Written Answers Nos. 453-477
453. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the scheme of investment aid for the development of the commercial horticulture sector will be launched; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19501/23]
View answerThe Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector provides support to the horticulture sector in the form of grant aid for capital investments in specialised plant and equipment.
The Scheme is subject to EU Guidelines for State Aid in the Agricultural and Forestry Sector and in Rural Areas (Agricultural Guidelines).
New Agricultural Guidelines came into force on 1st January 2023. As a result, my Department had to notify the Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector to the EU Commission under these new Agricultural Guidelines. The required notification was submitted in early January and my Department is currently awaiting approval from the EU Commission which has resulted in the delayed opening of the 2023 Scheme.
Once approval is received, my Department will launch the 2023 Scheme without delay as we recognise the importance of Scheme to the horticulture sector and the challenges being faced by growers.
454. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the investment aid for the development of the commercial horticulture sector will be in place in 2023 in order to give security to the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19521/23]
View answerThe Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector provides support to the horticulture sector in the form of grant aid for capital investments in specialised plant and equipment.
The Scheme is subject to EU Guidelines for State Aid in the Agricultural and Forestry Sector and in Rural Areas (Agricultural Guidelines).
New Agricultural Guidelines came into force on 1st January 2023. As a result, my Department had to notify the Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector to the EU Commission under these new Agricultural Guidelines. The required notification was submitted in early January and my Department is currently awaiting approval from the EU Commission which has resulted in the delayed opening of the 2023 Scheme.
Once approval is received, my Department will launch the 2023 Scheme without delay as we recognise the importance of Scheme to the horticulture sector and the challenges being faced by growers.
455. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on proposed changes to payment dates for his Department's grants including ANC payments for 2023; the rationale behind this proposed date change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19535/23]
View answerThe new CAP 2023-2027 came into force this year and payments will commence in the final quarter of the year across a very broad range of schemes. With this being the first year of the new CAP Strategic Plan, a whole range of new schemes are being introduced along with substantial changes to existing schemes over a relatively short time period.
The Department is fully committed to making payments to farmers under the various schemes at the earliest date possible and to the maximum number of farmers possible. This commitment to farmers is evidenced in the very high payment rates achieved across all schemes over the last number of years in both EU and Exchequer funded schemes.
Almost €1.8bn will be paid to farmers across the country during this period. At EU level, Ireland ranks amongst the most efficient Member States in getting payments to farmers expediently and in line with the legal requirements of relevant attendant EU Regulation.
The new CAP represents a significant evolution of the policy compared to previous iterations. It needs to be clearly understood by all stakeholders that the new CAP introduced a whole new delivery model and established several new schemes.
In 2023, the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) is replaced by the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS). While payment will still be paid based on Payment Entitlements, there are substantial changes to the BISS compared to the BPS, including very positive changes to land eligibility and a new active farmer check.
The land eligibility rules have changes from the previous CAP, to allow scheme payments on greater areas of scrub and other areas deemed beneficial for the climate and environment. The active farmer check is being introduced to ensure the person receiving the scheme payments is the person farming the land.
These are all important changes, which will benefit farmers. An advance payment for BISS is expected to be paid on 24th October 2023, in line with the mid-October payment date in previous years.
The other schemes connected to the BISS include:
• The Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS), which is a completely new scheme in 2023. It is commonly known as front-loading. An advance payment for the new CRISS is expected to be paid on 24 October 2023, along with the BISS payment.
• The new Eco Scheme, which replaces many elements of the old Greening Scheme but is essentially a new annual agri-environment scheme starting in 2023. It is designed with a menu of actions so as to make it attractive to as many farmers as possible. An advance payment for the new Eco-scheme is expected to be paid on 31 October 2023.
• Balancing payments for BISS, CRISS and the Eco scheme are expected to issue in December 2023, the same timeline as previous years.
• The Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers (CIS-YF), which replaces the Young Farmer Scheme in 2023. The CIS-YF payment is expected to be paid in December, the same timeline as previous years.
• The Protein Aid Scheme, which is an existing scheme and is largely unchanged in 2023. The Protein Aid Scheme payment is expected to be paid in December, the same timeline as previous years.
• The Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC), which is an existing scheme but with significant changes to the stocking rate requirement in 2023. The ANC scheme payment is expected to be paid on 17 October, instead of the previous September payment date.
• The Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM), which was a pilot scheme in 2021 & 2022 and is largely unchanged in 2023. The SIM scheme payment is expected to be paid in December, the same timeline as previous years.
