Vol. 662 No. 4
130 Deputy Ulick Burke asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has engaged in discussions with the Department of Education and Science with regard to the development of schemes to prevent early school leaving in the context of the new national drugs strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33556/08]
During the consultative phase for the new national drugs strategy, I, along with members of the steering group, met representatives of the Department of Education and Science to discuss the issue of early school leaving. That Department is also represented on the steering group charged with developing the new strategy and will be centrally involved in the group's deliberations with regard to the prevention and awareness pillar.
Addressing early school leaving is also a central pillar of the actions aimed at children set out in Towards 2016. A number of mainstream actions were developed by the Department of Education and Science over the lifetime of the previous national development plan and are being further developed under Towards 2016. Among these are the work of the National Education Welfare Board, the National Educational Psychological Service and the home school liaison schemes, and actions under DEIS and the Traveller education strategy.
Under the aegis of my own Department, Pobal and the partnership companies have been developing initiatives to tackle early school leaving from a community perspective through community-based youth initiatives and services for the unemployed measures under the local development social inclusion programme. Community-based initiatives in this area also form part of RAPID education programmes to address, among other things, inter-generational disadvantage.
In this context, the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív recently launched the education-themed strategy under the RAPID programme. Under this strategy, each RAPID area will be requested to develop a local strategy that will focus on working with local service providers and programmes on the educational needs of RAPID residents with the aim of improving educational outcomes at primary and post-primary level, increasing participation in further and third level education and improving links and communication between education authorities and providers and local RAPID structures.
The steering group for the new drugs strategy is fully aware of the strong correlation between early school leaving and the early onset of problem drug use. They also recognise that dealing with early school leaving is now a central pillar of the Government's wider social inclusion policy and that community initiatives are being developed as outlined above. Therefore, a key question for consideration by the steering group will be how best to identify actions under a new strategy that will complement and add value to the other initiatives in place to deal with this issue.
A report published in August showed that children who left school at an early age and particularly before doing their junior or leaving certificate examinations were more at risk of taking drugs. Over the summer months I was appalled to see that the Department of Education and Science had made cutbacks in the school completion programme which targets children who leave school early and affects approximately 25,000 children. The National Educational Welfare Board can no longer deal with children who do not attend school for 59 days. It can only deal with children who miss 60 days or more because of under-funding and lack of staff.
Has the Minister of State had discussions with the Minister for Education and Science to ensure that there will be no more cutbacks in these programmes that affect the underprivileged in society? What will he do regarding the national drugs strategy? Will he provide funding to try to help keep young people at school? It is very important that this programme is kept up. Whatever hope we have, if we do not deal with them at an early age, we will have no hope if they leave the school system uneducated. They will go out into the world and, naturally, they will take drugs. What will the Minister of State do about that? The Minister of State will shortly announce a national drugs strategy. I hope it will have funding to deal with this issue and to educate children in the schools about the effect of drugs.
I agree with the Deputy that early school leaving correlates to those who engage in drug taking, as has been clearly demonstrated. While one can argue figures in whatever way one likes, in recent years on a national level most of the figures indicate that participation rates in second level education in particular have improved. I do not want to go into them in great detail. While that might not have improved as much as we would like, the quarterly national household survey showed that in 2001, some 16.1% of people had not completed leaving certificate examinations. That had reduced to 14.3% in 2006, which indicates the situation is improving.
The Deputy asked specifically what my Department would do to keep children in school. Separate from the Department of Education and Science, most of the projects we run are community-based projects through the task forces aimed at disadvantaged areas where the incidence and the risk are greater. That will continue to be the case.
Obviously boredom is the biggest problem for children who leave school early. They then move on to experiment with drugs, etc., and then get caught in the net of drugs misuse. The Minister of State and his predecessor would agree with me regarding the alternatives including sport and recreation which we need to develop. Any examination of those who leave school early would show that the children are not involved in useful activity with their peers. In future, I hope we will see drop-in centres etc., being created in those areas so that these children will have some place to go. If their parents are working, the children are at home on their own and boredom sets in. Is funding available for drop-in centres, particularly in RAPID areas? What is the Minister of State doing to ensure the involvement of children in some form of recreation to ensure their minds are kept active and avoid boredom leading them to experiment with drugs?
