Vol. 1033 No. 2
65. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the plans his Department has to deal with the shortfall of accommodation for refugees; if his Department has planned for an increase in the number of rest centres for refugees coming to Ireland where they can stay temporarily before being moved to alternative accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6054/23]
67. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions he is taking to ensure that adequate accommodation is available for refugees arriving in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6070/23]
78. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline any proposals that his Department has in relation to dealing with accommodating international and temporary protection applicants in the coming quarter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6166/23]
As the terrible war drags on in Ukraine, the suffering continues for so many Ukrainians. They are being pushed out of their country and many of them are coming in our direction. What plans has the Department in place to be able to accommodate people? Is the Department proposing to continue with the rest centre model or what is the plan? There is also the issue with people being moved out of hotels. What will be the situation with people who are already here? I would appreciate it if the Minister could provide an outline on that.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 65, 67 and 78 together.
The response to the ongoing migration crisis has entered a difficult phase with limited accommodation for international protection applicants available in the short-to-medium term, particularly for single adults. I can assure the Deputies that every effort is being made by my Department to address the current shortfall in accommodation. Since 1 December 2022 to 30 January 2023, more than 1,700 additional spaces have been brought into use by the International Protection Accommodation Service, IPAS, for international protection applicants.
To provide some context to this figure, the average annual number of people arriving in Ireland seeking international protection from 2017 to 2019 was 3,500. The arrival numbers are at an all time high with 15,000 people arriving in 2022. In the first month of 2023, more than 1,200 new international protection applicants have sought accommodation from the State.
The Department has made every possible effort to secure accommodation and has sought support from the widest possible range of organisations to provide accommodation to international protection applicants. Where request for tender processes have not delivered the required capacity, the Department has engaged in emergency accommodation sourcing through networks with other State accommodation providers such as the local authorities, through newspaper advertisements, through cold calling and the use of online booking engines.
The Department has reached out to other Departments such as the Department of Education for school and third level institution facilities, the Department of Defence for unused barracks and buildings, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media for sporting and arts facilities, and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Office of Public Works for buildings that can be used to accommodate people. Many of the offers that have come through these requests have resulted in accommodation, both temporary and longer term.
In 2022, the Department has utilised all manner of buildings offered to it including office buildings and sports facilities such as Páirc Uí Chaoimh and the National Indoor Arena, Abbotstown. The Department continues to evaluate all offers from providers who will accommodate international protection applicants. Last week, I wrote to ministerial colleagues seeking their assistance in sourcing buildings to facilitate emergency rest centre operations to address the increase in arrivals.
Intensive efforts are being undertaken daily by my staff to source emergency accommodation. However, procuring enough bed space to keep pace with incoming arrivals remains extremely challenging, leading to a significant shortfall.
The sourcing of accommodation for international protection applicants is becoming increasingly challenging, in particular for single males. The lead-in for international protection accommodation can at times be lengthy and complex, particularly with regard to appraisal and evaluation from a building control regulations and renovation timelines perspective and on negotiations and contract engagement.
The Department, in co-operation with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, introduced a planning exemption for the change of use of office buildings and other warehouse-type facilities to assist in addressing the shortfall in international protection, IP, accommodation. Unfortunately, the take-up of this exemption by accommodation providers has been limited thus far.
However, there is no delay from the Department in regard to its evaluation of offers and proposals are being appraised and agreed at a rapid pace. There is significantly more demand for accommodation on account of Ukrainian displaced persons requiring accommodation and the increasing number of protests adds another layer of complexity to providers offering their accommodation for international protection.
In terms of measures being taken to increase capacity of accommodation for Ukrainian displaced persons, the Department continues to source shelter from multiple sources when it comes to people fleeing the war in Ukraine.
The Department is actively engaging with a range of stakeholders including accommodation providers, local authorities, Departments and implementing partners in efforts to secure new accommodation for Ukrainian displaced persons. As I said earlier, we are working with the Office of Public Works, OPW, in terms of the rapid build housing programme, with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in terms of refurbished properties and on the Offer a Home campaign, and with accommodation providers through the new accommodation offer portal. We have engaged with sports bodies, religious institutions, etc.
My Department continues to engage regularly with the City and County Management Association and the Local Government Management Association in terms of the provision of rest centres which has been important, particularly in meeting surges of arrivals of displaced persons from Ukraine.
Notwithstanding the real and immediate challenges, my Department continues to work to secure accommodation for both international protection applicants and Ukrainian displaced persons.