• The annual claims for new Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) and the expanded Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) are also made through the BISS application. The ACRES and OFS payments are expected to be paid in November 2023. It was announced at the end of February, that all valid applications from the 46,000 applications submitted would be accepted into the Scheme in 2023.
In addition, the mechanisms used by my Department to check the scheme requirements for many of the schemes are also changing in 2023, especially with the mandatory introduction of the Area Monitoring System as required under EU regulations.
The Area Monitoring System has many significant benefits for Irish farmers including a reduction in the number of on-farm physical inspections and the introduction of warning alerts to farmers so as to minimise the occurrence of non-compliances, allowing farmers to correct mistakes and giving farmers and advisors more time to respond to queries with no impact on their payment.
The Department is also mindful of the substantial workload of advisors in 2023, including the ACRES scorecards, over the summer months.
It should also be noted that the closing date for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and other area-based schemes applications (including the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme) is Monday 29 May 2023, two weeks later than previous years and thereby providing farmers and advisors more time to understand the new scheme requirements and to submit their applications before the closing date.
The timelines for all schemes, including the planned payment dates, have been set taking account of the impact of introducing a whole suite of new schemes, new applications systems, new monitoring systems, new validation and processing systems and new payment systems.
These changes were brought about as a result of the move from the out-going CAP to the new CAP Strategic Plan. The implementation of the range of new schemes and the substantial changes to existing schemes is a big challenge for the Department, for farmers and for Advisors. The scheme implementation timelines, including closing dates and payments dates, is an ambitious timeline, and it will require intensive and focused effort from all concerned to ensure that payments can be made in the October - December period.
I want to ensure that we issue payments as quickly as possible to as many farmers as possible as I recognise how critical they are.
456. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a landowner who is getting his agriculture payments (details supplied) is allowed to deny access to people with turbary rights to cut their own turf for their own use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19561/23]
View answerDisputes that arise between a land owner and a turbary right owner are a private matter between the parties concerned and it would not be appropriate or helpful for me or my Department to comment or offer advice on such matters.
457. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a refund for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19576/23]
View answerMy Department has been in contact with the person named and he has undertaken to submit additional information. Once this information is received the Department will consider it further and will contact the person named regarding the matter.
459. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number and total value of contracts his Department has had over the past 12 months with KPMG; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20023/23]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has had three contracts with KPMG in the past 12 months which are set out in the attached table.
|
Details of contract |
Value of Contract € |
|
Provision of Business Intelligence and Analytics Services for the Data Analytics Unit within the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
291,600 |
|
Cost benefit analysis on actions identified by the report Opportunities for the Irish Horticulture Sector |
22,400 |
|
Business Consultancy Services to develop a National Biomethane Strategy |
145,875 |
460. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a review of allowances for people going through IVF will be examined (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19049/23]
View answer461. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the plans the Government has to introduce paid leave for people going through IVF treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19176/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 460 and 461 together.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is examining the needs of working parents regarding reproductive health including the issues raised in the Private Member’s Bill, the Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021.
At present, under the Maternity Protection Acts, a pregnant employee is entitled to paid time off work to attend ante-natal medical appointments and classes.
Family leave provisions are kept under review to ensure that they are appropriate to the needs of working parents.
462. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amounts paid by the HSE to the Galro Centre, Kilbixy Paddocks, County Westmeath for the provision of weekend day-respite services for children with additional needs; the criteria and conditions of this funding; whether the centre remains entitled to exclude children from the service; whether a review will be conducted in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19571/23]
View answerAs the question refers to a service matter, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply.
463. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the HSE will provide funding for a facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19594/23]
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.
464. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason those who are undertaking community service have had their access to Columb Barracks, Mullingar removed, given the ongoing work that they were participating in on that site. [18929/23]
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 80,000 people arriving in Ireland, including 59,000 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.
The priority is to place people fleeing the war in safe and secure accommodation.
I am advised by my officials that the Department understands that informal arrangements have been in place on a grace and favour basis with some community groups and other public sector bodies in relation to the use of aspects of the former barracks. My Department is advised that the reported use for community service was not made known to the Department of Defence.
465. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when an accommodation provider for Ukrainian refugees (details supplied) who is experiencing financial difficulties will receive payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19007/23]
View answerMy Department is prioritising maintaining a practice of more timely payments, including providing more resources to address any issues, and outsourcing of elements of the process to speed up processing and respond to supplier calls. Any delays in making payments are deeply regretted and my Department is according this issue very high priority.
