Written Answers Nos. 1839-1858
1842. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans in his Department, including Budget 2025 plans, for an assessment of the funding of youthwork services in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32356/24]
View answerMy Department has carried out a significant reform process in respect of youth funding schemes. in recent years.
In 2019, my Department launched the new UBU Your Place Your Place targeted youth funding scheme, which consolidates a number of legacy youth funding schemes.
UBU is now on its second cycle, and my officials are working on a review of the scheme. This review will inform the policy decisions on how best to distribute funding to support young people who are disadvantaged, marginalised or vulnerable.
My Department is also finalising a reform process in respect of the Youth Services Grant Scheme (YSGS), which provides funding to 30 national and major regional voluntary organisations. The reform process will ensure that YSGS funding is allocated in a manner which is compliant with current public sector funding allocation and oversight procedures.
In addition, a mapping process is currently underway which aims to capture all funded youth services, both youth worker led and volunteer led. The first stage of the mapping exercise is to map the 250 projects funded under the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme. The interactive map integrates Census data as well as the Pobal deprivation index to identify gaps in youth service provision and enable my Department and stakeholders to develop proposals to expand youth service provision where necessary.
The Deputy will appreciate that as the 2025 Budget process is ongoing, I cannot comment in respect of future funding.
1843. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the ongoing research and planning being carried out under the recently signed World Health Organisation agreement on the development of assistive technologies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32357/24]
View answerThe Global Lead Agreement on Digital Assistive Technology (DAT) between the Government of Ireland and the World Health Organization (WHO) commenced at the start of Q2 2024. This agreement will see Ireland become a global leader in the area of DAT, in order to strengthen equitable access to assistive technology.
Assistive products have a primary purpose of maintaining or improving an individual’s functioning and independence, which in turn benefits their wellbeing. DAT is the application of organized knowledge and skills related to assistive products, including systems and services.
The agreement is still in its initial months of a 5 year programme, however, I have been advised that the WHO have completed several initial highlight activities in progressing the DAT agenda under the agreement.
These include:
• a Multi-country workshop hosted by WHO EURO Region with participation from six low- and middle-income countries in the European region, focusing on assistive technology system strengthening with an emphasis on solving procurement and supply chain challenges;
• a joint Ireland-WHO United Nations side event held at the UNCRPD Conference of State Parties which highlighted the importance of inclusion of persons with disability in all health care and the need for equitable access to assistive technology and;
• a joint WHO-Ireland side event with the Governments of Bangladesh and Antigua and Barbuda held during the 2024 High Level Political Forum in New York, on integrating progress on improving access to assistive technology in Member States’ Voluntary National Reporting on Sustainable Development Goal progress.
In tandem with signing the Global Lead Agreement, Ireland and the WHO EURO Region are progressing a Project Collaboration Agreement to advance domestic DAT objectives, with the immediate objective being an independent Assistive Technology Capacity Review (ATA-C) to map the assistive technology landscape in Ireland in order to provide recommendations to Government and the HSE on strengthening and scaling access to essential products and services.
1844. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the progress of a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32358/24]
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.
1845. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress being made to move away from privately-owned accommodation provision for international protection applicants to State-run reception centres; if he will detail specific timelines for any planned projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32359/24]
View answerOn 27 March 2024, Government agreed a new Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy (CAS) for International Protection (IP) applicants. This strategy seeks to address the current accommodation shortfall, while reforming the system in the longer term, to ensure the State will be able to meet its international commitments.
Accommodation in the new strategy will be delivered through the following multi-strand approach:
Use of State land for prefabricated and modular units.
Conversion of commercial buildings.
Targeted purchase of medium and larger turnkey properties.
Design and build of new Reception and Integration Centres.
Upgrading of IPAS Centres.
The multi-strand approach focuses on both increasing State owned permanent capacity, and the upgrading of additional contingency accommodation, developed to specific national standards, to build an effective system to meet the new realities of increasing need while enabling the State to discharge its duty to meet the material reception conditions of IP Applicants.
