Parliamentary questions

Child Protection Services Provision

Robert Troy

1. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to address continuing child protection and welfare concerns in respect of children at risk who are waiting to be allocated a social worker. [14644/15]

Child Protection Services Provision

Sandra McLellan

2. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the actions taken to urgently address the substandard and inadequate provision of care to minors, in view of the recent report by the Health Information and Quality Authority which revealed shocking findings from a full inspection of services in County Cork in October 2014, where children have been waiting years to be allocated a social worker and are accordingly at risk. [14710/15]

Child Care Services Provision

Seamus Healy

3. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if, in view of the fact that, effective from 2 July 2015, single parents of children over seven years of age will be required to participate in activation measures outside the home in order to receive the full jobseeker's transition payment, he will provide free child care outside school hours and in school holiday periods for the children affected as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14646/15]

Preschool Services

Robert Troy

4. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on concerns that the inspection system for preschools is not robust enough to identify centres that pose risks to the health and welfare of children in their care. [14716/15]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Seamus Healy

5. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will increase the capitation fee payable under the early childhood care and education scheme to the level required to provide the service; if he will reinstate the 2011 level of capitation as an interim measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14647/15]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Clare Daly

6. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the role of the mother and baby homes commission of investigation in relation to its powers to order exhumations and excavations of graves. [14403/15]

Child Protection

Richard Boyd Barrett

7. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the recent report by the Health Information and Quality Authority into services provided by Tusla - Child and Family Agency - in County Cork, which saw 234 high risk children still waiting to be allocated a social worker; his plans to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14401/15]

Child Protection Services Provision

Mick Wallace

8. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children deemed at risk who have not been allocated a social worker, particularly in view of the recent Health Information and Quality Authority report on child welfare services in County Cork, which highlighted long waiting times for the allocation of social workers for vulnerable children, resulting in these children remaining at risk for prolonged periods of time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14398/15]

Child and Family Agency Services

Seán Kyne

9. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children's services committees; the local authority areas which have such a committee; if it is envisaged that all counties would have a committee; and if he will report on the way the committees interact with the local community development committees. [14468/15]

Foster Care

Sandra McLellan

10. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the provision this Government made for survivors of child abuse, who lived under State-paid foster care during the period 1953 to 1967, which abuse was reported by social workers and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children to the Government of the day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14465/15]

Child Care Services Provision

Sandra McLellan

11. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on the recent interdepartmental group policy seminar, in which he invited child stakeholders to contribute to the discussions; and the outcome of that meeting. [14467/15]

School Completion Programme

Maureen O'Sullivan

12. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is committed to the work of the school completion programme, and the need for funding to be maintained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8809/15]

Child Poverty

Catherine Murphy

13. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is aware that the present housing crisis is one of the biggest contributors to child poverty, curtailed educational attainment and childhood health concerns; his views that the extreme pressures placed on families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness create an urgent child welfare issue in many cases; the measures he proposes to address this; the correspondence he has had with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and with the Minister for Social Protection on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14402/15]

Child Care Services Provision

Seamus Healy

14. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is now in a position to provide extra resources to child care providers, in respect of children with additional and special needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14456/15]

Child Protection

Robert Troy

15. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the report by the Health Information and Quality Authority into child protection and welfare services in the Cork area that found more than one in four children, who had been the subject of a referral, did not have an allocated social worker; the measures that are being taken to address these shortcomings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14471/15]

National Youth Strategy

David Stanton

16. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 150 of 24 February 2015, the progress that has been made in the development of a National Youth Strategy; when he expects this to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14462/15]

Child Protection Services Provision

Thomas P. Broughan

17. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will report on the measures his Department is putting in place to monitor the wellbeing of children currently residing in emergency homeless accommodation; the family supports his Department is providing to these children; the collaborative measures he and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government are undertaking to reduce the impact of the lack of stability for these children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14406/15]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Seán Kyne

18. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in relation to the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures policy framework from 2014 to 2020, the progress at achieving the commitment to introduce a second free preschool year, which is envisaged for introduction before the end of the policy framework duration; and if consideration is being given to enhancing and extending the hours currently provided under the first preschool year, as a precursor to the introduction of the second year. [14469/15]

Child Abuse

Mick Wallace

19. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the procedures in place for carrying out investigations into cases of historical child abuse by State institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14399/15]

School Completion Programme

Robert Troy

20. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide a commitment to reversing cuts to the school completion programme and ensuring that the programme is secured for the future. [14473/15]

National Youth Strategy

David Stanton

21. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 150 of 24 February 2015, if the stakeholder consultation process on the National Youth Strategy has now concluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14461/15]

