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Tuesday, 1 Jul 2014

Priority Questions

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Ceisteanna (61)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

61. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when he will formally establish the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes and publish the terms of reference for same; if he has secured additional resources for his Department's budget to fund the work of the proposed commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28269/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí ó Béal (6 píosaí cainte)

I seek an update on the establishment of a commission of investigation into mother and baby homes. On establishing a cross-departmental group to review this matter, the Minister indicated the scoping process would be complete by the end of June, which was yesterday. Has the process concluded and does the Minister have further announcements to make regarding the terms of reference of the independent commission of investigation?

The commission of investigation into concerns relating to mother and baby homes will be statutory and independent and will operate under the Commission of Investigations Act 2004. The process of developing detailed terms of reference for the commission is being supported by a high-level, cross-departmental review committee. The report from the review committee was submitted to Cabinet this morning. The next stage will be for the Government to consider proposed terms of reference as soon as practicable.

I am deeply aware that people are living with the daily reality of these painful experiences. For this reason, establishing an appropriate inquiry which is capable of effectively addressing these important matters in a sensitive and timely manner is my primary concern. It is my intention to bring a resolution before the Houses prior to the summer recess to facilitate the making of an order to formally establish the commission of investigation.

It is my intention to continue to remain in contact with the Deputy and other spokespersons to seek the widest possible consensus on these matters. In this regard, I thank Deputy Troy for his engagement on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party. I had at least one meeting with the Deputy and I invited him today to engage with me further on ongoing developments. I thank the spokespersons of other parties and representatives of the Independent Deputies.

With regard to funding, a key task of the initial scoping exercise is to ensure a realistic approach is taken to investigating these important and sensitive issues.

Our approach should have regard to the facts established through recent inquiries into related institutions, and the general experience gained in conducting similar investigations into matters of public importance. The House is only too well aware of previous tribunals and commissions that generated a great deal of expense and, due to their protracted nature, took much longer to arrive at conclusions than those most centrally concerned would have wished.

The additional resources that will be required to facilitate this inquiry will be considered by Government in tandem with decisions necessary to finalise the terms of reference and establish the commission of investigation.

As a party, we welcome the establishment of this independent commission. I acknowledge and thank the Minister for briefing and consulting us, as members of the Opposition. I got the Minister's invitation and will respond to it today.

I ask the number of submissions the Minister got from advocacy groups and the NGO sector. Has the Minister received many submissions from them and has he engaged with and consulted the groups which represent those who suffered in this issue? It is important that this sensitive issue be progressed in a non-partisan manner, and the Minister is doing so thus far.

On the specific question of funding, has the Minister secured or will he be able to secure additional funding to ensure that the investigation into legacy issues will not impact and infringe on vulnerable children of today who need the resources of the Department?

Again, I express my appreciation to Deputy Troy for the manner in which he has approached this entire issue. I undertake to keep him, on behalf of his party, fully informed of developments.

On the cost issue, there are a number of matters to be considered, not least the direct financial and staffing requirement of the commission of investigation. Once the commission of investigation is established and is setting about its task as agreed by the Houses of the Oireachtas, there will be an element of departmental oversight which will involve staffing and, consequently, expenditure of funds. There is, as Members will be aware, the heightened priority and workload given to my Department in the context of the awareness of the need to progress the importance and urgency of adoption reform. I am conscious of the cost implications. I would be happy to engage with him further on the work to date.

In response to Deputy Troy's specific question as to the number of submissions received, I have received in excess of 100. I have met many of the advocacy groups, church leaders and other interested parties outside the House.

I welcome the fact that the Minister has been meeting these groups. It is important that there is a high level of engagement with these advocacy groups and the groups that are affected.

The Minister will be aware from talking to these groups that they are resolute in the requirement that this independent investigation covers all mother and baby homes. It is important from the outset, as I stated to the Minister privately when we met, that we get buy-in from the beginning because this is a critical issue and we want to ensure that it has the support of all parties in the House and of the groups affected.

The Minister might be able to expand further on that, perhaps not today but when we meet at a later stage, and confirm the types of issues that he will investigate. He mentioned forced adoption and illegal adoption, but in this area there are also the issues of the maltreatment of women and babies, the high mortality rates of children, and vaccine testing and medical trials. They are all issues. In his reply, the Minister might outline the areas and homes that will be investigated and reconfirm that he will maintain consultation with the affected parties and that the terms of reference will be established and published before the summer recess.