Work to deliver the strategy is progressing. An Expression of Interest (EOI) process was launched on 30 April 2024 by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for the sourcing of suitable properties for acquisition or lease as International Protection accommodation. Work to assess the submission received to date is underway.
The delivery of tented and modular accommodation solutions on state owned sites is also progressing, including on the Thornton Hall site. However, efforts to deliver this much needed accommodation is being hampered by ongoing protests.
1846. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans for assessing the best means of carrying out assessments of needs and therapies provision for those with autism; the interim services that will be made available while this assessment is being made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32360/24]
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.
1847. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the progress being made in workforce planning for staffing disability services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32361/24]
View answerWhile progress continues to be made in tackling systemic staffing challenges across a range of disciplines and grades, the HSE and lead Agencies continue to experience difficulties in recruiting staff to maximum capacity in the disability sector. These challenges are reflective of the issues affecting the wider health and social care sector, and are impacting the ability of the HSE and other disability service providers to fully deliver on their vital work. The Government is committed to resolving these challenges and delivering real and tangible solutions which enhance services to better support the needs of disability service users across Ireland.
Following the Capacity Review undertaken in 2021, the subsequent Disability Action Plan was published on the 14th of December 2023. The Action Plan underpins the Government's commitment to expanding services for people with disabilities. It aims to progressively address unmet needs by enhancing and reforming services, including the creation of additional disability service posts and recruitment for these positions. The Government's commitment to people with disabilities is demonstrated by increasing funding levels, with a record €2.8 billion being provided in 2024 for specialist services, including €74m under the first year of the Disability Action Plan.
While recruitment and retention of staff is a challenge across the sector overall, a significant priority for Government is filling vacancies within the 93 Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs). Reflecting on the issue within CDNTs, the Progressing Disability Services (PDS) Roadmap establishes a set of priority workforce actions to address current vacancies and expand recruitment across children’s disability services throughout 2023-2026.
Under my leadership, an Interdepartmental Workforce Steering Group has been established to direct efforts to address workforce supply needs in all sectors of Disability Services. The group meets at least quarterly and is focused on both immediate and longer term staffing needs. Immediate staffing needs include targeted recruitment drives, streamlining hiring processes, and collaboration with further and higher educational institutions to fast-track qualified graduates into the workforce.
Importantly, a new Assistant National Director (AND), with dedicated strategic responsibility for the disability workforce has been recruited to the HSE National Office, at the request of my Department. This new leadership position has been in place since mid-May 2024 and has been tasked with enhanced the supply and recruitment of disability workforce, including the development of a disability-specific workforce strategy in 2024.
While there are undoubtedly significant challenges facing the disability sector, it is important to note that the disability workforce has grown by approx. 2,560 WTE workers since December 2019. While this demonstrates real progress, there is still much to be done and I am wholly committed to ensuring that disability services have the workforce necessary to deliver their vital services.
1848. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will commit to providing increased levels of funding to early childcare providers in Budget 2025. [32420/24]
View answerOver the past eight budgets, investment in early learning and childcare has risen from €260 million in 2015 to €1.109 billion in 2024. The First 5 investment target of €1 billion was met in 2023, 5 years ahead of time. This unprecedented investment speaks to the commitment of Government in prioritising early learning and childcare services.
The table below outlines the beneficiary funding allocations for the sector for 2024.
Officials in my Department are currently engaging in the Estimates process for Budget 2025, which will, inter alia, determine the funding allocation for 2025.
