Written Answers Nos. 1361-1380
1363. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of adults with disabilities in each CHO who were offered and accepted a residence from for-profit service providers in 2023 outside the county in which their family resides. [56870/23]
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, 6 October, by management and administrative grades in Fórsa Trade Union in the HSE, will impact on the response times to Parliamentary Questions and Representations
1364. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of current funding for the provision for residences for children with disabilities that was provided by for-profit service providers in 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [56871/23]
View answer1365. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of current funding for the provision for residences for adults with disabilities that was provided by for-profit service providers in 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [56872/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1364 and 1365 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, 6 October, by management and administrative grades in Fórsa Trade Union in the HSE, will impact on the response times to Parliamentary Questions and Representations
1366. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on whether there is a need for multi-annual HSE funding for supported living packages for people with disabilities; how his Department works in partnership with the Housing Agency to deliver on the new housing strategy for disabled people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56873/23]
View answerThe Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026 was launched on 14 December 2023.
This is a multi-year plan and sets out the three-year targets for capacity increases, as well as a suite of enabling actions designed to provide better access to disability services, to maximise the impact of service delivery through strategic change and to enable better planning and management through improved information and systems.
The yearly envelope of funding for the Plan will be negotiated through the annual Estimates process.
The second National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022 – 2027 was published on 14 January 2022 by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) with the Department of Health (DoH) and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY). The Strategy’s vision is: To facilitate disabled people to live independently with the appropriate choices and control over where, how and with whom they live, promoting their inclusion in the community. To further enable equal access for disabled people to housing with integrated support services.
The Strategy’s Implementation Plan was published in June 2023. It builds on the Outcomes and Actions of the Strategy. The Plan documents the actions that will be required to deliver on the outcomes and assigns those actions to identified stakeholders. These stakeholders include DHLGH, DoH, DCEDIY, HSE, local authorities and the Housing Agency. The Plan also sets out indicative timeframes as well as Key Performance Indicators for each of the actions.
1367. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on whether children and adults with disabilities need to live close to family and natural supports where that is their will and preference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56874/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, 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, 6 October 2023, by management and administrative grades in Fórsa Trade Union in the HSE, will impact on the response times to Parliamentary Questions and Representations.
1368. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if any relevant criteria were considered ahead of the purchase of a property (details supplied) purchased by Tusla; the guidance or guidelines that may have been followed; if the board received any advice or information ahead of the granting of approval for the purchase; if there are any value for money criteria that were relevant to the purchase; if so, the details of same; if there are any relevant planning proposals or planned works relating to this property; if the property remains vacant; if so, the reason; if there were any conflicts of interest that the board was made aware of during the process of purchasing the property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56885/23]
View answerThe Deputy is referring to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.
1369. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will list the ongoing research commissioned under the remit of his Department through the North-South Ministerial Council, Shared Island Initiative or through other all-island arrangements; if he will outline the research that has been completed; the date of publication of the research since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56908/23]
View answerMy Department has not commissioned any research through the North-South Ministerial Council, Shared Island Initiative or through other all-island arrangements
1370. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he could provide an update for ASD and speech and language assessment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56952/23]
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, 6 October, by management and administrative grades in Fórsa Trade Union in the HSE, will impact on the response times to Parliamentary Questions and Representations.
1371. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department can help assign a creche place to a person (details supplied) living in Dublin 12. [56958/23]
View answerMy Department funds City/County Childcare Committees (CCC) to support and assist families with childcare matters at a local level.
This involves assisting parents to:
• search for childcare for the first time and those thinking of switching to a different provider
• ensure they are fully informed regarding service provision and quality of provision
• to understand their childcare choices
• to ask the right questions when choosing their ELC or SAC provider
• to access relevant information about ELC/SAC services
The work of CCCs also involves informing parents about available schemes – the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme (ECCE) and the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and supporting them in relation to accessing these schemes, Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) supports and in resolving service-related issues.
In some instances, it may be necessary for CCCs to have a liaison role between parents and the childcare service in relation to meeting the needs of their child/children. CCCs in some counties may be involved in connecting refugee families or homeless families to ELC and SAC services.
CCCs keep a comprehensive database of all ELC, School Age Childcare (SAC) services and registered childminders in their area.
Dublin (South County) CCC covers the Dublin 12 area and their contact details are www.southdublinchildcare.ie , email info@southdublinchildcare.ie and phone 01 457 0122.
1372. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason for the delays in releasing approved funding to a gym (details supplied) created to provide a safe space for people with disabilities, which has now been forced to cease operations due to financial strains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56960/23]
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, 6 October, by management and administrative grades in Fórsa Trade Union in the HSE, will impact on the response times to Parliamentary Questions and Representations.
1373. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason a child (details supplied) is waiting on speech and language therapy in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56966/23]
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, 6 October, by management and administrative grades in Fórsa Trade Union in the HSE, will impact on the response times to Parliamentary Questions and Representations.
1374. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the difference in annual cost to the State per child for foster care versus residential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57076/23]
View answerAs this relates to Tusla operational matters, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.
1375. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many persons in respect of whom a deportation order is in force are being provided accommodation by the International Protection Accommodation Service. [57094/23]
View answerAccording to the latest figure provided to DCEDIY by the Department of Justice, 114 persons with deportation orders (DOs) are currently residing in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres.
Please note that this figure is subject to change as it is based on presence during the time of reporting.
When a deportation order is issued, its enforcement is a matter for the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
1376. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if IPAS (which is responsible for the provision of accommodation to people in the International Protection process pursuant to Ireland obligations under EU and International Law) is informed by the Department of Justice when a person is no longer in the international protection process, when a permission to remain decision is made pursuant to s49 or when a deportation order is made in respect of an accommodation recipient, respectively. [57095/23]
View answerThe International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is informed when an application for International Protection has been determined by the Department of Justice.
When a deportation order is issued, its enforcement is a matter for the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
1377. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the establishment and operation of neuro-rehabilitations teams to be set up in every CHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57107/23]
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, 6 October, by management and administrative grades in Fórsa Trade Union in the HSE, will impact on the response times to Parliamentary Questions and Representations.
1378. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if autism places in schools and in special schools are allocated based on need, geographical proximity or other factors; how access for such pupils to places on associated school transport or individual transport to a school is arranged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57109/23]
View answerThis is a matter for my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Education.
1379. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when an answer to a Parliamentary Question (details supplied) will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57110/23]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have again asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
As the Minister may be aware, the industrial action that commenced on Friday, 6 October, by management and administrative grades in Fórsa Trade Union in the HSE, has impacted on the response times to Parliamentary Questions and Representations.
1380. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth who bears responsibility for the Garda vetting of foster carers. [57142/23]
View answerTusla has advised that Tusla is responsible for ensuring that foster carers are vetted in accordance with the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 and 2016. The Tusla Central Vetting Bureau facilitates Garda Vetting for foster carer applications to Tusla Fostering Services. Garda vetting is completed as part of the foster care assessment by the fostering social worker. It is updated one year post approval and every 3 years after that.
The National Standards for Foster Care (2003) stipulate that when placing children or young people with a foster carer through a non-statutory agency, Tusla are responsible for satisfying themselves that the statutory requirements are met and that the children or young people receive a high quality service, and that Tusla only enters into a service agreement with non-statutory agencies when it satisfies itself that the agency has suitable arrangements in place for the vetting of staff and foster carer applicants.
The legislative framework for Garda vetting is set out in the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 which falls under the remit of the Department of Justice.
