Written Answers Nos. 1-20
10. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of tourist accommodation centres and hotels currently under contract with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth that are expected to revert to the tourism trade for this year's tourist season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8565/23]
View answerThe International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is encountering significant challenges currently in providing accommodation to the elevated arrival numbers of international protection applicants. IPAS is also experiencing an accommodation shortfall for current residents due to the impending loss of contracts with large hotel contractors.
IPAS continues to rely on hotels for much of its existing accommodation capacity. However, a number of large hotels have informed IPAS that they are ending their contracts with IPAS either in full or partially. IPAS will lose 1,300 beds between now and the end of May 2023 as a result of contracts ending.
Although families are being prioritised for accommodation, some families, as well as single persons, may be affected by the closures.
Intensive efforts are being undertaken daily by staff in DCEDIY to source emergency accommodation with over 2,000 bed spaces having been procured for use since 1st January 2023 which is not sufficient to meet demand.
In addition IPAS has had to re-accommodate almost 2,000 people where hotel and short term emergency locations have ended in 2023.
On the Ukrainian response, my Department is in ongoing negotiations as contracts expire, with a significant number of hotels who have previously been accommodating Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPS) on a full board basis.
The Department circulated a questionnaire to providers seeking their intentions as to plans for renewal of contracts or otherwise. Initial indications are positive but negotiations are ongoing and a number of providers have yet to confirm their intentions.
Over the past few months, in relation to accommodation needs arising for those fleeing here, the Government has moved from an immediate crisis response to into a longer term response. Central to this is a move away from reliance on serviced accommodation and towards State-owned units. To this end, my Department is developing modular homes in locations across the country; alongside this, we have an expanded programme of refurbishments, and are developing alternative rapid build options.
12. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on his plans for improving gender equality. [12862/23]
View answerSignificant advances have been made in recent years to address inequality in Irish society, with the Government’s commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive and equal society re-affirmed through the Programme for Government commitments to achieve social solidarity, equality of opportunity and economic equity for all.
My Department leads on cross-government policy to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, and the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2021 has provided us with a whole-of-Government framework through which women’s empowerment continues to be advanced. While initially due to conclude in 2020, the Strategy was extended in recognition of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its implementation.
The Programme for Government includes a range of commitments in regard to advancing gender equality. These include a commitment to developing a successor to the Strategy and planning is currently underway. My Department has commissioned a study to evaluate the processes for implementation of three equality strategies, including the National Strategy for Women and Girls. Work on this study is at an advanced stage and it is expected to be published in the coming months. I will publish this study once it has been completed, and work to build the new Strategy will take place thereafter.
The Government also committed in the Programme for Government to responding to the recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly on gender equality and, informed by its work, to consider whether there should be a referendum on Article 41.2 of the Constitution. That work is underway following the announcement by the Taoiseach and myself on 8 March that policy proposals would be developed on wording on such a referendum. The new Strategy will respond to the other recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly. In the interim, the principles and priorities of the Strategy will continue to guide my Department’s work to advance equality in these areas.
Current priorities include progressing the Work Life Balance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022 before the Oireachtas and, once enacted, drafting regulations to give effect to its provisions, including in regard to the introduction of domestic violence leave and advancing the provision of maternity leave to Oireachtas members.
Also included in the Programme for Government are commitments to legislate to require publication of the gender pay gap in large companies, which was met in 2022 and followed by the publication in December 2022 of the first gender pay gap reports by employers with over 250 employees. The commitment to expand the Equality Budgeting Programme across government departments and agencies is also being met, led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in partnership with my Department.
13. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects paid domestic violence leave to come into effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15654/23]
View answer20. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that advocates for domestic violence sufferers are very critical of his failure to offer full pay to victims while out on leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15767/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 20 together.
