Written Answers Nos. 457-470
457. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department is aware that a creche will not be able to reopen until May 2024 due to the recent flooding in East Cork; if there is anything his Department can do to support the 100 plus children and their families find immediate creche places for family members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53302/23]
View answer458. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is any additional supports available to the families and the services users of a creche (details supplied) which is closed due to recent flooding and will not reopen again until May 2024 with the loss of over a hundred places and is forcing family members to take time off work as a result of no alternative creche places in the Midleton area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53303/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 457 and 458 together.
I am aware of the disruption caused to a number of early learning and childcare services, owing the recent floods in Cork. The local Childcare Committee has been engaging with impacted services to ensure all assistance is in place to support both the families and services affected by the flooding.
The Childcare Committee continues to proactively engage with early learning and childcare services to identify unused capacity and explore the potential for services to increase capacity to meet the early learning and childcare needs of families in the area. This engagement will support referral of affected families where capacity is identified
Notwithstanding the pressing needs of families to access early and childcare, the safety and protection of children remains the first priority in the early learning and childcare sector. This is achieved through the registration and inspection of early years services by Tusla, the independent statutory regulator of the sector.
Registration of early years services can be granted only where Tusla is satisfied that the premises, operation and location of the service pose no unmanaged risk to children.
Tusla has been working closely with the local Childcare Committee in areas impacted by recent floods and have engaged with impacted services in these areas to help them to reopen their service in a safe and suitable premises and location.
In the more medium term, there is also wider work underway, at a national level, to address issues of undersupply, including through a new capital grant, the details of which will be announced by the shortly.
459. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53316/23]
View answerI take it that the Deputy is referring to the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme. I am acutely aware of the need to open the Scheme as soon as possible and this is an absolute priority for me and my Department. I can clarify that the notion that the Scheme is delayed because of a lack of premises is entirely inaccurate and the enabling legislation was signed into law just over four months ago.
The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will be the largest scheme of its type in the history of the State with an anticipated 34,000 people eligible under its terms. The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act 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 provides for the making of the necessary regulations which must be in place prior to the Scheme opening and sets out 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 systems and structures required to open the Scheme to applications. 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 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.
Following a call to survivors and former resident who may be interested in providing feedback on draft scheme materials, my Department recently established a stakeholder reference group and that group is currently examining draft materials for the Scheme.
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.
460. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total budgeted cost of the television and radio advertising campaign in relation to the new Decision Support Service; the total amount spent in each year to date; and the total amount which was paid to RTÉ in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53322/23]
View answerUnder the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, as amended, the Director of the Decision Support Service (DSS) has, amongst others, an assigned function:
"to promote public awareness of this Act and matters (including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities done at New York on 13 December 2006) relating to the exercise of their capacity by persons who require or may shortly require assistance in exercising their capacity"
This was a particularly important obligation in 2023 given the launch this year of the DSS and the fact that members of the public would, for the first time, have the opportunity to avail of the new system of decision supports.
The total allocated budget for the Decision Support Service public information campaign 2023 (which was part-formed by TV and radio advertising) was €949,000. There was no separate advertising campaign prior to 2023, as the relevant legislation had not been commenced.
While not in a position to comment on specific contractual matters due to the commercially sensitive nature of the information, actual expenditure on the campaign in 2023 to date is approx. €500,000. Of that total, the spend on TV and radio advertising to date is approx. €227,000.
The Decision Support Service (DSS), which is the organisation that will operate the provisions of the 2015 Act, is charged with responding to the complex decision-making needs of people with capacity difficulties.
The DSS plays a crucial role in ensuring that the different tiers of support under the Act are available to those who need them, and also holds a supervisory and safeguarding role in relation to those arrangements.
461. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure that CARI is provided with sufficient funding to continue its operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53353/23]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency, commissions CARI to provide therapeutic services to children and their families impacted by Child Sexual Abuse.
