Written Answers Nos. 455-464
455. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on the recent findings from the HIQA report into a centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4328/24]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2007, the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) is legally responsible for the monitoring, inspection and registration of designated centres for adults and children with a disability.
Additionally, HIQA has responsibility for setting standards for healthcare services, and monitoring compliance with those standards. It also regulates facilities providing care for those with disabilities, to determine if they are meeting the relevant National Standards.
I understand that at the time of inspection, the Provider was found to be non-compliant on:
Regulation 8: Protection;
Regulation 15: Staffing; and
Regulation 23: Governance and management.
On the matter of non-compliance relating to Regulation 8: Protection, I am advised that at the time of inspection it was found that the provider was failing to implement its own Garda vetting policy in the centre. The issue relates to the renewal of Garda vetting, and also the review of Garda vetting outcomes when received, to ensure they do not contain information of concern.
I understand that the provider acknowledged the potential safeguarding risk of these findings and took timely action to review its Garda vetting arrangements.
HIQA is satisfied that the provider has implemented the arrangements. HIQA Inspectors reviewed the implementation of these arrangements at subsequent inspections, and have found that the new arrangements are being implemented and that there is improved oversight of Garda vetting as a safeguarding issue.
Additionally, on matters relating to non-compliance on Regulation 15 and 23, the Provider has put in place improvement plans to address shortcomings, to ensure compliance is attained in follow up inspections.
456. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason a child (details supplied) is waiting on an assessment of needs; if he can speed up their appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3621/24]
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. The Deputy will be aware that due to the ongoing industrial action by Fórsa administrative and management grade staff in the HSE (which commenced on 6 October, 2023), delays remain in receiving answers to parliamentary questions and ministerial representations. The HSE has been engaged with Fórsa through the auspices of the WRC in an effort to resolve the dispute but a resolution has not been reached as of yet.
457. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of early years and SAC closures, by county. in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; the number of babyroom closures, by county, for 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; if he has considered the policy paper drafted by an organisation (details supplied) to assess and react to early years, childcare and SAC closures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3653/24]
View answerTusla is the independent statutory regulator for early years services, including Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services and is responsible for maintaining the register of services under the Child Care Act 1991. Where an ELC or SAC service ceases operations, the registered provider is required by law to advise Tusla of this and the service will then be removed from the public register. Tusla provides my Department with the verified closure figures a month in arrears, to allow time for verification, and so the most recent available closure figures are for end December 2023.
The latest data on new service registrations and service closures provided by Tusla covering the period up to the end of December 2023 shows:
a net increase of 129 in the overall number of ELC and standalone SAC services in 2023;
a five-year low in the number of net ELC (i.e. early learning and care, or pre-school) services closures, (i.e. 29 net closures total in 2023 compared to 58 net closures in 2022, 76 net closures in 2021, 106 net closures in 2020 and 103 net closures in 2019; and
a net increase of 158 standalone SAC services (after-school childcare) in 2023.
It should be noted that net closures of services do not necessarily imply a reduction in capacity in the sector.
As Tusla do not supply my Department with a breakdown of closures by county, I have referred the request for such a breakdown to Tusla requesting the Agency provide the Deputy with a direct response.
Using Core Funding application data, Pobal were able to derive the total number of rooms that contained a capacity within 0-1 age group (baby rooms) from where a closed service or the room was removed from a services profile during an application change process. However, this analysis is limited to services contracted to Core Funding; Core Funding only began in September 2022; and Core Funding data is collected across programme years from September to August.
A total of two services providing care for children aged 0-1 closed during the 2022/23 programme year, in Kerry and Wicklow. As of 29 January 2024, no services providing care for children 0-1 have closed in the 2023/2024 programme year.
The Department already has a range of supports in place to avert closures, or assess closures of services.
Through Case Management, City/County Childcare Committees and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to services experiencing difficulties. This support focuses on operational as well as financial supports to assist services to manage their immediate difficulties and transition to a more sustainable model of delivery.
Where services close, City/County Childcare Committees have successfully supported the reopening of closed services, a recent example being the Before 5 Family Centre in Cork. In the event of closures, City/County Childcare Committees also assist parents with sourcing alternative early learning and childcare places where possible.
Ensuring high-quality early learning and childcare is affordable and accessible to all children and, in particular, children from vulnerable backgrounds, is a key priority for Government. Recent data shows that, on the whole, the supply of ELC and SAC places is broadly meeting demand. There are pockets of undersupply in certain areas and for certain cohorts, including places for babies and toddlers as well as full time places.
My Department is progressing a range of actions to ensure the supply of ELC and SAC meets demand.
Core Funding - the funding scheme introduced in 2022 - allocates funding for providers based on the cost of delivery. Under Core Funding, providers delivering ELC for babies and toddlers attract higher levels of funding, given the higher staffing requirements determined by the regulatory ratios for these children. Though only in operation since September 2022, initial analysis shows that this new funding scheme has given rise to a growth in capacity for these young cohorts. Budget 2023 allocated funding to secure a 3% growth in capacity for year 2 of the scheme, which has already materialised. Budget 2024 also secured funding to invest in a further 3% capacity growth from September 2024.
