Written Answers Nos. 202-219
202. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in some parts of the country foster carers are not given care plans for children; if his attention has been further drawn to the lack of standardisation across the country in this regard; the plans that are in place to rectify the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23561/22]
View answerTo reply to the Deputy's question my Department requested information from Tusla. They have informed us of the following:
Foster carers who are caring for the child on a day-to-day basis play a critically important and valuable role in contributing to the care plan of children in their care. Every foster carer should receive a copy of the child’s care plan and any exceptions to this should be discussed with the foster carer and the rationale clearly outlined (and recorded on file). Notwithstanding that care plans may include details about the child’s parents or other family members and that GDPR considerations may exist, there should always be a full explanation to foster carers in respect of same and if required a redacted copy of the care plan provided. It is Tusla's ambition that a partnership approach is adopted in the development of care plans for each and every child in care.
Tusla have received feedback during a recent consultation on foster care, on ways in which the Agency can better support and promote foster care in Ireland. For children and young people, they felt that Tusla needs to establish stronger mechanisms for ensuring that their voices are heard in their care planning process and that decisions are made with them and not for them. Equally birth parents had a strong sense of their role in planning for the life of their child and how this needs to changes in recognition of their importance in their child’s life.
Tusla are currently finalising a Strategic Plan for Foster Care 2022-2025. The ambition of this plan is to ensure that the Agency implements the recommendations, based on feedback from internal and external stakeholders, including Foster Carers, to promote a partnership approach and to ensure consistency in service provision, including those issues raised in the Deputy's correspondence.
Should the Deputy have any specific information in relation to areas that this may not be the practice or whereby specific foster carers are experiencing challenges in accessing care plans Tusla would welcome further information and the opportunity to address these inconsistencies.
In discharging its responsibilities, Tusla is committed to ensuring that policies, care planning practices and supports are applied in an equitable and consistent manner across all services, in order to ensure that children and young people in foster families receive the best possible level of care and support.
203. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason there was a reduction in entry points for the early childhood care and education scheme; the way that the decision was made; the person or body that was consulted in relation to same; the observations that were made arising from such a consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23570/22]
View answerPrior to September 2018 there were three entry points per year to ECCE (September, January and April) and children had to be at least 3 years old to enter the scheme. This lead to a situation where there was variation in the number of ECCE weeks a child could qualify for, ranging from between 61 and 88 weeks depending on the date of birth of the child.
The introduction of a single entry point aligned to the start of the primary school year ensured that all children could receive 2 full years of ECCE, or 76 weeks. This also ensures that all children can experience the full pre-school curriculum. In making this change, the minimum age was also reduced to 2 years 8 months
A single entry point has also streamlined the administration process for providers, making it easier for them to operate and budget for the programme year. In addition it has made it easier parents to secure places on the ECCE programme for their children.
The minimum eligibility age of 2 years and 8 months for the ECCE programme was chosen based on national experience and a review of international practice. It also had regard to the regulatory environment for early years education and care in this country and issues such as child development readiness and adult-child ratios.
The decision making process was informed by representations and feedback from parents, providers and other stakeholders received over the course of that particular approach being in place. Concerns raised generally related to the disparity of entitlements depending on month the child was born and the issues with integrating children into established groups in middle or towards the end of a programme year.
204. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on childcare core funding fee and education requirements (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23574/22]
View answerCore Funding, a new funding stream, begins the transformative change envisaged for the sector under Partnership for the Public Good: A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare to the benefit of the children, parents, providers, the workforce, the State, and society overall. Core Funding aims to facilitate a new partnership between providers and the State that reflects the importance of ELC and SAC for the public good. This new approach will offer better financial sustainability to providers in the context of this shift to a partnership relationship between providers and the State.
The Government has been strongly supportive of the sector, particularly since the onset of Covid-19. Substantial additional supports have been provided to allow services to operate sustainably throughout the pandemic, acknowledging that there were higher delivery costs and extra practical and financial challenges to be met. One of the objectives of these supports was to ensure that the higher costs were not passed on to parents, either directly or indirectly.
The Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) was a special measure that was in place to support employers with the impact of Covid-19 pandemic. Between October 2020 and January 2022, the enhanced rate of EWSS equalled €34 million per month for ELC and SAC employers, covering, on average, 80% staff costs or 50% total operating costs. From 1 February 2022, the original two-rate structure of €203 per week and €151.50 per week applied; amounting to €22 million per month for ELC and SAC employers, covering, on average, 50% staff costs or 38% total operating costs. For March and April 2022 the flat rate subsidy of €100 per week applied and the scheme ended on 30 April 2022; this amounted to €11 million per month in the sector, and covered, on average, 25% staff costs or 11% total operating costs.