CARI highlighted the issue of a financial deficit in August 2023 where it was expressed to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency and my Department that CARI would need €243,000 until the end of 2023. Tusla and my Department have been actively engaging with CARI, and additional funding was provided by Tusla in October to address the projected financial deficit by CARI at that time. The conditional agreement between Tusla and CARI was based upon CARI providing a detailed financial governance business plan to Tusla to ensure on going core funding for 2024.
The CEO and Senior Management of Tusla are engaging with CARI actively to reach a solution. The key elements of the financial deficit for CARI have been identified by the Department. There are several key drivers which have led to cost increases including the using up of financial reserves built up over time to supplement funding shortfalls such as; an increase in running costs, decreased income from funding and under charging for the full cost of therapy.
As a Department the promotion of child welfare is the paramount concern. The initial amount required to ensure operations by CARI could function until end of year was outlined to Tusla in August 2023 and a plan was put in place on the 8th of November. This is an ongoing development that requires both Tusla and CARI to reach a mutually beneficial agreement. However, CARI's financial deficit has changed significantly from the original figure outlined to Tusla in August 2023 and upon which significant and additional once off financial funding was provided.
It is important to note that Tusla has not reduced funding to CARI’s core funding. The core agreed funding level remains at €336,000 yearly. This is the amount the organisation is funded to operate their core services within. Additional services provided to local areas based on local need are funded separately and of course these amounts vary, dependent on both the level of need for such services and the capacity of CARI to deliver these services. In addition to core funding, and additional funding for local needs, Tusla also provided a 5% covid expenditure payment in 2021, and 4% increase to all section 56 organisations core funding for sustainability in 2022.
Tusla's CEO confirmed in writing to the Chair of CARI that Tusla funding to CARI in 2024 would be continued as core funding and local funding similar to 2023.
Tusla anticipate 2024 funding for CARI will be approximately 576,000 (core and service initiatives) but will not include additional 250,000 once off. The once off additional funding was provided by Tusla to allow the Board of CARI time to develop a business plan for 2024 in line with their allocation and to provide a sustainable model of financial governance.
Officials from my Department are continuing to liaise with Tusla in this regard and the situation requires close review by Tusla regarding any future issues in this regard. The Department welcomes the continued communication between Tusla and CARI.
462. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to examine an issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53359/23]
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.
463. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for clarification on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53361/23]
View answerMy Department is involved in negotiations with a range of accommodation providers across Ireland, and has received an offer of accommodation from the property to which the Deputy refers. This offer is being evaluated to determine if it meets the Department's requirements. Due to the commercial sensitivities involved, it is not possible to provide information on the negotiations with any individual provider.
My Department is conscious of the need to ensure quality in all accommodation contracted, while also providing shelter and safety urgently to those who need it. In considering offers, my Department takes into account a range of factors such as accommodation suitability, rates, capacity and amenities. Every effort is being made to activate suitable accommodation offers.
UCTAT is operating in the context of a severe accommodation shortage. As a result it is necessary for the Government to place Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection in accommodation as and when it becomes available. In such circumstances the Government will work to ensure that local capacity; resources and knowledge are brought to bear on the overall humanitarian response and will work closely with Local Authorities to ensure a well-co-ordinated and seamless approach.
464. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to respond to concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied) in respect of the core funding model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53390/23]
View answerCore Funding, which commenced in September 2022, is a grant to Early Learning and Care (ELC) and/or School Age Childcare (SAC) providers towards their operating costs. 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.
All Partner Services that had an active Core Funding Contract during the 2022/2023 Programme Year must provide validated Financial Returns as per their Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement.
Core Funding payments to providers must run on a programme year, September-August, in line with the school year, the operation of the ELC and 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 practice or a registered professional body (ACA, ACAA, CPA, and CIMA), on behalf of each Partner Service.
My Department is not requesting audited accounts, Partner Services are instead being asked to provide financial information mapped to the Core Funding Chart of Accounts, which has been reviewed, signed off and submitted by an accountant.
Services that already use accountancy packages should be able map to the Core Funding nominal codes from the Chart of Accounts. However, if a service does not use an accountancy package, a series of resources have been designed to assist services with meeting this requirement.