As I have said before both here and elsewhere, I am anxious that we can forge an historic all-party consensus on this most sensitive issue. I will undertake to keep Deputy Troy, his party and others involved in the process, not only in a consultative role but also in a participative one. I believe that is important and I welcome Deputy Troy's acknowledgement of what has taken place to date.

I refer the Deputy to the motion as agreed by this House on 11 June which dealt with mother and baby homes, the arrangements for the burial of children, and the need to fully and accurately document the history of such homes. I will cite a small example of the scale involved because the breadth of the issue is huge. In Cork, the adoption section of the Child and Family Agency has received a total of 25,000 files from the Sacred Heart Adoption Society. In the context of the investigation, we will have to go through these documents as we deal with the sensitive issues involved to ensure that we have at this point in our history a full and detailed appraisal of what went on over the years. I am hoping to achieve a detailed history going back to the foundation of the State and up to the 1980s.

I wish to inform Deputy Troy that I intend to meet with him later this week.

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Ceisteanna (62)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Ceist:

62. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will outline the proposed model for the commission of investigation for mother and baby homes; its terms of reference and scheduled programme of work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28268/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí ó Béal (6 píosaí cainte)

I am seeking an update from the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs on the proposed model for the commission of investigation for mother and baby homes, and other similar institutions. I wish to know the proposed commission's status, including the preparation of its terms of reference and the scheduled programme of work. I am anxious to establish if the Minister has an idea of the duration of the sitting of the commission of investigation, and other matters.

I wish to acknowledge Deputy Ó Caoláin's constructive contribution to this matter on behalf of his party. I also acknowledge his written submission. As I told Deputy Troy, I intend to proceed with the process of consultation which I have found to be both informative and engaging.

Deputy Ó Caoláin will be aware that the Government has undertaken to establish a commission of investigation into the concerns that have arisen about mother and baby homes. The decision to establish a commission into these matters received the unanimous endorsement of this House. I have undertaken to report back to the House on the establishment of the commission before 17 July. I have also publicly confirmed that the intended scope of the investigation will go well beyond the home operated by the Sisters of Bon Secours in Tuam, County Galway. These announcements have been widely welcomed.

The commission of investigation will be statutory and independent and will operate under the Commission of Investigations Act 2004. The process of developing detailed terms of reference for the commission is being supported by the work of a high-level cross-departmental review committee. The committee was asked to complete its considerations by 30 June, so as to inform the Government's deliberations. That deadline was met and I reported to the Cabinet this morning.

I wish to thank the officials on the review committee and the Departments involved for the significant body of work they have undertaken within a short period. I will now consult with my Government colleagues on decisions to be made on foot of the committee's report and on the earlier endorsement by the House of the proposal to establish a commission of investigation.

The appropriate model, including the matters to be investigated and the proposed approach to these matters, is being considered as part of the consideration of the commission's terms of reference. Public calls to include a range of institutions and concerns related to particular practices are also being considered as part of this work.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

As well as working closely with my own officials, I wish to acknowledge the constructive contribution of the Deputy and other Opposition spokespersons with whom I have met in recent days. I look forward to continuing engagement across the House with a view to achieving all-party consensus as the necessary arrangements are finalised. I have also met with representatives of a number of key advocacy groups and church leaders, including the Adoption Rights Alliance, First Mothers Group, Bethany Homes Survivors Group, Cúnamh, Adoption Loss and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. I also hope to meet with Archbishop Jackson at his earliest availability. The submissions made to me during these constructive discussions, together with those received through my Department’s dedicated e-mail facility, will feed into the process. I am confident that this inclusive approach in the essential scoping phase will assist in establishing an inquiry which is capable of effectively addressing these important matters in a sensitive and timely manner.

I assure the House that I am committed to taking the most appropriate approach to establish the truth in respect of these deeply tragic and disturbing events. It is my intention to bring a resolution before both Houses prior to the summer recess to facilitate the making of an order to formally establish the commission. It is my earnest wish that, with the support of both Houses of the Oireachtas, we can conclude these matters and have the commission embark on the investigation of matters of great priority at an early date.

Will the Minister ensure that all victims and survivors of these so-called mother and baby homes and other similar institutions will have their experiences fully acknowledged so that real healing, if not closure, can get under way? I emphasise that the process should include all victims and survivors. This is the opportunity and time to address these issues. I ask him to ensure nobody is left behind. When we review this exercise following a period of time, I will not want to see a situation whereby others are still knocking at the door and hoping their circumstances will be taken on board and acted on. Will the Minister ensure that we leave nobody behind and that the commission of investigation will have terms of reference that provide for a fully inclusive and comprehensive investigation?

