Written Answers Nos. 1356-1370
1356. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will increase the capitation payments per child for childcare providers in line with calls from an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40423/22]
View answerMy Department secured an overall 2022 allocation of €716m, an increase of €78m on the previous year’s allocation.
The 2022 allocation includes €272m for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme Funding. Funding for the ECCE programme is allocated on a capitation basis that has regard to the unit cost of delivery, taking account of providers’ costs.
The 2022 budget also provides for the introduction of a new Core Funding scheme. 2022 will see up to €73m being made available for Core funding, which equates to €221m in full year costs.
From an ECCE perspective Core Funding is equivalent to an increase of at least 9.5% on the standard capitation. At a minimum, for every ECCE child €78.75 per week is now available (compared to €71.90 previously from ECCE standard capitation and programme support payment combined).
Sessional services with standard capitation, Full Time, Part Time and School Age services will all see substantial increases in funding. Most ECCE services currently in receipt of higher capitation rates will also benefit significantly.
No service will lose out. I have issued a funding guarantee to ensure that no service will receive less in Core Funding that it previously received in higher capitation and programme support payments, if their circumstances remain the same. An estimated 1% of services will be caught by the funding guarantee. All other services will see increases in funding, and most substantial increases in funding.
In the longer term, my Department is committed to increasing sectoral investment by at least €1bn by 2028.
Future investment will, amongst things be informed by a review of ECCE which will commence in the coming months. The review will include consideration of the adequacy of resourcing in respect of ECCE. My Department is in the process of finalising a contract with a preferred bidder for this review.
1357. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated total expenditure on Traveller culture and heritage in 2022. [40525/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) is a whole of Government approach to bring about meaningful change and progress for the Traveller and Roma community in Ireland. It brings Government Departments and Agencies together along with representatives of both Traveller and Roma communities to bring a focus to the issues which affect them most in a structured way.
The NTRIS contains 149 actions, grouped under ten themes including Cultural Identity; Education; Employment; Health and Accommodation and aim to improve the lives of the Traveller and Roma Communities. Progress on these actions is monitored by a Steering Committee which includes both Traveller and Roma representatives and Civil Society organisations.
The Deputy will appreciate that while my Department has responsibility for coordinating the monitoring of the Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy, each relevant Department has its own budget and is responsible for the implementation of its own commitments including cultural and heritage issues.
In 2022, my own Department has provided €5.6m in core funding for a number of NGOs and to progress actions under the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy. A further €880,000 was secured from Dormant Account Funds to support Traveller and Roma initiatives. This represents a total increase of €914,000 over the 2021 allocation.
In relation to DCEDIY cultural actions the position is as follows:
In 2022, my Department provided €100,000 for Traveller Pride Week which enabled the roll –out of national and local events from the 11th of July. These events provided the Traveller and Roma Communities with an opportunity to promote Traveller and Roma culture, achievements and talents at both local and national level and celebrate that culture with the whole of Irish society as one community. This funding also supported the hosting of the 11th Traveller Pride Awards Ceremony – recognising and highlighting the achievements of Irish Travellers in their communities and beyond.
Funding to the amount of €63,048 is being provided in 2022 to Musicantia, a Roma Community led group of volunteer musicians and accredited music teachers who work in partnership with indigenous Irish and other migrant community development workers.
1358. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his Department's definition of a childminder. [40542/22]
View answerChildminding is defined in the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 to mean paid, non-relative care of children aged from birth to 14 (including both early learning and care and school-age childcare) in which children are cared for single-handedly within the childminder’s family setting.
Childminding is also described as ‘home-based’ care, as distinguished from ‘centre-based’ care. Centre-based care – especially sessional care such as the ECCE programme – sometimes takes place within a service provider’s home, for example in a purpose-built extension to the home. Such provision, however, differs from childminding both in scale (the number of children), the degree of integration within the childminder’s family life, and the likelihood of a mix of age groups:
- Scale – Childminders generally work on their own, though they may receive the support of family members. However, many providers of sessional centre-based care in Ireland also operate their service single-handed. The scale of childminding is typically smaller, though, and is constrained by both planning rules and insurance. The Planning and Development Regulations 2001, S.I.600, provide an exemption from planning permission for ‘the activity of minding no more than 6 children, including the children, if any, of the person minding, in the house of that person for profit or gain’.
