Written Answers Nos. 1371-1385
1371. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied) in respect of a recent International Protection Accommodation Services policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40725/22]
View answer1372. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider a policy matter (details supplied) within the remit of International Protection Accommodation Services which has been raised by an accommodation provider; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40744/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1371 and 1372 together.
Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the temporary protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response, with a focus on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those who have fled Ukraine. The scale of this operational challenge is unprecedented: to date, more than 42,000 people have arrived in Ireland and just in excess of 31,000 of those have been referred to my Department seeking accommodation from the State. Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this timeframe for all those who require it remains immensely challenging. The Absences protocol agreed on 06 July, seeks to manage necessary absences from short-term accommodation in a way that is fair to all individuals seeking State assistance, including those most recently arrived and in need of accommodation.
Prior to the adoption of the protocol, my Department had communicated that it had not been possible to guarantee that vacated accommodation funded by the State would be held, except where extenuating circumstances may have applied e.g. a hospital stay. The provisions of the protocol aim to facilitate one short-term absence (7 calendar days) over a 6-month period. Given the ongoing high demand on accommodation, it is not possible to facilitate any absences beyond that timeframe. The protocol will remain under review.
1373. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the support schemes that are in place for the provision of accommodation and full board for Ukrainian refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40766/22]
View answerSince the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, and the invoking of the temporary protection Directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, my Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis.
The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are significant. Our country has never experienced an influx of displaced persons like the one that we have seen over the past months. My Department’s role is focused on the immediate, short-term accommodation needs of those who have fled here.
To date, more than 42,000 people have arrived in Ireland and just in excess of 31,000 of those have been referred to us seeking accommodation from the State. The number of people seeking international protection has also increased adding to accommodation capacity issues.
Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this timeframe for all those who require it remains immensely challenging. Due to the urgent need to source accommodation, a broad range of accommodation types have been contracted, including emergency accommodation. While this is not ideal, the priority is to place people fleeing the conflict in safe and secure accommodation.
At present, over 400 contracts are currently in place across the country to meet these temporary accommodation needs. This represents over 25,000 beds in hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs, hostels, self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings, with additional capacity also being pursued through accommodation pledged by the general public, state-owned or private properties which may be suitable for short-term accommodation, accommodation belonging to voluntary bodies, religious order properties and Local Authority facilities.
1374. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will list the services and supports available to survivors of State religious institutional abuse in Cork. [40814/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the information that I can provide in answer to his question relates to national initiatives aimed at supporting survivors of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions.
On the 16th November 2021, the Government published An Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions, to address the priority needs and concerns of survivors of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions and their families. The Action Plan focuses on initiatives such as access to personal information; enhanced tracing services; a Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme; dignified burial; dedicated counselling and health supports; research and education, and memorialisation and personal narratives. Each action within the Action Plan identifies key strategic milestones and related timelines. Of the 22 actions in the Action Plan, 8 have already been completed, while another 13 are currently in progress. Work is ongoing in all thematic areas to advance these measures.
Since publication of the Action Plan, my immediate focus has been to prioritise legislative developments such as: the enactment of the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 which establishes a new Contact Preference Register and paves the way for Information and Tracing Services to open in October 2022; the enactment of the Institutional Burials Act 2022, and the publication of the General Scheme of a Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill .
Crucially, free counselling support has been available to all survivors since before the publication of the Commission’s Final Report. That service has been strengthened with additional investment and an expanded out of hours service. The National Counselling Service is a specialist service with 20 years of experience in providing counselling and psychotherapy to a wide range of clients, including those who have experienced psychological difficulties due to time spent in institutions. Information on how to access this service has been widely circulated, published on my Department's website, and has been sent directly to any person who has provided their contact details to our dedicated mailing list for those with an interest in these issues.
I have liaised with my colleague, the Minister for Health, who is responsible for these services, to ensure that available capacity is used to the best effect in delivering strong, responsive and timely services for survivors.
In addition, the Department of Health, in partnership with the HSE, is working to establish a Patient Advocacy Liaison Service. When up and running, that service will have a dedicated team who can provide bespoke information and support to survivors to assist them in accessing health services which they may need. The Department of Health is also working with the Health Research Board on a research project to identify the future health needs of survivors. This research will help to further inform future health policy and service responses.
My Department and other state authorities are working to ensure survivors see tangible results as early as possible.
1375. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of funding that his Department has allocated to an organisation (details supplied) in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40867/22]
View answer1376. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is satisfied with the governance of an organisation (details supplied) that receives State funding; if his Department has oversight of operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40868/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1375 and 1376 together.
The Deputy will be aware that the organisation in question is an independent body with its own governance structure and is not a public body under the aegis of my Department.
It has received substantial public support for its work on the Ukrainian response.
Funding of just over €1.374 million has been allocated in 2022 to this organisation from my Department. Of this, approximately €1.1 million is associated with the Ukraine crisis response. This amount was based on projections earlier in the year and is likely to change as operational adjustments are made to meet arising demands.
The organisation in question has a Memorandum of Agreement with my Department covering the range of tasks which assist the Department in the response to the Ukrainian crisis and associated costs that my Department has agreed to fund. Only expenditure associated with agreed tasks will be paid and regular monitoring meetings take place.
I am satisfied that appropriate mechanisms are in place for the governance of this agreement.
