Written Answers Nos. 291-302
291. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of administrative staff working in each Childrens Disability Network Team in 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [49099/23]
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. 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.
292. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if each CHO has included a bespoke Staff Retention Plan within their Service Improvement Plan; and if he will provide a link to each of these plans. [49100/23]
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. 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.
293. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a webinar has been delivered to each Childrens Disability Network Manager on establishing a Family Representative Group; and if not, which CDNM's have not yet had this delivered. [49102/23]
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. 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.
294. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the launch of a scheme of restitution and enhanced medical card benefits for the mistreated mothers and babies in the residential institutions as was promised two years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49116/23]
View answerI believe the Deputy is referring to the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme. Opening this Scheme as soon as possible is a priority for me and my Department. The underpinning legislation for the Scheme, signed into law in July this year, allows for the establishment of an Executive Office in my Department to administer the Scheme and the appointment of the Chief Deciding Officer to head up that office. It also allows for the making of the necessary regulations which must be in place prior to the Scheme opening and provides a lawful basis for access to information and records which are essential for the processing of applications.
Intensive work is underway to establish the administrative structures needed to open the Scheme but this will take a number more months. Following careful consideration of a number of important factors, including the need to open the Scheme as soon as possible and the ability to be responsive and scale up and down to meet Scheme demand, a blended operating model is being developed. This will provide for the Executive Office to be supported by an experienced third party which will facilitate efficiencies in application processing and payments.
In accordance with the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act, all staff in the Executive Office, as well as the third party support team, will operate under the direction and supervision of the Chief Deciding Officer and a comprehensive training programme for all staff involved in the Scheme is being developed.
My Department recently made a call to survivors and former residents who may be interested in being part of a stakeholder reference group to provide feedback on the draft application and communication materials for the Scheme, and a very positive response was received.
An information awareness campaign will take place in Ireland and abroad at the time of the Scheme opening. Applicants will be supported throughout the process with information and advice if they need it. I would encourage any person who thinks they may be eligible for the Scheme to make an application at that time.
295. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will amend the regulations in relation to the signing and witnessing of enduring powers of attorney; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49123/23]
View answerThe Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (the 2015 Act), and the The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022 (the 2022 Act), were commenced on 26th April this year. The 2015 Act abolishes the wards of court system for adults and replaces it with a system of tiered and rights based decision-making supports.
There are currently no plans to make amendments to section 60 of the 2015 Act, though my Department is closely monitoring the initial phase of operation of the new legislation, which must be given time to bed down.
Section 60 deals with the content and witnessing of Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA) under the 2015 Act, which allows a person to appoint an attorney to effect decisions on their behalf, such as personal welfare and property and affairs decisions, should they be unable to make them in future. The witnessing of EPAs is an important safeguard under the 2015 Act, and is central to ensuring that both witnesses are present along with the donor and the attorney when the EPA is being signed. This is crucial for the protection of donor, along with the other safeguards set out under Part 7 of the 2015 Act.
The Decision Support Service (DSS), which is the organisation that operates the provisions of the 2015 Act, is responsible for processing applications for new EPAs. The DSS are available to clarify any issues that arise in relation to the procedures and processes governing EPAs and have been working closely with legal practitioners and the Law Society in this regard.
296. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the concerns of Core funding partner services regarding the comprehensive and validated financial reporting requirements that they are now subject to; if so, what steps he intends to take to address these concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49135/23]
View answer297. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the cost implications for Core funding partner services of complying with the new financial reporting requirements; if so, what steps he intends to take to support partner services in meeting these costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49136/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 296 and 297 together.
All Partner Services that had an active Core Funding Contract during the 2022/2023 Programme Year must provide validated Financial Returns.
Core Funding payments to providers must run on a programme year, September-August, in line with the school year, the operation of the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector, and the payments made to providers under the other DCEDIY schemes. Therefore, the financial returns cover the period from 1st September 2022 to 31st August 2023 and must be submitted by an accountant from a registered practise or a registered professional body (ACA, ACAA, CPA, and CIMA), on behalf of each Partner Service. My Department is not requesting audited accounts.
To facilitate these reporting requirements, my Department has worked collaboratively with an external consultant to finalise the nominal codes for the Core Funding Chart of Accounts and develop the Core Funding Financial Reporting template and associated financial management tool.
My Department acknowledges the increase in administration for providers with the introduction of new schemes such as the NCS and Core Funding. I have allocated €32.13 million for administration under Core Funding in year two, and €35.34m for the third year of the scheme.
In addition a number of targeted supports are being considered by my Department to enable Core Funding Partner Services to comply with the financial reporting requirement.
In any instances where a service is experiencing financial difficulty, they can reach out to their local City/County Childcare Committee and avail of Case Management Supports. This can include operational supports as well as financial supports through Sustainability Funding if deemed appropriate.
298. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will urgently reconsider an application for essential funding on behalf of a group (details supplied). [49179/23]
View answerIn 2023, the LGBTI+ Community Services Fund was oversubscribed, and as a result the assessment process was very competitive. For this reason, unfortunately, my Department was only in a position to provide funding to 25 out of a total of 101 applicants.
In recognition of the highly competitive funding call, all applications received were assessed and scored in strict adherence with the assessment criteria set out in the published funding call guidelines. Applications were assessed by two separate assessors within the Department. For applications where there was a pertinent difference of opinion between the scores given by those two assessors, an external reviewer was asked to review the application to provide a final score.
Thirty three percent of Scheme A (€25,000 to €100,000) applicants were successful. Due to oversubscription of the fund, and our commitment to fund as many worthwhile projects as possible, successful Scheme A applicants were only awarded 70% of the amount sought in their original application.
Nineteen percent of Scheme B applicants were successful. Successful Scheme B projects (€5,000 to €10,000) were awarded the full amount applied for as it is likely the projects would not be feasible if funding was reduced.
Should additional funding become available the highest scoring unsuccessful organisation will be contacted.
Any organisation looking for feedback or who wish to appeal the assessment team’s decision should contact lgbti@equality.gov.ie
The 2024 LGBTI+ Community Services Fund is due to be launched in June 2024.
Please note that my Department operates a number of funding streams including the LGBTI+ Community Services Fund on the basis of annual or multi annual open calls for funding. These calls are not designed to be core funding for organisations in perpetuity. The engagement and maintenance of staff working on approved projects is a matter for the applicant organisation and not the responsibility of the funding Department.
299. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 486 of 24 October 2023 with regard to the consultations being planned, if is intended that families involved with an organisation (details supplied) will be invited to participate. [49180/23]
View answerAs stated in the response to PQ # 486;
Under Article 12 of the UNCRC, the child's views must be considered and taken into account in all matters affecting him or her. In order to ensure that the voice of the child is present from the earliest possible stage, consultations are being planned which will include those most directly affected by this policy. Children and young people in informal kinship care arrangements, their carers and parents will be consulted in-depth as part of the development of the policy. In line with current best practice, these consultations will be carried out by my Department and completed next year.
Families involved with Kinship Care Ireland will be invited to participate in these consultations. Other families and carers, suggested by the other community and voluntary sector organisations we are consulting with, may also be included.
300. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to release the full record of communication between his Department and the owner of an accommodation provider (details supplied); to outline who made the initial contract; the value of the 12-month contract for this property; to release all communication between his Department and Tipperary County Council, particularly in terms of the current use of the building as an emergency accommodation facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49183/23]
View answerThe Department does not release material pertaining to contracts with accommodation providers, as the details are commercially sensitive, however I am happy to clarify for the position for the Deputy.
The International Protection Procurement Services (IPPS) has been engaged in assessing the offer of the property referred to for use as accommodation for International Protection applicants (IPAs), as per a proposal form submitted to the Department on 7th September 2023.
IPPS has now clarified that full disclosure in respect of the previous use of the property had not been made at the time of the proposal. I can confirm that following clarification of information received by IPPS, I have made the decision not to take up this offer of accommodation in Cashel Town Hostel as accommodation for IPAs, as to do so would impinge upon the provision of homeless accommodation services in County Tipperary.
This outcome is disappointing given the ongoing demand faced by my Department to provide accommodation in line with our legal obligations, particularly for adult males. However, I welcome the opportunity to clarify the situation for the Deputy.
301. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the level of capital funding available to his Department this year for the upgrading of existing childcare facilities and the provision of new childcare accommodation; the funding that will be available in 2024 for such developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49256/23]
View answer302. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it is proposed to introduce a grant scheme to assist in the provision of large-scale pre-school accommodation and the upgrading of existing accommodation, as existing grant levels will not be sufficient to ensure adequate childcare accommodation in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49257/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 301 and 302 together.
Some €69 million has been 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 this year in grants ranging from €35,000 to €75,000 for green energy upgrades and retrofit projects, for services in need of upgrading.
The Green Energy Strand supported 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 Strand, grants were provided to help services to increase their energy efficiency by utilising renewables, where feasible, through the installation of solar panels, heat pumps and insulation.
The Retrofit Strand supported existing services in need of upgrading. Eligible works included kitchen refurbishment, upgrading of sanitary facilities for children and adults, roof repairs, and the replacement and upgrading of flooring.
In total, 151 services were awarded funding under this scheme, which is now closed.
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 under-supply. Funding will also be provided to support the development of new services, where most needed. My Department is undertaking a detailed needs analysis, which will ensure that the funding is targeted towards communities with identified undersupply, which by design will include areas of socioeconomic disadvantage.
The Building Blocks – Innovation Grant will pilot a range of innovative initiatives such as outdoor early learning and childcare services.
I hope to announce details of the Building Blocks – Capacity Grant later this month.
