Written Answers Nos. 1062-1077
1062. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to ensure that a building (details supplied) being used to accommodate refugees has a fire certificate. [27732/23]
View answerThe International Protection Procurement Section (IPPS) requested a copy of a valid fire certification as part of the appraisal process before offering a contract to the provider.
The Department received a valid fire certificate for residential use with regards to the property in question on the 17th of April 2023.
1063. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the senior Departmental officials will meet with an organisation (details supplied). [27734/23]
View answerI thanks the Deputy for the question and can confirm that my Department has received correspondence from the organisation specified in the details supplied requesting a meeting. I am also aware that this correspondence has been acknowledged and that arrangements are being made by officials in my Department to meet with the aforementioned organisation.
1064. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions being taken to house homeless refugees camping at Mount Street’s International Protection Office; if the gathering of non-IPAT homeless individuals has been noted by his Department; and the efforts that are being to end drug use in the camp by such individuals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27748/23]
View answerThe International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres are operating at full capacity across the accommodation system due to the record numbers of people arriving to Ireland seeking international protection. Officials continue to work tirelessly seek accommodation solutions to the increasing numbers of international protection applicant (IPA) arrivals.
Emergency centres have been opened in all parts of the country to alleviate pressure in the system. There have been in excess of 150 accommodation locations utilised since January 2022 across 23 counties. These options are necessary in order to provide shelter to international protection arrivals, to meet basic needs and to prevent homelessness.
The Department is continuing to engage with providers on new accommodation and it is hoped that a number of properties will come into use this week, pending finalisation of fire certification matters with the relevant authorities, that will accommodate a significant number of those currently unaccommodated resulting in a reduction of the numbers of people currently unaccommodated.
As at 13 June the number of IPAs currently unaccommodated stands at 46, with 1,462 IPAs who were previously unaccommodated having subsequently received an accommodation offer. Further offers of accommodation will happen this week. Arrangements are also being made for a temporary tented facility to be established at the former Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum which, once established, will be for use by international protection applicants who are not accommodated initially.
Matters in relation to anti-social behaviour or drug use remain a matter for An Garda Síochána.
1065. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of beds, in tabular form, in each unit, in each LHO, assigned for respite for relatives of families aged 18 years and older; and the cost per centre and staff allocated per centre of respite, in tabular form. [27751/23]
View answerAs the query relates to service matters, I am referring it to the HSE for direct response to the Deputy.
1066. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if exit interviews or questionnaires are conducted when staff leave Children’s Disability Network Teams; if so, to provide analysis of the responses given; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27845/23]
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.
1067. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which it is expected to augment social facilities in the vicinity of Firmount, Clane, County Kildare, in the event of the deployment of refugees there at, if social or community facilities can be augmented to ensure the best possible standards are applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27859/23]
View answerThe Department is at the very early stages of negotiations in relation to a property in Clane, Co. Kildare.
A full assessment of the property must be undertaken before any appraisal can take place as to the suitability of its use.
1068. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the grounds upon which a person (details supplied) may not get redress, who is a potential beneficiary under the Mother and Baby Home Redress Programme, but who understands that despite being affected in a similar way to others, may not get redress on the basis of their lesser stay in the institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27864/23]
View answerThe Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will provide financial payments and health supports in the form of an enhanced medical card to eligible persons who spent time in Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions.
The Payment Scheme is designed to be non-adversarial and will not require applicants to bring forward evidence of abuse or harm suffered.
It is not possible to comment on eligibility in individual cases in advance of the Scheme being open and an application being assessed in full and in accordance with all eligibility criteria.
The decision not to include children who spent less than 180 days in a relevant institution is not intended to disregard or diminish any person’s experience and Government recognises that there are people who will be disappointed by this.
It is important to emphasise that the scheme is just one element of the Government’s response to the country’s complex legacy of Mother and Baby Institutions. The government published an Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions on 16 November 2021. This Plan is inclusive and responds to the diverse needs and priority concerns of all concerned. The actions are designed to support survivors in a number of ways and to contribute to healing and future well-being. Information on the progress of the Plan can be found on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/dcediy.