The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 includes provisions which will introduce 5 days paid domestic violence leave in a 12 month period. The Bill has passed all stages in Dáil Éireann and in the Seanad and will be signed into law by the President. Once enacted, Ireland will become one of the first countries in Europe to introduce a right to paid leave for victims of domestic violence.
The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 is an important piece of legislation which introduces a range of new entitlements for employees and transposes the remaining elements of the EU Work Life Balance Directive. The Bill introduces 5 days leave for medical care purposes; it expands the entitlement to breastfeeding breaks to two years after the birth of the child; and introduces a right to request remote working for all employees, and flexible working for parents and carers. The introduction of domestic violence leave is a further important component of this legislation.
In developing the legislative proposals for domestic violence leave, my officials conducted a consultation process with a range of stakeholders which included victims' service providers and victims' representative groups; representatives of the business community and ICTU. An examination was also undertaken of international best practice in the introduction of domestic violence leave.
Arising from this work, the Domestic Violence Leave Report was prepared for Government which made recommendations as to how to address the needs of victims most effectively. The recommendations included the introduction of a form of domestic violence leave, to be paid by the employer, and for the development of supports to enable employers to develop their own domestic violence policies.
Domestic violence leave is intended to prevent a victim of domestic violence from losing employment – putting them at risk of falling into poverty - and will allow a victim to find alternative accommodation. It is also intended to enable them to seek help from An Garda Síochána or the Courts Service or to obtain help from support organisations. The leave can be taken immediately and flexibly, with no requirement for proof to be produced by the person availing of the leave. The leave can be taken by a person who has experienced in the past, or who is experiencing domestic violence.
The level of pay for the leave will be set out by regulation and these regulations will be prepared in the coming months to allow for commencement of the domestic violence leave provisions. In preparing these regulations, I will consult with domestic violence leave victims support organisations, employers, social partners and other relevant experts. I am acutely aware of the need to support employees in taking up this leave and this will be a fundamental consideration in developing the regulations.
In order to support employers in developing domestic violence workplace policies to complement the leave and which will better support employees experiencing domestic violence, my Department has conducted a request for tenders to commission the preparation of templates and supports for employers to develop domestic violence policies, and a provider will be in place shortly. This was a key recommendation of the Domestic Violence Leave report.
The introduction of domestic violence leave is an important achievement which I believe it will make a real and meaningful difference for victims of domestic violence. This leave was a commitment in the Programme for Government and I hope it will lead to greater openness and awareness of domestic violence in all it’s forms, and will provide the support victims need to stay in employment and to ensure their own safety and the safety of their loved ones.
15. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will review the funding criteria for family resource centres. in particular centres (details supplied) in Ballynacargy and Athlone, County Westmeath, whose funding has remained largely the same since they first opened despite a significant expansion of services being provided. [14842/23]
View answerThank you Deputy for your question, this is an area of interest for me, I know you have raised this directly with me on a number of occasions. The work that Family Resource Centres do is vital to so many families, vulnerable people and in many instances recent arrivals to our country. The Government greatly appreciates the work of Family Resource Centres funded by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.
Tusla Core funding to the Athlone FRC in 2019 was €105,073 and has risen to €114,739 for 2023. Caraphort FRC over the same years has gone from €94,910 to €103,641. These were challenging years and FRCs continued to perform important work for communities throughout the pandemic and during the arrival of so many new communities to Ireland.
This financial support is provided by way of a contribution towards the running costs of the centres, to cover the employment of two to three members of staff and some overhead costs. It should be noted other Government bodies also provide significant funding to Family Resource Centres to deliver services on their behalf. In 2020 more then half of their funding came from non-Tusla sources such as Local Authorities, ETBs, the HSE, Pobal or the Dept. of Social Protection.
Throughout 2018 and 2019, my Department provided Tusla with an additional €4.5 million to invest in the family resource centres programme. This funding facilitated the expansion of that programme to 121 family resource centres and provided additional supports in core funding for existing family resource centres. In 2019/2020 all Family Resource Centres were awarded an additional 5% once-off funding to support FRCs through the Covid period.