I agree with the Deputy that activity for young people is very important. Very many sports facilities have been created under the sports capital programme in recent years. In other areas we have the young people's facilities and services fund providing additional facilities. If I have seen a weakness at all, it is as follows. In recent years we have provided a considerable amount of sporting activity which is fine for people who are that way inclined. However, the deficit has been in alternative social and recreational activities.
In recent years we have started to embark on issues like youth cafés. While some of those are funded through the people's facilities and services fund and others, they are a new model. We need to ascertain how to have a youth café that has real impact and with which people can associate. In my relatively short period in this position, I have visited a number of them and they are all doing different things in different ways. I recently visited the Gaf youth café in Galway which is outstanding in terms of what it is achieving. Rather than simply providing more youth cafés or more facilities, we need to focus not just on the facility or staff, but on what it is that makes it successful. I agree absolutely with the Deputy that those sorts of initiatives on the social and recreational side, in addition to what has already happened on the sporting side, are the way to go. Young people need alternative distractions to keep them from engaging in drugs misuse.
In my constituency of Dublin South Central, particularly the inner city parts of it, 29% of people left school before doing junior certificate examinations. My past experience was as a voluntary youth worker in a community. When children leave school at a young age, they hang around during the day and this continues into the night time. In the evening time many youth and outreach workers in facilities in the area do not stay after 6 p.m. or 7 p.m., which has become a major problem. They stay until it is time to clock out at 7 p.m. after which young people stand around. This continues until the early hours of the morning and can create other problems for residents in the area. My main concern is that there should be no cutback in the school completion programme. It is an area on which we need to focus and give it as much funding and help as possible.
There are no votes in the drugs strategy and it is not a major political issue. Would we not be better off with one Minister who deals with the areas of health, education and justice? The Department of Education and Science deals with one aspect, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform deals with another part of it, while the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs deals with another part. Would it not be possible to introduce one agency to deal with all? If the Minister of State were such a Minister, he would not allow the abolition of the school completion programme, which is important.
The Deputy's final question is probably the most unusual way to ask for my resignation.
We could make the Minister of State Minister for it.
It would be very difficult for the national drugs strategy to fall under the remit of any one Department. We talk about health, rehabilitation and treatment, which is one very clear area. Earlier I answered a question on providing additional recreational and sporting facilities. It is specifically because of its diverse nature that we need somebody co-ordinating it rather than having one specialist Department with a lead role. It is based on a number of very clear and specific pillars, including the Departments of Education and Science and Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I believe we need another Department and another Minister — it need not necessarily be me and if the Deputy wants to get rid of me, that is fine. Other than the key agencies that are delivering specifics in the areas of health, education, etc., it needs an overall co-ordinating role, otherwise, some of the very relevant aspects the Deputy seeks would be overlooked. They would not be seen as relevant and would not be in the pecking order.
Deputy Byrne spoke about centres closing in the evenings, which I have witnessed in certain areas. It has never been the practice, nor will it ever be the case, that every facility will be able to operate at all times and every club and organisation would have full-time paid staff. We need to go back to where we came from, which is the ordinary volunteerism in our community and people being involved with young people in youth clubs. I grew up in an era, as I am sure Deputy Byrne did, in which I did not know a single paid youth worker or sports officer — they did not exist. While we have introduced them and they are great, the whole area of volunteering is still as relevant today and we all have a role to play in that regard. We cannot have our young people constantly looked after and facilities provided without our input as parents. It would be awful to think of sending my children to a football match if I were not prepared to drive them or go and help. Parents have a role to play as volunteers as much as anything else.