1069. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will commit to entering into a formal agreement to address the pay disparity of Section 39 organisations; if he will develop a multi-annual, sustainable funding model for voluntary organisations; if he will conduct a review of the out-of-date Health Act (2004) which does not reflect the reality and essential nature of services provided by Section 39; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27895/23]
View answerUnder section 39 of the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) provides financial assistance to organisations by means of a grant for the provision of services similar or supplementary to a service that the HSE may provide.
I acknowledge the hugely important role section 39 organisations and their workers play in our health and social care services. They are essential in providing services to many families and vulnerable people in society. In 2022, the HSE provided in excess of €675m to Section 39 providers for Specialist Disability Services.
These organisations are privately owned and run. Their terms and conditions of employment, once in line with employment legislation, are strictly between private sector employers and their employees. While they are private organisations, we recognise their sustainability, and ability to pay staff, is highly dependent on state funding.
I am aware that organisations funded under Section 39 are experiencing challenges in the recruitment and retention of staff. These challenges are mirrored in many of the caring and public facing professions across the State. The sustainability of the sector who deliver valuable services through their staff on our behalf is a concern for both the Department and the HSE. Similar considerations arise in respect of organisations funded by Tusla under Section 56 of Child and Family Agency Act 2013 and in other sectors across Government.
Notwithstanding that the employees of Section 39 organisation are private sector employees with no employment relationship with the HSE, Tusla or my Department, a process of engagement to examine the pay of workers in community and voluntary organisations was committed to by the Government in October last year and we remain fully committed to the process.
On 17 April, officials from my Department, the HSE, Tusla and the Department of Health met with union representatives under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). This engagement sought to understand and explore the scope of the unions claim for pay rises for Community and Voluntary sector workers. A follow up engagement took place at the WRC on 15 May. None of the organisations attending the exploratory talks is the employer of the staff in question. As this is an ongoing facilitated process I am limited in what I can say, however I want to see matters effectively and quickly resolved in the interests of services users and providers.
It is important to note that this is a broader cross-sectoral issue, so individual components cannot be dealt with in isolation.
Unlike the position for capital expenditure, where multi-annual commitments are made within the National Development Plan, the Estimates process for current expenditure allocates funding on an annual (single- year) basis and no formal mechanism currently exists to provide funding on a multi-annual basis to providers. However, I note a commitment by the Health Service Executive to seek to introduce this for disability funding within the HSE Corporate Plan 2021-24 and a discussion paper published by the Department of Public Expenditure in relation to the possible future introduction of multi-annual funding for other votes. In this regard, I am open to exploring avenues to consider how multi-annual funding might be introduced in the future for disability services.
My colleague the Minister for Health is the sponsor of the Health Acts, so the question of any review of the legislation is primarily a matter for him and his department.
In terms of ongoing engagement, I also want to highlight to role of the Dialogue Forum with Voluntary Organisations was established in 2019 by the then Minister for Health with the aim of building a stronger working relationship between the State and the voluntary healthcare sector for the benefit of patients and service users. The Forum facilitates regular dialogue with the voluntary sector on future policy and strategic developments. The Forum recently developed and agreed a set of Partnership Principles. These provide the foundation for the future relationship between the State and the voluntary sector and demonstrate a shared commitment to strengthening this relationship. The Partnership Principles are available here - www.gov.ie/en/publication/fda1d7-dialogue-forum-with-voluntary-organisations/#key-forum-documents.
1070. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the Inter-Departmental Committee concerning the Referendums on Family, Care and Equality will produce their findings and/or make recommendations to Government. [27896/23]
View answerOn 8 March 2023, the Taoiseach and Minister O’Gorman announced that a referendum will be held in November 2023 to amend the Constitution as recommended by the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality and the Special Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality.
An Inter-Departmental Committee, chaired by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, was then established to further examine and advance these recommendations. The IDC is now working on policy proposals, which will be brought forward for consideration and decision by Government shortly. We will be in a position to update further at that stage.
1071. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason montessori or other pre-school teachers/practitioners who may have taken time out to care for their own children for a period of time, find that the qualifications accepted when they started out in their careers and saw some of them progress to managerial positions in the industry, now find on their return that these qualifications and experience are not universally recognised. [27898/23]
View answer1072. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason a qualification would be accepted by ECCE as a teaching qualification but disregarded by his Department and Tusla when it comes to a returning professional who had taken some time out to care for their own children and had many years of experience accumulated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27899/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1071 and 1072 together.