I am anxious to ensure that we establish the truth and the historical context of mother and baby homes. We will do so without losing sight of the responsibility that my Department and this House bear for the children of today. Over the past couple of weeks, as well as holding several constructive engagements with Deputy Ó Caoláin and his party colleague, Deputy McLellan, I have also met representatives of a number of key advocacy groups and church leaders, including Adoption Rights Alliance, First Mothers Group, Bethany Homes Survivors Group, Cúnamh, Adoption Loss and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. I also hope to meet with Archbishop Jackson at his earliest opportunity. The submissions made to me in the course of these constructive discussions, together with those received through my Department’s dedicated e-mail facility - I have received in excess of 100 written submissions - will feed into the process. I am confident that this inclusive approach in the essential scoping phase will assist in establishing an inquiry which is capable of effectively addressing these important matters in a sensitive and timely manner.

Apart from the need to ensure that account is taken of all relevant institutions as part of the investigation, I hope the scope of the investigation will include how these institutions were established and run; the infant, child and adult mortality and morbidity rates; adoption, nursing, fostering and boarding out practices; the vaccine and other clinical or medical trials and medical experimentation; forced labour and incarceration of unmarried girls and women; general conditions in the institutions; burial practices and locations; and cross-Border and international movements of pregnant women and babies. This movement applied not only in regard to adoption practices with the United States, but also in respect of movement or trafficking on the island of Ireland that must also feature in the remit of the commission of investigation. I urge the Minister to seize the opportunity. I believe he intends to do so and, if he does, he will have the full support of this House.

I refer the Deputy to the resolution already agreed by this House regarding mother and baby homes, the arrangements for the burial of children, the need to document fully and accurately the history of these homes and other issues that have arisen, a number of which have appropriately been mentioned by the Deputy. I refer specifically to infant mortality rates, irregular adoptions both within this jurisdiction and beyond our shores, the issue of clinical trials, the North-South dimension and the matter of anatomical research.

I am committed to taking the most appropriate approach to establish the truth in respect of these deeply tragic and disturbing events. It is my intention to bring a resolution before both Houses prior to 17 July to facilitate the making of an order that will formally establish the commission. It is my earnest wish that the support of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann can lead to a conclusion of these matters with the commission and embark on the investigation of matters of great priority at an early date.

Child Care Services Funding

Ceisteanna (63)

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

63. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will support a child care service (details supplied) and protect this vital community service from closure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28129/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí ó Béal (11 píosaí cainte)

I raise an issue that is not about the past but rather concerns a group of children in Ireland in 2014. Will the Minister support Darndale Belcamp Integrated Childcare Service Limited, also widely known as the Jigsaw centre, in Darndale, Dublin 17? It is under major pressure and if it does not get extra funding, this excellent service will have to close. It provides child care services for children under four. It has great potential and seeks to ensure children, particularly those at risk, can be helped.

I have provided the House with regular updates on issues regarding the services delivered by Darndale Belcamp Integrated Childcare Service Limited to approximately 260 children across the areas of Darndale, Belcamp and Moatview. I am happy to update the House and Deputy Finian McGrath in particular on the current position. I have been contacted about this by colleagues such as Deputies Bruton, Seán Kenny, Terence Flanagan, Broughan and Ó Ríordáin, as well as Deputy Finian McGrath.

It is a matter of record that Darndale Belcamp Integrated Childcare Service Limited has been experiencing cashflow difficulties. The centre incurred expenditure of €2.022 million in 2013 and received funding amounting to €1.96 million, resulting in a deficit of €62,000. Projections by the centre indicate income of approximately €1.8 million is anticipated during 2014. With such a level of financial support available, it should be possible to work constructively to continue services and avoid the closure scenario that has previously been outlined by the centre and Deputy Finian McGrath.

Senior representatives from the Child and Family Agency, Pobal, Dublin city child care committee and representatives from the board and management of Darndale Belcamp Integrated Childcare Service Limited met on 20 May. The objective of this meeting was to ensure all possible solutions to the current difficulties were explored. Representatives from Pobal and Dublin city child care committee subsequently met representatives from the board and management of Darndale Belcamp Integrated Childcare Service Limited on 26 May to continue this process and explore options available to allow the service operate on a sustainable basis within the allocated funding. A number of options were considered and, to assist in this process, Dublin city child care committee engaged the services of an external mediator to undertake an independent detailed analysis of the matter.

