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Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013

Written Answers Nos. 198-204

School Completion Programme

Ceisteanna (198, 199)

Seán Crowe

Ceist:

198. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding the national review of the school completion programme; the reason this has been delayed for two years; if she will clarify the focus and approach the review will take; and if she will outline the timeline for the review to commence and be completed. [29595/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Crowe

Ceist:

199. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the school completion programme review report will be made public; the processes that will be established in order to drive the recommendations; and the way progress will be monitored. [29596/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 and 199 together.

The School Completion Programme (SCP) aims to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and to generally improve educational outcomes of its target cohort. The SCP is one of three services being integrated into a continuum of educational support services under the remit of the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB). The SCP is a key programme under the Department of Education and Skills DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) action plan to address educational disadvantage.

In 2013 an allocation of €26.246m has been provided for the programme. This supports 124 projects and related initiatives which operate in 470 primary schools and 224 post-primary schools across the country to provide targeted supports to approximately 36,000 children and young people.

The review of the SCP was signalled in the context of the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure, CRE 2012-2014. My Department is leading this operational review in conjunction with the National Educational Welfare Board, which is responsible for the operational management and direction of the Programme, and in consultation with the Department of Education and Skills. The objectives of the review are to identify best practice, to clarify roles and responsibilities and to build upon the valuable learning and experience to date across the programme. It is anticipated that the review will assist in identifying the reforms necessary to consolidate the programme on a sustainable footing for the future and ensure that available funds are targeted to those services which provide the greatest contribution to educational outcomes for pupils at risk of educational disadvantage. Harnessing the considerable expertise and experience of staff and management across the programme is central to the success of the review process and the terms of reference envisage appropriate opportunities for stakeholders to contribute to the review.

Work is already underway to gather comprehensive information relating to existing organisational arrangements across all local project structures. This work is a critical step in the review process as it will provide baseline data about the diversity of local arrangements and procedures in place given the development of projects since the programme’s inception in 2002.

My Department has worked with Pobal and the NEWB to develop an on-line survey which is designed to gather relevant information from projects around local governance, administration and employment arrangements. Detailed guidance for the exercise has issued to all projects. The survey provides the opportunity for local management to identify specific areas where they may need additional support. It is expected that the analysis of this data will be completed before the start of the next academic year.

It is proposed to procure external expertise to further support the review process. The terms of reference for this work are being finalised and it is anticipated that the project will proceed to tender shortly. The NEWB will manage the necessary procurement and contractual arrangements. My Department expects this external support to be in place by September, in time for the start of the academic year, and for the review to be completed during the 2013/2014 academic cycle of the programme.

It is my intention to publish a report on the outcome of the SCP review. The process necessary to drive any recommendations and monitor progress will be informed by the finding of the review.

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Ceisteanna (200)

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

200. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the reason significant cuts have been made in multi-disciplinary supports for a school (details supplied) in County Cork; the reason these cuts are being made when demand for services are increasing on an annual basis as a result of the rise in the student population at this school; if he will review these cuts in service provision with a view to reversing the downgrading of service provision at the school; if he will provide assurances that there will not be additional losses of services at this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29446/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My Department is having inquiries made of the Health Service Executive in relation to the matter raised by the Deputy. I will be in further communication with the Deputy.

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Ceisteanna (201)

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

201. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if he will respond to the view that the progressing disability plan for the integrated services model is fundamentally flawed because it is not child centred and the needs of children have not been assessed prior to the plan being put in place. [29447/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The HSE has recognised the need to increase the level of consistency and standardisation in the way both early intervention services and services for school-aged children with disabilities are delivered. It is currently engaged in a reconfiguration of existing therapy resources to geographic based teams for children (0-18 years) as part of the National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18 years). The Programme is organised at national, regional and local level and includes representatives from the health and education sectors, service providers (both statutory and non-statutory) and parents. These stakeholders are working together to see how current services can be reorganised in line with agreed policy. The HSE has stated that it is very cognisant of stakeholder's views particularly of parents within this context. It has also worked to ensure that information about the Programme is made widely available. The Executive is working very closely with the education sector, which is fully involved in the development of the Programme, to ensure that, from the children’s and parents’ perspective, the services provided by each sector in so far as possible are integrated. Detailed Local Area action plans are being implemented with the following objectives: - One clear pathway to services for all children with disabilities according to need, - Resources used to the greatest benefit for all children and families, and - Health and Education working together to support children to achieve their potential.

The purpose of the reconfiguration of existing therapy resources is to ensure that the resources available are used to best effect, in order to provide health supports and ongoing therapy to all children (0-18 years) in line with their prioritised needs. In particular, it will mean that all children, regardless of where they receive their education services will have equitable access to services based on their needs. The very essence of this Programme is that the child is placed at the centre of disability services and that their needs are assessed. To further support the Programme and in recognition of the fact that a child’s development has both health and education aspects, a detailed framework designed to aid collaborative working between the health and education sectors at local level has been distributed. Decisions in relation to the local reorganisation of services will be made by Local Implementation Groups, which include representatives of all the service providers in the local area, parents and the education sector. They have a complex task which includes agreeing the principles which should underpin all disability services, mapping of existing services and gaps, consideration of the changes needed in structures and a detailed plan of how to advance. This plan will include issues of timing and the phasing of proposed changes.

Speech and Language Therapy

Ceisteanna (202)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

202. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when assessment will be carried out to determine eligibility for speech and language therapy in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29468/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Health Services Staff Issues

Ceisteanna (203)

Patrick Nulty

Ceist:

203. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Health if he will outline in detail the various roles and responsibilities of Environmental Health Officers in the Dublin Region, including in relation to their work with local authorities, the Health Service Executive, and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29471/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As this is a service matter, your question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Medical Card Eligibility

Ceisteanna (204)

Seamus Kirk

Ceist:

204. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Health if under the medical card scheme, in family situations where both spouses are suffering from cancer related illnesses, he will increase significantly income guidelines threshold, to take into account high medical costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29473/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Under the provisions of the Health Act 1970, the assessment for a medical card is determined primarily by reference to the means, including the income and expenditure, of the applicant and his or her partner and dependants. There is no automatic entitlement to a medical card for persons with a specific illness, such as cancer. The income thresholds apply to all applications and there are no variations on these where an applicant - or family member - has a specific illness.

However, under the legislation, there is provision for discretion by the HSE to grant a medical card where a person's income exceeds the income guidelines. The HSE takes a person's social and medical issues into account in determining whether or not "undue hardship" exists for a person in providing a health service for themselves or his or her dependents.

The HSE set up a clinical panel to assist in the processing of applications for such discretionary medical cards, where there are difficult personal circumstances. This approach recognises the need to have in place a standard process for considering applications in respect of people who, while over the income guidelines, require a discretionary assessment on the basis of illness, such as cancer, or undue financial hardship.

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