School Completion Programme

Seamus Healy

22. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the fact that funding of the school completion programme has been cut from €32.9 million in 2008 to €24.7 million currently, including a cut of 6.5% in the current year, if he will restore the level of funding to this vital programme for young persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14459/15]

Child Care Services Provision

Bernard Durkan

23. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which the provision of adequate child care facilities continues to be a priority, with particular reference to the large number of families where both parents are at work or are required to work in the workplace; if consideration is being given to the provision of affordable child care facilities to facilitate the requirements of children in modern society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14454/15]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Seamus Healy

24. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide a second full free preschool year for all children from the beginning of the new school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14458/15]

Youth Services Funding

Seamus Healy

25. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will restore the 30% cut in youth services provision since 2008, including the cuts made by his Government since coming to office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14460/15]

Infant Mortality Data

Sandra McLellan

26. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the infant mortality rate of children in direct provision; and if he agrees that, as Minister for Children, he has a duty of care to these children and a responsibility to ask why children between zero and five years of age account for a quarter of all deaths of persons living in direct provision. [14466/15]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Clare Daly

27. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if material gathered by the mother and baby homes commission of investigation can be made available to An Garda Síochána for use in criminal prosecutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14404/15]

Counselling Services Provision

Robert Troy

28. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to reduce waiting times for counselling services for child victims of sexual abuse. [14472/15]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Michael Colreavy

29. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the criteria laid down by her Department regarding the implementation of community employment schemes; and the reason an existing scheme could close because it fails to meet new criteria. [14096/15]

Departmental Funding

Michael Colreavy

30. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the position of supervisor of the North Leitrim Men's Group will be advertised and filled in view of the fact that the current incumbent retires within the next month. [14097/15]

Birth Certificates Administration

Brendan Griffin

31. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if an error on a birth certificate in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be corrected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14373/15]

Departmental Funding

Michael Healy-Rae

32. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a funding application by a child care organisation (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14551/15]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals

Martin Ferris

33. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will receive a decision on an application for domiciliary care allowance for a child. [13884/15]

Employment Support Services

Brendan Griffin

34. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the operators of a new local area hackney service are eligible to qualify for the back to work scheme or other start-up business assistance in respect of the hackney service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13894/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Dominic Hannigan

35. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will reconsider her recent decision not to increase rent supplement in County Meath; if her Department will review the figures for rent supplement in County Meath and take into account the variations across the county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13899/15]

Social Welfare Rates

Thomas P. Broughan

36. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the basic weekly social welfare rate of €188 back to €196. [13916/15]

Pension Provisions

Thomas P. Broughan

37. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the Cadbury's pension fund; the total worth of the fund in the years 2012 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; and her plans for further changes to this fund. [13922/15]

Family Income Supplement Eligibility

Peadar Tóibín

39. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that mothers who are losing their one-parent family payment when their child turns seven and who work less than 19 hours a week will be eligible for family income support in view of the fact that this has the effect of pushing mothers who have limited daily part-time work out of the work that they have; and if she will apply family income support in a proportionate fashion. [13939/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Michael Healy-Rae

40. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if persons who are seeking rent allowance are being provided with a form that does not allow the option of using post offices to deal with this matter; if she will clarify same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13976/15]

Unemployment Benefits Payments

Terence Flanagan

41. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the long-term unemployed. [14006/15]

National Internship Scheme Data

Terence Flanagan

42. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons availing of JobBridge and other employment initiatives (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14007/15]

Community Services Programme

Patrick O'Donovan

43. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter regarding the number of staff to be appointed to a company (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14022/15]

JobsPlus Scheme

Terence Flanagan

44. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the minimum hourly rate of pay under the JobsPlus scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14030/15]

JobsPlus Scheme

Terence Flanagan

45. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the JobsPlus Scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14031/15]

Community Employment Schemes Operation

Derek Nolan

46. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will introduce a new programme for those over sixty years of age who are finishing their tenure on a community employment scheme, which will take their prospects of employment into consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14034/15]

Back to Education Allowance Eligibility

Jonathan O'Brien

47. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the guidelines that were previously in place and allowed students exiting Youthreach and going on to post leaving certificate courses to access the back to education allowance; and the reasons for any changes to that system. [14047/15]

Widow's Pension Eligibility

Seán Kenny

49. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason the application for a widower's pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 was disallowed. [14061/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Ruth Coppinger

50. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on her Department's decision not to increase rent supplement levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14063/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Ruth Coppinger

51. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will implement increases in rent supplement levels combined with a policy of rent controls; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14064/15]

Social Welfare Benefits

Dara Calleary

52. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the support that is available for self-employed persons with contributions on low income. [14091/15]