Written Answers Nos. 946-970
946. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a community neuro-rehabilitation team will be put in place for CHO5; if funding has been allocated in 2023 to provide this service; when recruitment for this team will begin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13130/23]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Answered By HSE.
947. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 129 of 1 March 2023, if an assessment has been carried out to support the decision not to extend eligibility criteria for the accommodation recognition payment, given that at a time of a shortage in property, all offers should be considered. [13138/23]
View answerThe Accommodation Recognition Payment, provided under the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022, is a tax-free monthly payment available to those providing accommodation to Ukrainians who arrived in Ireland under the EU Temporary Protection Directive since March 2022. The rate of payment doubled from €400 per property per month to €800 with effect from 1 December 2022. The scheme is administered by the Department of Social Protection.
The payment is a recognition of the generosity of people who have made accommodation available to victims of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
I can inform the Deputy that I have not conducted an assessment of the eligibility criteria set out in the governing legislation for the Accommodation Recognition Payment scheme.
Insofar as he asked in the question referenced from 1 March about properties held in trust, I would be grateful if the Deputy might write to me to set out what he has in mind. It is not clear if this relates to charitable or religious bodies or if it may relate to investment trusts, some of which are publicly quoted on the stock exchange.
I have already indicated that I am extending the termination date of the ARP scheme to March 2024 to coincide with the EU’s extension of the period of temporary protection to Ukrainians fleeing the war. In deciding to extend the scheme, I was mindful of the need to continue to provide for a financial contribution to assist in maintaining, if not increasing, the availability of accommodation for temporary protection beneficiaries.
948. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children on waiting lists for an assessment of need for in CHO7 in each of the months of 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; the number overdue for completion; the length of time they are overdue; the average length of wait, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13157/23]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
949. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a child (details supplied) will receive an assessment of needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13169/23]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
950. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide details of all accomodation schemes in existence to house Ukrainian refugees and asyslum seekers; the particular schemes that local authorities are involved in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13173/23]
View answerIreland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, my Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge from the invasion of Ukraine, with over 77,000 people arriving in Ireland, of which 57,000 have sought accommodation from this Department.
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, the Department has contracted in excess of 43,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 750 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings.
The priority is to place people fleeing the war in safe and secure accommodation.
My Department allocates accommodation to those persons granted temporary of protection status at the Citywest Transit Hub. Accommodation is allocated based on availability at any given point in time. In addition, beneficiaries of temporary protection may also and have availed of pledged accommodation offers. To date, more than 6,900 beneficiaries have been accommodated in over 2,900 pledged properties.
In response to requests from my Department, Local Authorities nationwide stand up emergency accommodation to assist at peak times. This involves my Department providing 24 hours’ notice of the number of beds required and the length of time they are required. Local Authorities can provide up to 75 beds in one location in a variety of sites. These can include for example local parish centres, community centres or school halls. Local volunteers are onsite to provide supports. It is accepted that persons provided with such accommodation will remain there for as short a time as possible. In some instances, the Local Authorities find accommodation solutions at a local level also.
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) is supporting the whole of government response to the war in Ukraine and has taken responsibility for some elements, in order to provide support and assistance to DCEDIY as it continues to lead the initial humanitarian response, including the provision of accommodation and related supports.
One of these measures includes the call for unoccupied homes, which is being led by local authorities, with oversight from the DHLGH. Furthermore the DHLGH has taken responsibility for the refurbishment programme, which aims to bring multi-occupancy buildings that are vacant back into use as accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Accommodation from Ukraine. This programme now includes properties which are refurbished through “self-funding” by private owners and those properties which require Capital input from the DHLGH to bring the project to the required standard. DHLGH liaises closely with the Local Authority Sector who play an integral role in respect of both streams.
My Department will continue to work with accommodation providers to ensure there is an adequate supply of accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection fleeing the war in Ukraine. In this regard we are currently renewing contracts with our existing providers in chronological order.