In the interests of clarity on these questions, the first speaker is Teachta Ó Muineacháin, followed by Deputies Bríd Smith and Ruairí Ó Murchú.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an eolas ansin. There is quite a bit of information on it.
Trying to predict how many spaces will be needed or how many people will be on the move fleeing the conflict is difficult, but the Minister undoubtedly has a good estimate of how many people are already in Ireland in, for example, hotel accommodation that would otherwise be being used for tourism. As such, he should have a good idea of what will happen with them in the weeks and months ahead as we approach the tourism season. We cannot pass these people from pillar to post. They need to know where they stand and what their situations will be in the months ahead. Knowing how the Government will accommodate them is important from their point of view but also from the point of view of tourism and so on.
It is reasonable to assume that, as we move through spring towards the anniversary of the start of the war, there will be a surge in the conflict, which would drive more people into flight.
I will start by quoting an Afghani international protection applicant who arrived in Ireland on 26 January: "I have nowhere to go, I'm tired and I'm afraid I will die in the cold." This was when the Government announced it had no more accommodation for international protection applicants. On top of that are the 5,000 people who have the right to leave direct provision but are still stuck in it because they have nowhere to go. It is baffling the Minister's party in particular made it a point of principle in designing the programme for Government to end direct provision and deal with these crises, but here we are slap bang in the middle of one.
I wish to challenge what the Taoiseach said yesterday in answer to Deputies Pringle and Barry on Leaders' Questions. He repeated it on "Morning Ireland" today. He said that our telling the Government and previous Governments they had created a housing crisis over the past decade or more had led to the rise of the far right and the lack of accommodation for people who were seeking Ireland's protection. He said that we are giving them an out, but we are not. It is a fact that this Government has voted down every progressive means we have tried to introduce to end the housing crisis, which is at the root of the problem.
The Minister has spoken about quick builds, modular builds and 3D printing. We need to consider all options. We know about the multidepartmental conversations that are happening in respect of accommodation. As Deputy Bríd Smith said, though, we are dealing with an accommodation crisis, and we need to get to the bottom of it first and foremost. In fairness, the Minister has always been available to answer specific queries. What interactions have there been between Departments? What is our ability to put a plan in place so that people are not left on the street? What sort of accommodation can we plan for and for what numbers? We have always said that the process needs to be streamlined, which I accept is happening in part.
To answer Deputy Aindrias Moynihan's questions first, we have a significant number of contracts with hotel accommodation providers. We are looking to renew those through the new contract, which takes a bed-only approach to accommodation. To date, no provider has rejected the new contract and a significant number have signed up to it. This is positive in terms of our ability to maintain the existing level of capacity. We continue to engage and, as contracts come up for renewal, we will engage with more contractors to secure hotel and guest house accommodation.
Deputy Bríd Smith raised a point about ending direct provision. We must recognise the changed landscape in terms of the numbers we are seeking to accommodate. The White Paper was introduced on the basis of 3,500 people coming through the system each year. Last year, 15,000 came through it. We must respond to the changed landscape. It is posing a unique challenge that would have been large on its own, but our need to accommodate 55,000 people coming from Ukraine adds to it. The Deputy knows from first-hand experience the difficulties in securing accommodation and the challenges encountered in having to respond to inaccurate, false or manipulated information, even in terms of securing accommodation for very short periods. We must try to put in place a larger system for accommodating migrants that can deal with more than 3,500 people per year. That will be a medium-to-long-term project. We also have an immediate need to secure accommodation right now. We are engaging with all Departments. For example, we have received support from the Department of Defence in the use of Kilbride barracks and, in the coming weeks, Mullingar barracks for international protection applicants. We are engaging with other Departments and Government agencies so that we can avoid people being left without accommodation. People are being left without accommodation, and that is not acceptable. We will continue working to end that situation.
I will stay focused on the people fleeing from the terrible war in Ukraine. Is it intended that the rest centres will follow a similar model? Will there be more rest centres? What does the Minister envisage being required in the event of more people fleeing?
People in, for example, hotels would like to know where they stand. There needs to be communication with them. There also needs to be communication locally where other accommodation is being put in place. If there is no communication, there can often be an information gap that someone else will fill. It is important that there be credible sources of information so that people know what is happening.