The Minister indicated all efforts have been made to avoid the closure but I do not accept that. The Minister does not really get what is going on at the centre, which is important. This is a child care centre with 260 young children and 99 jobs. It has been proven, as we know, that early intervention works with many at-risk children. The Minister knows the centre requires approximately €200,000 and an immediate injection of €100,000 or it will have to close. In 2012, the centre had a deficit of €65,000 and in 2013 it was €63,000. In 2014, the deficit is €200,000.

The centre has been magnificent in its fund-raising and in 2013 it brought in €112,000. The people who run this centre mean business. These are genuine people helping 260 children from disadvantaged communities. How come the Government can find €800,000 to refurbish Fine Gael headquarters?

How can the Government refurbish buildings in the Leinster House complex for the banking inquiry at a cost of between €3 million and €5 million, yet it cannot find €200,000 for a child care centre in Darndale?

Ministers talk every day about the way children were treated in the past. I challenge the Minister and the Government to treat the children of the present in a dignified, respectful manner and support this child care centre in Darndale.

I agree with Deputy Finian McGrath that these are genuine people. I have met them. When I stated earlier that an external mediator had been appointed I meant an "external mentor” had been appointed. This mentor will complete the report by mid-July 2014. My objective is the same as Deputy McGrath’s, to ensure the development of a sustainable model of service delivery into the future.

The Child and Family Agency, as one of a number of State funders of the centre, agreed and has made additional pre-payments to the end of August to Darndale Belcamp Integrated Childcare Service Limited. This is in addition to previous pre-payments advanced for May and June. This will be of assistance to the centre and is designed to allow the necessary time and space to examine the issues involved in greater detail.

I agree with Deputy McGrath about the importance of the centre. When he says I do not get it, he is not reflecting the accurate position on the ground, in correspondence and from my deliberation with Deputies involved. I would be happy to continue to engage with Deputy McGrath on this issue because I am anxious that this centre has a viable future having regard to the great work it is doing throughout the north Dublin area.

My problem is that we have been talking about this for the past five or six weeks and I have raised it many times before in the Dáil. We are great at tabling motions in this House and talking about inquiries and the past. Here is an opportunity to do something for preschool children in the present.

The centre did a cashflow analysis recently, which it submitted to the Minister last Friday. It is still awaiting a response. The Minister spoke about the external mentor. The centre is under huge pressure to have this assessment made and the up-to-date report finished because it will run out of cash on Sunday, 20 July, three days after the Dáil adjourns for recess. A total of 99 jobs will be lost, 260 children will have no service and a community already riddled with severe economic problems will suffer severe damage. I urge the Minister to act on this important matter over the next couple of days.

The feigned outrage of Deputy McGrath-----

-----is underscored by the fact that he says I received the document last Friday afternoon and I have not replied by Tuesday morning. If he regards that as an undue delay, he is being a little unfair to the process. I welcome-----

I got a call from the centre this morning. The Minister should take it seriously.

I welcome the process of engagement that is taking place. I welcome Deputy McGrath’s contribution and I hope that a satisfactory outcome will be arrived at in order to ensure the continued operation of this centre.

The Deputy should be reasonable. If I get a report on a Friday afternoon I think it is somewhat unreasonable to say that because I have not replied by Tuesday morning, there is an undue delay. We are fully aware of the need to forge a resolution to this issue. I am keeping a close eye on the situation and I hope that with the positive engagement of all concerned, including Deputy McGrath, we can reach a resolution of this issue.

The Minister should support the centre and stop the waffling.

Child Care Services Regulation

Ceisteanna (64)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

64. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the fact that a year on from the "Prime Time" investigation into crèches, a new registration process has still not been enacted; that new child care services continue to use the old notification model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28270/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí ó Béal (6 píosaí cainte)

The first anniversary of the "Prime Time" investigation into crèches has been somewhat overshadowed by recent political developments and the mother and baby home issue. None the less it is a matter of grave concern and one that is happening now. It is not an historical issue. Can the Minister please update the House on how he is addressing this issue?

Significant progress has been made in implementing the national early years quality agenda, which involves a range of actions in key areas aimed at improving the quality of early years services and enhancing the regulatory regime. Additional funding of €4.5 million has been allocated in 2014 for this work. The quality agenda provides an overdue recognition of the importance of promoting quality in early years settings. By contrast, the predominant focus in earlier decades was on the number of places and facilities available. The Child and Family Agency Act 2013, which completed its passage through the House at the end of last year, made a number of amendments to the Child Care Act 1991. Regulations to give effect to the legislative changes are expected to be published later this month.

