Written Answers Nos. 1381-1400
1381. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 716 of 12 December 2023, if those numbers relate to permanent IPAS facilities or emergency and other accommodation also. [57148/23]
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.
This is a significantly small cohort that to release further detailed information with respect to these individuals could create a risk of indirect identification and infringe upon their right to privacy.
DCEDIY releases generic information with respect to the International Protection (IP) applicants. This cannot be used to locate or identify specific persons. Data and statistics are available at gov.ie.
1382. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to detail the way in which the qualifications of psychologists employed by organisations that have been contracted by the HSE to undertake assessment of need appraisals are checked and verified; if organisations that have been contracted by the HSE to undertake assessment of need appraisals are guided by the same guidelines and regulations as children's disability network team staff to ensure assessments are carried out in line with the Disability Act 2005; and if clear protocols for quality assurance and regular monitoring takes place of organisations that have been contracted by the HSE to undertake assessment of need appraisals. [57157/23]
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.
1383. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of assessment of need liaison officers employed in each CHO area as of 31 January 2023, 31 July 2023 and 20 December 2023, in tabular form. [57158/23]
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.
1384. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timeframe within which a review should be carried out of an assessment of need; and if assessment of need reviews consists of a diagnostic assessment or if they consist purely of a desktop review. [57159/23]
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.
1385. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the case of a child (details supplied); and when their therapy will recommence. [57168/23]
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.
1386. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the breakdown of the number of international protection applicants, by area in each local electoral area in Dublin, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57179/23]
View answerIreland is currently accommodating more than 100,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection (IP) applicants. This includes almost 75,000 Ukrainian people who have sought accommodation from the State and over 26,000 IP applicants currently in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation.
Intensive efforts are being undertaken daily by Department officials to source emergency accommodation. However, procuring enough bed space to keep pace with incoming arrivals remains extremely challenging.
The Department is under intensive pressure at the moment, and does not routinely compile information on which local electoral area IP applicants are residing in. In the circumstances it is not possible to undertake this exercise, however officials have endeavoured to provide information related to which Dáil constituency IP applicants are, at present, residing in. This information is included below.
|
Constituencies |
IPAS Population |
|
Dublin Bay North |
57 |
|
Dublin Bay South |
548 |
|
Dublin Central |
1,939 |
|
Dublin Fingal |
2,378 |
|
Dublin Midwest |
3,050 |
|
Dublin North West |
327 |
|
Dublin South Central |
144 |
|
Dublin South West |
330 |
|
Dun Laoghaire |
234 |
|
Dublin Rathdown |
451 |
|
Total |
9,458 |
1387. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a child (details supplied) will receive an assessment for speech and language treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57181/23]
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.
1388. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a schedule of the personal and or person-specific data sets his Department holds that have been provided and/or shared with other Departments and/or Ministers and/or State bodies and/or agencies and/or local authorities in the past 20 years to date; if he will clarify if the transfer of data and/or records was in aggregated form or on an individual basis; and the reason the data and/or records were provided. [57205/23]
View answerMy Department is fully committed to applying the principles contained in the General Data Protection Regulation and associated Irish legislation.
The formalisation of data sharing arrangements was introduced by the GDPR in 2018. Details of the sharing of personal or person-specific data are, therefore, not available for the last 20 years.
My Department has a wide range of functions and shares personal data with other bodies in the course of the exercise of those functions or the provision of public services to individuals. My Department’s remit incorporates responsibility for child protection and welfare, prevention and early intervention, adoption, family supports, early learning and childcare, youth services and youth justice, legacy issues in relation to Mother and Baby Institutions, areas of equality, integration, international protection and disability policy, providing and co-ordinating the provision of emergency short-term accommodation and assistance for Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection.
Sharing of personal data may also take place in response to a valid lawful request from another public body such as An Garda Síochána.
