Written Answers Nos. 181-200
182. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of admissions to the Irish Refugee Protection Programme since its inception; the number of persons that are expected to travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5439/22]
View answerThe Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) commits Ireland to accept refugees persons under various strands, including the EU Relocation Mechanism and UNHCR-led Resettlement Programme.
The total number of arrivals since Programme’s inception is 4,050. In the Programme's first phase, there were 3,367 arrivals. Under the second phase, there have been 683 arrivals, to date.
Under the current phase, the Government has committed to resettling 2,900 refugees. Following delays due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, selection missions resumed in 2021. The resettlement of programme refugees selected in 2021 will begin over the coming months. Further selection missions are due to take place this year and will enable more programme refugees to come to Ireland in 2022 and 2023.
183. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects to fully transpose the Work Life Balance Directive (EU) 2019/1158; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4996/22]
View answerThe date for transposition of Directive 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council on work-life balance for parents and carers is 2nd August 2022. The Directive, at Article 20 provides a two-year extension, up to 2nd August 2024 for Member States to implement the final two weeks of paid parental leave provided for under Article 5. Ireland fully expects to meet these transposition deadlines.
While many of the provisions of the Directive are already in place or have been implemented, there remain a small number yet to be translated into Irish law and procedures.
Legislative proposals to transpose the remaining Articles:
- Articles 6 which requires each worker to a right to carers’ leave of five working days per year; and
- Article 9 which provides workers who are parents of children up to at least 8 years old, and carers under the Directive, with a right to request flexible working arrangements,
are currently being prepared and will be brought to Government in the coming months. It is anticipated that these will be in place in advance of the 2nd August 2022 transposition deadline.
As announced in budget 2022, parent's leave and benefit, which is the paid parental leave required under Article 5 of the Directive, will be increased by a further two weeks to seven weeks, in the coming months. This will be done by way of Regulation as provided for under the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 (as amended). The final two weeks required under the Directive will be in place in advance of the 2nd August 2024 transposition deadline.
184. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown by scheme of the funding provided by his Department in 2021 to support youth organisations and services; the broad outcomes this funding has supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5285/22]
View answer204. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown by scheme of funding support provided to youth organisations and youth services in 2021; the broad outcomes which this funding has supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5312/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 204 together.
Total 2021 Funding Provided Nationally
|
2021 |
TOTAL |
|
Scheme |
Amount € |
|
Local Youth Club Grant Scheme (LYCGS) |
€2,088,535.70 |
|
ETB Youth Grant |
€4,577,680.38 |
|
Targeted Youth Funding Scheme (TYFS) |
€275,264.00 |
|
Youth Information Centres (YIC) |
€3,804,476.50 |
|
LGBTI+ Initiatives |
€100,000.00 |
|
Capital - Staff-led Capital Funding |
€1,808,333.15 |
|
Current - Covid 19 Minor Grants |
€1,170,403.31 |
|
UBU - Your Place Your Space - Cycle 1 (UBU1) |
€39,770,723.55 |
|
Capital - Youth Reforms |
€78,985.00 |
|
General Grant |
€524,379.00 |
|
Youth Service Grant Scheme (YSGS) |
€12,261,540.00 |
|
Total |
€66,460,320.59 |
|
2021 |
TOTAL |
|
Scheme |
Amount € |
|
Youth Service Grant Scheme (YSGS) Total |
€12,261,540.00 |
The level of funding supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth work sector. The funding supported the delivery of the following schemes :.
- Youth Information Centres provide young people with access to information on rights, opportunities, benefits, health, welfare and other matters.
- The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme supports volunteer-led youth work activities at a local level.
- The Education and Training Board Youth Grant provides funding to ETBs to support their work and engagement with young people
The majority of youth funding provided nationally is through the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme, a single youth funding scheme that targets disadvantaged young people with evidence informed interventions and services that will secure good outcomes.