I recognise the changed landscape to which the Minister referred, but I wish the Government would recognise that that change is taking place in the middle of a housing crisis. There seems to be a refusal by every member of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party to recognise that a large part of the accommodation problem has to do with the disgraceful housing crisis in which we have found ourselves. It is giving rise to decent people supporting far-right rhetoric because they have been ten, 12 or 15 years on the housing list and are confused about who gets what in this society. I do not blame them one bit for that. I blame nasty and hateful far-right leaders, but not ordinary people who are confused by the situation. I blame the Government for not recognising this factor. There are Government Deputies - not necessarily Green Party ones, but Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael ones - talking about pull factors and problems with north African men. They need to shut up and deal with this situation decently through a true cross-party Government effort that examines the matter urgently. There are many ways to handle matters and the situation should not be handled in this slipshod way. There needs to be more urgency and co-ordination.
It goes without saying that we need to deal with the housing crisis. There are significant levels of disinformation as well as what one can only call at best "negative actors", the far right, etc. A large amount of it cannot be called anything other than idiocy, but it is dangerous idiocy. We need to ensure there is no space for that. We also need to ensure that the outstanding issues relating to the payment of people providing accommodation are resolved.
I would like details about another matter. If people are fleeing oppression, they have a right to apply for international protection, but the process has always been too long. What is being done to streamline it? We may need a wider conversation on the work visa system. I am like many Deputies. Most of the people contacting me work in the community helping those in international protection and temporary protection.
We also need to consider dealing with the holiday home issue.
I agree with the Minister on the seriousness of the challenge and the changing landscape.
We must do everything in our power to meet that challenge head on. We must first meet the challenge of the number of people who are and have been homeless in our society. We must recognise that it is easy to blame the Government for everything. The Government did not start the war in Ukraine or in the various other countries from whence immigrants are coming at present. It is also important that we recognise that to shoehorn people in on top of society in inadequate accommodation is a recipe for disaster. We must ensure that at least basic requirements are met in such situations.
Hear, hear.
My last comment is simply this. We should not forget so easily that, as a race, we were immigrants and asylum seekers, both economic and otherwise, for a long time. We must confront the hatemongers who are now in our society using the situation to generate fear and resentment.
We will continue to use rest centres. They are an extremely important part of our response and part of the contribution local authorities have made. There may be a greater call on local authorities for the use of rest centres, especially as we enter the summer, depending, as the Deputy said, on the numbers that continue to arrive. Numbers have been lower since Christmas but last week, for example, they increased again to 124 per day.
The issue of communications is important. If we are moving Ukrainians from accommodation, we try to give them notice but there are times when moves have to take place rapidly. We do our best, but we need to signal to people that there may be times when we have to act quickly, especially if a contract falls through for a distinct reason.
In response to Deputy Bríd Smith, throughout all my communications from the first day of the invasion and its resulting challenges, I have recognised we are responding to the war in Ukraine and an increase in migration in the context of a housing crisis in Ireland. I have never not recognised that we have a housing crisis. I have always been explicit that our accommodation response for Ukrainians and international protection applicants is different and separate from our response to the needs of people experiencing the housing crisis. There may be confusion about our response and about who gets what which is being taken advantage of, but I have always been clear that Ukrainians and international protection applicants do not get a position on the social housing list or access to HAP. They are provided with emergency accommodation.
My Department has brought 75,000 beds of emergency accommodation on stream in the past year. That scale of emergency accommodation has never before been delivered in one year in this State. It is basic in many places but it provides shelter and security for individuals. I have always been clear that we have done so in the context of the wider response to the housing crisis. I know the Deputy will criticise our response to that but we are working in the same context.
In response to Deputy Ó Murchú, there are issues related to payments. We are trying to reallocate staff to the payments unit. I accept some providers have experienced delays. We have paid out more than €500 million to date but I recognise there have been delays and we are looking at how to address them. The Deputy is also correct about the need to streamline and speed up the assessment of people's applications for international protection. One of the reasons direct provision became such a problem is that people were left in the system for so long. I recognise the work the Minister, Deputy McEntee, did and the Minister, Deputy Harris, is now doing to put additional resources in place to speed up that process in order for people to get their determinations earlier.
66. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide an update on new accommodation being procured in County Clare to cater for those entering Ireland seeking international protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6056/23]
102. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will proceed with plans to convert a vacant unit (details supplied) into emergency accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5664/23]
Since March last year County Clare has welcomed thousands of Ukrainian and international protection refugees. It is important to note that these refugees have been warmly welcomed and provided for in County Clare. Frustratingly, the high level of stakeholder engagement and boots-on-the-ground co-ordination we saw in March last year has all but disappeared and evaporated. The oversight and co-ordination from the Minister's Department in towns such as Ennistymon and Shannon is utterly insufficient at this time. I ask the Minister for an update on new accommodation the Minister's Department and the International Protection Accommodation Services, IPAS, are procuring in County Clare. Not all of the 75,000 beds are quality beds. Some 86 of them in my home village are in tents. We need a decision today about whether that will continue. Will we keep people in tents?