My officials have, in recent weeks, engaged with the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum (ELCSF) on issues raised by providers on the financial reporting requirements under Core Funding.
To date, four meetings have taken place on 7th, 20th, 27th November and on 1st December involving members and nominees from Childhood Services Ireland (CSI), Childminding Ireland, Early Childhood Ireland (ECI), the Association of Childhood Professionals Ireland (ACPI), the Federation of Early Childhood Providers (FECP), the National Childhood Network (NCN), the National Community Childcare Forum and Seas Suas as well as representatives from City/County Childcare Committees (CCC) and Pobal.
Arising from these meetings, officials have developed and discussed proposals to significantly simplify and streamline the reporting requirements under Core Funding and to support providers in preparing and submitting these returns. They are now in the process of finalising updated financial reporting requirements and templates, which will be shared with members and nominees of the ELCSF in advance of publication. Once finalised, updated financial reporting requirements will be shared with providers and all communications, including templates and training material will be updated.
My Department acknowledges that there is additional administration for providers with the introduction of new schemes such as the NCS and Core Funding, and has 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.
With regard to increased funding for the sector, as announced in Budget 2024, the allocation for Core Funding in Year 3 will be increased by 15% - rising from €287m to €331m.
The additional funding being made for Year 3 of Core Funding, €9.27m will allow for 3% increases in capacity in the sector in year three of the scheme, driven both by new services joining the sector and existing services offering more places and/or longer hours to families. There will also be increases to the allocations for administration (of €3.21m) and non-staff overheads (of €10.07m) to ensure that the scheme is adequately responding to cost pressures. The precise allocation of the remaining €21.49m will be determined by data emerging from Year 2 of the scheme as well as the Financial Returns. It is intended that, in conjunction with the targeted measures introduced in September 2023, these measures will improve the financial standing of services receiving the lowest incomes and will pave the way for further negotiations to improve staff pay and conditions.
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.
465. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update in respect of commencing the Work Life and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 in full. [53391/23]
View answerThe Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was enacted on 4 April 2023, and introduces important entitlements for workers, including leave for medical care purposes for parents of children under 12, and the right to request flexible working for parents and carers. The Act also includes provisions to transpose Article 9 of the EU Work Life Balance Directive and provide for a right to request flexible working for parents and carers.
Many of the provisions of the Act have now been commenced, including the introduction, as of 3 July 2023, of leave for medical care purposes for parents and carers and amendments to the Maternity Protection Acts to provide for the extension of breastfeeding breaks. An order amending regulations relating to breastfeeding breaks made under the Maternity Protection Acts was also made on that date.
The legislative provisions introducing domestic violence leave commenced on 27 November 2023. Section 7 of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 inserts a new Section 13AA into the Parental Leave Act 1998 (as amended) to provide for five days paid domestic violence leave in any 12 month period. As previously announced, victims of domestic violence will receive their full pay if they need to take domestic violence leave. My Department has also commissioned Women’s Aid to develop supports for employers to develop their own domestic violence workplace policies.
The right to request flexible working for parents and carers will be commenced following the preparation of a Code of Practice by the Workplace Relations Commission under Part 4. Commencement of Part 3 and Part 4 are for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
My Department is engaging with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with a view to commencing the remaining provisions of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 at the earliest possible opportunity.
466. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if assistance can be provided to the family looking for a place for a person (details supplied). [53408/23]
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.
467. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated first year, full year and annual cost to increase core funding by 10%, 20%, 25% and 33% effective from January 2024. [53422/23]
View answer468. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated first year, full year and annual cost to increase core funding by 10%, 20%, 25% and 33% effective from September 2024. [53423/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 467 and 468 together.
As announced in Budget 2024, €303.31 million has been allocated for Core Funding in 2024, a 14% increase on the 2023 investment in the scheme, with additional funding of €14.65m being made available from September 2024. This translates into a full year allocation of €331m for year 3 of Core Funding, an increase of €44m, or 15%, on the current allocation of €287m.
Any increases are secured through annual estimates process and implemented from the outset of the next programme year, that is, increases announced in Budget 2024 take effect from September 2024.