UBU serves to improve the seven personal and social developmental outcomes. These are:
1. Emotional Intelligence
2. Communication Skills
3. Confidence
4. Planning and Problem Solving
5. Creativity and Imagination
6. Relationships, and
7. Resilience and Determination
There is strong evidence showing that approaches that focus on building social and emotional capabilities such as these can have greater long-term impact than ones that focus on directly seeking to reduce the "symptoms" of poor outcomes for young people. When applying for funding under UBU, youth services must detail which outcome their proposed activities is seeking to develop. UBU has just completed its first year and officials in my Department are focussed on improving mechanisms for evaluating the impact of these interventions.
185. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the interactions he has had with the Data Protection Commission concerning the policy necessity of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill; the view that the Commission expressed to his Department with regard to the need for bespoke legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5427/22]
View answerA key recommendation of the final report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation was to introduce legislation providing for a clear right of access to birth information and a statutory tracing service. As part of the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions, the Government committed to progressing this legislation as a priority.
My Department gave serious consideration to all possible options, including the question of whether current data protection law is sufficient to allow full unredacted access to birth certificates and birth information in all cases. In December 2020, I received correspondence from the Data Protection Commissioner that dealt with a number of matters, including the Government commitment to advance legislation to provide access to birth certificates and birth information.
In that correspondence, the Commissioner stated that, in the absence of this bespoke legislation, data protection law is being tasked with striking the balance of rights between the right to identity and the right to privacy and data protection, and that data protection law alone cannot reconcile the conflict between these distinct and separate rights. The Commissioner also confirmed that the right to access data is not absolute.
My Department has continued to consult the Data Protection Commission (DPC) throughout the process of preparing the legislation and matters raised by that Office have been addressed in the drafting of the Bill. The Department completed a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) following the publication of the Heads of Bill which was shared with the DPC. As is good practice, the DPIA was updated to take account of the development of the Bill. The DPIA was published alongside the Bill and other explanatory material in January 2021, and can be found on my Department's website.
The DPC participated in the pre-legislative scrutiny process, appearing twice before the Joint Oireachtas Committee. They signaled their support for the legislation at those appearances, and outlined their engagement with my Department. They also provided a general comment on the draft DPIA as a "considered approach to identifying and mitigating any risks to the personal data of individuals arising from the operation of the Bill's provisions, both in terms of those making requests under the Bill and receiving data, and those other persons and third parties to whom the data might relate”.
187. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects that baby boxes will be rolled out to new parents nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5440/22]
View answerPiloting of a Baby Box initiative for new-borns is an action in the First 5 A Whole-of -Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028. This pilot is one initiative as part of a wide ranging strategy addressing various aspects of the lives of children from birth to age five including supports for parents to balance working and caring, developments in early learning and care and health initiatives.
The gift of the Baby Box is intended as a welcome from the State for a new arrival to a family and an acknowledgement of this very significant moment for parents. The universal distribution of Baby Boxes also reflects an important equality principle that each child is given something of equal value at the start of their life. The concept of Baby Boxes has been implemented in a number of countries including Scotland, whereby parents receive a package of items to assist with the transition to parenthood. The pilot will undertake research and consultation to determine items for inclusion in the Baby Box, informed by the commitments in the First 5 strategy, and these may include safety items, toys to support early development and books.
Key objectives with the Baby Box and linked communications will include support for parent-infant bonding, information on baby development and early learning, advice and support for breastfeeding and promotion of infant health and safety.
This action was delayed by the reassignment of personnel to the Covid response. The preparation to advance the initiative is now proceeding with the first meeting of the project advisory group held on December 13. It is envisaged that the pilot rollout will get underway early in 2022. A key element of the pilot is the evaluation. It is hoped the pilot evaluation report will be finalised in Q3 of 2022. Once the learning from the pilot has been considered, the next steps to achieve a national rollout can be agreed.
188. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of First 5, the whole-of Government strategy for babies, young children and their families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5438/22]
View answerFirst 5: a Whole-of-Government for Babies, Young Children and their Families (2019-2028) was published in November 2018. The strategy focuses on the period of early childhood and takes a joined-up, cross-government approach to supporting babies, young children and their families during their early years. The Programme for Government negotiated in 2020 reaffirmed commitment to First 5 implementation.