- Family life – Childminders typically integrate the care of children into their own family life, and may give children the opportunity to experience daily activities that they would experience in their own family home. Internationally, the term ‘family day-care’ is often used to describe childminding.
- A mix of age-groups – Childminders typically accommodate a mix of age groups, including both pre-school and school-age children, and may care for siblings of different ages at the same time.
Childminders are distinguished from relative carers through their care of non-relatives and through being paid. However, childminders may care for family members (both their own children and the children of relatives) in addition to non-family members (as is also the case for centre-based provision), and some relative carers may receive compensation for their caring from a child’s parents. Nevertheless, a defining feature of childminding is that it is a business and not exclusively a family arrangement, and for this reason it may appropriately be subject to regulation. (It should be noted that the concept of ‘pay’ here is understood broadly and is not limited to cash payments.)
For regulatory purposes, childminding is typically limited to more than a minimal number of hours per day or per week, and is thereby distinguished from ‘babysitting’.
Childminding, which involves care in the childminder’s home, is also to be distinguished from care that takes place in the child’s home, which may be carried out by a nanny, an au pair or a ‘babysitter’. Care in a child’s own home may also be by someone called a ‘childminder’ in common usage. However, the employment relationship and the legal and regulatory context are different. Whereas a childminder working from the childminder’s own home is typically self-employed and offers a service that may be accessed on a public basis, someone caring for a child in the child’s own home is regarded as an employee of the child’s parents. In addition, the employment of someone in the child’s home may involve a combination of caring with other roles, e.g. cleaning or other domestic duties. Furthermore, because they work in the parents’/child’s home rather than their own home, au pairs and nannies cannot be held responsible for the safety or suitability of that home for the purpose of early learning or childcare.
For the purpose of clarity, the National Action Plan for Childminding defines ‘childminder’ as someone who cares for children in the childminder’s home, and uses the term ‘nanny’ or ‘au pair’ for someone who cares for children in the child’s home.
1359. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Leanaí, Comhionannais, Míchumais, Lánpháirtíochta agus Óige an bhfuil aon obair déanta ag a Roinn, i gcomhpháirtíocht leis an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna agus an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán, chun beartas ar leith a fhorbairt don oideachas luathbhlianta trí mheán na Gaeilge agus sa Ghaeltacht, go háirithe chun tacaíocht a thabhairt do naíolanna agus naíonraí seirbhísí cúraim leanaí agus réamhscolaíochta a sholáthar trí Ghaeilge; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [40551/22]
View answerIs rud an-luachmhar é tacaíocht a thabhairt do sholáthar seirbhísí trí Ghaeilge do leanaí óga. Glacann seirbhísí luathfhoghlama agus cúraim leanaí páirt thábhachtach anseo, go háirithe i gcur chun cinn na Gaeilge mar theanga bheo.
Tá mo Roinn ag obair go dlúth leis an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meáin agus an Roinn Oideachais chun sraith chuimsitheach gníomhartha a chur i bhfeidhm ar aontaíodh iad mar chuid den Phlean Gníomhaíochta Cúig Bliana don Ghaeilge 2018-2022. Dearadh na gníomhartha seo lena dhearbhú cé chomh tábhachtach agus atá suíomhanna luathfhoghlama agus cúraim leanaí chun forbairt agus athbheochan na Gaeilge a spreagadh. Is í aidhm na gníomhartha seo ná cur leis na bearta, na tacaíochta agus na comhpháirtíochta atá ann faoi láthair i réimse na luathfhoghlama agus cúraim leanaí lán-Ghaeilge, agus feabhas sa bhreis a chur ar na tacaíochtaí agus na seirbhísí seo.
