Written Answers Nos. 259-278
259. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a query from persons (details supplied) in relation to a childcare provider will be examined; and his plans to assist these children. [9776/24]
View answerRegional Education and Language Teams, or REALTs, were established as part of the Department of Education’s response to the humanitarian crisis arising from the war in Ukraine. REALTs assist Ukrainian families in securing school places.
Families who have recently moved into the accommodation referred to by the Deputy are currently being assisted by the REALT coordinator to locate school places.
If the nearest schools do not have capacity, then transport will be sought to other schools with available capacity within the locality.
260. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide details on queries relating to international protection accommodation services for international protection applicants and Ukrainian refugees (details supplied) [9780/24]
View answerThe Department is in the early stages of planning its approach for the delivery of increased state owned accommodation for International Protection (IP) applicants. Discussions are ongoing with Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan (NDP) Delivery and Reform, as part of the NDP review regarding the need for further capital monies to deliver on this.
With respect to the Ukraine Rapid Build programme, at the end of 2023, the first phase of seven sites for the , were completed; totalling 310 units, providing accommodation to 1,240 residents. These sites are at Mahon, County Cork (64 units), Claremorris (28 units), Doorly Park, Sligo (22 units), Cavan town (28 units), Thurles (62 units), Clonminch, Offaly (64 units) and Rathdowney, Laois (42 units).
Works are currently ongoing on sites at Backweston, Lucan, Dublin (132 units), Pollboy, Ballinasloe, Galway (64 units) and Rathgoggin, Charleville, Cork (66 units). The completion timelines, subject to any technical issues arising during construction, are estimated at April 2024 for Backweston and August 2024 for Pollboy and Rathgoggin.
Further sites are being identified for the remaining units.
261. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total duration of the contracts currently held for accommodation; the calculated total expenditure on current contracts for the duration of those contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9782/24]
View answerContractual arrangements for the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation centres are deemed confidential and commercially sensitive.
IPAS contracts vary in length and cost, and therefore, it is not possible to provide the duration of contracts currently held for accommodation purposes.
The total spend for International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation at year end 2023, was €640,064,470, with 26,279 residents accommodated at 31 December 2023. The cost includes all accommodation and related costs, including transport, facilities management and other related expenditure.
The average cost of accommodating an IP applicant in IPAS accommodation is currently €76.80 per night.
In relation to service providers contracted by IPAS to provide accommodation services to International Protection (IP) applicants, the Department publishes reports on all payments over €20,000.These are published, once per quarter, on gov.ie
(www.gov.ie/en/collection/dfdadb-department-of-children-and-youth-affairs-purchase-orders-for-20000-o/#2022)
262. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current number of hotels now in use by his Department that were functioning as visitor accommodation prior to contracting with his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9783/24]
View answer273. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of hotels that are currently providing accommodation under arrangements agreed with his Department for accommodation for international protection applicants (families) where the operation of the hotels in question are exclusively for the use of accommodation for international protection applicants; if he will provide the details on a county by county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9843/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 262 and 273 together.
There are currently over 27,000 people being accommodated by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS).
Of those over 9,800 are being accommodated in 70 hotels throughout Ireland.
Over 90% of those hotels are contracted exclusively for the accommodation of International Protection (IP) applicants and are not available for commercial bookings.
The county by county information requested is not available at this time as the Department is under intensive pressure at the moment and does not routinely compile the information requested and to do so would involve many resources of a team where the current focus is on sourcing and contracting accommodation to provide shelter and prevent homelessness. In these circumstances it is not possible to undertake this exercise.
In relation to the Deputy’s request for the number of hotels that were previously functioning as hotels prior to contracting with my Department, my officials have advised me that the information requested is not recorded in that manner and to provide it would involve many resources.
263. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many companies hold multiple contracts with his Department for contracted accommodation; how many contracted properties each company holds, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9784/24]
View answerThe Government is committed to delivering on its legal obligations to provide material reception conditions to those seeking International Protection (IP) in Ireland, and the Department is contracting emergency and short-term accommodation across the country in order to accommodate people as they arrive.
The Department carries out due diligence on accommodation being contracted including; Companies Registration Office number, where relevant; Tax Clearance Certificate; insurance; fire safety; accessibility to amenities; levels of service; and competitiveness of rates.