In 2022 all FRCs were awarded an additional 4% increase to their core funding (Sustainability Funding). The Family Resource Centres programme has also benefited from Dormant Account funding €650,000 in 2021 and €1 million in 2022. I am aware that Family Resource Centres are providing significant levels of assistance on the ground in communities who are welcoming Ukrainian people and I have asked Tusla to continue to support Family Resource Centres in those efforts.
A spending review of Tusla-funded family support services is ongoing. A summary of the review was published in December 2022 and two detailed chapters are expected in the near future. This review will help inform future priorities for investment in these services.
I will continue to engage with Tusla, and Family Resource Centres on the key issue of their funding and sustainability of the valuable services they provide to our communities. I will consider Tusla's provision of Family support services in my Performance Framework for Tusla for the period 2024-2026.
In the meantime, Tusla continues to work with community-based family support organisations to best meet the needs of vulnerable children, families and communities.
16. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will revisit his emergency accommodation policy published on 24 January that announced a pause in provision of emergency shelter to international protection adults arriving to Citywest; the number of international protection adults who are currently without accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15764/23]
View answerThe situation in Citywest remains under constant review.
The number of international protection applicants seeking accommodation from the State remains at elevated levels. As of 26 March, 2,475 persons requested International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation so far in 2023. As at 26 March, there are over 20,200 people accommodated by IPAS compared to 10,000 at this time last year.
While IPAS has procured over 2,000 beds since 1 January 2023, this is not sufficient to meet demand, particularly in relation to accommodation for single males. As of 28 March, 425 single males have not been accommodated. IPAS offers accommodation in sequence to those not originally accommodated on a strict chronological basis. 322 people who were previously not offered accommodation have subsequently been offered it.
However, the period elapsing before an offer of accommodation can be made is lengthening because of the competing need to accommodate those losing accommodation in the hotels which are ending in March / April.
IPAS has already re-accommodated 1,200 of the 1,400 people affected by hotel closures but regrets that despite best efforts it has been unable to source accommodation for the remaining 209 people affected.
Since the outbreak of the current crisis, over 800 accommodation contracts have been put in place with over 44,735 beds in hotels, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain emergency or repurposed settings, including sports facilities, tented accommodation, and office buildings.
All of the limited accommodation capacity within the IPAS system is currently being used. Officials continue to seek accommodation solutions to the increasing numbers of IP arrivals and are in ongoing negotiations with providers to bring on more capacity that will meet basic needs and prevent homelessness.
Over 100 emergency accommodation locations have been brought into use since January 2022 across 17 counties.
18. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the use of the ward of court process when vulnerable persons are transferred to long-term nursing home care. [6614/23]
View answerWardship is a disempowering system that places a third party’s assessment of a person’s “best interests” above that person’s own will and preference.
The Government is committed to the abolition of wardship and to replacing it with a more person-centred and rights-based model. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 changes the existing law on capacity from the status approach of the wardship system to a flexible approach, whereby capacity is assessed on an issue and time-specific basis.
The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022 was signed into law on 17 December last, and paves the way for the commencement of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. Commencement of the 2015 Act will abolish the wards of court system for adults by repealing the Lunacy Regulation (Ireland) Act 1871. The amending legislation also improves safeguards under the 2015 Act, and will streamline processes to make them more accessible for those relying on its provisions.
Under the new legislation, certain decision supporters will be entitled to make personal welfare decisions, including accommodation decisions, but will not be entitled to act in a manner that is manifestly contrary to a person's will and preference.
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. Wardship will be replaced by a new model of tiered decision-making supports for persons lacking capacity, ensuring that such persons have the necessary assistance to make important everyday decisions.
The commencement of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022, and the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, will happen on 26 April, and at that point wards of court can make applications to have their wardship case reviewed, and will be able transition to the new arrangements being provided for.
