Written Answers Nos. 301-308
301. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when an assessment of need will be undertaken in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14615/23]
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.
302. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the method by which the rates of payment are presently being calculated for those premises providing accommodation for Ukrainian refugees; if there is a set rate; if not, if it varies from accommodation to accommodation; if so, the criteria used to assess this; if there is an appeal method against the rate set; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14388/23]
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 47,000 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. In addition, close to 7,000 beneficiaries have also been accommodated in pledged accommodation properties.
The priority is to place people fleeing the war in safe and secure accommodation.
It should also be noted that the accommodation procurement effort for Ukrainian BOTPs is overwhelmingly comprised of commercial transactions, with offers made on a commercial basis through a dedicated portal on gov.ie. The Department must assess commercial offers based on
- the extent to which they meet standards for temporary accommodation (e.g. personal space, storage, bathroom facilities etc);
- policy requirements in relation to, for instance, non-interference with the housing market, student accommodation and nursing home places; and
- the rates being sought by the provider.
While the assessment of offers must take place in as transparent and open a fashion as possible and secure the best value for money in the circumstances, the commercial terms eventually being offered by the Department remain sensitive. However, they are calculated based on the Department’s rates card, taking into account the particular accommodation offering and other factors. It is of course entirely open to any prospective accommodation provider to refuse the rates being offered by the Department and to use their property for an alternative commercial purpose.
303. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects the proposed decision support service searchable register to be operational under the Assisted Decision-Making Capacity Act 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14410/23]
View answerThe 2015 Act is an important piece of legislation that represents significant legal reform. It changes the existing law on capacity from the status approach of the wardship system to a more rights based and flexible approach, whereby capacity is assessed on an issue and time-specific basis.
The 2015 Act will abolish the wards of court system for adults by repealing the Lunacy Regulation (Ireland) Act 1871. Adults currently in wardship will transition to the new decision-making support arrangements on a phased basis over 3 years from the date of commencement.
The Decision Support Service (DSS), which is the organisation that will operate the provisions of the 2015 Act, will respond to the complex decision-making needs of people with capacity difficulties. To date, the Decision Support Service has made considerable progress in preparing to operate the 2015 Act, including the development of a searchable register that will allow permitted persons to access certain information in relation to decision support arrangements.
The Decision Support Service will ensure that proper mechanisms are in place to the safeguarding of persons' data. The register will become operational following the commencement of relevant sections of both the 2015 and 2022 Acts and the necessary Statutory Instrument permitting certain persons to access the register.
The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022 was signed into law on 17 December last, and the Government remains committed to commence both the 2022 Act, and the 2015 Act, on 26 April 2023.
304. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a clinical governance framework has been developed and implemented nationally within the 91 children’s disability network teams; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14470/23]
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.
305. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a comprehensive workforce plan has been developed in regard to the training, recruitment and retention of staff within children’s disability network teams; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14471/23]
View answerAs this refers to service matters, I have asked Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
306. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consultation took place with therapy professionals representative organisations (details supplied) before or during the process of introducing the progressing disability services model; if he will detail the contents of this consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14472/23]
View answerGovernment Departments, Ministers and Ministers of State work closely with all relevant stakeholders and experts on the development and implementation of policy. Input from professionals and their representative organisations is always welcome and successive Ministers and Ministers of State will have met with the organisations named on different occasions with different agendas to discuss a range of topics.
So they can provide information on any separate engagements they might have had with the organisations named with regard to the issue raised, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
307. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of therapists within children’s disability network teams who are of a senior grade that enables them to oversee students on placement; the grade level required to oversee students on placement within CDNTs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14473/23]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
308. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the average timeframe for the replacement of each staff post (details supplied) within children’s disability network teams, from the staff member handing in their notice until the new staff member has started in the role; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14474/23]
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.