The Strategy sets out four goals, nine objectives, five building blocks and over 160 actions to realise the First 5 vision. It identifies the First 5 big steps including access to a broader range of options for parents to balance working and caring; a new model of parenting support; new developments in child health; reform of the Early Learning and Care system; and a package of measures to tackle early childhood poverty.
The Phase 1 Implementation Plan, published in May 2019, covers the first three years of the ten year strategy and identifies key milestones for each action across 2019, 2020 and 2021. An Implementation Office, supported by an Inter Departmental Group, monitors progress and produces an Annual Implementation Report.
The implementation structures of the Better Outcomes Brighter Futures framework, including the Advisory Council, provide further support and oversight for implementation. The measurability of the actions committed to, the oversight structures, and the transparent approach to monitoring are described by the Advisory Council as ‘a model for other strategies’.
The Annual Implementation Report for 2019 monitored progress on all 305 milestones for 2019, illustrating that 69% of milestones were met by the end of 2019. By the end of 2020, 90% of 2019 milestones were met.
The Annual Implementation Report for 2020 is currently being finalised and when published will show continuing and significant progress being made on 2020 milestones, notwithstanding the significant impact of Covid-19 during that year and since.
Major examples of progress include:
- the extension of Parent’s Leave and Benefit to five weeks for each parent
- the extension of unpaid parental leave to 26 weeks for each parent, along with an increase to 12 in the age of eligible child for whom this leave can be taken
- development and publication of healthy eating guidelines and a children’s food pyramid for 1-5 year-old
- significant progress on a range major reform initiatives in Early Learning and Care related to funding, childminding, workforce development and the operating model
Clearly the Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on progress in 2020 given the significant requirement of the civil and public service to respond to the public health emergency and put in place alternative arrangements across many of the major action areas in the strategy including early learning and childcare services, education and, most obviously, health services.
Despite this, there are many examples of good progress that have been achieved across Government to realise the vision set out in First 5. The 2020 Annual Implementation Report will be published in Q1 this year and will outline a full account of year two of implementation. The 2021 Annual Implementation Report will follow in Q3.
189. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress made towards the establishment of a national memorial and archive for survivors of institutional abuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5433/22]
View answerThe establishment of a National Memorial and Records Centre is a core commitment in the published Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. The National Centre will stand as a National Memorial in honour of those who were resident in Mother and Baby Homes, County Homes, Industrial Schools, Magdalene Laundries and related institutions.
This project also provides a basis for several other interdependent initiatives. I believe this project will make a significant contribution in our journey of recognising and learning from the failures of the past, acknowledging the hurt which continues to be felt by survivors, and seeking to rebuild a relationship of trust with those who were so profoundly wronged.
The Secretary General to the Government has been appointed to lead a cross-Government process to advance work on a National Memorial and Records Centre. This process, which will include engagement with survivors, will develop an overarching vision and proposed approach for the creation of the National Centre. Once this initial work is complete a comprehensive proposal will be brought to Government for approval.
The National Centre will be designed to include an archive of records relating to institutional trauma, alongside personal accounts of survivors lived experiences, as well as presenting the historical and social context. More generally, my Department has already appointed an Archivist and established a dedicated Information Management Unit to lead on the preservation of, and access to, our records, including the Commission’s archive. Enactment of the recently published Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022 will also assist to safeguard relevant records.
In addition to the National Centre, work is being advanced in conjunction with the local authorities to deliver on the commitment to support local memorialisation initiatives across the country. Furthermore, financial support is available from my Department through the Commemorative Grant scheme to support survivor groups in commemorating their experiences in a manner which fits their own specific needs.
As we have learned from our consultations, memorialisation is very important to survivors although it can mean many different things to different people. In recognising this variety of perspectives, further consultation will be undertaken to ensure these developments are informed by those most centrally involved with these experiences.
190. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding supports his Department can provide to support community migrant integration in Drogheda, County Louth following the publication of the Geiran report which highlighted concerns in relation to the current or potential challenges migrant integration is facing in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5212/22]
View answerThe Minister for Justice, Ms Helen McEntee T.D., commissioned the Scoping Report into Community Safety and Wellbeing in Drogheda on 21 August 2020 and the Department of Justice is leading on the implementation of the report’s recommendations.As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has responsibility for migrant integration policy, including the outgoing Migrant Integration Strategy, what has been the central policy framework adopted by Government to promote the integration of all migrants who are legally in the State. As part of its actions under that Strategy, my Department administers a number of funding programmes to support integration at both national and local level.One such initiative is the National Integration Fund, a three-year funding programme to promote projects that address areas where migrants find it difficult to avail of opportunities on an equal basis with other members of Irish society. Following a competitive funding call launched in August 2020, 18 successful projects located throughout Ireland were granted funding totalling almost €2.2 million over the three year period. This funding will support national organisations and larger-scale initiatives to empower new members of Irish society to play an active part in their communities.In addition, the Communities Integration Fund, which has been in place since 2017, provides small grants of up to €5,000 to community organisations for initiatives to promote integration at local level. In 2021, almost €500,000 was made available to 111 community-based integration projects nationwide, of which five were based in County Louth. A further funding call is expected to launch in Quarter 2 2022 and will be open to community-based projects nationwide.
191. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way that the State is meeting its commitments under the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention inclusion in the provision of refuge and support services for 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5500/22]
View answerIreland signed the Istanbul Convention on 5 November, 2015. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is working collaboratively with Government Departments and other agencies to ensure the successful implementation of objectives of the Convention.
Tusla has advised that resources will continue to be used to meet obligations under the Istanbul Convention, including:
- resourcing of the 24 hour national helplines for dv including 24/7 access to translation services;
- addressing disparities in geographical coverage of services;
- delivering additional services to targeted groups at risk;
- provision of therapeutic programmes and access to dedicated supports for all children in refuges;
- establishing two additional regional hubs for men experiencing domestic violence.
The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue with overall coordination by the Department of Justice.
Tusla has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of DSGBV under the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. My Department provided Tusla with core funding of €30 million to fund DSGBV services throughout 2021. This included a €2.7 million increase in core services from 2020, bringing core service provision to €28 million, with an additional €2 million of one-off contingency funding being made available to help services cope with the ongoing effects of Covid-19. This allows Tusla to fund 60 specialist services around the country, including 44 services providing support to victims of domestic violence, 21 of whom provide safe accommodation in refuges. I have allocated further resources to Tusla under Budget 2022 and directed Tusla to use them to maintain supports for DSGBV services and address the recommendations arising from Tusla’s Accommodation Review of refuge provision.
On the provision of refuge spaces, the Istanbul Convention sets out signatory obligations but does not set out a single standard or recommended number of refuge spaces. Article 23 specifically refers to shelters, which should be accessible and “in sufficient numbers” to provide a place of refuge to victims.
Tusla’s ‘Review of the Provision of Accommodation for Victims of Domestic Violence’ has been completed. 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 Accommodation Review will assist the whole of Government response in supporting victims of DSGBV and future expansion of services. The Government will engage with Tusla, Non-Government Organisations, that play a key role in this area and Agencies to progress work in this area. It is important that the needs of those who experience domestic violence are met in the most appropriate way possible.
192. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of each of the commitments set out in the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5432/22]
View answerOn 16 November 2021, my Department published an Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. The Action Plan is a high-level framework to drive, monitor and report on implementation of the 22 wide-ranging measures announced by Government in responding to the needs and concerns of those who spent time in these institutions.
Each action identifies key strategic milestones and related timelines. Of the 22 actions, 6 have already been completed while another 13 are currently in progress. Work is ongoing in all thematic areas to advance measures in accordance with the published Action Plan. My Department and other state authorities are working to ensure survivors see tangible results as early as possible. I will provide a brief outline on some of these developments.
Firstly, dedicated professional counselling support continues to be available nationwide to all survivors.
Secondly, I established a dedicated Information Management Unit within my Department, with a professional archivist, to manage the Commission’s archive of records and support access for individuals to their personal information.