A new Supply Management Unit has been established within my Department to lead on this important work. The development of this function is akin to the Department of Education’s Forward Planning Unit. The Supply Management Unit will oversee the allocation of new capital investment. €69 million was allocated to my Department over the period 2023-2025 under the NDP to enable capital investment in the sector.
The Building Blocks - Capacity Grant, which I announced in December of last year, will fund the expansion of existing provision and invest in the development of new provision. My Department is currently undertaking a detailed needs analysis of supply and demand across the sector. This analysis will enable the funding to be targeted to where it is most needed.
458. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many speech and language therapists are currently working in each health district in Ireland and how many positions are currently vacant; and how current numbers compare with each of the past five years. [3716/24]
View answerThis is a matter for my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Health.
459. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason an offer of accommodation for Ukrainian families has been declined by his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3728/24]
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 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.
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.
With regard to the offer to which the Deputy refers, I am advised by my officials that this offer was not progressed as it did not meet essential criteria.
460. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of persons in direct provision centres in County Laois as of 22 January 2022; the number of such centres; the location of such centres within the county; the number of persons in each centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3767/24]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his question. This information will be provided directly to him in the coming days.
461. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of local authority integration teams, LAITS, in place; what local authorities have full LAITs in place; the amount of money given to each local authority in 2023 for LAITs; and the amount of money given in 2024 for LAITs. [3770/24]
View answerA new local integration model has been developed in collaboration with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), the City and County Management Authority (CCMA) and the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA). The model centres on a new national network of four person Local Authority Integration Teams (LAITs), funded by DCEDIY, to be located in each local authority.
The role of the teams is to provide ongoing integration supports to International Protection applicants, Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection, and Programme Refugees and to better help them engage with existing local services. The role also includes:
Providing information, advice and guidance to individuals;
Linking individuals with mainstream and NGO services; and
Identifying gaps in supports or services.
The role of the LAITs is not intended to replace existing service provision but to facilitate and support accessing services.
The annual cost per Local Authority for the LAITS is €330,000. This includes funding for one Integration Support Coordinator, two Integration Support Workers and one Administrative support. Recruitment for the LAITs began in 2023 with a small number of posts filled by the end of the year. The total cost for 2023 was approximately €100,000.
Recruitment for the LAITs is ongoing with Local Authorities actively engaged in selection and interview processes. Currently eight Local Authorities have full teams in place and a further eight Local Authorities are due to have teams in place by the end of February.
While recruitment and on-boarding is still active across the majority of the Local Authorities, it is predicted that there will be a certain amount of personnel movement. As a result, which Local Authorities who have their teams fully in place is not static. However I can confirm that all Local Authorities have engaged with the process, the majority have held interviews and almost all have, at a minimum, advertised the posts.
462. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has availed of services and-or consultancy from a list of related companies (details supplied) in the past five years to date; if so, if he will provide a schedule of costs and the purpose for which the company was engaged; and if he continued to use services provided by it. [3775/24]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) availed of the following consultancy services from Grant Thornton Ireland:
“Finalisation and documentation of rules and business processes for a new funding scheme and associated capacity building and implementation planning activities.” The scheme was the Targeted Youth Funding Scheme.
The above services were provided to the Department in 2019, and resulted in payment of €94,000 (exc. VAT) to Grant Thornton Ireland.
No further services have been provided to the Department by the referenced economic operators.
463. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline any regulations in regard to ECCE supports that would prevent providers from refusing to offer half-day sessions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3832/24]
View answer464. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline any regulations in regard to ECCE supports that would ensure that parents who received an ECCE place for half-day sessions cannot, at a later date, be told that the provider will no longer offer half-day sessions in favour of full-time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3833/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 463 and 464 together.
Childcare services are provided by private enterprises, either privately owned or operated by community organisations. The majority of services are contracted with my Department to provide schemes which subsidise the cost of the service to eligible parents, or in the case of the universal pre-school programme, ECCE, to provide these 15 hours per week at no cost to the parent. Providers are free to set their own policies, in line with their Tusla registration status, regarding their service offering.
ECCE is an administrative scheme not underpinned by legislation or regulation and is governed by the ECCE programme rules. ECCE providers that contract with my Department to provide ECCE must adhere to these rules and comply with all legal and regulatory requirements.
An approved ECCE provider must offer free ECCE only sessions. Parents/children availing of such sessions will not be required to attend or pay for any additional service offers. The provider shall ensure that parents/guardians are informed that their agreement to additional hours or to any optional charge is not compulsory and that agreement is not a condition of initial or continued enrolment. In the case of additional hours, while not a condition of enrolment, part-time and full-time services may prioritise places for those who wish to avail of extra hours over those availing of ECCE only.
I have appointed Stranmillis University College, Belfast to undertake an independent review of the ECCE programme. The review is assessing whether the ECCE Programme is meeting its core objectives and will identify any changes or improvements that can be made to the Programme, based on international evidence and experience to date. The final report of the review is nearly complete, once it has been finalised I will consider the review in its entirety and consider any policy changes that may need to be made to the programme.