As agreed by Government, a Senior Officials accommodation management working group, chaired by Conn Murray, former CEO Limerick County Council, has been established to support my Department, the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government and the Local Authorities in the agile delivery of accommodation required for BOTPs, including the programme for overseeing delivery of accommodation from those properties which require refurbishment.
In line with the Recast Reception Conditions Directive (SI 230 of 2018) the State has a legal obligation to provide accommodation and supports of those who seek international protection in Ireland.
The Reception Conditions Directive aims at ensuring common standards of reception conditions throughout the EU.
The Directive ensures that applicants have access to housing, food, clothing, health care, education for minors and access to employment (within a maximum period of 9 months).
It provides particular attention to vulnerable persons, especially unaccompanied minors and victims of torture. EU countries must conduct an individual assessment to identify the special reception needs of vulnerable persons and to ensure that vulnerable asylum seekers can access medical and psychological support.
The State is currently accommodating circa 20,100 people in IPAS accommodation compared with 8,500 at this time last year.
951. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on his Department's review of the Equal Status Acts 2000-2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13183/23]
View answerIn 2021, my Department commenced a review of the Equal Status Acts 2000 and the Employment Equality Acts 1998 (the Equality Acts). The review, which is ongoing, is examining the operation of the Equality Acts from the perspective of the person taking a claim under its redress mechanisms. It is further examining the degree to which those experiencing discrimination are aware of the legislation and whether there are practical or other obstacles which preclude or deter them from taking an action.
The review is also examining the 2020 Programme for Government commitments to ensure that someone discriminated against on the basis of their gender identity is able to avail of the legislation, and to examine the introduction of a new ground based on disadvantaged socio-economic status.
In July 2021, my Department undertook a public consultation process as part of the review of the Equality Acts to examine the functioning of the Acts and their effectiveness in combatting discrimination and promoting equality. The Department invited written submissions to the public consultation from 06 July 2021 - 08 December 2021, and was pleased to receive an extensive response to the consultation. Views were sought on the functioning and accessibility of the Acts; the scope of the current grounds; whether existing exemptions should be modified or removed; and whether the legislation adequately addresses intersectionality. A report summarising the key issues raised in the public consultation will be published in the coming weeks.
It is intended that some legislative proposals arising from the review will be brought forward this year.
952. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure that a person can register as an individual childminder with Tusla, rather than requiring a second person to also register. [13226/23]
View answerAs a result of legal exemptions in section 58L of the Child Care Act 1991, many childminders are currently exempt from regulation and the requirement to register with Tusla. Those childminders who are currently required to register with Tusla are subject to the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 and/or the Child Care Act 1991 (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018. These Regulations require (regulated) childminders to have a second person who is familiar with the operation of the service to be at all times within close distance and available to attend in the event of an emergency. However, this second person is not required to register with Tusla.
Furthermore, as the Regulations define a childminder as a person who operates their service single-handedly, a provider who employs staff to assist in the operation of the service would not count as a childminder under the Regulations.
The National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028 commits to extending regulation and supports to all paid, non-relative childminders who work in their own homes over the coming years. The National Action Plan for Childminding commits to opening the National Childcare Scheme to all childminders at the earliest possible opportunity, though it will be necessary first to develop and introduce childminder-specific regulations, and to give childminders adequate time and support to meet regulatory requirements. A specific objective of the National Action Plan for Childminding is to develop childminder-specific regulations that are proportionate and appropriate to the home environment in which childminders work. The definition of a childminder in the National Action Plan refers to their operating single-handedly within the childminder’s family setting.
953. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total budget for Tusla; the portion of this budget that covers pay; and the breakdown of the total pay bill for social workers and social care workers, in tabular form. [13268/23]
View answerTusla receives funding from a number of budget subheads within my Department as well as from the Department of Education. For 2023, Tusla has a global budget allocation of €1.020 billion. This includes capital expenditure but excludes additional funding for its Ukraine response.
Of this, €396.051 million (roughly 39%) is allocated to Pay and Pensions (€16 million for Pensions).
These indicative figures are published in Tusla's Agency Statement as part of the Revised Estimates Volume (REV) for 2023.