A centre-piece of the Government’s response is the development of a scheme to provide financial payments and a form of enhanced medical card. On 16th November 2021, the Government approved proposals for a Scheme to be known as the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme. The legislation required to establish the Scheme is currently being developed as a matter of priority, with a view to opening the Scheme for applications in 2022.
My Department has also published two substantial pieces of draft legislation.
The Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022 was published on 12 January and passed second stage in the Dáil on 20 January. This landmark legislation will provide a full and clear right of access to birth certificates, birth and early life information for all persons who were adopted, boarded out, the subject of an illegal birth registration or who otherwise have questions in relation to their origins.
Turning to the theme of dignified burial, I have carefully considered the Joint Oireachtas Committee’s pre-legislative report on the General Scheme of the Certain Institutional Burials (Authorised Interventions) Bill. The children in Tuam deserve an appropriate burial and I am determined to deliver legislation which achieves this dignity for them and their families. The Bill is now close to completion. I intend to publish it in the coming weeks and move it through the Houses of Oireachtas as quickly as possible.
A progress report on implementation of the Action Plan will be published annually and laid before the Houses. This monitoring will be supplemented by the preparation of quarterly bulletins. These updates will be published on my Department's website and issued directly to any person who provides their contact information for my Department's dedicated mailing list.
I am aware of the urgency and sensitivity of this work and it is an absolute priority for myself and the Government.
193. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures that are being taken to address the staff shortage issues in childcare facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5422/22]
View answerMany early learning and care and school-age childcare services report staffing and recruitment difficulties, with increased pressures recently as a result of Covid-19.
In general, staffing pressures in the sector are caused not by insufficient supply of qualified personnel, but by high levels of staff turnover, compounded by the current high numbers of Covid-19 cases and individuals self-isolating. Recruitment and staff retention difficulties are undoubtedly linked to poor terms and conditions, with for example the average pay being €12.60 per hour in 2021.
As the State does not employ early years educators or school-age childcare practitioners, I cannot set wage levels or determine working conditions for staff 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.
In December last, I published the Nurturing Skills, the Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022 to 2028. Actions in Nurturing Skills to develop career pathways and promote careers in the sector will complement efforts to improve pay and conditions of employment, to make the sector more attractive to potential workers.
A key enabler for Nurturing Skills will be the Joint Labour Committee for Early Years Services. I began a process in December 2020, which examined the possibility of regulating pay and conditions and the suitability of a Joint Labour Committee for the sector. This process culminated in the establishment of a Joint Labour Committee, which began meeting in December 2021.
In Budget 2022, I announced a new Core Funding stream which, among other objectives, will support service providers to meet new higher rates of pay that may be negotiated through the Joint Labour Committee.
I am also committed to supporting providers in responding to current challenges. Over recent weeks, a Sub-Group of the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum was convened to discuss immediate staffing pressures resulting from Covid-19 and additional measures that may be needed.
One proposal which was agreed is a temporary measure that has been in place during December and January specifically to help services respond to Covid-19-related staffing shortages through the temporary employment of students on recognised courses of study who are deemed to have achieved the equivalent of a level 5 qualification in early learning and care.
194. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an overview of Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare 2022-2028; the associated actions that are being considered by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5477/22]
View answerNurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028, which I launched on 7 December 2021, aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in early learning and care and school-age childcare.
Early years educators, school-age childcare practitioners and childminders play a key role in supporting children’s development and well-being, working in partnership with families. Recognising their central importance for the quality of provision, Nurturing Skills aims to support the professional development of the workforce and raise the profile of careers in the sector.
Commitments in Nurturing Skills are organised under five pillars:
- Establishing a career framework;
- Raising qualification levels;
- Developing a national Continuing Professional Development system;
- Supporting recruitment, retention and diversity; and
- Moving towards regulation of the workforce.
Successful delivery of commitments under the five pillars will be supported by three "key enablers" that are identified in Nurturing Skills:
- Improvement in pay and conditions of employment;
- Coordination of the quality support infrastructure; and
- Ongoing engagement with the profession.