While the specific data set requested is not available at this juncture, work is progressing within the Department to compile this.
Please note that in relation to service providers contracted by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) to provide accommodation services to IP applicants, the Department publishes reports on all payments over €20,000. These are published, once per quarter, on
(www.gov.ie/en/collection/dfdadb-department-of-children-and-youth-affairs-purchase-orders-for-20000-o/#2022)
264. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of sites that have been identified by his Department to develop purpose-built accommodation capable of providing structured humanitarian aid in a sustainable way; when he expects any such sites to commence construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9785/24]
View answerIn February 2021 A White Paper to End Direct Provision and establish a new International Protection Service was published. The paper set out a new approach for accommodating applicants that seek International Protection in Ireland and contains three core themes – accommodation, integration and supports.
Since January 2022, more than 29,000 people have come to Ireland seeking International Protection. At the same time, more than 100,000 people have fled from Ukraine, the vast majority of whom have required accommodation from the State.
In this context, there is a recognition that the underlying assumptions on which the White Paper was based needs to be re-examined, as the assumptions underpinning it are based on 3500 new arrivals each year. A review of the implementation approach including timelines and deliverables was initiated. Development of this revised implementation approach for the White Paper is at a very advanced stage. Discussions are continuing between the Governments parties with a view to bringing a final plan to Cabinet within the coming weeks. The new implementation approach will have a strong focus on increasing the state owned accommodation capacity through the advancement of capital delivery projects through a multi-strand approach of construction and acquisition of existing properties.
In addition to delivering a new approach for the White Paper the department is in the early stages of planning its approach for the delivery of the increased state owned accommodation capacity. Discussions are ongoing with Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, as part of the NDP review, regarding the need for significant capital monies to deliver on this.
265. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 534 of 23 January 2024, when a direct response will issue this Deputy. [9788/24]
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.
266. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 536 of 23 January 2024, when a direct response will issue this Deputy. [9789/24]
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.
267. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if Tusla holds any contracts with a company (details supplied) to provide services; if so, the services; and how much the company was paid in 2023 and to date in 2024. [9790/24]
View answerThis is an operational matter for Tusla. I have referred the question to Tusla for direct response to the Deputy.
268. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a breakdown of all EU funding made available to his Department which has not yet been allocated; and the purpose for which this funding has been made available by the EU. [9800/24]
View answerThe Nurturing Skills Learner Fund was launched in December 2023 and is co-funded by the EU under the ESF+ Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training (EIST) Programme 2021-2027, Skills and Lifelong Learning, Childcare Upskilling.
The ESF+ programme includes provision for financial support for the planned reform of funding for upskilling of early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners, in line with commitments in Nurturing Skills, The Workforce Plan for the Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Workforce 2022-2028. It includes funding to support educators/practitioners to undertake relevant degrees while continuing to work in the sector. The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund was launched in December 2023 and it is expected to open the scheme for applications in May 2024 for the academic year 2024/2025.
ESF+ activities are pre-financed with Exchequer funding through the normal budgetary process. The EU ESF+ contribution is recouped from the European Commission following the submission of certified claims. As the first intake of staff will not occur until Autumn 2024 with the earliest possible graduate occurring in 2026, no funding has been recouped to date. The proposed allocation is set out below.
|
ESF+ 2021-27: Proposed Allocations |
Department/Body |
ESF+ Allocation |
National co-finance |
Total allocation |
|
Childcare upskilling |
DCEDIY |
13,255,000 |
17,870,000 |
31,125,000 |
269. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children who are currently the subject of a High Court order placing them in special care in accordance with the Child Care Act 1991, who are not in special care due to the absence of an available bed; whether private agency staff can be utilised to staff the beds that are not currently open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9823/24]
View answerI am advised by Tusla that, at this time, there are 10 young people who are currently the subject of a Special Care Order, in accordance with the Child Care Act 1991, who are not in Special Care owing to the absence of an available bed in a Special Care Unit.
I am well aware of the challenges in special care, and I understand that the primary limiting factor in relation the availability of special care beds, is the availability of adequate numbers of staff in Special Care Units. I share the Deputy’s concern that children in the care of the State, of whom those requiring special care are perhaps the most vulnerable, should have access to a special care place when they need it.