I am committed to increasing State funding for early learning and childcare as part of a multi-annual budget process and to continuing to work with providers delivering early learning and childcare for the public good.
|
Funding Scheme |
2024 (€,000) |
|
ECCE |
€256,142 |
|
NCS and Savers |
€376,077 |
|
AIM |
€57,497 |
|
Core Funding |
€303,308 |
|
Equal Start |
€4,500 |
|
Capital |
€20,000 |
|
Total Beneficiary Funding |
€1,017,524 |
1849. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if research has been conducted on the effect of Government immigration policy on the increase in racism nationwide (details supplied). [32433/24]
View answerThe most recent research published on immigration in Ireland is a report from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) published in March 2024:
Attitudes towards immigration and refugees in Ireland: Understanding recent trends and drivers, Jointly-published Reports 5, Dublin: ESRI and Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, doi.org/10.26504/jr5.
1850. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide details of autism assessment waiting times in CHO 8. [32448/24]
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.
1851. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an urgent review can be conducted of funding for community childcare. [32480/24]
View answerAn Expert Group was convened in 2019 to review the funding model for early learning and childcare and make recommendations for a new funding model. The Expert Group engaged in a widespread programme of stakeholder consultation as part of this two year project, engaging with parents, providers, the workforce, and other stakeholders.
In December 2021, Government adopted all 25 recommendations contained in an Expert Group report, Partnership for the Public Good: A New Funding Model for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) and implementation of these recommendaitons in underway.
The new funding model – Together for Better – was launched in September 2022 and comprises existing strands of funding (the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) and two new strands of funding – Core Funding and Equal Start.
Core Funding is designed to meet the combined objectives of:
• Improved affordability for parents by ensuring that fees do not increase;
• Improved accessibility for children by ensuring providers offer the ECCE programme and/or the NCS, including sponsored arrangements;
• Improved quality through, inter alia, better pay and conditions for the workforce by supporting agreement on an Employment Regulation Orders through the Joint Labour Committee and the employment of graduate staff; and
• Improved sustainability and stability for services.
With an allocation of €259 million in its first year and €287 million in year 2 and participation rates of 95%, Core Funding has supported:
• The introduction of a fee freeze at September 2021 levels, which has ensured the increases to National Childcare Scheme subsidies were fully felt by parents.
• The introduction of a requirement on services to offer the NCS to all eligible families, including sponsored arrangements, which has led to a 20% increase in the number of services offering the NCS, a 100% increase in the numbers of children benefiting from the NCS and a 52% increase in the number of sponsored children.
• The introduction of historic Employment Regulation Orders for the Early Years Services Sector, which came into effect in September 2022 providing minimum hourly rates of pay for early years educators and school age childcare (SAC) practitioners, increasing the wages of an estimated 73 per cent of those working in the sector. Updated Employment Regulation Orders introduced in June 2024, increasing minimum rates of pay by a further 5%, as recommended by the Labour Court, and removing the three-year experience requirement for graduate lead educator/manager minimum pay rates.
• Extended support for graduate-led provision outside the ECCE programme, with almost 3,000 services now receiving Graduate Premiums.
• Significant growth in capacity for cohorts and in areas where there is undersupply, allowing greater access for children and their families.
The Core Funding allocation for Year 3 of the Scheme 1 (September 2024-August 2025) will increase by 15% - to €331 million. The additional funding of €44 million will support delivery of a range of enhancements to support improved affordability and accessibility for families, improved pay and conditions for the workforce, and improved sustainability and stability for providers.
Equal Start will roll out from September 2024 providing both universal and targeted measures to support access to, and participation in, ELC and SAC for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
An allocation of €4.5m has been secured in 2024 to commence this first phase of rollout (equivalent to €13.5m in a full year).
The majority of additional funding for Equal Start for the first programme year will be allocated to these targeted settings to fund additional staff hours that can be used to support engagement between the settings and families, engagement between the settings and other child and family support services, training in inclusive practices and to support other educators and practitioners in the provision of early learning and childcare to children with higher levels of need.
My Department also oversees a Case Management process through which local CCC and Pobal work together to assess and provide support to early learning and care services experiencing difficulties. This can include help with completing and interpreting analysis of staff ratios, fee setting and cash flow, as well as more specialised advice and support appropriate to individual circumstances.