I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 102 together.
The arrival of more than 70,000 people seeking accommodation in Ireland, displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine - the largest displacement of people in Europe since the Second World War - and those seeking international protection has placed severe pressure on the State to respond to this challenge. As of 29 January 2023,19,635 people are accommodated in the international protection system as a whole, compared with 7,500 in late 2021. Emergency centres have been opened in all parts of the country. Approximately 60 accommodation locations across 17 counties have been utilised since January 2022.
In regard to international protection applicants, all the limited accommodation capacity in the IPAS is currently being used. In this context, the Department has no option but to consider all offers of accommodation made to it, including the use of office buildings and sports facilities, to address the accommodation shortfall. While offers of accommodation received from locations in Clare will continue to be appraised, my Department is working with the Office of Public Works, OPW, to develop a proposal to use a State-owned property in Shannon, Unit 153 of the Shannon Free Zone, for IPAS accommodation. Engagement is ongoing. It is not possible to provide final details prior to designs being decided and a facilities provider is contracted to operate the facility. It is anticipated that the property will come online later this year.
The OPW confirmed on 30 January that the fire officer had reviewed the proposals for Unit 153 and was satisfied the design meets fire safety requirements. The OPW awaits a final formal approval from the fire officer but is confident that the layouts shown are acceptable. The OPW does not envisage any problems and is progressing on this basis in order to expedite the project. The International Protection Procurement Services, IPPS, advised the OPW it is satisfied with the proposed design. The next step is for the OPW to move to detailed design and request a contractor to price the works. The OPW will review the price proposal and if it is fair and reasonable will progress the project with the current contractor. If the price is regarded as excessive the detailed design will be issued to the other framework members to price. The design team met again on 2 February and were asked when it expects to be in a position to give indicative timescales for the delivery of detailed designs, costings and a start date for occupancy. The OPW has been requested to revert with this information to the IPPS as soon as possible.
In December I was contacted by a number of Shannon residents asking whether stories they had heard on the rumour mill about an accommodation facility in a factory were true. I asked a parliamentary question because I did not know anything about it. In early January I received a reply from the Minister stating it was commercially sensitive. There was not a scintilla of information after that. I am now getting a litany of information. It is not good enough.
That information vacuum has led many people to ask legitimate questions in the town, but it has also been exploited by the far right. An unsavoury character showed up in the town last week from Dublin. He is known nationally for his activities in the far right realm. It is unforgivable. I was on "Drivetime" radio two weeks ago, again with no information to hand. Sarah McInerney and John Cooke confirmed to me in the course of the interview that this was happening. I am a colleague of the Minister in the Government. I have an elected mandate in Clare and I am unable to give people information. Stakeholder engagement is needed. The Minister needs to consult with people on the ground. He must speak with the six school principals who are already struggling with an enrolment crisis for September 2023 and have not heard a squeak from the Department. Communication is needed in order to make this a success. The people are welcome, but this can only be done successfully through engagement.
I am happy to speak on this issue. I wrote to the Minister three weeks ago to advise him that a number of constituents had contacted me around this proposal. I will provide some background. This ended up in The Clare Champion about three and a half or four weeks ago. It referred to Unit 153. People were not informed. There was a lack of information, as my constituency colleague said, and a vacuum was created. I will be blunt. It seems the situation has been mishandled. I recognise the changed landscape but I am specifically interested in the response. The Minister's refusal to engage has created apathy but also, as has been said, a vacuum has been created and we do not want that to be replicated in County Clare.
I reiterate the call in my letter for the Minister to hold a public meeting in Shannon, engage with the community and hear the concerns and issues they have.
I thank the Deputies. As I said in an earlier reply, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has put in place a statutory instrument which allows for the conversion of office and other buildings to international protection accommodation, recognising the particularly difficult challenges we face with accommodating Ukrainian and international protection applicants right now. That is being applied in this situation, and this is why there is a change of use of that building.
This is not like other situations where my Department is procuring accommodation directly. Rather, we are working with another State agency, namely, the Office of Public Works, OPW. There are a number of commercial elements to its engagement with our contractors. There is nothing more infuriating for any Deputy than being told commercial concerns bar the answer to a question. I know that is frustrating. It is frustrating for me in terms of being able to get accurate information out to people.