Between the end of the EWSS and the introduction of Core Funding, a Transition Fund will be in place to support providers. The main conditionality of access to the Transition Fund will be that services do not increase the fees charged to parents above September 2021 levels.
From September 2022, Core Funding will be introduced. Under Core Funding, in return for a commitment that fees to parents will not increase, providers will be supported in meeting their operating costs, including increased costs related to improved quality measures. Fee management will start with the requirement for providers to maintain fees at or below September 2021 levels to access Core Funding. This feature of the scheme will ensure that parents feel the full affordability benefits of the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme.
The allocation of funding for Core Funding will be based largely on a service's capacity. By basing the funding stream on capacity, providers will have a stable income source based on the service they deliver. Higher levels of funding will be available for capacity for younger children, to support the higher operating costs for these children arising from the higher staff ratio requirements. The significant majority of ELC and SAC services will see substantial increases in income through Core Funding. It is important to state that no service will lose out because of Core Funding.
The introduction of fee management measures is one of the recommendations contained in the Expert Group report, Partnership for the Public Good: A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, as approved by Government.
Sustainability Funding also continues to be available to providers where there are sustainability difficulties and I have requested that providers would exhaust this route before considering increases in fees for parents. Providers facing sustainability challenges should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee.
In relation to qualifications and quality, First 5, the whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young children and their families, recognises that the workforce is at the heart of high-quality early learning and care for children. Evidence indicates that children achieve better outcomes when staff are well qualified. First 5 seeks to continue to build an appropriately skilled and sustainable professional workforce, and includes a commitment to achieve a graduate-led workforce by 2028, with the aim that all room leaders, assistant managers and managers would hold a relevant degree by 2028.
Core Funding has a number of objectives, including to support improved quality, affordability, sustainability and the achievement of the commitment to a graduate-led workforce. Of the total of €221m in full year costs for Core Funding, €38 million is allocated to support graduates to be Lead Educators and Managers in ELC or combined ELC and SAC services.
In December last year, I launched Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028. Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in early learning and care and school-age childcare.
In particular, Nurturing Skills commits to introducing a minimum qualification requirement for Managers of early learning and care (ELC) services by 2028 of a Level 6 qualification in early learning and care (ELC), with a target of all Managers having a level 7 (or higher) qualification in ELC.
To support achievement of these commitments, Nurturing Skills also commits to the provision of funded places on flexible education programmes at levels 6 to 8 for current early years educators. This new funding will support upskilling and strengthen career development pathways for those working in the sector, reducing the cost to educators of undertaking further and higher education qualifications. The new funding scheme will also develop and introduce mechanisms for providing financial support to early learning and care services to help meet the costs of releasing staff to go on student practice placements and study leave. Plans for the new funding scheme are currently being developed.
This planned new funding for educators and managers to upskill is in addition to financial supports that are currently in place for those undertaking qualifications. Existing financial supports include the Free Fees Initiative. My Department has since 2014 provided a number of rounds of funding for early years educators to undertake qualifications through the Learner Fund.
205. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the options that are available to ensure that a child (details suppled) receives their ECCE year. [23581/22]
View answerI am very concerned to hear that this family has been unable to secure an ECCE place for their child.
First and foremost, I would strongly advise that the family contact the local CCC who can work with the family to try to identify a provider who will provide ECCE for the child mentioned in your correspondence. Information for the relevant CCC is available at: www.myccc.ie
You mention the “Aims support worker”. The goal of AIM is to empower pre-school providers to deliver an inclusive pre-school experience, ensuring that every eligible child can meaningfully participate in the ECCE programme and reap the benefits of quality early learning and care in any mainstream pre-school. AIM is based on the needs of the child in the context of the pre-school setting and a diagnosis of disability is not a requirement of eligibility.
AIM level 7 provides financial support to a pre-school provider where needed, which can be used to either reduce the adult to child ratio or to buy in additional assistance for the pre-school room. Level 7 assistance is not a SNA model of support, and any additional members of staff funded by AIM are a shared resource for the pre-school setting. More information on AIM is available at: aim.gov.ie/
Early Intervention classes attached to primary schools for autistic children aged 3 and over are provided by the Department of Education and the family is advised to contact that Department in this regard if they wish to pursue this avenue.
I would also note that the Department of Education provide a Home Tuition Scheme which provides funding towards 10 hours tuition for children under 3 years of age and 20 hours per week for children over 3 years of age who cannot secure a placement in an early intervention class.