Where the increases are modelled from January 2024, it is assumed that the increase is applied to the 2024 allocation of €303.31m, which increases the full year costs associated with years 2 and 3 of Core Funding (Please see table below).
From January 2024
|
Current allocation |
10% |
20% |
25% |
33% |
|
|
2024 (January to December) |
€303.31 |
€333.64 |
€363.97 |
€379.13 |
€403.40 |
|
Increase on current allocation |
€0.00 |
€30.33 |
€60.66 |
€75.82 |
€100.09 |
|
Full year costs for Core Funding year 3 (September 2024 to August 2025) |
€331.04 |
€364.14 |
€397.25 |
€413.80 |
€440.28 |
|
Increase on current year 3 allocation |
€0.00 |
€33.10 |
€66.21 |
€82.76 |
€109.24 |
Where the increases are modelled from September 2024, it is assumed that the increase is applied to the currently available funding in 2024 for year 3 of Core Funding (September to December), which increases the full year costs associated with year 3 of Core Funding (Please see table below).
From September 2024
|
Current allocation |
10% |
20% |
25% |
33% |
|
|
2024 (January to December) |
€303.31 |
€314.32 |
€325.33 |
€330.84 |
€339.65 |
|
Increase on current allocation |
€0.00 |
€11.01 |
€22.02 |
€27.53 |
€36.34 |
|
Full year costs for Core Funding year 3 (September 2024 to August 2025) |
€331.04 |
€364.14 |
€397.25 |
€413.80 |
€440.28 |
|
Increase on current year 3 allocation |
€0.00 |
€33.10 |
€66.21 |
€82.76 |
€109.24 |
469. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated first year, full year and annual cost to increase the universal national childcare subsidy by 25% effective from January 2024. [53424/23]
View answerThe Deputy has requested the first year, full year and annual costs of increasing the NCS universal subsidy by 25% from January 2024.
A 25% increase in the NCS Universal subsidy results in a new NCS universal subsidy of €1.75 per hour.
The ESRI SWITCH model was used to estimate the quantum of the change, this was then applied to the Departments baseline cost of the NCS for 2024. Using this method, it was estimated that the cost of this change from January 2024 is €44m. Because of this January introduction, the first year, full year and annual cost of this change would be identical.
These estimates come with some important caveats. Firstly, the above costings are based on the NCS as it operates currently and it rates as time of this PQ being asked. As part of Budget 2024 I announced an increase to the NCS universal subsidy from €1.40 per hour to €2.14 and an extension of the NCS to a larger cohort of childminders from September 2024. As these are not yet implemented, the impact of these changes have not be factored into the above costing.
Finally, the costings are on the basis of a static system; that is, the model assumes that the level of usage of eligible early learning and childcare remains static. Any changes to subsidies may create a change in behaviours in families, for example, women returning to workforce and using formal early and childcare for the first time.
470. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated first year, full year and annual cost to increase the universal national childcare subsidy by 25% effective from September 2024. [53425/23]
View answerThe Deputy has requested the first year, full year and annual costs of increasing the NCS universal subsidy by 25% from September 2024.
A 25% increase in the NCS Universal subsidy results in a new NCS universal subsidy of €1.75 per hour.
The ESRI SWITCH model was used to estimate the quantum of the change, this was then applied to the Departments baseline cost of the NCS for 2024. Using this method, it was estimated that the first cost of this change (September to December) is €14.54m. The Full year cost and annual cost of this change was estimated at €44m.
These estimates come with some important caveats. Firstly, the above costings are based on the NCS as it operates currently and it rates as time of this PQ being asked. As part of Budget 2024 I announced an increase to the NCS universal subsidy from €1.40 per hour to €2.14 and an extension of the NCS to a larger cohort of childminders from September 2024. As these are not yet implemented, the impact of these changes have not be factored into the above costing.
Finally, the costings are on the basis of a static system; that is, the model assumes that the level of usage of eligible early learning and childcare remains static. Any changes to subsidies may create a change in behaviours in families, for example, women returning to workforce and using formal early and childcare for the first time.