However, significant work is going on with this building and we need to allow that work to take place before we understand its potential for occupancy in terms of whether it will be a building for family groups. As such, that will have knock-on impact on the need for schools in the area. As I said earlier, we now have processes to examine where new accommodation is coming online to make sure we can link children living in that accommodation to schools, either locally or, if there is pressure on local schools, schools within a wider area. That is the regional education and language teams, REALT, system the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, has set up. The system was initially for Ukrainians and now includes international protection applicants.
I have heard what the Deputies have said. I recognise there has been an information vacuum which has created challenges for Deputies in ensuring the welcome they both spoke of which the people of Shannon will give to those fleeing war is fully maintained and there is no exploitation by malicious actors.
There is a steady flow of information here today, but this was information the Minister could not give me three or four weeks ago. I and other politicians in the county have been left firefighting. We are trying to give accurate information to people who have genuine concerns. Beyond that, there is huge exploitation coming from the far right. The Minister needs to give us information. I cannot fathom why he could not give me, as a colleague in government, information in the House three weeks ago, yet his office was able to brief RTÉ's "Drivetime". That is not the way things should work in a coalition Government.
I want to reference the town of Lisdoonvarna, County Clare. This time last year it had a population of 400 people and now has a population of close to 1,500, an almost fourfold increase in population. It has welcomed every single Ukrainian and international protection refugee. The people there have done an incredible job welcoming refugees, but there are no longer boots on the ground. At one point, a class was being taught in a cloakroom. There is no GP care. There is a lack of everything and no co-ordination. We need the Minister and his officials to be on the ground. They were everywhere last March. They marched up and down the street with ambassadors. There were photo opportunities and a fanfare. There is now nothing. The town is pleading for support and help from Government. The town will play its part but it wants the Government to step up as well.
The reason I have called for a public meeting is because local residents have relayed legitimate concerns regarding whether the Department has consulted local services such as the Shannon health centre and schools in the area to ensure they will be adequately equipped to deal with extra capacity. I would also like information on the financials and particulars of the unit I have mentioned. The Minister said it is being looked at and information will be with his Department shortly. He might send that information to me.
Will the Minister confirm to the House how much the proposed refit of the unit will cost? Will he please inform us how he was able to rezone the unit, despite the fact it is in the Shannon Free Zone, which is purely an industrial and commercial zone, by definition? How will it be possible to bring the unit up to code in respect of basic sanitation, habitation standards and fire and safety regulations? I would also like clarity around the numbers of people who may take up residence there.
I want to again emphasise the urgent necessity to tackle this issue, which has been genuinely voiced by many inside and outside the House, notwithstanding the less than genuine people who are now active in our society and acting in a seditious way to create failure and the maximum possible opposition to and hatred of people coming into our country. They have to come into our country and we have an obligation to welcome, greet and include them in our society. We cannot do that unless we have the information to do so and a special effort is made within the shortest possible time to ensure that information is good and will stand up in order that we do not have to make inquiries at a later date. We should have the information straight off.
In response to Deputy Wynne's question, a statutory instrument has been put in place that creates a planning exemption for the use of facilities for international protection or Ukrainian accommodation. There are two separate planning exemptions, and that has been applied in this situation. It allows a change of use to take place in the building in Shannon. Other elements of the building code, such as fire certification and building management controls, continue to apply. A building such as this cannot be used until appropriately certified. I do not have the financial details for the Deputy. They are coming, and as soon as I am in a position to do so, I will make them available to Deputies. That is why I was not able to give more information to Deputy Crowe earlier. I accept what he said about that limiting his ability and that of other Deputies to get the correct information out.
There is a challenge, in particular when these projects are undertaken across a number of Departments, in that there can be more red tape and barriers to a free flow of information than when things are done through my Department alone. I am appreciative when we do joint projects. I am appreciative of the support given by the OPW and the Department of Defence in bringing forward accommodation. It is indicative of the very real pressure we are under and the fact that people are being left without accommodation, as Deputy Smith spoke to earlier, that we have had to move in this very rapid fashion in a number of areas.
The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy O'Brien, are bringing forward a community recognition fund to recognise those parts of the country that have taken on significant numbers of refugees. County Clare has taken in a number of Ukrainian and international protection applicants. I understand about €2.9 million of the fund will be allocated to Clare to support projects that will be a long-term recognition of the huge efforts the county has made to address and support the needs of people arriving there.
68. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is satisfied that adequate support exists for all children insofar as is possible who might be subjected to a threat from any quarter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6130/23]
This particular question raises the issue of support for the protection of children in all circumstances, whether in the settled or immigration community or the courts. We have a duty to protect all children.
