Wednesday, 25 Oct 2023

Written Answers Nos. 159-179

Asylum Seekers

Questions (159)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

159. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department is planning to locate asylum seekers in Coole, County Westmeath, and in Castlepollard, County Westmeath; if so, how many; their country of origin; their gender and age bracket; if he or his Department have engaged in any consultation whatsoever with the communities; and what funding will be provided for community resources in each case. [46791/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Coole Court was successful in a recent public Request for Tender (RFT) process for accommodation for international protection applicants (IPAs). 

The International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) are currently contracting with successful tenderers from the panel and once these 2-year contracts execute, the contractors will undertake the identified mobilisation works to deliver their accommodation and services to the National Standards. The accommodation will then be brought into use for approximately 98 people, living as family units. Nationality, gender and age breakdown of those to be accommodated is not information my Department provides.  

A Community Engagement Team (CET) has been set up to engage directly with elected representatives, relevant Local Authorities, Local Development Companies, and other stakeholders where relevant and appropriate. The purpose of the team is to improve the flow of information regarding arrivals into areas and to help equip local communities with pertinent information required to help with the welcome and integration process for new arrivals. 

IPPS is not currently considering an offer of accommodation in Castlepollard. Should there be an offer, IPPS will respond in due course.

Disability Services

Questions (160)

Joan Collins

Question:

160. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to clarify if all children in a school (details supplied) will have access to services; and what the plans are to broaden these hours and services in the school. [46819/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. As the Deputy may be aware, the industrial action that commenced on Friday 6th October, by management and administrative grades in Fórsa Trade Union in the HSE, will impact on the response times to Parliamentary Questions and Representations.

Disability Services

Questions (161)

Pauline Tully

Question:

161. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there were any measures introduced in budget 2024 to enable parents of children waiting an extended period of time to receive therapy interventions by their CDNT to access either the treatment abroad scheme, the Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme or the national treatment purchase scheme. [46828/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. As the Deputy may be aware, the industrial action that commenced on Friday 6th October, by management and administrative grades in Fórsa Trade Union in the HSE, will impact on the response times to Parliamentary Questions and Representations.

Children in Care

Questions (162)

Réada Cronin

Question:

162. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what improved and specific help will be given to emergency foster carers for their contingent need, for example, in the provision of packs of emergency supplies, appropriate to the various age groups, so they can begin, with the necessary ease and equipment, the wrap-around care of highly vulnerable children at a crisis time in their young lives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46869/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Tusla has advised that various supports are provided throughout the country to foster carers who foster on an emergency basis. Tusla’s National Out of Hours Service (NOHS) has a number of foster carers who accept placements out of hours where an initial or start up allowance is provided to emergency foster carers to facilitate the purchase of a range of items required to foster on an emergency basis. Tusla has advised that when emergency foster carers receive a child or young person on an emergency basis, they are entitled to an allowance which may be used in part to purchase clothes or emergency essentials and to cover any activities that they may engage in.

Tusla further advised that emergency foster carers are also provided with specific training to help them understand what is expected, and to support them in being able to care for children and young people who are placed in a crisis, and all of the issues that might arise from this.

Tusla also provides ‘Care Packs’ to children and young people who are admitted to care on an unplanned basis. Tusla has advised that the contents of these packs were informed following consultation and engagement with children and young people and contain emergency supplies appropriate to the various age groups.

Children in Care

Questions (163)

Réada Cronin

Question:

163. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what actions his Department has taken to satisfy itself as to the quality and cleanliness of hostels used by Tusla as emergency accommodation for vulnerable teens; and if such actions have not been undertaken, whether his Department will now commit to doing so and as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46870/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (164)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

164. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will review a case (details supplied); if this process is discriminatory to children with disabilities who are recommended to attend playschool for their development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46884/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) operates in tandem with the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme and as such, provision of AIM supports are directly linked with ECCE participation/hours of operation. AIM’s objective is to support the meaningful participation of children with disabilities in ECCE.

ECCE is available to all children within the eligible age range. The minimum eligibility age of 2 years and 8 months for the ECCE programme was chosen based on national experience and a review of international practice. It also had regard to the regulatory environment for early years’ education and care in this country and issues such as child development readiness and adult-child ratios.

Children born between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021 will be eligible for their first year of ECCE in the 2024/2025 programme year.

I accept that the use of age limits in a scheme such as ECCE creates a situation whereby a child can fall just outside the age range, however, my Department has to place an age cut-off at some point, and in the interests of fairness and consistency there can be no discretion in this regard.

My Department does its best to ensure, in so far as possible, the equitable treatment of all children and families who apply for funding under the ECCE Programme and AIM. In order to ensure objectivity and fairness, it is essential that clear rules exist for the scheme and that they are applied evenly.

One of the commitments within First 5, A Government Strategy for Babies and Children, was to undertake an end of year 3 evaluation of AIM. The evaluation report is due to be published later this year. Subject to evaluation findings and other relevant developments, Department officials will be considering enhancements to, and/or extension of, AIM to, for example, outside of ECCE hours and age range.