Budget management is, in the first instance, an operational matter for Tusla, and I have asked Tusla to respond directly to the Deputy regarding the specific details of the pay breakdown.
954. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total cost saved through Tusla's Agency Conversion from November 2019 to date; and the breakdown by grade of conversion. [13296/23]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.
955. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the delay to the introduction of a community neuro-rehabilitation centre in CH09; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13297/23]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
956. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a neurological rehabilitation team will be operational in every community health organisation (details supplied). [13310/23]
View answerAs this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
957. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will list the various schemes and programmes under the remit of his Department that have located third country nationals to Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon since 2000, by year; if he will provide a breakdown of the number of persons located by each scheme per year since 2000, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13317/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, my Department assumed responsibility for the accommodation of International Protection applicants and Programme Refugees in 2020.
Accordingly, the information as requested by the Deputy in relation to persons provided temporary accommodation in Ballaghaderreen in County Roscommon, is presented in the table below, and covers the period from 2020 onwards.
|
Year |
Humanitarian Relocation Programme |
IRPP I |
IRPP II |
Afghanistan Humanitarian Admissions |
International Protection |
Ukrainian BOTPs |
Total |
|
2022 |
91 |
38 |
85 |
100 |
314 |
||
|
2021 |
17 |
19 |
64 |
100 |
|||
|
2020 |
30 |
81 |
111 |
||||
|
Total |
17 |
30 |
191 |
102 |
85 |
100 |
525 |
958. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will list the various schemes and programmes under the remit of his Department that have located third country nationals to Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon, since responsibility was transferred from the Department of Justice; if he will provide a breakdown of the number of persons located by each scheme per year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13318/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, my Department assumed responsibility for the accommodation of International Protection applicants and Programme Refugees in 2020.
Accordingly, the information as requested by the Deputy in relation to persons accommodated in Ballaghaderreen in County Roscommon, is presented in the table below, and covers the period from 2020 onwards.
IRPP: Irish Refugee Protection Programme
IP: International Protection
BOTP: Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection
|
Year |
Humanitarian Relocation Programme |
IRPP I |
IRPP II |
Afghanistan Humanitarian Admissions |
IP |
BOTP |
Total |
|
2022 |
91 |
38 |
85 |
100 |
314 |
||
|
2021 |
17 |
19 |
64 |
100 |
|||
|
2020 |
30 |
81 |
111 |
||||
|
Total |
17 |
30 |
191 |
102 |
85 |
100 |
425 |
959. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 443 of 14 February 2023, and the provision of the information by email, if the contracted capacity of each centre can be provided as requested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13325/23]
View answerThe contracted capacity of the combined IPAS accommodation centres is listed in tabular format below:
|
2019 |
No. of Centres |
Contracted Capacity |
Occupancy |
|
RIA Reception Centre |
1 |
487 |
440 |
|
RIA Accommodation Centres |
41 |
6616 |
6171 |
|
RIA Emergency Accommodation |
37 |
N/A |
1512 |
|
2020 |
|||
|
National Reception Centre |
1 |
537 |
274 |
|
IPAS Accommodation Centre |
44 |
6839 |
5575 |
|
Emergency Accommodation Centre |
28 |
1690 |
1148 |
|
2022 |
|||
|
National Reception Centre |
1 |
537 |
472 |
|
IPAS Accommodation Centre |
46 |
8761 |
6853 |
|
Emergency Accommodation Centre |
107 |
13728 |
11779 |
It should be noted that the figures are approximate as some centres were contracted on a room basis instead of occupancy and were given a capacity of 2 per room.
IPAS works at all times to ensure accommodation capacity is utilised in the most effective manner possible. There are a variety of reasons why capacity and actual occupancy may not be equal, including:
- Where a person cannot share with another person for medical or other reasons, and there is no single occupancy room.
- Where a family configuration does not match exactly the available family accommodation and this can result in vacancies “on paper” in a particular room or apartment type accommodation.
- Where rooms are being refurbished/not available for maintenance.
960. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if exit interviews with staff departing CDNTs are being carried out; if such interviews are being carried out formally in all CHOs; if not, the CHOs in which such interviewes are being carried out; how the data are being collated; the actions being taken with reference to the data gathered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13329/23]
View answerAs this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
961. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an independent review of the Progressing Disability Services programme will be subject to an independent review to make them more effective; if such a review is anticipated; if an alternative programme will be explored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13335/23]
View answerThe implementation of the Progressing Disability Services for Children & Young People (PDS) programme is agreed Government and HSE policy and seeks to address the previous inequity in service provision whereby there may have been an excellent service for some children and little or no service for others. However, it has been acknowledged that the transition to policy-based Children’s Disability Network Teams under the PDS Programme has been challenging for many families and staff.
I can advise that following a meeting between the CEO of the HSE and Ministers Donnelly, O’Gorman and I last year, it was agreed that an overarching roadmap would be developed by the HSE to support all stakeholders to progress the next phase of implementation of PDS model. The roadmap document will set out the actions being proposed by the HSE to improve services for children with disabilities and developmental delays as well as their families. The draft Roadmap does provide for a review of the implementation of PDS to date.
The Department continues to engage with the HSE in relation to finalising the Roadmap document so relevant actions can be agreed and commenced. This process is in the final stages with detailed feedback having been supplied to the HSE in relation to the document.
962. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures he is taking to increase the number of dieticians in CDNTs; the number of dieticians available to the 91 CDNTs nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13338/23]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
963. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports available to the parents of a child (details supplied) who is on medication prescribed by the CDNT but who has not been able to get their prescription renewed. [13339/23]
View answerAs this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
964. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an application has been received to utilise a facility (details supplied) in Birr, County Offaly, as an accommodation centre for international protection applicants or beneficiaries of temporary protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13378/23]
View answerIreland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, my Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge following the invasion of Ukraine with over 77,000 people arriving in Ireland, including 57,000 who have sought accommodation from this Department.
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, my Department has contracted in excess of 43,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 750 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings.
The priority is to place people fleeing the war in safe and secure accommodation.
I am advised by my officials that the property referred to by the Deputy is operational since 21 February 2023 in accommodating beneficiaries of temporary protection with capacity for 76 persons.
965. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when payment will issue in relation to accommodation being provided for Ukrainian refugees (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13425/23]
View answerMy Department has engaged over 750 properties to provide accommodation for Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection. In line with the Department’s commitment to substantially clear the backlog at the end of 2022, I temporarily re-assigned staff from other parts of the Department in December, doubling the size of the payments unit. The enlarged team approved more than 100 million euros worth of payments.
My Department is prioritising maintaining a practice of more timely payments, including providing more resources to address any issues. Any delays in making payments are deeply regretted and my Department is according this issue very high priority.
I am advised by my officials that one of the invoices highlighted was paid on 9th of March 2023, with payment for the other expected to issue in the coming week, pending final checks.
The delay in payment is due to the large volume of invoices being received by my Department. Additional resources have been assigned within my Department, in addition to outsourcing of some tasks to accelerate processing. The volume of payments issuing is steadily growing. My Department will continue to press on to eliminate the backlog while ensuring appropriate governance is in place to safeguard the proper spending of Exchequer funding.
966. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports available to parents of children with disabilities who require tube feeding to send them to childcare. [13460/23]
View answerAs this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
967. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding streams and training options available to assist parents in caring for children with disabilities who require tube feeding. [13461/23]
View answerAs this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
968. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of funding presently being provided to UHW and to CHO5 to provide a community neuro-rehabilitation team (details supplied); the number of whole-time equivalent positions and the specialisation of each, between acute hospital service and community service, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13477/23]
View answerAs this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
969. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the provision of a community neuro-rehabilitation team in CHO7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13479/23]
View answerAs this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Answered By HSE.
970. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a liaison public health nurse, LPHN, for the children's disability network team in Wexford will be provided; if he is aware that in the absence of this post, the home support resource manager is unable to provide home support workers for people in urgent need of this support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13503/23]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