With regard to the service provider mentioned in the details supplied, I am advised by my officials that following engagement with the provider on several aspects of these invoices, they are currently being processed as priority, with payments expected to issue in the coming weeks, pending final checks.
My Department will continue to press on to eliminate the payments backlog while ensuring appropriate governance is in place to safeguard the proper spending of Exchequer funding.
466. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects the first person who was a child in the Mother and Baby Homes to receive redress under the new scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19050/23]
View answerI am acutely aware of the sense of urgency surrounding the establishment of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme and I am focused on delivering the Scheme as soon as possible. The Payment Scheme Bill was passed by Dáil Éireann in February and has just completed second stage in the Seanad.
The other very important element to allow for the opening of the Scheme is the establishment of an independent Executive Office to administer it. Intensive work to progress this is also underway in my Department, alongside the work to provide the enabling legislation. Subject to the legislation being passed and enacted, and the administrative structures being established, the Scheme will open for applications as soon as possible in 2023.
467. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans in Budget 2024 to increase financial supports for carers in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19090/23]
View answerWhile the question refers to carers, my reply outlined below is in respect of foster care, which falls under the remit of my Department.
Foster carers are paid a weekly allowance, which is a payment to meet the needs of the child in their care. The foster care allowance is currently €325 per week for a child under 12 years of age and €352 per week for a child aged 12 years and over. The allowance is not considered as means for social welfare purposes, and is not subject to tax. Enhanced and additional allowances can be paid in certain circumstances.
I am aware of concerns raised about the basic rates of the foster care allowance, which have not been increased since 2009. I am also aware of the disappointment among foster carers that provision was not made in Budget 2023 to increase the rates of the foster care allowance.
I can assure the Deputy that it will be a priority of mine to secure an increase to the rates of the foster care allowance in future budgets.
In relation to the overall suite of supports for foster carers, I can advise the Deputy that I continue to engage with Tusla around the issue of travel costs incurred by foster carers when they are facilitating access or medical visits for the foster child.
I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to work with Tusla and with my Government colleagues and any other relevant stakeholders going forward, seeking to review and improve the suite of supports available to foster carers.
468. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the weekly allowance payable to foster carers will be increased in line with inflation or if retrospective payment will be made as current rates have remained static since 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19091/23]
View answerFoster carers are paid a weekly allowance, which is a payment to meet the needs of the child in their care. The foster care allowance is currently €325 per week for a child under 12 years of age and €352 per week for a child aged 12 years and over. The allowance is not considered as means for social welfare purposes, and is not subject to tax. Enhanced and additional allowances can be paid in certain circumstances.
I am aware of concerns raised about the basic rates of the foster care allowance, which have not been increased since 2009. I am also aware of the disappointment among foster carers that provision was not made in Budget 2023 to increase the rates of the foster care allowance.
Subsequent to Budget 2023 I met with the CEO of Tusla and discussed the issue of payments for foster carers. It was agreed that a single additional once off cost of living payment in respect of each child in foster care would be paid. This payment, which was the equivalent of an additional weekly payment, was made to foster carers in November of last year. It was my intention that this once off payment would go some way to alleviating the financial pressures foster carers are currently facing.
I can assure the Deputy that it will be a priority of mine to secure an increase to the rates of the foster care allowance in future budgets.
469. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of individuals and couples currently registered as foster carers with Tusla; if he will provide a breakdown of the number of foster carers in the State from 2009 to 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19092/23]
View answerAs this relates to Tusla operational matters, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.
470. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on foster carers who give up work to care for children being eligible to avail of the full State pension (contributory); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19093/23]
View answerI am aware that eligibility in respect of the State Pension (Contributory) is an issue of genuine concern for foster carers. The Department of Social Protection has some measures available to recognise caring periods outside of paid employment in the calculation of a State Pension payment. Credit for Home Caring Periods may be awarded to a maximum of 20 years and foster carers are entitled to the benefits of this scheme, on the same basis as other carers, once certain qualifying criteria are met.
Further, the Report of the Pensions Commission contains a recommendation in respect of long-term carers. Specifically, the Commission recommends that long-term carers (defined as caring for more than 20 years) should be given access to the State Pension Contributory by having retrospective contributions paid for them by the Exchequer when approaching pension age for any gaps in their contribution history arising from caring.