A new registration system, which will require child care services to register with the early years inspectorate in advance of opening, rather than simply notifying the inspectorate of their existence, will be placed on a statutory basis at that point. This will require the inspectorate to commence the assessment of the quality of a service before it opens. Inspectors will also be able to impose conditions on services. Failure to comply with these conditions could result in a process of de-registration. In the meantime, services are being registered on an administrative basis. All new services receive a pre-registration visit from the early years inspectorate. The drafting of the regulations required a new review of the draft national standards, the 2006 regulations and the associated guidance document, as well as an input from Tusla, which has to introduce new systems for implementing the new regulations. Legal advice has informed the approach taken. I expect all matters to be finalised soon to allow for the making of regulations this month.

Very little has changed in the year since the "Prime Time" exposé. There has been very little follow-through on the raft of announcements we have heard. At the time of the exposé, the Minister's predecessor published an eight-point plan. In the limited time available to me, I would like to focus on three of the points in question. In his reply, the Minister cited an amendment that has been made to the Child Care Act 1991, a measure that received cross-party support at the end of last year. The lack of a requirement for pre-operational registration was one of the issues that received the most criticism. A full year later, the Minister is unable to say the process of providing for such a requirement has been fully completed. In light of the severity of the criticism that was levelled at this process over 12 months ago, it is not good enough to say we are still awaiting the publication of regulations.

My second point relates to the development of the early years strategy, which was announced over two and a half years ago. The strategy has yet to be completed even though the expert advisory group completed its work last year. I will make some other points in my follow-up. Not enough progress has been made in this regard in the 12 months since the "Prime Time" exposé.

A significant amount of progress has been made on the quality agenda. Anybody engaged in the service, both service providers and consumers of the service, will testify to improvements over a wide range of areas. I accept what Deputy Troy is saying in so far as the publication of the regulations is concerned. However, the Department is continuing to build on the actions to date and we are anxious at all times to ensure that quality in the early years service is improved. Following the receipt of the legal advice, I expect all matters to be finalised so as to allow the regulations to be made during the course of July. I undertake to keep in contact with the Deputy and inform him of further progress.

The Minister is saying that we should consider it progress that the registration process, which commenced more than 12 months ago, is still not complete. Both service users and service providers are anxiously awaiting the publication of the regulations, which the Minister is now saying will happen by the end of this month. An early years strategy was promised more than two and a half years ago but we are still awaiting it. Will the Minister indicate when that strategy will be published? In terms of the recruitment of additional inspectors, the most recent quarterly meeting with the Minister's predecessor confirmed that there are still areas in this country where no inspector is in place. Can the Minister confirm today that every area now has a fully qualified inspector overseeing preschool settings?

There is a great deal more I could say if time permitted. Certainly, there is a lot more work to be done. I ask that this matter receive the urgent attention it warrants.

The Deputy will agree that the promotion of higher and more consistent quality right across the early years services requires a sustained effort involving many different actions and activities. I note his point regarding inspectors. Recruitment of inspectors is under way and it is my hope that all regions throughout the country will have a sufficient quota of inspectors as deemed appropriate in the circumstances. I expect progress to be made on the regulations in the course of July and I will keep the Deputy informed in that regard, as requested.

Child Poverty

Ceisteanna (65)

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

65. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will actively support the 375,000 children experiencing deprivation in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28130/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí ó Béal (7 píosaí cainte)

Will the Minister indicate the sensible policies he intends to pursue to address the situation of the 375,000 children in this country who are experiencing extreme poverty? It is not acceptable in 2014 that our society should be so unequal and divided. Given the level of wealth and resources in this country, it is unacceptable that we cannot target those resources to help the hundreds of thousands of children living in poverty.

Support for families who require income support to meet basic needs is provided through the social welfare system, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection. A range of income supports is available to parents, both those who are unemployed and those on low incomes. The Department of Social Protection has lead responsibility for the national action plan for social inclusion.

In regard to issues pertaining to my Department, we are working on a number of initiatives which are relevant in addressing issues related to children experiencing deprivation. For example, my Department is taking the lead in implementing the area-based childhood programme. This programme is being co-funded by Atlantic Philanthropies and will have a total funding allocation of up to €29.7 million. It is being introduced on foot of the programme for Government commitment to adopt an area-based approach to child poverty, drawing on best international practice and existing services to break the cycle of child poverty where it is most deeply entrenched and improve outcomes for children and young people. I acknowledge that Deputy McGrath's constituency is one containing an unacceptable level of disadvantage.