131 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the grants available to groups involved with the care of older persons to provide social activities for the older population here; his views on such grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33502/08]
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has a mandate in relation to communities, be they urban, rural, Gaeltacht or island communities. Many of our programmes and schemes focus on communities, particularly on those that are vulnerable, disadvantages or under threat. As well as communities that can be defined in terms of geographic location, the Department supports those that are defined on the basis of a common focus on a particular issue. While these programmes do not specifically provide grants to groups involved in the care of older persons to provide social activities, the following are some initiatives through which my Department provides support for and facilitates these groups and organisations in their activity.
Under the scheme to support national organisations, my Department provides multi-annual funding to a number of national groups towards core costs associated with the provision of services including services for older people. The following organisations were among those granted multi-annual finding for the period 2008 to 2010: Age Action Ireland Limited — €53,000 per annum; Irish Senior Citizens Parliament — €100,000 per annum; Active Retirement Ireland — €93,000 per annum; the Older Women's Network — €150,000 per annum; and the Alzheimer Society of Ireland — €106,000 per annum.
Under a joint CLÁR-HSE health measure, which I recently announced, funding is provided for various health projects, including the development, refurbishment and improvement of health centres, and the upgrading, refurbishment and equipping of day centres for older people.
Under the RAPID programme, funding is provided to support small-scale projects identified locally by the area implementation teams in each of the RAPID areas. Under the health sector co-fund, my Department and the Department of Health and Children provide funding through the Health Service Executive, to support small-scale health and community projects in RAPID areas. The 2008-09 scheme, for which funding of some €4.6 million is being provided, will focus on services and facilities for older people, namely, those over 65 years. The purpose of the scheme is to enhance and provide facilities that will enable older people to live independent lives. The health leverage scheme will assist with the implementation of projects as identified by the health sub-groups — operating under the health strategic theme — and endorsed by the RAPID area implementation team.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House.
While the rural social scheme, RSS, does not give direct grant aid to the types of groups referred to by the Deputy, it does provide support to a number of community groups nationally that are involved in activities such as meals on wheels, visiting the elderly and rural transport schemes. Through this work the RSS plays a significant role in providing real and tangible support to communities.
My Department also provides funding, on a pilot basis in seven areas around the country, for the evening rural transport scheme. Funding of €500,000 was pledged for this one-year pilot initiative. The scheme, administered by Pobal and operated on the ground by the Department of Transport by way of local transport providers, has proven very successful, and has been particularly welcomed by many older persons who use the service. Reports from the Department of Transport indicate that in excess of 60% of the people availing of the service are free travel pass holders, thus indicating the value of the scheme to older persons in the context of providing them with access to a wider range of social activities in their localities.
The programme of supports for local community and voluntary groups is designed to enable community facilities to be developed to enable greater use by people of all abilities. In addition to funding for the refurbishment of community centres and community owned facilities, the programme provides supports for equipping these centres and providing training to volunteers, staff and members of the communities.
My Department also implements the community support for older people scheme. This scheme does not provide for social activities directly but addresses their home security needs. The scheme covers the costs of socially monitored alarms, external security lighting and a range of household security affording the older person some degree of personal security to attend and participate in social activities.
Grants are available from the Sports Council fund for the promotion of sport and physical activities among older people.
I thank the Minister for this reply. Obviously, this is a very important question, given the age profile of the population. Looking at the figure of €53,000 for Age Action Ireland, I am reminded that last week was Age Action Week and in my area a very active group provided all types of entertainment for the senior citizens. Ultimately, the figure of €53,000 does not equate to €2,000 per county and it is very small relative to what is needed. However, I take the point made by the Minister of State, Deputy John Curran, on volunteerism. That law has ultimately emerged and the ESB has been a significant sponsor in this regard.