Personal data is only shared by my Department where there is an appropriate legal basis to do so having regard to the circumstances of the data sharing. In the exercise of official functions, the legal basis to share data may be provided in specific legislation enabling the sharing of personal data or the Data Sharing and Governance Act 2019 may provide the legal basis.
Sharing of personal data by my Department takes place in accordance with the GDPR principles including purpose limitation, data minimisation and the integrity and confidentiality principles.
Regular or ad-hoc sharing of personal data under the GDPR occurs with a range of entities, including but not limited to Tusla, the Department of Education, the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Justice, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Revenue, the Central Statistics Office, the HSE, City and County Childcare Committees, Local Authorities, the Central Statistics Office and the State Claims Agency.
The personal data sets that my Department shares are varied in nature depending on the type of services that are being provided to individuals or the functions being exercised. Specific details about the data sets that are shared and the legal bases for the sharing are set out in the Department’s Privacy Notices which are available on the Department’s website. These Notices provide individuals with information on how their personal data are being used and for what purpose, who has access to the data and how the sharing of their data will impact them.
Since the introduction of the GDPR, it is the policy of the Department that in instances of sharing data that appropriate governance arrangements are in place including data sharing agreements.
A range of joint controller agreements, controller processor agreements and data sharing agreements are in place across my Department.
Two data sharing agreements were progressed by my Department under the Data Sharing and Governance Act 2019 and were published for consultation, signed, and came into effect in 2022. The first agreement is with the Department of Education for the purposes of providing that Department with data on early learning and care settings to allow the Early Years Education Inspectorate to carry out inspections of the quality of educational provision in those settings. The second agreement relates to data sharing between the Department and Mary Immaculate College for the purposes of Recruitment for the Leadership for Inclusion in Early Years Care (LINC) Programme and providing additional funding to Early Learning and Care Settings with a LINC Graduate.
Finally, I wish to assure the Deputy that my Department has a range of organisational measures in place to ensure that the Department meets its obligations under data protection laws including a Data Protection Officer and a dedicated data protection team, various initiatives to build awareness of the Department’s data protection obligations and regular staff training.
1389. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) to date have been permitted by the Ukraine crisis temporary accommodation team to be absent from State-funded accommodation for a period of seven days or more in the period between 8 December 2023 and 8 January 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57241/23]
View answer1401. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many beneficiaries of temporary protection in receipt of State-funded accommodation were found to be absent without UCTAT approval in the period since 8 December 2023; in respect of those found to be absent, in how many instances the UCTAT Refusals Policy was implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1008/24]
View answer1402. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what checks, if any, were carried out to determine whether persons were absent from State-funded accommodation provided to beneficiaries of temporary protection in the period since 8 December 2023 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1009/24]
View answer1405. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many beneficiaries of temporary protection in receipt of State-funded accommodation opted to relinquishing their accommodation to allow for non-exceptional travel in the period from 8 December 2023 to date; how many such persons have applied for a new offer of accommodation upon their return to Ireland; how many have been provided with a new offer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1012/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1389, 1401, 1402 and 1405 together.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, my Department continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the conflict who request it. To date, over 100,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) have arrived in Ireland and approximately 75,000 of those have been referred to my Department seeking accommodation from the State. All accommodation contracted by my Department is temporary in nature, and BOTPs are advised of this when requesting emergency accommodation.
My Department regularly reviews its policies to ensure that the State’s response to the Ukrainian crisis is as effective as possible.
From 9 October 2023 , the Absence Protocol was updated to acknowledge the constrained supply of accommodation for BOTPs, and the need to maximise the supply of available beds. A decision was taken to suspend the previous allowance of one short-term absence (7 calendar days) over a 6-month period, and approved absences from emergency accommodation are restricted to exceptional medical or compassionate circumstances only. BOTPs have the option of relinquishing their accommodation in advance of travel in other circumstances, and these individuals are entitled to apply for a new offer of accommodation upon their return to Ireland at the City West Transit Hub, if accommodation is available.