I am informed that the Tusla Director of Services and Integration continues to engage with Regional Chief Officers to ensure all possible mitigations are in place to manage the risks to the safety and welfare of young people who are awaiting a Special Care bed.
Tusla has statutory responsibility for the operation of special care in Ireland. Every effort is being made by Tusla to support provision of appropriate care, including special care where appropriate, to vulnerable children, but Tusla are experiencing significant challenges in relation to the recruitment and retention of specialised staff in special care. Tusla are currently progressing a number of initiatives in an effort to address this challenge.
In this regard, Tusla have advised that there is a tailored process for recruitment within Special Care with a dedicated recruitment team responsible for bespoke and rolling recruitment campaigns for Special Care live on the Tusla website, ongoing engagement with three recruitment agencies to specifically recruit for special care services and a graduate recruitment program to attract Social Care Workers to the service.
Tusla has also made extensive efforts to address the challenge of staff retention. I am informed that a Violence Harassment and Aggression working group was established in 2023 and is chaired by the National Health and Safety Manager and includes Senior Manager representatives from all Special Care Services and Children Residential Services, Employee Assistance Programme and the Health and Safety division. This group has identified several initiatives that have been implemented in 2024.
I am also informed by Tusla that private Agency staff are used in Special Care services where available. At the present time there are insufficient Agency staff available to enable additional beds to be opened. Two companies are engaged to source permanent staff; and three further Agency providers are engaged to meet temporary gaps in the staffing roster.
270. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of agency staff currently employed to work in special care under the Child Care Act 1991; the hourly rates of pay offered to agency staff to work in special care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9824/24]
View answerAs this relates to Tusla operational matters, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.
271. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of hotels that are currently providing accommodation under arrangements agreed with his Department for applicants for international protection, and where the hotels in question simultaneously provide accommodation to tourists in the normal course of their business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9841/24]
View answerI thank the Deputy for this question. A response will issue to the Deputy in the coming days.
272. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of hotels that are currently providing accommodation under arrangements agreed with his Department for the programme refugees from Ukraine, and where the hotels in question simultaneously provide accommodation to tourists in the normal course of their business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9842/24]
View answer274. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of hotels that are currently providing accommodation under arrangements agreed with his Department for accommodation for programme refugees from Ukraine where the operation of the hotels in question are exclusively for the use of refugees from Ukraine; if he will provide the details on a county by county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9844/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 272 and 274 together.
Ireland’s response to the Ukraine crisis is governed by the EU Temporary Protection Directive (Council Directive 2001/55/EC). The European Commission activated the Directive on 2 March 2022 and on 4 March, the Council unanimously adopted the Decision giving those fleeing war in Ukraine the right to temporary protection. Under the Directive, Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) have rights, which include but are not limited to access to suitable accommodation, necessary assistance in terms of social welfare and means of subsistence, if they do not have sufficient resources, as well as for medical care etc.
The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) is a distinct programme of tailored supports for persons granted refugee status upon acceptance onto the programme. As such it is completely separate from the services provided to persons arriving spontaneously in order to seek international protection (IP) and avail of IPAS accommodation, and those Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) that have arrived since the onset of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
I am taking it that the Deputy is requesting information with regard to BOTP as opposed to Programme Refugees.
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, in line with Government policy. To date, over 100,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) have arrived in Ireland and over 75,000 of those have been referred to this Department seeking accommodation from the State.
With respect to the number of hotels that are currently providing accommodation under arrangements agreed with my Department for accommodation for BOTPs where the operation of the hotels in question are exclusively for the use of refugees from Ukraine or where the hotels in question simultaneously provide accommodation to tourists in the normal course of their business, the information is not available in the manner requested by the Deputy.
Information in relation to the number of hotels currently providing accommodation for BOTPs at County level has been extracted from our systems and is outlined in tabular form below. To avoid the risk of disclosure of the location of accommodation of BOTPs the figures for Kildare & Kilkenny; Louth & Monaghan; and Tipperary & Offaly are provided as an aggregate.
