Written Answers Nos. 687-701
687. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons who have died in the direct provision system in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023; and if details can be provided on age at death, and cause of death, in tabular form. [54776/23]
View answerThe International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) has a policy on the recording and reporting of deaths of residents in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres. As part of that policy, IPAS publishes resident death statistics on a biannual basis with the most recent publication in June 2023.
This information is available on the IPAS website and can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/8224f-statistics-on-deaths-of-international-protection-accommodation-service-residents/
688. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will list the Direct Provision centres currently operating in the State; the amounts paid to each in each of the past five years; and the number of persons living in each centre currently. [54777/23]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his question. The information requested will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.
689. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of persons seeking asylum in Ireland who have been homeless at the end of each week, over the past three years, in tabular form. [54778/23]
View answerIn response to the current accommodation shortage, Cabinet has approved a proposal, in line with EU’s Reception Conditions Directive, for the provision of contingency supports for IP applicants who Ireland is not in a position to accommodate. The EU Reception Conditions Directive outlines the necessary reception conditions for receiving IP applicants. In line with this Directive, in circumstances where the State temporarily runs out of accommodation, the State can exceptionally offer different reception conditions.
IP applicants who are not provided with accommodation will receive a temporary increase of €75 to their Daily Expense Allowance bringing the total weekly payment to €113.80. All arriving applicants who have not received an offer of accommodation are provided with an initial voucher of €100 to provide support in advance of receipt of the increased Daily Expense Allowance.
Drop-in day services in Dublin are being provided to all non-accommodated persons who wish to avail of them. In such centres, IP applicants can access facilities including hot showers, meals and laundry services seven days a week. They also provide tents and sleeping bags, where required. Currently this Department has agreements with two charities to provide these services in Dublin.
Vulnerable persons are prioritised for accommodation in order to prevent rough sleeping in so far as possible. The Resident Welfare Team from IPAS in conjunction with colleagues from the HSE are based at the IPO throughout this period to conduct the triage procedure.
IPAS Contact details including a 24 hour Duty Phone number have been circulated to Homeless Charities in the Dublin area as well as to colleagues in An Gardaí Síochána and the Department of Social Protection.
The table below presents the total number of International Protection (IP) applicants who were awaiting an offer of accommodation from the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) at the end of each week. Figures for 2021 and 2022 are not included in the table as all applicants were accommodated in those years. Weeks in which there were no applicants awaiting accommodation are also not included in the table.
Please note that the below figures are cumulative, i.e. the figure at the end of each week represents the total number of people who were awaiting an offer of IPAS accommodation on that date.
|
Date |
Total awaiting offer of accommodation |
Date |
Total awaiting offer of accommodation |
|
Mon 30 Jan 2023 |
5 |
Fri 14 Apr 2023 |
492 |
|
Fri 03 Feb 2023 |
56 |
Fri 21 Apr 2023 |
545 |
|
Fri 10 Feb 2023 |
117 |
Fri 28 Apr 2023 |
553 |
|
Fri 17 Feb 2023 |
176 |
Fri 05 May 2023 |
583 |
|
Fri 24 Feb 2023 |
181 |
Fri 12 May 2023 |
516 |
|
Fri 03 Mar 2023 |
176 |
Fri 19 May 2023 |
324 |
|
Fri 10 Mar 2023 |
221 |
Fri 26 May 2023 |
266 |
|
Fri 17 Mar 2023 |
270 |
Fri 02 Jun 2023 |
92 |
|
Fri 24 Mar 2023 |
353 |
Fri 09 Jun 2023 |
88 |
|
Fri 31 Mar 2023 |
431 |
Fri 16 Jun 2023 |
0 |
|
Fri 07 Apr 2023 |
437 |
Fri 08 Dec 2023 |
105 |
690. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of separated children or unaccompanied minors who have sought asylum in Ireland in each of the past 36 months. [54779/23]
View answerStatutory 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 for Tusla. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.
691. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the key policy achievements realised and new initiatives taken by his Department during 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54781/23]
View answerMy officials are collating the required information and a response will issue shortly.
692. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE staff in each of the Cork CDNTs and the number considered a full cohort by role, in tabular form. [54819/23]
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.
693. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children currently awaiting a first appointment and treatment in each of the Cork CDNTs by waiting time, in tabular form. [54820/23]
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.
694. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost to increase the Building Blocks Improvement Grant allocation by 10%, 20%, 25% and 50%. [54880/23]
View answerSome €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 earlier this year in grants ranging from €35,000 to €75,000 for energy upgrades and retrofit projects, which have supported services in need of kitchen refurbishments, roof repairs and the replacement of flooring.