Déantar comhordú idir-Rannach maidir le tacaíochtaí i gcomhair an tsoláthair luathfhoghlama agus cúraim leanaí lán-Ghaeilge, laistigh agus lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht araon, trí Ghrúpa Maoirseachta Náisiúnta na Luathbhlianta (a bunaíodh mar chuid den Phlean Gníomhaíochta Cúig Bliana don Ghaeilge). Is iad oifigigh i mo Roinn a chomhordaíonn agus a dhéanann cathaoirleacht ar an nGrúpa seo.
Cheap mo Roinn Comhordaitheoir Tacaíochta Gaeilge níos luaithe i mbliana, ag teacht leis na gealltanais atá sa Phlean Gníomhaíochta Cúig Bliana. Tá an Comhordaitheoir freagrach as an obair a chomhordú chun tacú le forbairt agus úsáid na Gaeilge i suíomhanna luathfhoghlama agus cúraim leanaí lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht. Stiúrfaidh an Comhordaitheoir seo an earcaíocht do phost eile le haghaidh speisialtóra luathbhlianta Gaeilge in 2022.
Cuireann mo chomhghleacaí an tAire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán tacaíochtaí sa bhreis ar fáil do naíonraí sa Ghaeltacht trína Roinn.
Oibríonn mo Roinn in éineacht leis an Roinn Oideachais chun na gnéithe dá Polasaí Oideachas Gaeltachta a bhaineann le luathfhoghlaim agus cúram leanaí a chur i bhfeidhm. Chomh maith leis sin, tá mo Roinn ag obair in éineacht leis an Roinn Oideachais i bhforbairt polasaí nua don oideachas lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht.
Leanfaidh mo Roinn le deiseanna eile a ghlacadh agus a chur chun cinn chun foghlaim agus sealbhú teanga a thacú i luathfhoghlaim agus cúram leanaí, ar aon dul le beartas an Rialtais maidir leis an nGaeilge, mar atá leagtha amach sa Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030 agus sa Phlean Gníomhaíochta Cúig Bliana.
1360. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if grants are available at present for a start-up preschool that plans to open in September 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40602/22]
View answerThe availability of high-quality early learning and childcare 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 participate in the universal pre-school programme (ECCE) each year and the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) subsidises up to 80,000 children. Since 2015, more than 27,000 new early learning and childcare places were funded under my Department's Annual Early Years Capital Programme.
While there are no specific start-up grants for services that plan to open in 2022, my Department successfully secured €70m in the revised National Development Plan (NDP) for early learning and childcare over the period 2023-2025. This funding will be allocated across three pillars.
Pillar 1 - Building Blocks- Modernisation Grant (€10m) will be made available in 2023 to improve energy efficiency standards across the sector, while also supporting the continuous improvement of the physical environment of services for children in early learning and childcare settings.
Pillar 2 - Building Blocks – Capacity Grant (€45m) – will address capacity gaps, funding an expansion in existing settings where possible and investing in the development of new settings where most needed
Pillar 3 - Building Blocks – Innovation Grant (€15m) will pilot a range of innovative initiatives and ideas for the sector such as piloting outdoor early learning and childcare provision.
Pillars 2 and 3 will operate over the period 2024-2025.
1361. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of independent inspections that have been undertaken by the Health Information and Quality Authority of direct provision centres in 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40608/22]
View answerMy Department is currently working with the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) to implement the commitment for HIQA to monitor International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres against National Standards adopted in 2019 and in effect since the beginning of 2021.
Planning is well advanced on this process. My Department is currently engaging with HIQA on resources and staffing required by HIQA to undertake its monitoring role. In parallel with this process, detailed work is being undertaken by my Department, in consultation with Office of the Attorney General, to provide the necessary legal basis for HIQA's monitoring role. The Reception Conditions Directive 2013/33/EU is being considered in this process. The aim is that this will be done by means of regulation and that it would be published in the next Dail session.
HIQA's role will apply to all of IPAS's permanent centres. It will not apply to emergency centres as they are subject to separate contractual arrangements.
HIQA is progressing with preparations for commencement of this function. Part of the preparations include the development of the monitoring and inspection methodology. An Expert Advisory Group (EAG) has been established to inform this process and provide expert advice and feedback. This group comprises members from a range of different stakeholder organisations, service providers and service use, including the Head of IPAS and the Head of International Protection Accommodation Policy in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The first meeting of the EAG was 25 May 2022 and the second meeting was 29 June 2022, the next one is 27 July 2022.