Nurturing Skills includes an Implementation Plan for the Plan's first three years (2022-2024). The Implementation Plan sets out 57 actions, for many of which my Department has lead responsibility.
Nurturing Skills also commits to establishing a Monitoring Committee to oversee implementation. The Monitoring Committee, which will be chaired by my Department and will include representatives of relevant Government Departments and agencies as well as the workforce, will be established shortly.
197. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the procedure in place to assist persons that have been in foster care to live independently once they turn 18 years of age; the procedures in place to assist such persons who have disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5409/22]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for his question. The transition to independent living for those leaving care is a critical one, and in Ireland these young people are offered a wide range of supports, known as aftercare. Aftercare is the term used to describe the planning and support put in place to meet the needs of a young person who is leaving the care of the state at 18 years of age. Aftercare services build on and support the work already undertaken by many including foster carers, social workers and residential workers in preparing young people for adulthood.
The main statutory provisions for aftercare are set out in Section 45 of the Child Care Act 1991, subsequently amended by the 2015 Child Care Amendment Act. The statute sets out the eligibility criteria for the aftercare service and imposes a statutory responsibility on the Child and Family Agency, Tusla to carry out an assessment of the needs of an eligible child on attaining the age of 18 years and prepare an aftercare plan. The aftercare plan aims to clearly outline the supports required for the person in their transition to adulthood and independent living and is developed by the social worker together with the child or young person, who participates in all aspects of the plan and therefore has a voice in decisions affecting them. The plan will outline needs such as education, training, employment, health, wellbeing, accommodation, finance, budgeting, social networks and supports, family access and contact, personal and social issues, and supports needed from other services.
Between 450 and 500 young people leave care annually upon turning 18 years of age. The most important requirements for young people leaving care are for continuity of relationships, secure, suitable accommodation as well as further education, employment or training. Aftercare provision currently incorporates advice, guidance and practical (including accommodation and financial) support, delivered through aftercare workers or drop in services. Advocating on behalf of young people to support their development as fulfilled adults in their community and, when necessary, to link them to targeted adult services, are also important elements of the aftercare service.
For children with disabilities the same robust system is in place to support the transition from foster care into adulthood and independent living. However, given the additional challenges of their disability, a Joint Protocol and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been agreed between Tusla and the Health Services Executive which places specific emphasis on both agencies working together to assist in the planning for the young person’s transition into adulthood. The Protocol describes how both Agencies will work together to provide a person-centred pathway to meet the needs of children with a complex disability and their families, and outlines a number of principles guiding the provision of care to these individuals.
Where independent living is deemed appropriate for young people with disabilities, a plan is put in place for the child to transition with appropriate supports. Where independent living is not deemed suitable it may be more appropriate for the child to remain with their foster carers into adulthood. Planning in partnership with the HSE should take place, as per the protocol, to ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangement. As the HSE is not a foster care agency this normally takes the form of a "Home Share" placement with the existing foster carers who have an established bond and caring relationship with the young person.
198. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group has met since the publication of a report (details supplied) to consider its findings and conclusions; if so, his plans to act on the findings and conclusions of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5357/22]
View answerThe Cost of Disability in Ireland report was commissioned by the Minister for Social Protection and prepared by Indecon International Research Economists. It was published in December 2021. It provides important evidence of the additional costs that people with a disability face in their day-to-day lives. The Cost of Disability in Ireland report was considered by the NDISSG in December 2021, within 24 hours of publication.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to use research into the cost of disability to properly inform the direction of future policy. As the evidence in the Cost of Disability in Ireland report has implications for many areas of public policy, a whole-of-government approach is required to develop appropriate and timely responses and to ensure that everyday costs are reduced for people with disabilities and their families.
For this reason, the coordination of this whole-of-government response is being carried out under the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS). The NDIS is one of two national policy frameworks through which the rights of people with disabilities in Ireland are progressively realised. In addition to advancing key actions under the NDIS, my Department supports the implementation and monitoring of the NDIS by coordinating the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group (NDISSG). The Group is chaired by my colleague Minister Anne Rabbitte T.D., and is attended by representatives of Departments, Agencies and the Disability Stakeholder Group.