Over the Christmas period, between 22 December 2023 and 8 January 2024, an exemption was put in place to allow BOTPs to travel and visit friends and family, without the need to request sanction.
When entering into a commercial contract with my Department for the provision of emergency accommodation to BOTPs, providers agree to implement all relevant policies, including the Absence policy. Providers are regularly informed about accommodation policies, and reminded of their obligations.
Between 8 December 2023 and 8 January 2024, 146 BOTPs were permitted to be absent from State-funded accommodation on an exceptional basis, for a period of seven days or more.
Additionally, in that period, 8 beneficiaries of temporary protection in receipt of State-funded accommodation opted to relinquish their accommodation to allow for non-exceptional travel, and none of these have applied for a new offer of accommodation.
Furthermore, in that same period there were 8 absences without sanction notified to this Department and in all these cases the Refusals policy was applied.
1390. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a contribution is requested from beneficiaries of temporary protection to date who are in employment and are residing in State-funded accommodation or State-provided accommodation in 2023; and if so, the amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57242/23]
View answerSince the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, my Department continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the conflict who need it. To date, over 100,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) have arrived in Ireland and approximately 75,000 of those have been referred to this Department seeking accommodation from the State.
In line with the Government decision of 28th October 2022, a Serviced Accommodation Contribution Policy came into operation, on a phased basis.
The policy applies to certain serviced accommodation (for example hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses and hostels) where self-catering options are not available. Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) are required to make a contribution towards payment for meals in order to avail of this State provided accommodation.
The contribution is €10 per adult and €5 per child per day. The purchase of meals in serviced accommodation is compulsory, and a refusal to pay can result in the offer of accommodation being withdrawn. This contribution applies to all BOTPs in serviced accommodation settings, irrespective of whether they are in employment or whether they are only in receipt of social welfare supports.
BOTPs living in the rapid build accommodation units are required to pay an accommodation contribution. The Government is aware that the means of BOTP may vary greatly as some are in employment and others are in receipt of social welfare supports. To ensure a fair charging mechanism and to avoid pushing BOTPs into poverty, a differential contribution scheme has been developed.
This approach involves setting the accommodation contribution at a percentage of income rather than at a set fee. A 16% rate plus a €40 flat rate utility charge is applied. The flat rate utility charge covers electricity (including electric heating), water, internet connection and domestic waste collection. The accommodation contribution is administered by the Approved Housing Body (AHB) appointed to manage the properties. This includes determination, collection, arrears management and reporting.
1391. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost of resourcing supports for students with SEN, including proper access to therapeutic supports in mainstream schools and reducing waiting times for assessments, in tabular form. [57355/23]
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
1392. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the estimated cost of establishing an initial panel of 200 speech and language therapists for schools as a shared resource. [57358/23]
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.
1393. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in line with Action 74 of the Autism Committee’s Final Report (details supplied) if he has plans to adopt a needs-based approach to the disabled drivers and passenger's scheme; and the estimated first and full year cost respectively of implementing this proposal. [57372/23]
View answerThe Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme is administered by the Revenue Commissioners and legislative responsibility rests with my colleague the Minister for Finance.
Under Action 104 of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy a Transport Working Group was established to review mobility and transport supports for persons with disabilities, including the Disabled Drivers Scheme. The final report of the TWG endorsed proposals for a modern, fit-for-purpose vehicle adaptation scheme in line with international best practice that would replace the DDS, finding that it is no longer fit-for-purpose.
Access to transport for people with disabilities is a multifaceted issue that involves work carried out by multiple Government departments and agencies. Under the aegis of the Department of Taoiseach officials from relevant Departments and agencies are meeting to discuss the issues arising from the NDIS report and to map a way forward. Officials from my Department, the Department of Finance, as well as other colleagues from across government are proactively engaging with the work of this Senior Officials Group as an important step in considering ways to replace the DDS, as one specific personal transport response, in the context of broader Government consideration of holistic, multifaceted and integrated transport and mobility supports for those with a disability. Three meetings of the SOG have been held, in July, November and December 2023 and work remains ongoing.