As the Deputy is aware, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the statutory body with responsibility for child protection and welfare services. If I or my officials become aware of a situation in which a child is considered to be at risk, that concern is communicated to Tusla as a matter of urgency.
The Children First Act 2015 places a number of statutory obligations on specific groups of professionals and particular organisations providing services to children. The Children First guidance 2017 includes information on the statutory obligations for those individuals and organisations under the Act. It also sets out the best practice procedures that should be in place for all organisations providing services to children.
Under the Act, mandated persons are required to report child protection concerns at or above a defined threshold to Tusla. Mandated persons are people who have contact with children and families and who, because of their qualifications, training or employment role, are in a key position to help protect children from harm. Organisations classed as providers of relevant services under the Act are required to undertake a risk assessment and develop a child safeguarding statement setting out the procedures in place to manage any risk identified.
The Children First Act operates side by side with the non-statutory obligations provided for in Children First, the national guidance for the protection and welfare of children. The guidance sets out how reports about reasonable concerns of child abuse or neglect should be made by the public and professionals to Tusla and what organisations need to do to keep children safe.
If a child appears to be at risk of harm or neglect, concerns should be reported to Tusla. Anyone can report concerns about a child to Tusla, and information on how to do so is available on its website. If a child is at immediate risk or in danger, An Garda Síochána should be alerted without delay
Tusla acts urgently on notification of an immediate risk to a child.
Children who are at immediate risk may be dealt with initially by An Garda Síochána or Tusla but, in the main, both agencies work together on such cases. Tusla has an out-of-hours emergency number that provides advice to An Garda Síochána based on the circumstances and can identify where a child is listed on the child protection notification system. A 24-7 out-of-hours social work team is available in Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare and Cork, and on-call social workers are available in other areas. Tusla has a network of emergency foster care placements for children in need of emergency care out of hours.
The concerns of a fairly considerable cohort of mothers whose children have been removed from them have been brought to my attention recently. Their children have been removed not because they had bad mothers or bad homes but for other reasons. These mothers are victims of referrals to the system and numerous hearings where attention is not brought to the concerns they brought to the attention of the appropriate authorities and their children are alienated from them. We do not seem to be able to come to grips with it. Will the Minister recognise this problem exists and that Tusla has an obligation to protect children? The Children First legislation is there for that purpose but it does not always apply.
The Deputy is correct. The protection of children is the primary obligation on Tusla. By and large, the removal of children from their families is a last resort and is undertaken in situations where the social worker or indeed An Garda Síochána feel there is a significant risk to the child and they have to intervene. Where that takes place, the response is as much as is possible to place a child with a foster family to ensure he or she is in as natural a family atmosphere as possible. A total of 90% of children in care in this country are in foster care, which is a much higher percentage than many other countries.
I recognise that where a child has been taken away from their family and particularly their mother, it creates incredible hardship for that family. We are looking at whether there are ways in which we can provide better advocacy and supports to parents, recognising that advocacy systems are in place for children in the care system. It is also important to recognise the needs of parents who have had children taken away from them.
I agree with the Minister that taking children away, especially from their mother, should be a last resort but, unfortunately, this is not the case. It is used as a first resort in a situation that is prevalent in this country and which I believe is alien to everything we stand for. I would like some investigation to be carried out in the shortest period of time into the number of such cases. Mothers have a legitimate claim that their case is not being heard adequately.
The Deputy is probably referring to specific cases of which he has direct experience. I know he has advocated on this issue. He understands that, as Minister, I am unable to involve myself directly in a case before the court due to the statutory independence of the Child and Family Agency.
Regarding whether there is a category of cases or we are just dealing with one or two, the Deputy seems to suggest there are a wider range of cases so I am happy to talk to him afterwards about this to get a better understanding of what we are trying to categorise. I have strong confidence in Tusla, notwithstanding the fact that not every social worker makes the right call every time. By and large, the right practices and policies are in place in Tusla to ensure we have a very consistent approach regarding taking a child away from a family. I am happy to discuss this directly with the Deputy.
69. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the roles and responsibilities of the newly appointed Minister of State with special responsibility for integration and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5815/23]
I wish the Minister of State well in his new role. What are the responsibilities of the newly appointed Minister of State with special responsibility for integration? Is it an acknowledgement that this Ministry has become, or always was, too big and broad? From what we have seen in recent weeks, were Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Deputies reluctant to step into this role or were they allowing another Green Party Deputy to walk the plank on this issue?
The responsibilities to be assigned to me as Minister of State for integration and priority work in these responsibilities are as follows. The Government commits to publishing a national action plan against racism for Ireland. An independent anti-racism committee established by Government in 2020 has created a draft action plan against racism supported in its work by the Department. We plan to launch that plan next month.
