/21]
View answerI appreciate the Deputy's concern in relation to this issue and I am aware that he has engaged with my Department on this matter on numerous occasions.
At present, I am not in a position to confirm if a refuge centre for domestic abuse victims will be established in counties Cavan or Monaghan in 2022. I am informed that supports for victims in counties Cavan and Monaghan are available through the services of Tearmann, which is based in Monaghan and funded by the Child and Family Agency, Tusla. Tearmann also provides outreach services in several locations in both counties. While there is no purpose-built refuge facility in these counties at present, women can avail of emergency domestic violence accommodation in Counties Louth and Meath, where there are currently three refuges supported by Tusla. I am advised by Tusla that it has had some engagement with various local stakeholders about potential future refuge developments.
Tusla’s ‘Review of the Provision of Accommodation for Victims of Domestic Violence’ has been completed and is undergoing final edits before publication. Minister Naughton in the Department of Justice and I received a presentation of the Review from Tusla in late July in relation to the approach taken in its review, its analysis and conclusion. On 23rd September, Tusla gave a presentation to all stakeholders attending the Monitoring Committee for the 2nd National Strategy on DSGBV, with a view to achieving a national consensus within the sector on the proposed response to these needs. I anticipate publication of the review in the coming weeks.
The Review assesses the current and requisite distribution of safe emergency accommodation and has examined the current level of refuge provision, evidence of demand for services and unmet need, and analysis of proximity to refuge by local communities. The development of additional refuge places will require strong engagement across Government and with key stakeholders. The National Development Plan published this week confirms this Government's commitment to address the need for greater domestic violence refuge accommodation to meet the needs of victims throughout the country.
322. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if birth parents of children in care have a say in the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine to their children in foster care. [49040/21]
View answerTusla in partnership with the HSE has developed a guidance document for social workers in relation to the administration of the Covid Vaccine for Children in Care, entitled Covid-19 Vaccine for Children in Care.
Consents required for children in care are dependent on the legal status of the care placement. In the event that a parent of a child in care has any queries with regard to vaccinations, they can contact their local social work team.
The guidance document is based on the principle that good decision making involving consulting with all relevant parties to achieve the collective agreement of all relevant parties (child, parents, guardians, carers and relevant professionals).
Children’s rights, views, wishes, best interests and capacity to assent are essential elements of any decision making process and the views of the child or young person should be respected.
Throughout the document the messaging in relation to consulting with parents and legal guardians is highlighted regardless of care status. Providing parents and legal guardians with information in relation to the vaccine is also strongly messaged throughout the document.
323. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason that parents in some of Tusla’s service areas are being told that face-to-face access to their children in State care is denied until they have received the Covid-19 vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49041/21]
View answerThe Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.
324. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of newborn babies under two weeks old taken into State care in each Tusla service area in each of the years 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49042/21]
View answerThe Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.
325. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children under 18 years of age in each Tusla service area in each of the years 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021. [49043/21]
View answerThe Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.