This work is taking place in the broader context of the development of the next National Disability Strategy, led by my Department in cooperation with colleagues across Government and in partnership with the broader disability stakeholder landscape. This new Strategy will further advance the implementation of the UNCRPD in Ireland, and will be ambitious in advancing the infrastructure necessary to ensure that people with disabilities are supported in living lives of their own choosing. Transport is a key strategic consideration in developing and ensuring the success of this Strategy.
1394. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has any proposals to assist children providers who have difficulty in delivering the carer to child ratios in their settings and therefore have to deny some children places at their facility; if he will consider allowing students or apprentices to form part of the carer ratio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57384/23]
View answerI acknowledge that many early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services report staffing challenges in relation to recruitment and retention. In general, staffing pressures in the sector are caused not by insufficient supply of qualified personnel, but by high levels of staff turnover.
Providers of ELC and SAC are private businesses. As the State does not employ staff in ELC and SAC services, neither I nor my Department can set wage levels or determine working conditions for staff in the sector.
However, there is now, through the independent Joint Labour Committee (JLC) process, a formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate terms and conditions of employment including minimum pay rates for different roles in ELC and SAC services. It is my understanding that the JLC is continuing to meet to discuss possible changes to Employment Regulation Orders first introduced in 2022.
In line with commitments in First 5, in December 2021, I launched Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC), 2022-2028. Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in ELC and SAC and to raise the profile of careers in the sector. It includes a career framework and commitments to support early years educators to upskill and develop their careers. It also includes commitments to strengthen continuing professional development for staff working in the sector.
Pillar 4 of Nurturing Skills includes a commitment to examine the development of a range of entry routes into the sector, including apprenticeships or other work-based learning, and access programmes in further education and higher education. Work on this action will begin shortly through commissioning research on alternative entry routes into the sector workforce.
While Nurturing Skills commits to examine alternative entry-routes, the development of an apprenticeship would rely on the formulation of proposals by employers and education institutions, and approval by the National Apprenticeship Office. The consideration and potential introduction of an apprenticeship model for early years educators is therefore not solely a policy matter for my Department. During the public consultation that took place in the development of Nurturing Skills, there were mixed views amongst stakeholders on the benefits of an apprenticeship model to support recruitment in the sector – some were in favour while some were opposed.
A particular challenge in designing an apprenticeship model suitable for the ELC sector is that apprentices are employees of providers, and all employees of ELC providers must meet a minimum qualification requirement (level 5) before they commence work with children and count in adult-child ratios.
I have recently established a sub-group of the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum to discuss issues of recruitment and retention with stakeholders in the sector. The first meeting of the sub-group took place on 13 December and the stakeholder group will continue to meet during 2024.
1395. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of cases notified by Tusla to An Garda Síochána under the joint working protocol, broken down by local area office, for 2021, 2022 and 2023. [57391/23]
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.
1396. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of specialist interviewers under the joint working protocol with An Garda Síochána currently available in Tusla, broken down by local area office. [57394/23]
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.
1397. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of cases referred to the Tusla senior management liaison forums under the joint working protocol between Tusla and An Garda Síochána, broken down by local area office, for 2021, 2022 and 2023. [57395/23]
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.
1398. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of senior management liaison forums meetings held as per the joint working protocol between Tusla and An Garda Síochána, broken down by local area office, for 2021, 2022 and 2023. [57396/23]
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.
1399. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of national children first liaison management committee meetings held as per the joint working protocol between Tusla and An Garda Siochana for 2021, 2022 and 2023. [57397/23]
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.
1400. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of social workers who have done training in relation to specialist interviewing relating to Section 16(1)(b) of the Criminal Evidence Act, 1992, in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [57398/23]
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.