Further information is available at www.gov.ie/en/circular/a52be-home-tuition-grant-scheme-20202021-special-education-component/
206. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of ECCE places that will be made available in County Louth in the coming year; the number of applications that have been received to date; if additional places will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23689/22]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme runs from September to June each year. From 4 July 2022, the ECCE programme 2022/23 will be open for registrations. From this point, providers will be able to register children on the Programme.
As the registration process has not yet opened, there is no data yet available in respect of the coming ECCE programme year.
207. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of ECCE places available in County Louth in each of the years from 2017 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23690/22]
View answerThe availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority.
Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in early learning and childcare has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. More than 100,000 children now participate on the universal pre-school programme on an annual basis and the National Childcare Scheme subsidises up to 80,000 children.
To ensure that the supply of early learning and childcare places meets demand, my Department has, since 2015, funded the creation of more than 27,000 new places through an Annual Capital Programme.
Before the onset of Covid-19, national data indicated that, on the whole, supply of early learning and childcare places was meeting demand, with evidence of undersupply for certain age groups including children under 3, and in certain areas.
Data gathered throughout the Covid-19 pandemic revealed lower demand for early learning and childcare, and reduced occupancy among early learning and childcare services. Indeed, data captured in June 2021 found significant vacancy rates across the country – with the national vacancy rate averaging at 21% and a vacancy rate in County Louth of 24%.
The number of ECCE places (reported as sessional places) in County Louth over the period 2017-2021 are set out below. The data is drawn from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile surveys and have been extrapolated using the county response rates. The figures for 2019/20 were not available.
|
Type of service |
2016/2017 |
2017/2018 |
2018/2019 |
2019/2020 |
2020/2021 |
|
Sessional AM |
2,702 |
2,684 |
2,748 |
not available |
2,757 |
|
Sessional PM |
535 |
452 |
427 |
not available |
|
|
Total |
3,237 |
3,136 |
3,175 |
not available |
2,757 |
Pobal has commenced the new data collection as of 4 April 2022, as part of the Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey. This will allow for updated information on capacity among early learning and childcare services in County Louth to be established.
208. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is permitted under legislation to disclose or share information with the Central Bank; if so, the scope and nature of the information that can be disclosed or shared with the Central Bank; and the legislative provisions which permit the disclosure or sharing of this information. [23746/22]
View answerThe Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is the national body tasked with the protection and promotion of human rights and equality in the State. The Commission is independent in its operation and reports directly to the Oireachtas.
Under s.30(1)(b) of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, the Commission is required to provide information to the public and keep under review the effectiveness of the working of the Equal Status Acts.
The Equal Status Acts do not include any provisions related to the sharing of information by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is bound by the legislative requirements concerning the sharing of information with other public bodies that pertain to all public bodies.
209. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline proposals to increase the number of childcare providers in the Newcastle, County Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23765/22]
View answerThe availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority.
My Department successfully secured €70m in the revised National Development Plan (NDP) allocation, which will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare over the period 2023-2025.
This adds to the substantial level of capital investment by the State in recent years through my Department’s Annual Capital Programme which has, since 2015, funded the creation of more than 27,000 new places and has funded the upgrading of early learning and childcare services, with specific funding streams for services to comply with fire safety regulations and public health guidance in the context of Covid-19 and specific funding streams to enhance outdoor areas in these services.
Investment under the NDP will consist of three pillars: Modernisation, New Capacity and First 5 Initiatives.
€10m of total €70m NDP funding has been allocated to Modernisation in 2023. With much of the existing early learning and childcare infrastructure previously funded under EOCP and NCIP now in need of upgrading in order to be fully compliant with new regulations and to take account of new guidelines published by my Department, including the Universal Design Guidelines for Early Learning and Childcare Services and the National Quality Guidelines for School-Age Childcare Services.
Over the period 2024-2025, the remaining €60m in NDP funding has been largely earmarked for new capacity, to ensure that the supply of early learning and childcare places meets demand.
In addition to funding under the NDP, my Department is taking a number of other steps to ensure demand the supply of early learning and childcare places meets demand, including steps to strengthen the capacity to forecast supply and demand, updating the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings, in partnership with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government (DHPLG), and proactively engaging with early learning and childcare services, through City/County Childcare Committees, in areas where there is unmet need for early learning and childcare from families.
In addition, a new funding model, to roll out in September, will provide funding for services aligned to costs of delivery.
