Written Answers Nos. 177-185
177. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their disadvantaged area scheme payment for 2013, in view of the fact that this matter has been queried with his Department on two occasions with no reply to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14682/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, eligible applicants’ holdings were required to have satisfied minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units for a retention period of seven consecutive months, in addition to maintaining an annual average of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the twelve months of the scheme year. The application of the person named has only recently been confirmed as having met these requirements following an exercise to take account of the December 2013 Sheep Census data, thereby establishing the definitive position of the holding in 2013. Payment is due to issue shortly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
178. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding social workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14596/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has forwarded the information provided by the Deputy to the Chief Executive Officer of the Child and Family Agency for his attention having regard to the statutory responsibility of the Agency in respect of such matters.
I wish to thank the Deputy for bringing this matter to my attention.
179. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the interaction her Department has had with the Department of Justice and Equality to ensure that the victims of child sexual abuse are properly protected by their legal representatives and the courts. [14276/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has regular liaison with the Department of Justice and Equality in relation to a wide range of issues including legislation, and policy matters that arise between Departments and agencies and bodies under the Ministers respective remits.
In respect of Child Protection specifically, my Department regularly liaises with the Department of Justice and Equality through the auspices of the Children First Inter-Departmental Implementation Group. This group includes membership from key Government Departments, An Garda Síochána and the Child and Family Agency. The purpose of the Group is to promote the importance of compliance with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children across Government and to ensure consistency of approach. It is also a forum in which members may raise child protection issues of general concern, or with a cross departmental or cross-sectoral dimension if desired.
The Group is providing support to Departments and their sectors in bringing forward tailored implementation plans based on an assessment of current arrangements and activities and future developments and requirements. The Departments represented on the group have completed Children First Sectoral Implementation Plans, which were published in July 2013. The next phase of the Group’s work will focus on quality assurance mechanisms in relation to implementation and compliance in each sector, and the necessary preparations required for the forthcoming legislation putting elements of the Children First National Guidance on a statutory basis.
The Children First Bill is part of a suite of legislation which includes: the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act, 2012, and, the Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences Against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012. My officials have been working with officials in the Department of Justice and Equality on an ongoing basis to ensure that all three pieces of legislation interact in a complementary manner.
A number of specific issues have arisen in that context which have been a matter of discussion at both Ministerial and official level. The precise concerns of the Deputy are not clear. However, in addition to the above any cross-departmental issues arising are progressed by my officials liaising with their colleagues in other Departments bilaterally, as necessary, on a regular basis.
180. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her response to the recently published report by the European Child Safety Alliance entitled the National Action to Address Child Intentional Injury 2014; what European countries are doing to prevent intentional injury to children; and the actions that will be taken by her Department to address the recommendations contained in that report. [14607/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe report, ‘National Action to Address Child Intentional Injury 2014; what are European countries doing to prevent intentional injury to children’, was only published on 20th March 2014 and we did not receive it prior to its publication. It is a sister publication of the report cards on unintentional injury which have been produced for several years and have become a valuable reference point in preventing injury to children. The most significant issue to emerge from the report from an Irish perspective, is the high levels of suicide in young people in Ireland relative to other countries. These are complex issues, and inter-country comparisons are sometimes difficult because of different systems or attitudes to reporting intentional injury. We will be considering the issues identified in consultation with the Department of Health who have the remit for child and adolescent mental health services, and the National Office for Suicide Prevention.
181. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department has received complaints in respect of bullying outside of school hours or in the workplace in respect of teenagers; the degree to which necessary provisions are being put in place to deal with such issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14650/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe reply is as follows:
Consultation with Young People
A national consultation was conducted with children and young people during 2011, in which they were asked questions about what is good, what is not good and what should be changed to improve the lives of children and young people in Ireland. 66,700 children and young people took part in the consultation. Life as a Child and Young Person in Ireland: Report of a National Consultation was published in 2012. Bullying and peer pressure emerged in the top eight 'not good' things for both children (aged 7-12) and young people (aged 12-18).
The Action Plan on bullying
The Action Plan On Bullying: Report of the Anti-Bullying Working Group to the Minister for Education and Skills was published in January 2013 clearly recognised the necessity to tackle this issue in a holistic way which saw schools as pivotal but placed the issue within a much wider social context. Amongst the actions which will be taken are:
A single national anti-bullying website is being developed to provide information for parents, young people, youth workers, sporting and cultural associations and school staff on types and methods of bullying and how to deal with bullying behaviour.
Stand Up Awareness Week Against Homophobic Bullying
In light of the identified need to combat bullying against LGBT young people or young people perceived to be LGBT, there will be continued support the Stand Up Awareness campaign led by BelongTo, an NGO which advocates for LGBT youth and which has received international recognition as an example of good practice combining work both in schools and in the wider community. BelongTo is partly funded by DCYA to undertake their work.
Support for media campaign focused on cyber bullying and specifically targeted at young people
In Ireland Safer Internet Day is promoted by the PDST Technology in Education and Webwise.ie. It is also strongly supported by the Safer Internet Ireland Project. For 2014 the theme was “Let's create a better internet together".
To mark the day the Office for Internet Safety has published an information leaflet with key advice on how you can combat cyberbullying and how you can help others without putting yourself at risk. The leaflet was distributed to each Library Authority and made available in public libraries on Safer Internet Day.
Work with Youth services
Schools are strengthening collaboration and interaction with youth services and promote the active participation by pupils in youth focused services within their local communities. DCYA supports the National Youth Health Programme which is in partnership with the HSE and the National Youth Council of Ireland. The programme's aims are to provide a broad-based, flexible health promotion/education support and training service to youth organisations and to all those working with young people in out-of-school settings.
182. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is satisfied regarding the adequacy of the resources available to her Department to implement all child care legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14651/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Revised Estimates for Public Services 2014 allocated gross funding to my Department of some €997 million which includes over €955 million in current funding and €42 million in capital funding. When Appropriations-in-Aid receipts of just over €22.8 million are taken into account, the net current funding allocated to my Department in 2014 is some €974.3 million. This level of funding (€997m) represents an increase of over €558 million on the 2013 Estimate of €439 million and the significant investment demonstrates that, while operating within difficult Budgetary constraints, this Government is strongly committed to delivering important reforms and service developments to support children and families.
I consider that the estimate provision for my Department will facilitate the delivery of a significant level of public services as well as a number of new policy measures that include:
- The establishment of the new Child and Family Agency which took effect on 1st January 2014. This was a historic development and a significant milestone in the programme of this Government to fundamentally reform the delivery of services to vulnerable children and families. The level of funding allocated to the Agency is over €602m in current funding and €6.8m in capital spending. The Agency has received development funding of €6.7m in 2014 (€12m in a full year) to support the reform of services. This resource allocation is for the continuing provision of services previously administered by the Health Service Executive, the National Educational Welfare Board and the Family Support Agency. The overall level of funding available, which is significant by any measurement, will help the agency to respond to demand and to the needs of clients. It will help to improve the level and quality of services and assist in responding to the historic legacy of failings highlighted in the various inquiry reports published in recent years.
- An additional €4 million to support implementation of the Pre-School Quality Agenda which seeks to support high standards through supporting the efforts of providers and their staff in delivering improved and more reliable quality; and to respond to concerns raised by parents;
- An increase of €1.5 million in funding to address child poverty through the new Area Based Childhood (ABC) programme. This will bring to €4 million the State funding to be invested in this initiative in 2014. The total budget allocation for the programme over the period 2013 – 2016 is almost €30 million.
- €31m in capital funding to facilitate the continuation of construction work on the new Children Detention School facilities in Oberstown, Lusk, Co. Dublin. The timeline for the project will see the first three residential units available in the third quarter of 2014 and will be prioritised for the transfer of 17 year old boys from adult prison facilities, currently in St Patrick's Institution.
Other important areas being supported in 2014 are the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme which has a funding provision of €175 million. Some 4,300 pre-school services are participating in the programme and approximately 68,000 children are currently benefiting from it. In addition, in excess of €50 million is also being made available to support the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services by the voluntary youth sector for all young people including those in disadvantaged communities.
183. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department has been made aware of the need for child development support in the home and outside in respect of children and teenagers with particular reference to children at risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14652/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra186. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which, in respect of children deemed to be at risk whether in a family situation or outside of family, her Department has sufficient outreach resources to respond adequately in any such situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14655/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 186 together.
Responsibility for promoting the welfare and protection of children at risk is a key function of the Child and Family Agency.
The Agency is bringing a renewed focus to the delivery of safe and effective services for children and families who need a wide continuum of supports and interventions. It is addressing the persistent issues which have been raised regarding the standardisation of services, communication, coordination and sharing of risk assessment, management and treatment for many children and families with the most complex needs. It is also tasked with developing a role in supporting families more universally by providing less complex, less intrusive and less expensive responses which have a preventive function. The emphasis is on prevention, early intervention, family support and therapeutic and care interventions which are key to the provision of integrated multi-disciplinary services for children and families in need.
All referrals made to the Child and Family Agency are managed through the Standardisation Business Process. Professional risk analysis is carried out by the duty social worker, supervised by the team leader of the relevant child welfare and protection team. Every report of concern for the safety and well-being of a child is assessed and required action is identified.
In identifying risk it is the professional judgement of the duty social worker to assess if immediate action is required. This is decided based on the information received on the referral, the seriousness of the abuse reported, the likely level of risk to the future safety and welfare of the child and the degree of professional confidence in the information that either the abuse has occurred and is likely to be repeated or that the child is at immediate risk.
Where ongoing risk is identified a variety of interventions may be employed through the various systems in place to ensure that children deemed to be at immediate risk are identified and managed accordingly. The level of resource available to the Child and Family Agency is designed to support the approach described above in responding to identified risk and the adequacy of this resource will continue to be the subject of close scrutiny by my Department in consultation with the Agency.
184. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of reported incidents of child abuse of a mental, physical or sexual nature brought to the attention of her Department in each of the past three years to date; the extent to which existing structures and current legislation is adequate to meet the challenge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14653/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have requested information from the Child and Family Agency and I will forward the reply to the Deputy once I have been furnished with this information.
185. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which incidents of Internet grooming have been reported to her Department in each of the past three years to date; the extent to which legislative measures to date are adequate to deal with the situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14654/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhilst concerns have been expressed to my Department by individuals and organisations about the use by young people in relation to social media and cyber bullying, incidents of internet ‘grooming’ have not been reported, and if there are concerns about this by individuals they should be reported to An Garda Síochána.
Internet safety is the responsibility of the Office for Internet Safety, an executive office of the Department of Justice and Equality. They are also responsible for promoting an EU initiative called Internet safety Day, and has published an information leaflet with key advice on how you can combat cyberbullying and how you can help others without putting yourself at risk. The leaflet was distributed to each Library Authority and made available in public libraries on Safer Internet Day.
The ISPAI Hotline.ie Service (the Hotline) was launched in November 1999 to provide an anonymous reporting service to members of the public who accidentally uncover illegal content on the Internet, particularly child pornography or activities relating to the sexual exploitation of children. The Hotline is supported and funded by the Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland whose members are determined to take measures to counter the use of their Internet facilities for such illegal purposes.
The www.hotline.ie service receives part-funding from the European Commission's Safer Internet Plus Programme.