I should point out to the Deputy that these figures provide an overview at a point in time and is contingent on a number of factors that are subject to change including accommodation availability, providers in contract at any given time, configurations, transfers resulting from contracts ceasing.
|
County: |
Number of Providers |
|
Carlow |
5 |
|
Cavan |
11 |
|
Clare |
28 |
|
Cork |
32 |
|
Donegal |
29 |
|
Dublin |
54 |
|
Galway |
35 |
|
Kerry |
37 |
|
Kildare & Kilkenny |
8 |
|
Laois |
7 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
|
Limerick |
15 |
|
Longford |
7 |
|
Louth & Monaghan |
5 |
|
Mayo |
19 |
|
Meath |
11 |
|
Roscommon |
6 |
|
Sligo |
10 |
|
Tipperary & Offaly |
7 |
|
Waterford |
10 |
|
Westmeath |
13 |
|
Wexford |
20 |
|
Wicklow |
16 |
|
Total |
385 |
275. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will revisit the Adult Safeguarding Bill 2017 and progress it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9874/24]
View answerThis is a matter for my cabinet colleague the Minister for Health.
276. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 463 of 7 February 2024, when the ICT portal will be opened for core funding applications; if guidance will be issued with on the use of the portal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9887/24]
View answerProviders that had an active Core Funding Contract during the 2022/2023 Programme Year must provide validated Financial Returns as per their Core Funding Partner Service Funding Agreement.
My Department are currently finalising the ICT system which will be used to submit the Core Funding Financial Requirement under previously announced transitional arrangements and Partner Services will be provided with further information in the near future regarding this.
My Department are also working on other supports for providers in preparing and submitting these returns, including training supports and targeted financial supports for those that may need it.
Officials from my Department will continue to engage with representatives of Partner Services on this and have committed to continued engagement on future development to the financial reporting requirement under Core Funding from year 3 of the scheme.
277. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in relation to the significant number of asylum seekers who are forced into homelessness with no other option but rough sleeping after arriving in Ireland, if he has considered using alternative existing buildings (details supplied) that could be used as temporary accommodation instead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9888/24]
View answerThe Minister sought the support of his Government colleagues in responding to Ireland’s humanitarian response to support those arriving in Ireland seeking protection.
This site is owned and controlled by the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces. Should an offer to utilise buildings at this or any other state owned site be made, the Minister would be open to considering it.
The Department is currently accommodating over 100,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection (IP) applicants. This includes over 75,000 Ukrainian people who have sought accommodation from the State and nearly 27,500 IP applicants currently in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation.
Department officials are working to bring more bed spaces into use. For context, at the end of January 2022, IPAS had 8,300 bed spaces in use; it now has approximately 27,000 beds in use. The Department is presently utilising a wide range of accommodation options to provide shelter to record numbers of IP applicants, over 200 accommodation locations utilised since January 2022 across 26 counties.
Despite intensive efforts to source emergency accommodation, the Department is currently providing contingency material reception conditions in the form of an expense allowance of €113.80 per week to some International Protection (IP) applicants due to the severe shortage of accommodation. This is an increase of €75 per week from the standard expenses allowance of €38.80 for IP applicants in accommodation.
In addition to this increase in the increased expense allowance, a system of triage of adult males is being implemented to ensure that those who are most vulnerable are prioritised for the provision of accommodation.
Drop-in day services are 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 the Department has agreements with two charities to provide these services in Dublin.
278. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 180 of 24 January 2024, when he will bring forward the regulation to extend the duration of parental leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9889/24]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, seven weeks Parent's Leave and Benefit is available to all eligible parents of children born or adopted from 1 November 2019. The leave and benefit must be availed of within the first two years of the child’s life or adoptive placement.
In line with the EU Work-Life Balance Directive, Parent’s Leave and Benefit is required to increase by an additional two weeks to nine weeks by August 2024.
In Budget 2024, the Government provided for the number of weeks of Parent's Leave and Benefit available to eligible parents to be increased from seven weeks to nine weeks from August 2024. The additional two weeks leave and benefit will be introduced by way of a regulation under the Parent's Leave and Benefits Act 2019 prior to that date. The Department of Social Protection is responsible for the associated changes to Parent's Benefit for the increased period of leave. Details on the date on which the regulation will be brought forward will be made known as soon as possible once timelines for its finalisation have been confirmed.
I am currently consulting with the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform with regard to making the regulations.