Under the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, all employees working directly with children in a pre-school service must hold at least a major award in Early Childhood Care and Education at Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), or equivalent as deemed by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
My Department has published a list of qualifications that meet the regulatory requirements for working in ELC in Ireland which are automatically approved for their respective recognised qualification level. If an individual’s qualification does not appear on the list they must apply to my Department to have their qualification assessed for approval.
There has been no change to the above operation since the Regulations were introduced in 2016 and therefore where a qualification was recognised either by appearing on the Departments list or through the qualification recognition process, it remains recognised.
In addition, the so-called grandfathering declaration was introduced in 2016 as a means to accommodate staff who intended to retire by September 2021. In recognition of the exceptional circumstances and disruption caused by the pandemic, in 2021 I authorised a temporary extension to September 2023 for those who signed the original Grandfathering Declaration.
On, 1 September 2023, the grandfathering declaration extension will end for staff employed in early learning and care (ELC) services. This means that staff, working in an ELC service, who had signed the declaration must after 1 September hold a minimum level 5 qualification to continue working with children in the sector.
1073. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the additional funding that is required for the national MS respite centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27915/23]
View answerAs the query relates to service matters, I am referring it to the HSE for direct response to the Deputy.
1074. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total spend on consulting services and on ‘business-as-usual’ outsourcing, as differentiated under the Code of ‘Practice for the Governance of State Bodies 2016’ for each non-commercial public body under the aegis of his Department for the year 2022. [27958/23]
View answerMy Department is preparing a response and will contact the Deputy as soon as possible.
1075. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a child's absence by virtue of illness will impact on their qualification for receipt of the NCS grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27986/23]
View answerThe National Childcare Scheme is designed to be flexible and acknowledge that childcare needs differ widely across different families. NCS subsidies are awarded as an hourly rate, along with a maximum number of weekly hours that the subsidy will be paid for. The actual subsidy payment is based on the hours agreed between the parent and provider, and claimed by the provider on the NCS system. Given the large amount of public money that is invested by the Exchequer in funding the Scheme, this ensures an appropriate level of oversight and accountability.
A certain level of under-attendance is permitted under the NCS. The Scheme recognises that there are many reasons why a child's attendance may occasionally be less than their agreed hours due to, for example, illness or appointments - or a parent being able to collect their child earlier than usual. The subsidy is not affected if parents collect their children earlier on occasion, or if a child misses a week or two due to illness. The attendance rules relate to circumstances where a child is continuously absent from a service, or not fully using the agreed place over a prolonged period. These rules are intended to reflect the realities of family life in a child-centred, fair and proportionate manner.
Where a child is not fully using the agreed place, the NCS allows for an eight-week cycle of continued under-attendance. As long as the under-attendance is broken by one full week of attendance for the agreed hours, the subsidy will remain unchanged. The Scheme also provides for particular exemptions to the attendance rules under certain circumstances to allow for extended absences up to 12 weeks in exceptional circumstances, including a prolonged illness.
1076. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if childcare services making financial losses under core funding will be allowed to increase their fees to protect the future viability of their services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28016/23]
View answerOn 15th September, I launched Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare. This new funding model supports the delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families as well as stability and sustainability for providers. Together for Better brings together three major programmes, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, including the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the new Core Funding scheme.
Core Funding, which began in September 2022, is the new funding stream worth €259 million in full year costs to start this partnership for the public good between the State and providers. Its primary purpose is to improve pay and conditions in the sector as a whole and improve affordability for parents as well as ensuring a stable income to providers.
Core Funding is distributed in a fair and reasonable manner that is related to services’ costs of delivery. Core Funding is allocated to services based on the number of child places being made available (whether filled or not), the age group of children for whom the places are available and the number of hours the places are available for, as well as the graduate qualifications of leaders in the service. These are the primary drivers of services costs and this is therefore the most proportionate and transparent manner to allocate funding. It follows that service opening longer hours and operating more weeks in the year will receive more Core Funding.
Core Funding allows for substantial increases in the total cost base for the sector, related both to pay and non-pay costs, without additional costs being passed on to parents. Core Funding introduces fee management, which in year one is effectively a fee freeze, where providers cannot increase the fees charged from last September 2021. This ensures that parents’ costs do not increase and that the increased NCS subsidies are fully felt by parents. 95% of services have now signed up to Core Funding, ensuring that fee management impacts very widely. Core Funding also requires Partner Services to offer the NCS and/or ECCE to all eligible parents to ensure that parents can avail of their full entitlement to subsidised provision.