Financial supports, which may also be accessed through the Case Management process, are available for community services presenting with sustainability issues following a financial assessment by Pobal. A strand of funding designed to support Partner services is also available.
Settings to benefit from setting-targeted supports– approximately 750 – are settings, which have been objectively identified as operating in the context of the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage.
1852. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of applications received in 2023 and to date in 2024 for respite care; the number of people currently on the waiting list for respite care services, broken down by county and waiting list timeframe, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32559/24]
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.
1853. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children who are on the waiting list for an appointment for the children's disability network team for speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, psychology, broken down by waiting list timeframes of less than three months, three to six months, six to 12 months and more than 12 months, for CHO6 Wicklow and CHO7 west Wicklow, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32560/24]
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.
1854. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children awaiting an assessment of need for autism in County Wicklow through the children's disability network team, broken down into three, six, nine, 12 and 24+ months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32576/24]
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.
1855. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of assessments of need that were carried out by the children's disability network team in 2023 and to date in 2024 in County Wicklow, broken down by month, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32577/24]
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.
1856. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will commit to improving and expanding access to childcare in Shannon town, County Clare (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32582/24]
View answerEnsuring access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of Government.
The level of capacity has risen substantially year-on-year between 2022 and 2023 as evidenced by survey data collected by Pobal, by administrative data from Core Funding and the National Childcare Scheme and registration data collected by Tusla. However, there is also evidence that demand for places is increasing and, for certain cohorts, outstripping supply. This is partly driven by the significant improvements in affordability that have been achieved in recent years.
The range of funding schemes delivered by the Department support the delivery of capacity by the sector, through the Early Childhood Care and Education programme, the National Childcare Scheme, the Access and Inclusion Model and Core Funding, as well as Equal Start which was recently launched.
A new Supply Management Unit was established in January 2024 to lead on the implementation of the recommendations in the report of the Expert Group in Partnership for the Public Good. A key part of the Supply Management Unit’s remit is to develop a planning function, for monitoring, analysing and forecasting of the supply and demand for early learning and childcare in a nuanced and specific way at local area level.
The Supply Management Unit is leading on a number of actions to ensure the supply of early learning and childcare is aligned with demand, including through the updating of planning guidelines for early learning and childcare, in partnership with the Department of Housing. Capital funding has been set aside for early learning and childcare capital projects over the period 2024 - 2026 under the revised National Development Plan (NDP). This will enable significant investment in early learning and childcare.
Between 2024-2026, the Department is delivering capital investment through the Building Blocks Capacity Grant Scheme. The scheme will operate over two strands, an Expansion scheme and an Extension scheme to support existing services to increase capacity.
• The Expansion Grant Scheme, which is now closed, provides funding for projects valued at between €50,000 and €100,000 for the internal renovation or reconfiguration of existing services to deliver additional capacity.
• The Extension Grant Scheme will offer funding for larger scale extension projects, valued at between €100,000 and €650,000, to enable existing services to increase their capacity. On 3rd July 2024, Minister O'Gorman announced details of the Extension Scheme with €25 million in capital funding being made available to deliver thousands of additional early learning and childcare places. This scheme will also fund community-based not-for-profit services who wish to purchase or build new premises, and will include the purchase and installation of modular buildings.
The primary focus of the Building Blocks Expansion and Extension Grant Schemes, which is open to both community-based and private service providers, is to increase capacity in the 1-3 year old, pre-ECCE, age range for full day and part-time care. As part of the application process, providers will have the opportunity to outline the specific circumstances for their service in their community that demonstrate evidence of need which will be considered as part of the appraisal process.
Individual parents who are experiencing difficulty in finding an appropriate early learning and childcare place may wish to engage with their local City and County Childcare Committee who may be able to assist.
1857. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the case of a person (details suppled) who, having been referred for an assessment of needs five years ago, has yet to receive an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32583/24]
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.
1858. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will review an article (details supplied); to provide an update on the location and site, plans and timeframe for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32584/24]
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.