The Minister talks about safety etc., but we must ensure that senior citizens in rural areas are protected. On that aspect, what is being put in place to ensure this happens? I recently tabled a question to the Minister of Transport who told me there were no waivers for the rural transport initiative. That is very narrow-minded. It is not right as it seems to defeat the original purpose of the rural transport initiative, which was to allow people to travel to the various towns and interlink with social activities in these areas so that they were not prisoners in their homes. I ask the Minister to look at that.
It is possible to increase funding to make it attractive for the many volunteers that are willing to help. However, the initiative must be driven by the Department to ensure it happens.
The money for the groups, Age Action Ireland and Irish Senior Citizens Parliament, is for the core central office. I do not believe this is an issue that can be driven in the communities around the country by putting money through a core central office. I am not against the existence of a core central office, but all that money goes to that office. We get the moneys to the communities through the various schemes we operate, for example, the rural social scheme. Much of the work done by the rural social scheme involves going into people's houses, providing transport services — many of the community buses are driven by people on the scheme. That is a very efficient way to get the services to where the people are, by going directly to the people with the service.
As the Deputy knows, the pilot evening transport service is in seven areas. Funding of €500,000 was provided for that on a one-year basis. That will have to be evaluated. The word on the ground is that it is good, but we will have to get some objective measure on how well that programme is working and we will consider that. There is, of course, the community support for older people, CSOP, scheme, which provides locks and various things for the elderly. That scheme is operated by the Department. There is also the community services programme.
Each community is much better off by having access to schemes directly and tailoring those to its particular needs than by having one central template administered by a specific body. My experience in my community with the delivery of services to older people and in other rural and urban communities I visit is that they are accessing schemes such as the community services programme, the rural social scheme etc. and making very good use of them.
The Minister spoke about the evening rural transport scheme and said he would do an evaluation. Does he expect to roll out that scheme nationally? Deputy Wall raised the question of funding and I agree with him. I agree with the Minister on setting up agencies to distribute moneys. Small amounts of money work very well, as for example in north Mayo with the funding for the wheelchair bus. That has done a great deal for people in wheelchairs there because there is no public transport in north Mayo. That is the type of initiative that is needed rather than giving money to big agencies, which can take months to distribute it. That does not work. I ask the Minister to look at the smaller cases to ensure they get an opportunity, and keep it simple. These days, the Government makes everything difficult, but it is the simple measures that work.
Has the Minister made representation to the Minister for Health and Children, the Taoiseach and the rest of his Government colleagues to ensure that the medical card for the over 70s is retained?
That is outside the scope of the question. The Minister will deal with the other parts of the question.
We are the representatives of old people.
That is right. It appears today I am meant to be the whole Government wrapped in one, but I will let that pass. It was a good try.
The Deputy is absolutely right. He and I have long agreed that the simpler the money trail from central Government and the more flexibility there is on the ground, the better the service. In all the changes we have made in terms, for example, of the cohesion process, that is exactly what we are talking about. Let us keep the bureaucracy slim and the frontline services strong. Certainly, in all the discussions that have taken place, I have emphasised that. Take the CLÁR programme, for example, and the rural social scheme, I am trying to simplify the community services programme and make it more streamlined. I cannot understand why the rural social scheme has a much slimmer bureaucracy attached to it than the community services programme. I discussed that with the officials and have asked why, if one scheme can be administered for 2,500 people, with large overheads, the other scheme cannot be administered for an equivalent number of people. I agree with the Deputy. That is something I have certainly been working on, and I will continue to do. I know I will have his support in trying to deliver moneys in the simplest manner possible to local groups.
If we take a scheme such as the community service programme, that was not specifically set up for older people but for any service the community decided it needed, and often that is the best way to proceed. In that way, the service for older people is often provided, even though the scheme is not exclusively set up for that purpose. We often provide walkways and so on. Too often we are over-prescriptive in centralising schemes rather than allowing communities to make use of particular aspects of programmes for their members, as required.
