Written Answers Nos. 360-379
360. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of external consultant reports commissioned by his Department in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; the cost of same; the company involved; the title and publication date, by report, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20549/23]
View answer361. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of external consultant reports commissioned by the bodies under his Department's aegis in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; the cost of same; the company involved; the title and publication date, by report, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20550/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 360 and 361 together.
My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
362. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of plans to legally ban conversion therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20573/23]
View answerThe Programme for Government contains a commitment to legislate to ban conversion therapy. The National LGBTI Youth Strategy 2018 – 2020 and the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019 – 2021 contain commitments in relation to conversion therapy. The LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy provides for the prohibition of “the promotion or practice of conversion therapy by health professionals in Ireland” and the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy commits to investigating conversion therapy in Ireland and following up with appropriate counter measures.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth commissioned research into the issue of conversion therapy. The multi-phased mixed-methodology research was carried out by Trinity College Dublin, School of Nursing and Midwifery, and a report of the findings was published in February 2023. The research provides an insight into how conversion therapy practices operate in Ireland. It also includes an examination of the growing body of recent international research literature in the area. The findings of the research indicate that conversion therapy practices take place in Ireland, and has developed understanding of how these practices operate. It confirms the harm that is inflicted on those who experience such practices.
Given the potential complex and sensitive nature of the proposed legislation, the Government is carefully considering the underpinning policy matters to ensure that vulnerable members of society are protected from these harmful practices. Work on the plan to draft legislation is ongoing including the identification of the key legal issues, and is a priority for Government this year. It is planned that legislative proposals will be brought forward by the end of the year, informed by this research and international best practice.
363. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if will report on the progress of the €3 billion allocation to remove 18 young adults from the nursing home setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20581/23]
View answerThe Ombudsman’s Report ‘Wasted Lives’ looks at the appropriateness of the placement of people under 65 in nursing homes.
We know that nursing homes are an appropriate care option where the person concerned has a clinically assessed complex medical and social care requirement that cannot be supported in the person’s home. However, for some people under the age of 65 nursing homes are not an appropriate placement, and alternative, more sustainable supported living solutions are needed to give them greater independence and choice in their daily lives.
There is a clear Government commitment to reduce and provide a pathway to eliminate the practice of accommodating young people with serious disabilities in nursing homes. In this context, work has been ongoing with the HSE to address nursing home care of people under 65 who wish to live elsewhere.
In 2021 this Government provided for a Pilot Scheme as part of the HSE National Service Plan (NSP) to enable 18 people, with an investment of €3 million, under the age of 65yrs to transition to their own home with support. This allocation was fully disbursed across all nine CHO Areas.
Budget 2022 provided a further allocation of €5.5 million to address the situation of people with disabilities who may be inappropriately placed in nursing homes, thus commencing the move of a further cohort of individuals from 2022.
Funding of €16.8m is provided in 2022/2023 to support the move of inappropriately placed under 65s from nursing homes.
I am advised by the HSE that for 2021 that 14 transitions took place. From January 2022 to February 2023, 28 people have transitioned from Nursing Homes to homes of their choosing in the community.
364. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total allocation of his Department's budget to the provision of personal assistance services, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20582/23]
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.
365. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when IPAS will issue a payment to an accommodation provider (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20590/23]
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 referred to, I am advised by my officials that one payment was made this week and a further payment is expected to issue shortly 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.
366. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a person (details supplied) who is awaiting a substantial payment yet again for housing Ukrainian families will receive this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20600/23]
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 to 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 referred to, I am advised by my officials that all of the invoices referred to in the Details Supplied have been processed, with payment expected to issue shortly, 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.
367. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has engaged with his colleague in the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in the context of seeking funding to directly fund or devolve to Tusla for use in youth-focused community and voluntary organisations. [20662/23]
View answerI am in regular contact with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform with regard to the funding for my Department and its aegis bodies. My Department funds over 600 organisations in the community and voluntary sector. The bulk of that funding is distributed through Tusla.
Officials from my Department are in regular contact with officials in the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform regarding the funding streams to my Department.
As you are aware, in advance of the annual Budget announcement in October of each year, there is an Estimates process which commences in the summer (usually July). As budget holder for Tusla’s core annual funding budget, my Department co-ordinates and submits an Estimates bid to the Department of Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.
