Kathleen Funchion
Question:642. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of total core funding for 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [54455/23]
View answerDepartmental Expenditure
Questions (642)
Written answers
Core Funding has been in operation since 15th September 2022. Interim Funding was in place between 1st and 14th September 2022 to bridge the gap between the end of the Transition Fund and the introduction of Core Funding.
In 2022, €84m was made available for Core Funding (including Interim Funding), following the revised estimates process in October 2022. The 2022 outturn figure is currently being adjusted and I hope to have the final figure in the New Year.
I n 2023, €257.06m has been made available for Core Funding, following the revised estimates process in November 2023. The 2023 outturn figure will be published when the Appropriation Accounts for the Vote are published at end September 2024.
Childcare Services
Questions (643)
Kathleen Funchion
Question:643. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide the flat rate paid to all sessional early years services; the number of services in receipt; and the total cost for 2021,2022 and 2023. [54456/23]
View answerWritten answers
The number Early Learning and Care (ELC) providers that have entered into a funding agreement for ECCE only with my Department for the programme years 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 is outlined in the table below.
A number of these services may also be offering childcare in a private capacity, without funding under other subsidy programmes funded by the Department.
The total values below are for the ECCE flat rate of €69 paid to providers and exclude higher capitation payments.
|
Programme Call |
Total Number ECCE services |
Total Value |
|
2022/23 |
1,215 |
€68,179,247 |
|
2021/22 |
1,588 |
€95,435,609 |
|
2020/21 |
1,692 |
€97,506,629 |
Childcare Services
Questions (644)
Kathleen Funchion
Question:644. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide the minimum rate paid to all small, part-time and SAC early years services; the number services in receipt; and the total cost for 2021, 2022 and 2023. [54457/23]
View answerWritten answers
Core Funding was introduced in September 2022 and the minimum base rate allocation of €8,150 was introduced for all Partner Services except childminders from September 2023, therefore only initial data from year 2 of Core Funding, 2023/2024 can be provided. All Partner Services delivering centre-based provision, regardless of the size of their service, will receive at least this minimum base rate allocation. The €8,150 is a full programme year amount, Partner Service that are in Core Funding for less than a full programme year will be allocated the appropriate number of weekly payments.
As of 27th November, 148 services had their Core Funding allocations topped up to the minimum allocation at a full year cost (September 2023 to August 2024) of €282,619.83. As services can fall in and out of the minimum allocation during the programme year, this figure represents a point in time and is subject to change.
The minimum base rate allocation is applied to the weekly allocation of a service. A service whose weekly allocation for the base rate (and flat rate allocation where applicable) is less than €156.73 will see the balance added to their weekly allocation.
A service which starts the 2023/2024 programme year receiving the minimum base rate allocation will remain at this minimum for the entire programme year as their base rate will be capped at this point, i.e. if they remain in contract for the full 52 weeks of the programme year the service will receive €8,150 for the programme year (exclusive of Graduate Premiums).
Services can, however, begin the programme year with an allocation above the minimum allocation, and fall in and out of this during the programme year as their capacity changes. At any point in the programme year, no centre-based service will receive a weekly allocation of less than €156.73. Services that are not in Core Funding for the whole year will receive the appropriate number of weekly payments, including top-ups to their base rate to meet the minimum where appropriate.
Social Welfare Rates
Questions (645)
John Brady
Question:645. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if consideration will be given to increasing the threshold for people who are currently in receipt of mobility allowance based on the slight increases in social welfare payments in recent budgets; to provide an update on the reinstatement of the scheme for new applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54458/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Government decided to close the Mobility Allowance administrative scheme in 2013, on foot of the Ombudsman reports in 2011 and 2012 regarding the legal status of the scheme in the context of the Equal Status Acts. The Government at that time also approved the continuation of Mobility Allowance payments to existing recipients on an interim basis. There are no plans to increase the threshold for people who are currently in receipt of a mobility allowance payment.