132 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the arrangements in progressing the Dial-to-Stop Drug Dealing Campaign in the selected areas in the first phase; the way the campaign will be advertised in each area; if the leaflets and explanatory information will be available in schools, community centres and public areas; if advertising will be taken out in media and radio to highlight the launch; if this advertising will be continued for a period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33517/08]
The Dial-to-Stop Drug Dealing Campaign was officially launched last week on 30 September. The initiative involves a number of local and regional campaigns, which will be run through the mechanism of the local and regional drugs task forces. The campaigns are being designed to encourage people to provide any information they may have on drug dealing — anonymously if required — through a confidential telephone line. This information will then be forwarded to the Garda Síochána for appropriate follow-up action. Under Phase 1, five local campaigns will be launched on the following dates: Dublin north east LDTF on 8 October; Tallaght LDTF on 9 October; Blanchardstown LDTF on 17 October; south west RDTF on 20 October — date to be confirmed; and north inner city LDTF on 28 October — date to be confirmed.
Each local campaign has been tailored to the requirements of each area as identified by the drugs task force, working closely with local communities. The input and co-operation of local communities is essential to maximise the effect of the campaign in their areas. Each task force has identified the most suitable advertising method for its community and this will be done in a variety of ways, for example, by household door drops, posters in retail outlets and pubs etc. The leaflets and explanatory information will also be available in schools, community centres, public areas and sports clubs.
Campaigns in the remaining task force areas will be rolled out over the coming months. In addition to providing further information, which will aid the Garda's efforts in tackling drug dealing in local areas, it is expected that campaigns will have significant added value in promoting greater links between the community and the Garda and in promoting drug awareness at community level.
I support the initiative. My primary concern relates to the security of the caller. In recent times, computers, laptops and so on have been stolen all over the place. The confidential telephone line is of major significance to this initiative if it is to function properly and be a success, which everyone wants. I congratulate the Garda on its recent efforts in this area. However, the security of the caller is important and I hope that will be highlighted at every opportunity.
My other concern relates to the literature I received. I absolutely agree with the Minister of State regarding the National Roads Authority and the programme it is running on television. Protection of the family must be highlighted and that is not encompassed by the literature. Perhaps the Minister of State will examine this in conjunction with his officials and public relations people.
I assure the Deputy the security of the caller is absolutely paramount and that is why the system is organised so that a call from a member of the public goes directly to an independent call centre and not the Garda Síochána. Callers do not have to furnish their names or addresses nor do they have to disclose their identity. Reports will be drawn up by the call centre and they will be passed on to the Garda national drugs unit, which will deal with them centrally or through local drugs units. However, it is critically important that members of the public have confidence that their identity will not be revealed. Prior to launching the campaign, a pilot project was undertaken two years ago in Blanchardstown. Significant violence, intimidation and fear are associated with drugs and drug dealing and quite often people in the community have information and know what is happening but do not feel comfortable and safe about reporting it.
I take the Deputy's point about family protection and so on. However, I have one clear, simple message. If a person is living in a community and has information about drug dealing, which he or she feels may be useful to the Garda, we guarantee them their identity will remain anonymous. In its own right, it may not be enough but it may assist the Garda, which obtains information from a variety of sources. I appeal to people to use the telephone number and to deal with the Garda. The Deputy is correct that the key factor in ensuring the campaign is a success will be that individual callers are absolutely assured of anonymity.
I refer to the timeframe. If this pilot scheme works, will the Minister of State roll it out all over the country? The most important aspect of this is to get it into churches and schools to ensure people know about it. As Deputy Wall said, the primary issue is security in order that people know when they make a call, their name will not be revealed because we are dealing with dangerous thugs and vicious people.
This is a national scheme given the pilot scheme was undertaken previously. The scheme will run for approximately nine months and this is the first of three phases. One of the reasons it is being rolled out in phases is to prevent a situation where, if the floodgates open, the Garda could be unable to deal with the number of calls. However, this is a national scheme, which will be implemented through the local drugs task forces. This first phase is being launched and phases two and three will run over a nine-month period.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