The Government is committed to developing a successor to the migrant integration strategy and planning is under way. Consultation for the new strategy will begin shortly and will include input from migrants, Irish citizens with a migrant background, international protection applicants and refugees. The strategy is expected to be published in 2024.
In 2022, the EU agreed to extend the asylum, migration and integration fund, AMIF, 2014 to 2020 programme in response to the refugee crisis arising from the conflict in Ukraine. A call for proposals for projects under AMIF is planned in 2023. The exact budget is to be determined.
As committed to under the White Paper to end direct provision and to establish a new international protection support service, a new international protection integration fund was launched in 2022. This fund offered grants to civil society organisations for projects supporting the integration of international protection applicants. More than €1.6 million in funding was awarded to 67 organisations in 2022. A second fund will be launched later in 2023.
Regarding community engagement and integration capacity building, I am acutely aware from today's proceedings and wider news that communities are anxious to have as much information as possible if and when an accommodation facility is due to come to their area. I understand this need and can confirm that a process has started in the Department of the Taoiseach whereby officials in my Department and the Department of Rural and Community Development are engaging to see how relevant Departments can assist in strengthening the community engagement function.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
Since its establishment in 2015, the Department's Irish refugee resettlement programme has worked with local authorities and communities to house and provide integration support to approximately 4,100 programme refugees resettled throughout Ireland.
Are there any plans to expand the integration fund and community engagement? Has there been an acknowledgement by the Government that this Department needs to be improved? There was talk in some of the earlier engagements of the cross-government approach. We have heard about pressures on GP care. Are there any plans to expand Sláintecare? Are there any plans for the HSE to employ GPs directly in areas where GPs say they are under pressure? Are there any plans to increase the number of medical cards? Has the Minister of State spoken to other Departments about that? There have been complaints that some people are getting medical cards while other people, including those with cancer, are waiting. That is causing frustration.
The Minister of State mentioned the consultation process. I remember how, when the Skellig Star incident happened, a person was directly appointed by the Department of Justice to liaise with local representatives and local communities. Does the Minister of State plan to put someone like that back in place?
I will provide more information about community engagement as I was limited in my reply due to time constraints. In combination with the process within the Department of the Taoiseach, I am already drawing on my role in the Department of Rural and Community Development to use local networks that already exist and that will be very important to the integration and community engagement process.
I am in three Departments at the moment. I am not in the Department of Health. I am aware of the GP issue. Last year, as part of my role in the Department of Rural and Community Development, I visited Kerry and the community response forums where the issue of GP access was raised. In turn, I raised this with the Minister for Health ahead of the budgetary process last year.
My understanding is there were increased budgetary allocations in that regard.
The community recognition fund comprises €50 million, a substantial sum, to be spread over two years. We want to see substantial projects that will have a long-lasting impact, with €30 million allocated for this year and €20 million for next year.
I am somewhat worried given the Minister of State is now working in three separate Departments, yet this is such an important area. We are seeing the rise of the far right and we do not want what happened in the Netherlands and Sweden to happen here. Should some Minister or Minister of State have sole responsibility for this such that it would be his or her one job to deal with integration? Perhaps the Minister of State is spreading himself too thin in dealing with all the other issues. I note he took questions in the House regarding social protection earlier.
He did not mention anything about accommodation. What efforts are being made with regard to holiday homes? The White Paper mentioned six reception centres that would deal with people during their first four months in the country. Should this role be tied in with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service rather than having two separate Departments deal with people who make applications to be accommodated?
There were several issues there. There is great value to me being in the Departments of Rural and Community Development and Social Protection as well as the Department we are discussing, and that was the thinking behind bringing me to this Department. I also bring the community sector links to this Department. We have all seen at a grassroots level communities responding throughout last year and more recently to the challenges they face. It is very much my intention to bring that value, experience and connections to this role as well, and that has started.
Kerry has been allocated €4.4 million under the community recognition fund. The Deputy mentioned holiday homes. A stream of work is happening to assist us in the challenges we face under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The vacant homes scheme has brought 800 properties on stream, which is an important assistance to mention from that Department.
64. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of childcare services that have signed a core funding contract to date; the number of services that have entered a core funding agreement that have ceased operations since the scheme began in September 2022; the number of those that cited financial sustainability issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6034/23]
70. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the latest level of take-up of the core funding model for childcare for childcare providers; if any need to adapt the existing suite of supports has been identified for providers that have sought additional transitional support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6098/23]
I congratulate the Minister on the great strides that have been made in the childcare area, particularly with the new registered employment agreement, REA, and the support, but pressure points are emerging. I am keen to see a review of some of those pressure points to determine whether we can incorporate them into the next steps the Minister is planning.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 70 together.