Under the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2022, the Action 104 Transport Working Group was established in 2020 to make progress on an important cross-Government action to review transport and mobility supports for people with disabilities and to advance proposals for the enhancement of these supports going forward.
As Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, I chaired meetings of the Transport Working Group from January 2022 up to its conclusion in December 2022 and the final report of the Group was published in February 2023. The Report sets out the contributions made by members for the enhancement of transport and mobility supports for people with disabilities.
Access to transport for people with disabilities is a multifaceted issue that involves work carried out by multiple Government departments and agencies. It is incumbent on all Ministers, Departments and Agencies with responsibility for transport and mobility schemes for people with disabilities to consider the recommendations of the Transport Working Group and I will be giving due consideration to the recommendations in the context of the development of a new National Disability Strategy.
Departmental Contracts
Questions (646)
Catherine Murphy
Question:646. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a schedule of the external security companies and cost of each that his Department has a contract with to provide personnel in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [54475/23]
View answerWritten answers
My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Disability Services
Questions (647)
Catherine Murphy
Question:647. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of student placements in children's disability network teams based in north and south Wicklow in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [54476/23]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Childcare Services
Questions (648)
Matt Carthy
Question:648. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the NCS subsidy is considered to be direct income to childcare services or a subsidy to parents; the implications of this consideration for accountancy obligations on childcare providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54489/23]
View answerWritten answers
The National Childcare Scheme provides for payment to be made by the scheme administrator (Pobal) to an approved early learning and childcare services provider in accordance with the scheme to assist families in meeting the cost of early learning and childcare services.
The payments contributes to, or entirely offsets the fee charged by providers. The subsidy is income to providers and is treated as such.
Providers will be required to account for this as income. It is noteworthy that in the absence of an NCS subsidy, the provider would receive the same income from an individual family and would treat it as income.
Disability Diagnoses
Questions (649)
Jim O'Callaghan
Question:649. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children as of 1 December 2023 or latest date available that were awaiting a first assessment from the HSE under the Disability Act 2005, for each LHO area, in tabular form. [54509/23]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Health Services Staff
Questions (650)
Jim O'Callaghan
Question:650. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of staff in community neuro-rehabilitation teams in each CHO; the specific medical or healthcare posts in each team in each CHO; and the estimated full-year cost of providing a full neuro-rehabilitation team in each CHO, in tabular form. [54524/23]
View answerWritten answers
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 (651, 664, 665)
Pauline Tully
Question:651. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost of providing 100,000, 200,000 and 500,000 additional personal assistance hours for people with disabilities, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54533/23]
View answerPauline Tully
Question:664. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated capital cost of providing one, two and three additional adult day service centres in each of the nine CHO areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54547/23]
View answerPauline Tully
Question:665. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated first and full year current costs of providing 740 additional adult day service places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54548/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 651, 664 and 665 together.
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 (652, 653, 654, 655)
Pauline Tully
Question:652. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated capital cost of providing one, two and three additional respite centres for people with disabilities in each of the nine CHO areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54534/23]
View answerPauline Tully
Question:653. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the first and full year current costs of providing one, two and three additional respite centres for people with disabilities in each of the nine CHOs, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54535/23]
View answerPauline Tully
Question:654. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the effect demographic pressures are likely to have on respite services over the next five years and ten years, respectively, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54536/23]
View answerPauline Tully
Question:655. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated capital cost of providing 100, 250 and 400 additional intensive support packages for children with disabilities who have high/complex support needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54537/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 652 to 655, inclusive, together.
As these questions refer 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.
Question No. 653 answered with Question No. 652.
Question No. 654 answered with Question No. 652.
Question No. 655 answered with Question No. 652.
Disability Services
Questions (656, 657)
Pauline Tully
Question:656. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated first and full year current costs of providing 100, 250 and 400 additional intensive support packages for children with disabilities who have high/complex support needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54538/23]
View answerPauline Tully
Question:657. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the effect demographic pressures are likely to have on demand for intensive support packages for children with disabilities who have high/complex support needs over the next five and ten years, respectively, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54539/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 656 and 657 together.
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.