At the next NDISSG, which will take place in March, the Group will discuss the approaches to be adopted to act on the findings and conclusions of the report. The Group will examine meaningful action to reduce day to day costs for people with disabilities in Ireland. Aligning the findings and recommendations of the Cost of Disability in Ireland report to the NDIS will ensure that recommendations can be properly considered at whole of government level and that progress against actions taken will be monitored by the NDISSG and the Disability Stakeholder Group.
In addition to this approach to future policymaking, the government has taken action in Budget 2022 to respond to the additional costs faced by people with disabilities. Measures include:
- A €5 increase in maximum rate of all core weekly payments including people with disabilities and carers, with proportionate increases for qualified adults, with effect from January.
- A €3 increase for qualified child dependants aged 12 and over and €2 for those up to age 12, in all core weekly payments.
- An increase in the general weekly means disregard for Disability Allowance from €2.50 to €7.60 per week.
- A €25 per week increase to the upper earnings disregard for Disability Allowance and Blind pension from €350 to €375.
- An increase to the Wage Subsidy paid to employers who employ people with a disability from €5.30 to €6.30 an hour, thereby encouraging more employers to employ people with a disability.
- An increase in the Capital/Savings disregard for Carer’s Allowance from €20,000 to €50,000
- An increase in the weekly income disregard for Carer’s Allowance to €350 a week for single carers and to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner.
199. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of International Protection Accommodation Services centres and emergency accommodation centres in counties Cavan and Monaghan; the status of his plans to close these centres; the expected timeline for the closure of the centres that are still in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5356/22]
View answerI can confirm that there is one International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) Centre and one IPAS Emergency Accommodation Centre in County Monaghan. There are two IPAS Emergency Centres in County Cavan.
Although there are no specific plans for closures in these locations currently, I can say my Department plans to cease using all temporary emergency locations as soon as possible while taking account of capacity pressures on the IPAS accommodation portfolio.
IPAS has been working to end the use of emergency accommodation since early 2020 and has already closed 20 such centres. This is just under half the total in use at one time.
On 18 January 2022, my Department published a Request for Tender to procure additional accommodation for singles, couples and families seeking international protection. This tender process is a key plank in the Department’s strategy to end reliance on emergency accommodation as wetransition toward a new International Protection Support Service.
Furthermore, the International Protection Support Service Transition Team of my Department is progressing a detailed implementation plan for the new system. This is set out in the White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service, which I published in February of last year.
My Department is working closely with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Housing Agency and the County and City Management Association (CCMA) on developing the new Accommodation Model and wrap-around services for residents.
200. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if Tusla has run awareness campaigns seeking fostering care for children who are refugees; if so, if there has been a strong response; the number of child refugees that have been successfully placed in a fostering arrangement in the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4999/22]
View answerIn 2021, under my Department’s ‘What Works’ initiative, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, was awarded funding in the region of €106,000 for the recruitment of specialised foster carers to offer suitable placements to separated children seeking international protection (SCSIP) in Ireland. This includes children who arrive as part of relocation programmes and children who arrive alone at Irish ports and not as part of relocation efforts.
While there is an active recruitment programme in place in Tusla for general foster carers, this targeted initiative known as ‘Fáilte Care’ aims to: (i) identify and recruit specialist care providers through a targeted campaign; (ii) provide a period of online support for specialist carers recruited in this way in the initial stages of a placement and; (iii) create a pool of specialist carers from which to draw as more SCSIP arrive.
The first targeted campaign for carers for SCSIP took place in Autumn 2021. The response to the campaign was un-precedented with Tusla receiving 427 enquiries. From these enquiries 67 applications were made and Tusla is currently in the process of progressing the assessment of these applications.
The Deputy is seeking information on the numbers of SCSIP successfully placed in a fostering arrangement in the past ten years. As this is an operational matter for Tusla I have referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.