Affordable, accessible, high-quality and sustainable early learning and childcare, ELC, is a key priority for the Government. I have taken numerous actions to support the sustainability of all services, including the introduction of supply-side funding through core funding, as well as the continued increase in investment in the sector, with expenditure to exceed €1 billion by 2023. Core funding, with a budget of €259 million in its first year, significantly increases income for the overwhelming majority of services and provides greater funding stability to the sector. I am delighted that 4,196 services currently have an active core funding contract, representing 94% of the sector. Applications for the scheme remain open.
The latest available information shows closures of eight services that have activated a core funding contract since the scheme began on 15 September. Three of these services self-reported their reason for closure as financial. Additional data from Tusla on ELC closures and new service registrations in 2022 showed that the number of net closures was lower in 2022 than in previous years. In 2022, 141 ELC closures were notified to Tusla, with 83 new service registrations, or 58 net closures. This compares with 76 net closures in 2021, 106 in 2020 and 103 in 2019. There is considerable diversity among the reasons given for closure by providers. While some services have closed for financial reasons such as reduced demand, many have closed for other reasons such as the retirement of the owner and manager. I have been unequivocal in saying I do not want any services to be faced with financial sustainability issues and I am fully committed to working with all services to support them in delivering early learning and childcare for the public good.
While core funding has significantly increased income for the overwhelming majority of services, a number of measures have been put in place to ensure all services are sufficiently supported in the transition to this new funding model. A funding guarantee has issued to services that may see a small reduction in income due to changes to the funding approach from last year. That affects 60 services that have had their core funding topped up to match last year's higher capitation and programme support payment. Additionally, I have initiated an independent financial review of sessional services to provide greater insight and evidence that may underpin development to core funding in year 2. This independent review will involve an in-depth examination of participants' financial circumstances through the provision of detailed information on income and expenditure and an analysis of the impact of the early learning and childcare funding streams. Expressions of interest are live to seek participation in the services.
In budget 2023, I secured an overall increase in the allocation for year 2 of core funding to €287 million.
I congratulate the Minister on the progress he is making but some anomalies emerged from a consultation I conducted in my constituency relating to the sector. I will outline them in a staccato manner but he might respond to each of them. They relate to: the extension of the access and inclusion model, AIM, beyond the early childhood care and education, ECCE, area, to which it is currently confined; the confusion of the huge number of inspectorates that call at the doors of childcare providers; and the anomalies in some of the staffing ratios whereby ratios much lower than those in childhood education are demanded in some parts, even for after-school service and care. Where stands the Minister's proposal to introduce a childcare development authority that would see this sector as one we have to drive on a long-term, sustainable basis with mixed providers?
Work on the advancement of the concept of a childcare agency is ongoing in my Department. As the Deputy will be aware, there was a Government decision in 2021 to proceed on that and consider the impact on various other settings in the sector. That is a big change and we are undertaking the groundwork with the various existing parts of the sector. A unit in my Department is focused on that project.
I would very much like to broaden out AIM past the two years of ECCE. AIM has been a very good programme. Obviously, there would be a financial impact, and I will look for the Deputy's support in ensuring we can achieve it. That, and the new strand of supporting the disadvantaged within early years, are two key matters I would like to advance in next year's Estimates.
As for staffing ratios, it is appropriate for babies and young children that there are high levels of staffing ratios. For the ECCE programme, it is 1:11. I do not think they are excessive in light of the young age of many of the charges.
I appreciate that the Minister is under time pressure but it seems strange that some of the ratios are very low. Even for after-school care, which does not involve infants, the ratios are very low, at 12:1, which seems quite stringent compared with ratios in our schools. The issue of multiple inspections is a source of irritation. There are the HSE, Pobal, the Department of Education and Tusla. There are a range of inspectors, which puts pressure on what are sometimes very small operations.
I take the point about the level of inspection to which this sector is subject. Given we are dealing with our most vulnerable and youngest citizens, it is appropriate our standards are high and inspected. Nevertheless, it is an issue I hear about in my constituency from childcare providers. In the context of the work we are doing to look at the overall architecture of the sector and the idea of a childcare agency, there is the opportunity to consider issues such as the multiplicity of inspection points rather than the standards themselves and to see whether any condensing can be done that would maintain standards but also remove some of the burden from childcare providers.
