Written Answers Nos. 514-529
514. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of full-time staff by job title working in the Ombudsman for Children's Office as of 20 March 2023. [14974/23]
View answerThe Ombudsman for Children's Office is an independent office and will provide the response to this parliamentary question.
515. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of social workers who are qualified to undertake joint interviews with gardaí, broken down by region. [14975/23]
View answerStatutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter for Tusla. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.
516. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on when a facility (details supplied) providing accommodation to Ukrainian refugees can expect to be paid outstanding invoices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15140/23]
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. This increased commitment has been repeated and supplemented by outsourcing and in March to date we have paid more than €120 million for Ukraine accommodation and related charges.
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 the outstanding invoices for the provider referred to by the Deputy are being processed as priority, with payments expected to issue in the coming weeks, 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.
517. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will consider allowing a creche (details supplied) in County Sligo to join the new pilot scheme for the provision of hot meals to children in early learning and childcare settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15214/23]
View answerFollowing my Department's announcement of the Hot Meals Pilot in November, we have had a lot of interest from the sector, and it has not been possible to select every service that came forward. The pilot scheme is already underway at a number of settings and we are unable to take on more services at this time.
It is our hope, however, that this pilot will inform my Department’s ongoing work to develop a DEIS-type model for Early Learning and Childcare, which aims to provide services with a proportionate mix of universal and targeted supports to support children and families accessing their services who are experiencing disadvantage.
518. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of individuals who have applied to State bodies (details supplied) under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022; the number still waiting for their records; the current timeline for when people can expect their records; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15239/23]
View answerInformation and Tracing services, as provided for under the Act, opened to applications on 3rd October 2022. As of Monday 27th March, a total of 7,526 applications for information have been received by the Child and Family Agency, Tusla and the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI), with approximately half of that total being received within two weeks of commencement. These applications are in addition to the 3,489 applications made for tracing services since 3rd October, and 3,106 preferences registered to the Contact Preference Register since it opened on 1st July.
As of Monday 27th March, the two agencies have completed 2,948 requests for information, with more due for completion and issue each day. In addition to delivering Information and Tracing services, AAI is also managing applications to the Contact Preference Register (CPR) and has successfully identified 215 matches for relatives for whom they are facilitating contact. Since the enactment of the legislation, 66 pairs of relatives have had contact facilitated by the AAI following a CPR match. Tusla and the AAI are actively engaging with those affected by delays. AAI expects to clear the backlog of applications received by it by Autumn 2023, if not earlier, and Tusla by July 2023. However, it is important to note that many applicants will receive their information much sooner than this, as more and more applicants receive their information every week.
519. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he acknowledges that the statutory time period of one month, extendable only to three months, under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 concerning the provision of information to relevant person is routinely being breached; the actions he is taking in response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15240/23]
View answerThe Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 provides guaranteed access to birth and early life information where it exists, thereby addressing a decades-long historic injustice. In this context, there is an initial surge of demand for services under the Act and everyone is committed to responding to this demand as quickly as possible.
As of Monday 27 March a total of 7,526 applications for information have been received by the Child and Family Agency, Tusla and the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI).
These applications are in addition to the 3,489 applications made for tracing services since 03 October, and 3,106 preferences registered to the Contact Preference Register since it opened on 01 July.
Processing the initial volume of information requests, reflecting decades of increasing demand, is proving to be a challenge. As of Monday 27 March, the two agencies have processed and completed over 2,948 requests for information, with more due for completion and issue each day.In addition to Information and Tracing services, applications are continuing to be made to the Contact Preference Register, and the AAI has successfully identified 215 matches for relatives for whom they are facilitating contact.
I am deeply conscious of the frustration caused to applicants receiving a notification indicating that there will be a delay in the compilation and release of their information. However, I am confident that both Tusla and the AAI are doing their utmost to respond to all of the applications received within the shortest possible period.
Furthermore, officials from my Department have been engaging with both the AAI and Tusla in respect of the ongoing implementation of services under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 . Both agencies advise that they have re-assigned staff members to work exclusively on processing applications and that they will continue to keep every person who is waiting for information informed about their application.
520. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if, during Dáil Committee Stage debate on the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022, he asserted that Section 11(2)(b) of the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 would ensure provision to applicants of the equivalent of a GDPR schedule (details supplied); if he will direct the relevant State bodies to provide a schedule of records held to every applicant under the Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15241/23]
View answerSection 11(2)(b), and other similar sections of the Birth Information and Tracing Act provide that when information is being released, a relevant body "may provide the applicant with a statement setting out the ... information contained in the records that it holds"
During the Dáil debates on the legislation, when the matter of providing a schedule was proposed in amendments, I stated my belief that the provision of a statement, rather than simply a schedule, would provide important context to the documents being released, and form part of a supportive approach which aims to help applicants understand what is being provided to them. I did not assert that applicants would be provided with a schedule of records.
As stipulated in the published guidelines, the statement as provided for in the Act, should include information which would help the applicant understand the records presented to them, in accordance with the principle of a supportive approach. The statement should also highlight upfront anything which may be beneficial for the applicant to be aware of in advance. This could include, for example, the use of language on historical records which would be considered insensitive or offensive today. I am happy that both Tusla and the Adoption Authority of Ireland are engaging in a supportive manner in this regard.
If requested, the Agency or the Authority can also provide additional support and guidance to the person in the interpretation of the records.
521. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of individuals making applications under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 who have been required to attend an information session, as defined in Section 17 of the Act, to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15242/23]
View answerApplications to information services established under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 opened in October 2022.
As of Monday 27 March 2023, 2,691 people have received their information. To date 26 information sessions as defined in Section 17 of the Act, have been completed prior to the release of information.
522. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide details of his engagement with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media concerning the compulsory provision of subtitles by all television stations and visually-based broadcast companies operating in Ireland. [15243/23]
View answerI have previously taken the opportunity to discuss this matter informally with my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. This remains an issue which is important to both myself and Minister Martin and we have committed to engaging again in the near future on the matter.
523. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many children under the age of 18 years are awaiting speech and language therapy in County Mayo; the average waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15279/23]
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.
524. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the average waiting time for development assessment of needs for children who present with signs of delayed development in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15280/23]
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.
525. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many people are employed through the HSE in occupational therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy and speech and language therapy in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15281/23]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
526. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many assessments of needs cases for children with disabilities have been outsourced to the national treatment purchase fund in 2020, 2021 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15291/23]
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.