The parents may be advised to contact their local County Childcare Committee (CCC) for advice on the on options and suitable placements. Contact details are available at myccc.ie.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (165)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

165. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline, where a preschool facility is currently being operated within a school and where his Department is seeking an ASD unit within the school that will result in the closure of the preschool facility, what supports or funding options may be available to the school to construct an additional space on the school grounds to maintain the preschool and to avoid its closure; the funding available to rural communities to build a childcare-preschool facility within their community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46895/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

I am aware of the challenges that can face an Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) service if they unexpectedly lose their premises and have an effective response in place to support such circumstances.

My Department oversees a case management process, through which local City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to ELC and SAC services experiencing difficulties. Under the direction of my Department, Pobal co-ordinate the overall case management process with the CCC administering on-the-ground case management assistance. This can include help with completing and interpreting analysis of staff ratios and cash flow, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances. CCC and Pobal have previously engaged with services that were losing access to their current premises and provided assistance to identify alternatives.

Financial supports, which may also be accessed through the case management process, are available for community services presenting with sustainability issues following a financial assessment by Pobal. This includes a strand that can support community services with the operational costs associated with a sudden need to move premises.

While both community (not-for-profit) and private (for-profit) services play a vital role in the sector in providing services in local communities, this financial support is currently available for the community sector. It is unfortunately not possible for my Department to provide direct financial assistance to private (for-profit) childcare services experiencing this particular circumstance at present.

There is however some €69 million allocated over the period 2023-2025 to the early learning and childcare sector under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant capital investment in early learning and childcare across three pillars:

1. Building Blocks - Improvement Grant;

2. Building Blocks - Capacity Grant; and

3. Building Blocks - Innovation Grant.

Under the Building Blocks - Improvement Grant, €9 million was allocated earlier this year in grants ranging from €35,000 to €75,000 for energy upgrades and retrofit projects, which supported services in need of upgrading, such as kitchen refurbishments, roof repairs and the replacement of flooring.

Work is currently underway on the design and delivery of Pillars 2 and 3, which have a combined allocation of €20 million in 2024 and €40 million in 2025.

The Building Blocks – Capacity Grant will fund an expansion of existing services in areas of undersupply. Funding will also be provided to support the development of new services, where most needed. The Building Blocks – Innovation Grant will pilot a range of innovative initiatives such as outdoor early learning and childcare services. I hope to be in a position to provide more information on the delivery of this Building Blocks – Capacity Grant in the coming weeks.

Early Childhood Care and Education

Questions (166)

Robert Troy

Question:

166. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure that a service (details supplied) is included in the initial stage of the equal participation model for the early years sector. [46929/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Officials in my Department are progressing work to finalise the Equal Participation Model (EPM) which will aim to help children and their families who may be experiencing disadvantage to access Early Learning and Childcare settings, through a range of supports, universal and targeted.

The design of the EPM is being finalised based on extensive feedback and consultations with educators, parents, providers and representative organisations.

Target services will be identified using existing data including, but not exclusively, the Pobal HP deprivation index within an evidence based identification process.

The detail will be published in early 2024. As such it is not yet possible to comment on the inclusion of any particular service.

Implementation will be phased with ongoing engagement with key stakeholders on later phases being a key element of the implementation approach.

International Protection

Questions (167)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

167. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of beneficiaries of temporary protection availing of international protection in County Donegal currently, broken down by townland, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46952/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

This response will issue directly to the Deputy.

Departmental Data

Questions (168)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

168. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 289 of 28 February 2023, what land has been made available to the OPW, by local authorities, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46957/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Local Authority owned sites confirmed for the Rapid Build Programme:

• Mahon, Cork City Council

• Doorly Park, Sligo County Council

• Clonminch, Offaly Co Council

• Ballinasloe, Galway County Council

• Charleville, Cork County Council

Mental Health Services

Questions (169)

Michael Ring

Question:

169. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health when psychology services will be put in place for a child (details supplied), given they have been on the waiting list for over two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46900/23]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Mental Health Services

Questions (170)

Paul McAuliffe

Question:

170. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Health the status of a primary care appointment for psychology for emotional regulation and socio-emotional communication for a child (details supplied). [47027/23]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Departmental Consultations

Questions (171)

Carol Nolan

Question:

171. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if his Department, or any body under the aegis of his Department, has facilitated in-person or remote briefings on any issue from organisations (details supplied) from 2021 to date; if so, the topic discussed; the fees paid to the organisations for these briefings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46754/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The Minister for Health and Ministers of State routinely meets civil society organisations to discuss issues relating to their policy remits.

Minister Donnelly met with TENI on 23rd November 2022 to discuss transgender healthcare services. No fees were paid for this meeting. 

I am committed to the development by the HSE of a health care service that is well-governed, patient-centered and aligned with international best practice for the transgender community.

This question has been referred to the HSE for direct response.