IPAS accommodation centres are currently subject to regular unannounced inspections both by my officials in the International Protection Accommodation Service and by an independent inspectorate company (QTS Limited).
1362. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children referred to Tusla from International Protection Accommodation Services per annum for each of the years 2018 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40609/22]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that my officials are gathering and collating the data that is required and will revert with the information as soon as it is available.
1363. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount spent on early childhood care and education scheme services per annum for each of the years 2016 to 2021 and to date in 2022; the number of providers supplying the ECCE service; and the number of ECCE-only services in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40616/22]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a fully funded pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range.
When first introduced in 2010, the ECCE programme was delivered over 38 weeks in a given programme year and children were required to be between the ages of 3 years and 2 months and 4 years and 7 months in September in the year they enrolled. Children were eligible for just one year or 38 weeks of funded pre-school under the Programme.
In 2016, the programme was expand. Under this expanded programme, children were eligible to enrol in the programme at age three and remain in programme until they transitioned primary school. Under this extension, three enrolment points were introduced – September, January and April and the average number of funded weeks under the programme increased to 61 weeks (ranging from 38 weeks to 88 weeks depending on the child’s date of birth, age to first enrol in the programme and parental choice with regard to school starting age).
The ECCE programme was expanded again in 2018. Since this time, children qualify for two years of funded pre-school and can enrol when they are 2 years and 8 months of age in September in the year they enrol and continue until they transfer to primary school.
The amount spent on ECCE programme per annum for each of the years 2016 to 2021 and to date in 2022 is outlined below. This excludes funding provided under the Access and Inclusion Model and Programme Support Payments.
|
ECCE |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 (YTD) |
|
Annual Expenditure (€m) |
208 |
268 |
281 |
295 |
217 |
285 |
179 |
The number of services that have only signed an ECCE funding agreement is outlined in the table below.
While these services do not have contracts with my Department for the provision of other funded early learning and childcare schemes, such as the NCS and CCSP, they may be providing additional early learning and childcare services to parents on a fee paying basis. If they are providing additional early learning and childcare services on a fee paying basis, they would not be ECCE only services. The Department does not currently collect data from providers on private early learning and childcare arrangements.
With regard to services that have signed a contract in addition to the ECCE contract, the data is also outlined in the table below.
|
Programme call |
Services with a contract in addition to ECCE |
Services with an ECCE contract only |
|
ECCE 2016-17 |
4,225 |
2,503 |
|
ECCE 2017-18 |
4,180 |
1,107 |
|
ECCE 2018-19 |
4,176 |
1,371 |
|
ECCE 2019-20 |
4,149 |
1,407 |
|
ECCE 2020-21 |
3,996 |
1,344 |
|
ECCE 2021-22 |
3,972 |
1,351 |
1364. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of childcare practices in County Wicklow for each of the years 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40673/22]
View answerAs the subject matter of the Deputy's question relates to an operational matter for Tusla, I have referred the matter to them for a direct reply.
1365. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of childcare practices in County Wicklow providing the early childhood care and education scheme for each of the years 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40674/22]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is universally available free to all children within the eligible age range. It provides children with their first formal experience of early learning prior to commencing primary school.
The table below outlines the number of services offering the ECCE programme in County Wicklow for each of the years 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022. The data was supplied by Pobal who are the administrators of the ECCE programme on behalf of my Department.
|
Programme call |
Number of services providing the ECCE programme in County Wicklow |
|
ECCE 2017/18 |
160 |
|
ECCE 2018/19 |
160 |
|
ECCE 2019/20 |
158 |
|
ECCE 2020/21 |
148 |
|
ECCE 2021/22 |
142 |
1366. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children in County Wicklow who are currently eligible for the early childhood care and education scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40675/22]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal, two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. A child must have reached 2 years and 8 months of age on or prior to 31 August of the relevant programme year to be eligible for the September start date.