I can advise that officials from my Department have been engaging with their counterparts in the Department of Social Protection in respect of this recommendation, in relation to the inclusion of foster carers within the cohort of long-term carers.
I will continue to work with my Government colleagues and any other relevant stakeholders seeking to improve the supports available to foster carers.
471. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will examine additional payments for foster carers in order to recruit more foster carers into the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19094/23]
View answerAs of the end of January 2023 approximately 90% of children in care were being cared for by foster carers. While this record compares favourably internationally, I am aware that there is an ongoing difficulty in maintaining the number of foster carers in Ireland in line with demand for these placements.
Additionally I am aware of concerns raised by stakeholders in respect of the basic rates of the foster care allowance and issues around recruitment and retention of foster carers. I can inform the Deputy that a priority of mine going forward will be to secure an increase to the foster care allowance in future budgets.
Subsequent to Budget 2023 I met with Tusla, and discussed the issue of payments for foster carers. It was agreed that a single additional once off cost of living payment in respect of each child in foster care would be paid. This payment, which was the equivalent of an additional weekly payment, was made to foster carers in November of last year. It was my intention that this once off payment would go some way to alleviating the financial pressures foster carers are currently facing.
Additionally I have been engaging with Tusla around the issue of travel costs incurred by foster carers when they are facilitating access or medical visits for the foster child.
I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to work with Tusla and with my Government colleagues and any other relevant stakeholders going forward, seeking to review and improve the suite of supports available to foster carers.
472. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a breakdown on the number of payments foster carers are currently entitled to; what those payments were in monetary value from 2009 to 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19095/23]
View answerAs this relates to Tusla operational matters, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.
473. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the position regarding any Departmental initiatives that seek to increase environmentally friendly practices in the early years sector, with a particular emphasis on promoting biodiversity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19159/23]
View answerThe second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) – ESD to 2030, launched last year, is co-sponsored by the Department of Education, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and my Department. ESD to 2030 covers a wide spectrum of areas and addresses issues in relation to the environment and biodiversity. ESD to 2030 aims to ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills required to promote sustainable development. ESD to 2030 spans the continuum of education in Ireland, from early learning and care to third level education and research, and extends beyond to engage with local communities, and youth groups through lifelong learning. The Implementation Plan, accompanying ESD to 2030, includes a number of actions aimed at promoting outdoor play in ELC and SAC, and embedding ESD in the curriculum at all levels of education. Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework, which includes as a key goal, learning about the natural environment and its features, materials, animals, and plants, and children’s own responsibility as carers, is in the process of being updated.
In addition to this, my Department is supporting the New Foundations Scheme on Global Citizenship Education and Education for Sustainable Development in both formal and non-formal education from early learning and care to adult education under which the Irish Research Council is inviting applications.
My Department is also developing a First 5 Garden of Wonder and Discovery at Bord Bia Bloom 2023, taking place in the Phoenix Park over the June Bank Holiday weekend, 1 to 5 June. The Garden will be an innovative way to reflect the values outlined in First 5 and to promote the importance of outdoor play in the natural world.
My Department has also had the opportunity, in recent years, to be involved in National Heritage Week by sponsoring the Wild Child Award. The Wild Child award is presented to the Heritage Week project that most successfully encouraged children and families to get out and explore the local heritage, biodiversity and sustainability. Wild Child embodies the sentiment of many of our aims under First 5 including to build strong and supportive communities, encourage optimum physical and mental health, and to promote positive play based and outdoor early learning.
Finally, the €70m allocated to my Department for the Building Blocks Capital Programme under the National Development Plan, comprises three pillars: Building Blocks - Improvement Grant, Building Blocks - Capacity Grant and Building Blocks - Innovation Grant. The €9 million Building Blocks - Improvement Grant was launched by my Department late last year and applicants were advised of the outcome on 4th April. Grants will range from €35,000 to €75,000 across two separate strands: Green Energy and Retrofit. The Green Energy Strand will support the Climate Action Agenda and the Programme for Government, which aim to transition to a carbon neutral economy by the end of 2050 and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030. Under this scheme, all early learning and childcare services were required to consider the Universal Design Guidelines in the refurbishment, renovation and building of facilities. The Universal Design Guidelines gives practical information on creating safe, functional environments for children that provide opportunities for interaction, exploration, learning and play. The design of both the Building Blocks - Capacity Grant scheme and the Innovation Grant are currently underway. These grants will aim to address capacity gaps, fund the expansion of existing services and invest in the development of new services where most needed. I hope to provide more details of these two grant schemes in the coming months.
474. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he plans to establish a reception centre at a site (details supplied); the proposed duration that it is envisioned the location will be a permanent base for persons; and the supports that will be available to those arising over and above what is available locally, that is additional GP services, early learning centres and so on. [19175/23]
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, including 80,000 people, of which over 59,000 have sought accommodation.
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.
The priority is to place people in safe and secure accommodation.
I am advised by my officials that the property referred to by the Deputy has been contracted by my Department and will start receiving Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection in May. The contract is of 12 months duration.
Matters relating to GP services and schools are appropriate to the Department of Health and Department of Education respectively who are also assisting those fleeing the war in Ukraine as part of the whole of Government response.
My Department has been proactive in implementing early years’ supports for children. We have introduced targeted measures to expand ELC capacities. So far, over 500 Stay and Play sessions have taken place in accommodation centres and other venues including local libraries and community centres across the country. Ukrainian children have free access to the ECCE programme and have access to the National Childcare Scheme through its sponsorship route for refugee children where places are available. Parents have access to the City and County Childcare Committee if they have difficulty in finding a preschool place on the ECCE programme in each county. A range of CPD courses and resources for early years educators have been developed including supports for trauma informed practice which was a collaboration with Barnardo's and a number of focused webinars have been developed for educators. These are available on the First 5 website. Children in the ECCE preschool programme have access to AIM supports for children with additional needs. My Department has funded play mats packs for children under 2 living in space limited accommodation. CYSPC’s are delivering this action. Bilingualism approaches for educators are in development with colleagues in Early Childhood Ireland. The City and County Childcare Committees sit on the local authority Community Forum to co-ordinate the response from the ELC sector and represent the Department at the county level. The Parent and Toddler Grant scheme has been extended to include Buggy Walking Groups and an additional €75,000 to support local community groups to engage with Ukrainian families, has been added to bring the total allocated to €325,000. Take up appears to be significant.
475. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will make supports available to children under three years who require tube feeding who must attend childcare. [19179/23]
View answerMy Department provides funding to services to use for, amongst other things, training and supports for early years educators. The new funding stream - “Core Funding” - is funding directly to providers (supply-side funding) and is designed to improve affordability, quality, inclusion and sustainability. Core Funding facilitates quality enhancements across services by contributing towards non-contact time, such as continuing professional development, curriculum implementation, and collaboration. Core Funding operates alongside the NCS and ECCE and constitutes additional income for providers on top of funding for these schemes, as well as income from parental fees.
Providers can utilise the public funding for both contact-time and non-contact time as they see fit to meet the needs of children attending their service. As such, providers can use this funding to access training and support with regard to tube feeding.
For children in ECCE, the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) is in place to support children with additional needs. The goal of AIM is to create a more inclusive environment in preschools, so all children, regardless of ability, can benefit from quality early learning and care. The model achieves this by providing universal supports to preschool settings, and targeted supports, which focus on the needs of the individual child, without requiring a diagnosis of disability.
To participate in ECCE (and therefore to access AIM) children must have turned 2 years and 8 months of age before 31 August and not be older than 5 years and 6 months of age on or before 30 June of the programme year. One of the commitments within First 5, a Government Strategy for Babies and Children, was to undertake an end-of-year-three evaluation of AIM. That evaluation has now been completed, with the final report due to be published later this year. Subject to evaluation findings and other relevant developments, Department officials will be considering enhancements to, and/or expansion of AIM to, for example, to children outside of the eligible age range for the ECCE programme.
In addition, I would note that my Department is currently operating the Complex Healthcare Needs (CHN) trial in collaboration with the Department of Health (DoH) and the Health Service Executive (HSE). The CHN trial provides nursing support to facilitate a child’s attendance during Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE) hours where the child has complex medical needs and is in receipt of a Paediatric Home care Package (PHCP). The HSE Key Contact must complete a clinical nursing need assessment. If the assessment determines that nursing support is required to attend preschool, a registered nurse will be engaged as an extension of the HSE Paediatric Home Care Package.
476. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the funding streams and training options available to assist in caring for children with disabilities who require tube feeding but are under three-years-of-age. [19180/23]
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.
477. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason a child (details supplied) who is nearly four years of age has still not had an assessment of need carried out. [19190/23]
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.