Health Strategies

Questions (172)

Alan Farrell

Question:

172. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the development of the national sexual health strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46766/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

Sexual health has been a priority for the Department of Health; the National Sexual Health Strategy 2015-2020 (NSHS) was developed as a core policy under the Healthy Ireland Framework and remains a priority under the Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan 2021-2025. Implementation of the Strategy is led by the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme (SHCPP). It was extended until the end of 2022 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

An independent Review of the Strategy was undertaken in 2022-2023 by Crowe Ireland, was published in March and is available through the Healthy Ireland website. The Review identified 56 Priority Actions, of which 49 were assessed as having been successfully progressed. It also sets out 32 indicative recommendations to build on achievements, and to optimize development of a new Strategy.

An NSHS Redrafting Committee has been convened; the full group met for the first time on 12th July, 2023. The core Group is comprised of my Department’s sexual health policy leads, the Women’s Health Taskforce, the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme, representatives of the HSE Primary Care Division, the HSE National Women and Infants Health Programme and key clinical experts, including a representative from the Irish College of General Practitioners and the sexual health Clinical Lead. Other experts are contacted for input as needed.

The Group have determined that the new Strategy will adhere to the core principles of its predecessor. The first Strategy aimed to improve sexual health and wellbeing and reduce negative sexual health outcomes, recognizing the importance of supporting healthy attitudes to sexuality throughout the life course. This core focus will be retained.

However, the new Strategy will also benefit from a significant widening of scope and consideration of additional service capacity, including the achievements under the first Strategy and ambitions to develop these further. In addition to input from the core Group, additional experts will be consulted with regard to aspects of the new Strategy relevant to their areas of expertise.

The following priorities have been identified for the new National Sexual Health Strategy:

• implementing a Model of Care for sexual health services, with a key focus on prevention, treatment, information and surveillance for STIs, including HIV

• building capacity and meeting demand for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

• supporting sexual health information, education, communication and research

• further developing and expanding the Free Contraception Scheme for women and the National Condom Distribution Service, to support better access to contraception and STI prevention, also recognizing the key role of hormonal contraception in treating adverse period symptoms

• supporting other relevant policy areas across Government, including women’s, men’s and LGBTI+ health and inclusion and focusing on the sexual health-related elements of these areas of work

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for 8th November, 2023. It is envisaged that the Strategy will be brought to Government in late 2023 or early 2024. It should be noted that the sexual health and related services covered by the Strategy are funded and continue to be implemented, delivered and further developed while the new Strategy is being drafted.

Medical Qualifications

Questions (173, 174, 175, 176, 177)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

173. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if, in view of changes to the recruitment process for qualified paramedics, the competency assessment process for qualified paramedics has undergone a review, following the problems identified by the Oireachtas health committee in January 2023, in particular the multiple-choice questions exam; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46793/23]

Róisín Shortall

Question:

174. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if newly recruited qualified paramedics will undertake the same multiple-choice questions as part of their induction program commencing October 2023, as were previously used in the competency exam by the National Ambulance Service in the recruitment process at candidate selection stage prior to 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46794/23]

Róisín Shortall

Question:

175. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his views on the competency assessment process for qualified paramedics by the National Ambulance Service; his views on whether the process is clear and transparent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46795/23]

Róisín Shortall

Question:

176. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to confirm that any competency assessments that newly appointed qualified paramedics to the National Ambulance Service undertake will be appropriately structured, so that each question can be referenced to the PHECC paramedic training standard document; if the questions cannot be referenced to the PHECC paramedic training standard document, if this will be considered suitable grounds for appeal and a re-sit of the exam; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46796/23]

Róisín Shortall

Question:

177. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will put in place an appropriate appeals mechanism for qualified paramedics newly appointed to the National Ambulance Service, whereby they can appeal the result of an exam; if so, if those wishing to appeal their result will be permitted to view their exam papers or their incorrect answers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46797/23]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 173 to 177, inclusive, together.

As these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Question No. 174 answered with Question No. 173.

Question No. 175 answered with Question No. 173.

Question No. 176 answered with Question No. 173.

Question No. 177 answered with Question No. 173.

Medical Cards

Questions (178)

Danny Healy-Rae

Question:

178. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason vitamins and supplements are not covered by the medical card scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46809/23]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for pricing and reimbursement decisions under the community schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Therefore, this matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Disability Services

Questions (179)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

179. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health how many healthcare professionals are employed within each HSE region, including psychiatrists, psychologists and multidisciplinary support service professionals with expertise in forensic learning disabilities; how many of the recommendations were acted on following a report in 2005 by the Forensic Learning Disability Psychiatry Working Group, ‘People with a Learning Disability Who Offend: Forgiven but Forgotten’, including the establishment of national forensic learning disability service; how many persons with a diagnosed learning disability have been referred to forensic learning disability services outside the State for each year since 2005 and the cost of same, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46811/23]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The matter raised by the Deputy is a matter for Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.