As part of this process, Tusla develops and submits a detailed Estimates bid, in which Tusla outlines budget requirements for the following year. In addition, both Tusla and my Department receive many prebudget submissions from the Community and Voluntary sector making observations and suggestions as regard the impending budget. In its bid Tusla includes any estimated requirements for funding to enhance existing services to meet current and expected demand, or for new developments in services, should funding be available.
There is a period of consultation within DCEDIY and between the Department and Tusla.
Following submission of the bid to the Department of Expenditure National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, further discussions and meetings between the Ministers of both departments occur, and in an area with many competing priorities and a hotly contested fiscal space Tusla’s budget for the following year is announced on Budget day.
368. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will increase funding for youth services in view of new census data as it is published; if he will outline the rationale for the freezing of funding at 18% below 2009 levels; and his plans to increase funding to the sector in budget 2024. [20663/23]
View answerMy Department is making a significant investment in youth services in 2023, the full package of funding for youth services and programmes in my Department is €75 million. This includes €72.95 million for current funding and €2.7 million in capital funds for minor works, equipment, and contributions towards playgrounds with local authorities.
From 2020 to Budget 2023, current Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes increased from €61.789 million to €72.95 million, an 18% increase overall.
With regard to future funding of youth work, the total amount allocated to this area will be determined in the annual budgetary process. I remain committed to supporting this important sector and will continue to champion the future of youth work in Budget 2024.
369. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on plans to increase respite for children and adults with disabilities in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20690/23]
View answerAs this question refers to an operational matter I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
370. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many assessments of needs were completed in CHO 7 in 2021 and 2022, broken down by CDNT areas. [20691/23]
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.
371. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many service statements were delivered to families in CHO 7 in 2021 and 2022, broken down by CDNT areas. [20692/23]
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.
372. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on IPAS plans to use a location (details supplied) in Dublin 22 for the provision of temporary accommodation for people seeking international protection in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20705/23]
View answerFurther to the PQ 15673 response of 3rd April.
Remedial works have now been completed in Dolcain House and are awaiting sign off from the relevant authorities in the coming weeks.
Once this has been attained, IPAS will once again accommodate International Protection Applicants (IPAs) in the property.
There are currently almost 550 IPAs who remain unaccommodated by IPAS and the acute shortfall of available accommodation means that any available capacity is urgently needed so to provide shelter to those currently unaccommodated.
373. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a response will issue to a request made by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20775/23]
View answerThe organisation referred to by the Deputy held a briefing event for Oireachtas members on 27 April. I attended this event along with other members of the Oireachtas.
Representatives of this organisation, including the Chairperson of the Board and CEO, met with officials in my Department on 27 April, where the issues raised in the Oireachtas briefing were discussed. A reply to the issues raised by the organisation in the document referred to by the Deputy is being prepared.
374. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE allocations for the Carlow disability network team; the number of WTE posts vacant on 1 April 2023, broken down by discipline; the current caseload numbers for this team, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20777/23]
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.
375. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE allocations for the Enniscorthy children's disability network team; the number of WTE posts vacant on 1 April 2023, broken down by discipline; the current caseload numbers for this team, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20778/23]
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.
376. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE allocations for the Wexford children's disability network team; the number of WTE posts vacant on 1 April 2023, broken down by discipline; the current caseload numbers for this team, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20779/23]
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.
377. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the number of people who applied for, but were not granted, a primary medical certificate in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20756/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
378. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health in relation to children requiring paediatric intensive care, and the fact transportation services only operate between the hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., if consideration will be given to extending the service to a 24-7 basis, in line with accepted emergency services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20207/23]
View answerThe National Ambulance Service (NAS) Critical Care & Retrieval Service (NAS-CCRS) delivers the model of care for retrieval services in Ireland. The NAS-CCRS provides a comprehensive retrieval/transfer system for seriously ill babies, children and adults throughout Ireland. The NAS provides CCRS services between hospitals for children aged between 4 weeks and 16 years through the Irish Paediatric Acute Transport Service (IPATS), as well as for infants aged under 6 weeks through its National Neonatal Transport Programme (NNTP). Delivery of these services is dependent upon partnerships between the NAS and the participating hospitals. In relation to the Deputy' specific inquiries concerning children requiring paediatric intensive care I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly with any further pertinent information that it may have, as soon as possible.
379. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be admitted to the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20208/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