As provided for in the recently published document, Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014-2020, the Department of Social Protection, under commitment 4.2 therein, has lead responsibility for a national child-specific social target to lift 70,000 children out of consistent poverty in the coming six-year period, a reduction of at least two thirds on the 2011 level. This target will include reducing the poverty rate for households with children, which is consistently higher when compared with non-child households - 8.8% versus 4.2% - and for children as compared with adults, which is 9.3% versus 6%. It is expected that this commitment will be addressed on a cross-departmental basis.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

A number of other areas of my Department also contribute to the support of families experiencing poverty. Approximately €260 million is invested annually by the Government specifically to support the provision of early childhood care and education through three child care support programmes. These child care programmes, implemented by my Department, support the provision of childhood care and education for more than 100,000 children each year.

A number of these programmes are targeted at those on lowest incomes. The Child and Family Agency provides a range of services and supports to families experiencing difficulty, for example, the statutory Education Welfare Service has specific responsibility for the agency's general function to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education.

The youth services provide targeted support for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people and these services are funded through the special projects for youth scheme, the young people's facilities and services fund and local drugs task force projects. In addition, national and regional youth work organisations are supported under my Department's youth service grant scheme. In 2014, current funding of €49.78 million has been provided to my Department for these schemes.

My Department is actively involved in supporting cross-Government policies and programmes seeking to promote the economic security and opportunity of children and families.

I welcome the Minister's response in regard to some of the proposals he put on the table. I encourage him, as the new Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, to make these priority issues because we must deal with this problem. If we do not intervene early, we will have many other problems in the future. The Minister mentioned Atlantic Philanthropy, Chuck Feeney's organisation, which is making a contribution to support some of these projects on the ground.

The Minister will accept, when we talk about child poverty, that we can see very clearly that it leads to educational disadvantage and lack of stability, which leads to children dropping out of school and low self-esteem. We need to focus on these issues because if we do not, we will end up with more neglected children and more children at risk getting involved in drugs and ending up in our prison system. We are a great country for talking about children and we held a referendum on children's rights, but now is an opportunity to do something about them.

In addition to what I said already, approximately €260 million is invested annually by the Government specifically to support the provision of early childhood care and education through three child care support programmes. This benefits in excess of 100,000 children each year. A number of these programmes are targeted at those on lowest incomes. The Child and Family Agency provides a range of services and supports to families experiencing difficulty, for example, the statutory Education Welfare Service has specific responsibility for the agency's general function to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education.

The youth services provide targeted support for disadvantaged, marginalised and at-risk young people and these services are funded through the special projects for youth scheme, the young people's facilities and services fund and local drugs task force projects. In addition, national and regional youth work organisations are supported under my Department's youth service grant scheme. In this year alone, current funding of €49.78 million has been provided to my Department for these schemes.

I recently visited a centre in the Deputy's consistency which is partly funded through the ABC programme. I know what he is talking about when he talks of disadvantage. I am anxious to ensure we have improvements to report on an ongoing basis.

To go back to the issue of child poverty, which we must prioritise, I heard the Minister state that there is a budget of €260 million for early childhood education. What I would say to him is that I do not know what is going on with the talks in regard to the Darndale centre but all we are looking for is €100,000 immediately and €200,000 in the long term. If there is money available, I urge the Minister to put it into services on the ground because many of these children suffer from poverty. The Minister knows that from his visit to the area.

It is all very well to lash out money left, right and centre, and we hope there will be more, but we must ensure we focus that money on the children who need it most. I have given examples of genuine and credible projects, such as the one in Darndale. We need value for money and to prioritise those 375,000 children in poverty.

The Deputy can be assured that I will not lash out money left, right and centre. I will look for value for money, which is what the Government is doing across a range of Departments. We now have a clear plan to guide this economy to better times. Our economy has stabilised.

Employment is increasing, international confidence has returned and the economy has returned to growth. Employment has increased by 42,000 in the past 12 months compared with 300,000 lost in the final three years of the previous Fianna Fáil Administration. Much of the focus in alleviating poverty is going to be determined by the number of jobs and the level of employment available in regions and constituencies. I realise there is a particular difficulty in parts of Deputy Finian McGrath's constituency, but I wish to forge a direct link between the alleviation of poverty and the tackling of child poverty and the creation of jobs. The job creation and job facilitation figures continue to grow. I accept it is not at a pace we would like but it is regarded as steady.

The Minister should not forget the 99 jobs in Darndale.

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