For the second year of operation, Core Funding will increase by €28 million, an 11% increase, to a total of €287m. My Department use the most recent data available to allocate this funding, with data emerging from current operations of services from March 2023 underpinning the recently announced allocation model for year 2, as well as the most up-to-date macroeconomic projections.
There is no substantive change to the approach to Fee Management in Core Funding year 2. This is guided by the recommendations of the Expert Group, as approved by Government, to ensure that the introduction of Fee Management to the sector is done in a sustainable and considered manner.
As outlined in Partnership for the Public Good, the new system of Fee Management should focus first on limiting increases in fee rates. The Fee Management system can only evolve based on an analysis of provider income and cost data, which will be gathered through financial returns in October 2023 to underpin developments in Fee Management for year 3.
The fee freeze was deemed by the Expert Group as the most appropriate way to introduce fee management accepting that each individual service determined their own fee policy in September 2021.
I do not want any services to be faced with financial sustainability issues and am fully committed to working with any such service to support them in delivering early learning and childcare for the public good. There are supports, financial and otherwise, available to services who need them. Services that wish to deliver early learning and childcare for the public good will be supported to do so. Extensive additional information on Core Funding and the new funding model is available at: first5fundingmodel.gov.ie/.
Further individualised support is available directly through the City/County Childcare Committees (CCC) who act on behalf of my Department. This can include tailored information on my Department’s funding programmes, support with accessing online systems, and individualised case management supports to services that require it. For specific queries or concerns in relation to Core Funding or any other of my Department’s programmes, Partner Services are encouraged to contact their local CCC who will be best placed to provide individual and confidential guidance and support. Contact details are available at: myccc.ie/where-is-my-nearest-ccc.
1077. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if childcare services core funding will be increased in line with the current rate of inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28018/23]
View answerOver the past eight budgets, investment in Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) has risen from €260 million in 2015 to € 1.025 billion in 2023, reaching the First 5 investment target 5 years ahead of schedule. This investment is a clear demonstration from Government of the value of the sector.
Core Funding, which began in September 2022, is the new funding stream to start the partnership for the public good between the State and providers. Its primary purpose is to improve pay and conditions in the sector as a whole and improve affordability for parents as well as ensuring a stable income to providers.
The original Core Funding allocation of €207m increased to €221m in Spring 2022 at a time when cost pressures were significantly increasing. This further increased to €259m based on significant capacity growth in sector in Budget 2023 with additional contributions for staff pay and conditions, non-staff overheads, administration staff/time and graduates factored in.
For the second year of operation, Core Funding will increase by €28 million, an 11% increase, to a total of €287m.
Approximately €4m of this new funding will be used to remove the experience requirement on both Graduate Premiums under Core Funding, underpinned by new EROs. This move was widely welcomed in the sector.
The remaining €24m will be used for further developments and enhancements to the scheme. €6.11m in funding has been allocated for non-staff overheads, a significant increase on the current allocation of €23m. This will facilitate the continuation of the fee freeze into the second year of the scheme, ensuring that any potential increases in non-staff costs are not passed on to parents whilst supporting services sustainability.
The majority of Core Funding is distributed to services via the base rate, based on a service's capacity - the opening hours, opening weeks and the age group of children for whom services are provided as well as number of places available.
The base rates in Core Funding have been developed using the various components associated with the cost of delivery of service provision such as; staff pay and conditions, including contact and non-contact time, holiday pay, sick pay and other employer costs; administrative staff/time and non-staff overhead costs.
The Department use the most recent data available to allocate this funding, with data emerging from current operations of services from March 2023 underpinning the recently announced allocation model for year 2, as well as the most up-to-date macroeconomic projections. This allows for the base rates under Core Funding to be set looking forward into the programme year to come, as these rates will not change during the programme year.
Although, the cost of delivery components have been used to derive the base rates the eligible areas of expenditure of the Core Funding grant are much broader. Partner Services can choose how to spend their Core Funding grant in accordance with the approved areas of expenditure outlines in the Funding Agreement.
I am committed to increasing State funding for ELC and SAC as part of a multi-annual budget process and continuing to work with Partner Services delivering early learning and childcare for the public good.