For the 2021/22 programme year, there were 3,478 children registered on the ECCE programme in County Wicklow. Based on average uptake rates for the ECCE programme, this represents approximately 96% of the eligible cohort of children in County Wicklow for that programme year.
1367. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a list of all private and voluntary agencies and bodies contracted by his Department to provide services for asylum seekers and those seeking international protection for the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [40689/22]
View answer1368. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a list of all funding given to private and voluntary agencies and bodies for services provided for his Department in connection to accommodation and other services for persons seeking international protection, for the years from 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, or for relevant years under his Department’s responsibility in tabular form. [40690/22]
View answer1369. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a list and the figures for funding to all private and voluntary bodies for services such as accommodation and so on for persons seeking international protection under his Department's area of responsibility for the years from 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, or relevant years of his Department's responsibility in tabular form. [40691/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1367 to 1369, inclusive, together.
Deputy, please see the table below for funding provided in relation to accommodation and funding to Non-Government Organisations for international protection applicants from 2018 to 2022 to date.
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 - to date |
|
|
Accommodation |
€76.679m |
€92.007m |
€179.522m |
€185.987m |
€154.431m |
|
Funding for NGOs |
€0.222m |
€1.367m |
€1.403m |
€3.202m |
€2.031m |
1370. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the White Paper on ending direct provision; if he is confident that the commitment in the programme for Government to end direct provision by 2024 will be reached; the number of suitable properties in each county identified by his Department in tabular form; the number of persons currently in direct provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40717/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Government made a commitment in the Programme for Government to end the current system of accommodation for International Protection applicants and replace it with a new model that is based on a not for profit approach. As part of this process, I published A White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a new International Protection Support Service on 26 February 2021. This paper sets out a new approach for accommodating applicants that seek International Protection in Ireland and will replace the current system.
Since the publication of the White Paper, my Department has placed a significant focus on delivering the new model of accommodation and supports. A dedicated Transition Team has been established in the Department to drive implementation of the new model. Governance structures have put in place in the form of a Programme Board which includes representation from the NGO sector and an External Advisory Committee to oversee transition to the new system. The Board has met regularly over the past 12 months to review progress.
Significant progress has been made to establish the new accommodation model. This work has involved working very closely with the Housing Agency in the development of detailed policy advice papers including an acquisition policy, an ownership model and a funding model. Proposals in relation to the ownership model were brought to the Programme Board in November 2021 and approved by myself in January 2022. In collaboration with the Housing Agency, a funding model for Approved Housing Bodies has been developed to support them in building a pipeline of Phase Two accommodation. Work is ongoing to finalise the details of the model with plans to launch it later this year. To date, 16 properties have been purchased for Phase Two accommodation and work to source and acquire more properties will continue for the remainder of 2022.
The Transition Team is developing an integration programme to support the principle of ‘integration from day one’ as set out in the White Paper. In collaboration with the Local Authorities, work is currently ongoing to design the supports that will be required at a local level. This includes the expansion of the current model of interagency working groups and resettlement and intercultural workers that is in place for the Irish Refugee Protection Programme and establish a permanent integration system that will provide support both to programme refugees and to applicants for international protection.
Work is also ongoing to launch an integration fund, which will fund civil society organisations to support the integration of International Protection applicants. This fund will be launched in the coming days.
As will be appreciated, the war in Ukraine has had an unavoidable impact on timelines for implementation of the White Paper, as staff in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth were temporarily diverted to fulfil Ireland’s obligations including members of the White Paper Transition Team.
The Department is working diligently to manage the response to the Ukraine crisis whilst continuing to progress the aims of the White Paper. A review of the projected timelines for the implementation of the White Paper is currently underway amongst senior officials and the IPSS Transition Team within the Department. This is a complex exercise that will take account of the delays that have arisen as a consequence of the crisis in Ukraine and will consider its impacts on project implementation.
Notwithstanding the impact of the Ukraine crisis, the implementation of the new model is and will continue to be a key priority for my Department. Information on the properties identified by my Department is market sensitive as many are currently under negotiation.
Numbers currently in IPAS Accommodation-14,364 persons as of 17 July.