1377. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of complaints that have been received in any form regarding access to personal data and information following the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022; the average waiting times to access data; and the number of staff specifically involved in the process to assist those making requests. [40886/22]
View answerThe Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 was enacted on the 1st of July 2022. Applications for information and tracing services are not open yet, but will be from October. This is to allow time for people to express a contact preference, via the Contact Preference Register established by the act, before information is released.
Therefore, there are no waiting lists or complaints regarding access to personal data and information under the act.
The act will provide for the release of birth certificates, and birth, early life, care, and medical information for persons who were adopted, boarded out or nursed out, subject to an illegal birth registration, or resided as a child in a mother and baby home or county home institution.
Recruitment and training of staff to process requests for information is ongoing in Tusla, the Child and Family Agency and the Adoption Authority of Ireland.
1378. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason that a person (details supplied) is experiencing such difficulty in accessing their personal data. [40887/22]
View answerThe Commission of Investigation received records relating to the period 1922 to 1998 from a number of Institutions and sources as part of its investigation. On 28 February 2021, following the dissolution of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation, my Department became the data controller for all the personal data contained in the records that transferred from the Commission.
I not in a position to comment on the particular circumstances of the individual referred to.
Individuals may make a subject access request to my Department in respect of records in the Mother and Baby Homes archive relating to them. My Department operates a dedicated telephone information line to provide information to callers on procedures for making subject access requests. Information is also available on my Department’s website, including a Guide which provides responses to Frequently Asked Questions.
A data controller is required to respond to a subject access request without undue delay and at the latest within one month of receiving the request. I continue to be committed to vindicating the rights of each data subject in respect of their personal data. Where a subject access request is made, my Department is responding to individuals in accordance with its GDPR obligations and is providing individuals with a copy of their personal data within the one month period required under the GDPR.
1379. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the engagement he has had with the International Protection Accommodation Services regarding the use of a hotel (details supplied) as an accommodation provider. [40895/22]
View answer1380. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the contracted capacity of a hotel (details supplied) for use by the International Protection Accommodation Services. [40896/22]
View answer1381. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the liaison officer and or non-governmental organisation group that is working with those living in the International Protection Accommodation Services centre of a hotel (details supplied); and if it is on a full-time or part- time basis. [40897/22]
View answer1382. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the questions presented to the International Protection Accommodation Services by the community will be answered in full. [40898/22]
View answer1383. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the additional resources that will be provided to those living in a hotel (details supplied) given the rural nature of the town. [40899/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1379 to 1383, inclusive, together.
Since the lifting of international travel restrictions post-COVID 19, there has been a significant increase of new arrivals to Ireland seeking international protection. From the beginning of 2022, over 7,500 people – approximately 260 people a week - have come to Ireland seeking protection from fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. 30,345 people fleeing the war in Ukraine have been accommodated by my Department.
Due to the unprecedented demand, accommodation all around the country has been utilised to help house applicants and Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection on an emergency basis. The referred to centre has recently come into use for the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) to provide such temporary emergency accommodation.
In view of the unprecedented continuing demand for accommodation for Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection, it is planned that the centre will be directed towards that effort. International Protection applicants will gradually move to other centres as alternative accommodation becomes available.
IPAS is actively engaging with people living in the area and has met with them and local representatives on 15 July. IPAS officials are working closely with all temporary emergency accommodation providers in terms of the services that will be needed. As part of this, a clinic with the residents of referred to centre is taking place today, 26 July. This is an opportunity to listen to the concerns of the residents.
You can be assured that my officials will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure that up-to-date information on the arrival of Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection will be shared shortly.
1384. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions and engagements that his Department has taken to date to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency in all buildings under his Department. [40906/22]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that my Department’s energy consumption is reported to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on an annual basis and tracked against the Climate Action Plan (2021) targets to achieve a 50% improvement in energy efficiency and a 51% reduction in energy related CO2 emissions by 2030.
My Department also engages in a range of initiatives to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency. This includes energy auditing, Green Public Procurement, participation in the OPW’s Optimising Power @ Work scheme, implementing an annual Resource Efficiency Action Plan including Energy Actions and through working with the SEAI and other Departments.
In respect of bodies under the aegis of my Department, I can advise the Deputy as follows:
|
Body |
Location |
|
Child and Family Agency (Tusla) |
Tusla will reply directly to the Deputy |
|
Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) |
The AAI will reply directly to the Deputy. |
|
Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) |
The OCO will reply directly to the Deputy |
|
Children Detention School (Oberstown) |
Oberstown do not have a building that is open to the public for accessing services. |
|
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) |
The IHREC will reply directly to the Deputy |
|
National Disability Authority (NDA) |
The NDA will reply directly to the Deputy |
|
An Gaisce |
An Gaisce will reply directly to the Deputy |
1385. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children who are supported through the various streams of AIM support; and if he has plans to extend these services. [40989/22]
View answerThe Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is a model of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities can access the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme. Its goal 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 high quality early learning and care.
Since AIM was launched in 2016 over 19,000 children have received over 43,000 targeted supports in almost 4,000 settings nationally. These figures do not include the many more children and services that have benefited from the universal supports funded through AIM.
For the current programme year of 2021/22, 9,468 AIM supports have been provided benefiting 5,757 children.
One of the commitments in First 5 strategy was to undertake an end-of-year-three evaluation of AIM Subject to evaluation findings and other relevant developments, we will be considering enhancements to AIM and potential extensions beyond ECCE provision. The review is currently in advanced draft and expected to be finalised in Q.3 2022.