Core Funding is designed to be proportionate to operating costs. Core Funding is therefore based on operating hours, number of places offered by services and the age group of children for whom the places are offered, given the staffing requirements determined by the regulatory ratios for different care categories. Services opening longer hours or offering more places will receive a higher value of Core Funding than other services. This is because their costs of operation are higher. Greater levels of funding will be available to services that cater for younger children where costs of delivery are higher than older children.
Table 1 Number of Providers in County Dublin
|
County |
Total 2018/2019 |
Total 2019/2020 |
Total 2020/2021 |
|
Dublin - Dublin City |
445 |
450 |
432 |
|
Dublin - Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown |
185 |
187 |
178 |
|
Dublin - Fingal |
326 |
322 |
303 |
|
Dublin - South Dublin |
255 |
259 |
237 |
Table 2 Vacant Places in County Dublin
|
County |
Vacant places &Vacancy rate 2017/2018 |
Vacant places & Vacancy Rate 2018/2019 |
Vacant places 2019/2020 & Vacancy Rate *
|
Vacant places 2020/2021& Vacancy Rate ** |
|
Dublin - Dublin City |
581 (4%) |
627 (4%) |
- |
1,662 (20%) |
|
Dublin - Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown |
224 (4%) |
173 (2%) |
- |
403 (11%) |
|
Dublin - Fingal |
450 (4%) |
536 (5%) |
- |
1,176 (20%) |
|
Dublin - South Dublin |
373 (4%) |
424 (5%) |
- |
983 (18%) |
*Due to the impact of COVID-19 no data is available for 2019/2020
** 2020/21 figures carry higher margins of errors due to extrapolation based on reduced response rates.
210. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of international protection applicants deemed vulnerable since the commencement of the pilot project; the most common vulnerabilities identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23843/22]
View answer211. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons who have been invited to undertake a vulnerability assessment since December 2020; the number of persons who have subsequently undergone the substantive assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23844/22]
View answer212. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the vulnerability assessment pilot ended; if the evaluation will involve external stakeholders such as residents and NGOs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23845/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 210 to 212, inclusive, together.
The vulnerability assessment pilot programme is still ongoing. A review is currently taking place but has been delayed because of the need to respond to the Ukraine crisis. Since 1 February 2021, 668 applicants have been deemed to be vulnerable within the meaning of Regulation 2(5) of the European Union (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018.
Furthermore, 33% of those who were identified as having a vulnerability were persons who have been subjected to torture, rape or another form of serious psychological, physical or sexual violence, and 26% were persons who are minors. 12% were identified as vulnerable because they had a serious illness; 9% were single parents with minor children and 9% were persons with mental disorders.
Other vulnerabilities identified related to being pregnant (2%), being a victim of human trafficking (2%), being a member of the LGBTI+ community (3%), being a person with a disability (3%) and being an unaccompanied minor (0.2%). It should be noted that a vulnerable person may have more than one kind of vulnerability.
Since December 2020, 5,879 persons have been invited to participate in a vulnerability assessment. Following an initial assessment with a Vulnerability Assessment Officer, 538 persons have been referred to an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) social worker for further assessments to date.
213. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit have policies in place to install artificial structures that provide shelter and habitat space for wild species such as, but not limited to, insect hotels, bat boxes, nesting towers and beehives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23850/22]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that my Department does not have policies in place to install artificial structures that provide shelter and habitat space for wild species such as, but not limited to, insect hotels, bat boxes, nesting towers and beehives. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and as a consequence will consider what measures can be undertaken in this area.
The below bodies fall under my Department's remit and I have asked that they reply directly to the Deputy on this matter.
|
Body: |
|
National Disability Authority |
|
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission |
|
Child and Family Agency (TUSLA) |
|
Adoption Authority of Ireland |
|
Oberstown Children Detention Campus |
|
Ombudsman for Children’s Office |
214. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the breakdown of staff allocated to access or disabilities offices to support students with disabilities in each of the further and higher education providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23708/22]
View answer215. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the approximate cost of employing one dedicated full-time access or disability support staff member in each of the further and higher education providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23709/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 215 together.
I would like to thank the Deputy for the question in relation to dedicated full-time access or disability support staff in further and higher education providers.
As part of their core grant funding which is allocated on a block grant basis from the HEA, HEIs are expected to put in place an access infrastructure to support equity of access for underrepresented groups, including students with disabilities (an extra weighting is given for students from target groups in the HEA funding allocation model).
Access infrastructure refers to pre-entry and post-entry student services which includes activities such as managing the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) and the Student Assistance Fund (SAF).
However, the HEA does not dictate the numbers of staff or staff grades that each institution assigns to these activities. The organisation and management of the access infrastructure is a matter for each HEI. Therefore, the level of detail by institution requested by the Deputy is not readily available.