This scheme is now closed and my Department does not have any further capital funding available for this grant scheme. The table below provides what would be the indicative costs of increasing the Building Blocks Improvement Grant allocation by varying percentages:
|
Building Blocks – Improvement Grant Allocation |
Increase by 10% |
Increase by 20% |
Increase by 25% |
Increase by 50% |
|
€9,000,000 |
9,900,000 |
€10,800,000 |
€11,250,000 |
€13,500,000 |
Last week I announced a €45 million Capital Grant for the Early Learning and Childcare sector - the Building Blocks – Capacity Grant. The purpose of the Building Blocks - Capacity Grant is to address capacity gaps by expanding existing provision and investing in the development of new provision where most needed.
My Department is undertaking a detailed needs analysis of supply and demand for Early Learning and Childcare and this analysis will identify areas of undersupply across the country and will allow the funding to be targeted at areas most in need.
695. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a child (details supplied) with ASD who cannot secure a school placement can remain in preschool for an additional year provided there is space in the preschool; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54929/23]
View answer696. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a child (details supplied) with ASD who cannot secure a school placement can remain in preschool for an additional year provided there is space in the preschool; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54930/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 695 and 696 together.
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides universal, free preschool to children in the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months.
The upper age limit of 5 years and 6 months for ECCE was set in consultation with the Department of Education and ensures that children transition into primary school with their peers.
In a limited number of circumstances, it is possible to apply for an exemption to the upper age limit of 5 years 6 months for finishing ECCE.
It is important to note that the overage exemption for the ECCE programme was never intended as a mechanism to delay a child’s entry to primary school or to address any issue of non-availability of a school place.
Current policy requires that any request for an overage exemption from ECCE eligibility must be supported by a letter from a medical specialist/social worker, not a GP/PHN, specifically recommending why an ECCE service would meet the child’s specific needs in a more appropriate way than a primary school.
This requirement is not intended to undermine the view of a parent/teacher or other professional in relation to the child’s needs but, rather, to maintain a clear and standard basis for applying exemptions.
Examples of accepted specialist/medical recommendations are as follows:
· Speech and Language Therapist
· Occupational Therapist
· Senior Psychologist
· Physiotherapist
· Paediatrician/developmental Neurologist
· Psychiatrist
· Psychotherapist
· Cardiologist
· Oncologist
· Ophthalmologist
· Otolaryngologist (ENT specialist)
· Gastroenterologist
· Social Worker/Early Intervention Team
This is not an exhaustive list, however it provides an example of what is accepted.
If the parents of the child referred to can provide a letter of recommendation from one of the professionals listed above, my Department can begin to process her application as soon as it is received.
Applications for an overage exemption must be made by the parents and can be sent directly to my Department via email to eyqueries@equality.gov.ie. Applications cannot be considered without this documentation.
697. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many fully trained specialist interviewers are within Tusla at present; and the areas in which they are located, in tabular form. [54940/23]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that my officials have asked Tusla to respond directly to you on this matter.
698. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of high support disability residential placements available in County Tipperary in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [54941/23]
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.
699. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the email system for the Department was changed this year; if so, the reason for this change; whether the Department has access to the previous system; if not, what has happened to all of this personal information, and how many people are affected by this. [54958/23]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) has not updated our email system.
700. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of vacant and derelict properties and sites that are owned by his Department; his plans to bring each of these properties and sites into use; where no plans are in place, the reasons why; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55040/23]
View answerThis is a matter for the OPW.
701. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a response to the correspondence regarding the concerns of a preschool provider (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55062/23]
View answerAt my request, officials from my Department 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 the 7th, 20th and 27th November and again 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), Ernst and Young, and Pobal.
The engagement with these stakeholders has been very constructive and arising from these meetings my 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.
My officials are now in the process of finalising updated financial reporting requirements and templates. Once finalised, updated financial reporting requirements will be shared with providers and all communications, including templates and training material will be updated.
While this work is underway, my officials have asked CCCs to pause any ongoing training. Officials have also written to providers asking that any provider currently in the process of completing the financial reporting using the current list of nominal codes in the Core Funding Chart of Account to pause this work, pending updates.
Financial reporting requirements attached to Core Funding was a recommendation of the Expert Group in their report ‘Partnership for the Public Good’ who identified the need for robust data to underpin funding policy. These essential data will inform the allocation model for year 3 of Core Funding as well as preparations for the next Estimates process, ensuring continued progress can be made on Government's objectives of affordable, quality, inclusive and sustainable early learning and childcare services.
My Department and I acknowledge the new demands this financial reporting requirement places on providers and the importance of taking steps to simplify and streamline these requirements, where possible. We would like to thank all providers for their recent feedback and for the very constructive engagement of members and nominees of the ELCSF on the matter.
Moreover, my Department has allocated €32.13 million for administration under Core Funding in year two, and €35.34m for the third year of the scheme.
In any instances where a service is experiencing 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.
