Written Answers Nos. 125-131
125. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40848/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe question of residency status does not arise in the case of the person whose details were supplied. If the person has made an application for asylum or subsidiary protection, the Deputy will be aware that it is not the practice to comment on such applications for so long as they remain in the protection process.
126. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40849/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe question of residency status does not currently arise in the case of the person whose details were supplied. If the person or another member of the person's family has made an application for asylum or subsidiary protection, the Deputy will be aware that it is not the practice to comment on such applications for so long as they remain in the protection process.
In any case where residency status is revoked, the reasons for such a decision are fully explained to the person concerned in writing.
127. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding residency status and or eligibility for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40850/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that there is no current application for family reunification from the person referred to by the Deputy.
Information on the family reunification applications process is available on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of my Department at www.inis.gov.ie.
The Deputy may wish to note that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been established specifically for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
128. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding determination of residency status and or eligibility for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40851/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that an application was received on 18 August 2014 on behalf of the person mentioned by the Deputy. The person concerned is now 21 years of age and claims that they have now lived in the State for 13 years. However, they were never registered nor ever applied to be registered in the State until now. This application is currently receiving attention and will be processed shortly.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
129. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in the determination of asylum or refugee status in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40853/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIf the person whose details were supplied has made an application for asylum or subsidiary protection, the Deputy will be aware that it is not the practice to comment on such applications for so long as they remain in the protection process.
I am informed by an Garda Síochána that they are aware of the other matter referred to in the details supplied by the Deputy and have met with the individual concerned. This matter is the subject of thorough investigation and enquiries are ongoing.
The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the investigation of individual cases and I as Minister do not have any role in such matters.
130. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the public services and semi-State companies under the remit of her Department that deliver bonuses to staff that need improvement. [41123/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can inform the Deputy that no such payments are made to any staff in my Department and that there are no semi-state companies under the remit of my Department. The Performance-related Awards Scheme, which applied to staff at Assistant Secretary, Deputy Secretary and equivalent grades in the Civil and Public Service, was abolished in 2009.
131. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 147 of 14 October 2014, in view of the alarming figures for children awaiting allocation to a social worker, the steps being taken; the additional funding that is being made available to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40794/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraA report prepared by the Child and Family Agency – "Measuring the Pressure" - indicates that at the end of June 2014, the Agency was providing 19,766 children with a social work service. The Report also highlights the increasing service challenge facing the Agency, with 9,548 cases waiting to be allocated to a dedicated social worker.
Approximately one third of these, (3,240 cases), were deemed to be high priority. These cases represent a mix of new referrals that need further assessment and social work input, as well as children known to the Agency who need a continuing social work service. I am assured by the Agency that emergency cases are dealt with immediately and that high priority cases are kept under review. We must ensure that the most vulnerable children in our society receive a timely and appropriate response.
The data and analysis contained in "Measuring the Pressure" provides critical management information to assist the Agency in service planning and resource allocation.
The Agency is in receipt of funding of €6.7m this year to alleviate identified service pressures and to support the continuing implementation of the reform programme across children and family services.
This funding is being targeted at a number of areas, including the replacement of staff on maternity leave by way of a 12 month temporary contract. Latest figures indicate that at the end of August, 164 staff were on maternity leave, 82 of whom were social workers. The Agency is also finalising proposals for the introduction of a guaranteed and protected one year induction programme for newly qualified social workers.
These initiatives are designed to assist the Agency in responding to identified service pressures and to provide for a targeted response to such pressures, taking account of identified need and available resources.
On foot of Budget 2015, the Agency will have a budget of €635 million, including over €12 million in capital funding. This represents an increase of €26 million - or 4.3% - over the 2014 budget. This additional funding will allow the Agency to build on the extensive programme of reform that is already underway across services for children and families.
These additional resources will be vitally important in alleviating pressures on services - right across child welfare and protection services, for example in supporting implementation of Children First on a statutory basis - and will be used to build on initiatives commenced by the Agency this year.
Tusla has already embarked on a programme of reform designed to realise the benefits of cost containment and to ensure that everyone using Tusla services experiences a consistent - and high quality - standard of service. The additional funding made available in Budget 2015 will enable the Agency to consolidate and build on this work, which will bring all services into a single National Service Delivery Model.