Further Education and Training (FET) does not have disability or access offices.
My officials are in the process of collating details regarding "the breakdown of staff allocated to access or disabilities offices to support students with disabilities in each of the further and higher education providers". When finalised, this information will be forwarded to the Deputy.
216. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the approximate cost of expanding the SUSI grant to students registered with disabilities services studying on a part-time basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23710/22]
View answerThe information the Deputy has requested is not collated by my Department. Officials from my Department are liaising with the HEA and SOLAS who are working on collating the data required. The information will be provided directly to the Deputy's office, once available, in the coming days.
217. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit have policies in place to install artificial structures that provide shelter and habitat space for wild species such as, but not limited to, insect hotels, bat boxes, nesting towers and beehives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23857/22]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that my Department does not have a policy in place to install such artificial structures. However, my Department is committed to implementing green public procurement (GPP) policies in all appropriate tenders including landscaping tenders.
The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with this query.
Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
|
Name of Body |
Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireachtas |
Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members |
|
Higher Education Authority |
Oireachtas@hea.ie |
Padraic Mellett* |
|
Irish Research Council( Note 1) |
Oireachtas@research.ie |
Padraic Mellett* |
|
Grangegorman Development Agency |
Communications@ggda.ie |
nora.rahill@ggda.ie |
|
SOLAS |
oireachtasinfo@solas.ie |
Maria Walsh maria.walshe@solas.ie |
|
Skillnets Ltd |
oireachtas@skillnets.com |
t.donnery@skillnets.com |
|
Quality and Qualifications Ireland |
ceo@qqi.ie |
ceo@qqi.ie |
|
Léargas – The Exchange Bureau |
oireachtas@leargas.ie |
fbroughan@leargas.ie |
|
Science Foundation Ireland |
ciara.cotter@sfi.ie |
Ciara Cotter |
Note 1 – In regard to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and the Irish Research Council (IRC) as the IRC operates under the auspices of the HEA. Mr Mellett will address Oireachtas queries for both the HEA and IRC. Please use Oireachtas@hea.ie and Oireachtas@research.ie respectively to contact Mr Mellett.
218. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of prosecutions of motorists in each of the past five years for failure to make progress and drive at the appropriate speed limit for the road and their vehicle under the rules of the road; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23543/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is an independent law officer under the provisions of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1974 (as amended). The Office of the DPP is under the Vote of the Department of the Taoiseach and I have no role in the functions of the Director or the Office of the DPP and am unable to provide statistical information relating to the functions of the Director.
To be of assistance, I have made enquiries with the Courts Service to ascertain information relating to convictions relating to the Deputy's query. However, the Courts Service have advised that there is no offence code for “driving too slow” or "failure to make progress and drive at the appropriate speed limit". Therefore the information sought by the Deputy cannot be provided.
219. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Justice if there are plans to establish an appeals process within the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. [23568/22]
View answer220. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Justice if there are plans to establish an external complaints procedure for reviews made by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. [23569/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 219 and 220 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is the independent statutory body established under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) to deal with complaints concerning Garda conduct. As Minister, I play no role in the internal administration of GSOC.
I am advised that, as a civil service organisation, GSOC's standards and behaviour are governed by the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour. Any member of the public may make a complaint about a GSOC staff member and details of how to make such a complaint are available on GSOC's website at: www.gardaombudsman.ie/about-gsoc/customer-service/
Persons who make a complaint to GSOC regarding the conduct of a Garda member may also, in some circumstances, request a review of the investigation. Details of this process are available at: www.gardaombudsman.ie/make-a-complaint/before-you-complain/how-we-deal-with-complaints/outcomes/
As the Deputy will be aware, the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill will provide for a reformed and strengthened Office of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman (OGSO). The new OGSO will have increased investigative powers and its mandate will extend, for the first time, to Garda staff as well as sworn members.
The General Scheme of the Bill also seeks to strengthen oversight and accountability on the part of the Garda Ombudsman by providing for a right of review on the part of complainants in relation to certain decisions and also makes it clear that the Ombudsman may review its own decisions and take any appropriate corrective action.
In addition, the potential scope of a judicial review into the conduct of a designated officer of the Garda Ombudsman is expanded to include all officers of the Garda Ombudsman and also members of Garda personnel, where appropriate.
The pre-legislative report from the Oireachtas Justice Committee is expected in the coming weeks and the recommendations of the report will inform the further drafting of the Bill to ensure delivery of this key piece of legislation, which is intended to deliver on the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland.
