Written Answers Nos. 423-442
423. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a breakdown of the way the extra €2.8 million to tackle youth crime announced in December 2014 has been allocated; if she will provide a list of organisations, including their location, which have received funding from this allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13418/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer the Deputy to my answer to Parliamentary Question No. 422 dated 24 March 2015 . It remains my intention to make a formal announcement of details of the €2.8 million additional funding to tackle youth crime shortly, following the completion of some technical procedures linked to the Dormant Accounts Scheme.
424. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to introduce legislation or take measures to assist residents in multi-unit estates with management companies to release house owners from these companies, as houses have no need of these companies and yet are legally obliged to continue to pay fees to them; and her views on house owners facing legal action by these companies. [9097/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary purpose of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 is to establish a statutory framework governing the ownership and management of common areas of multi-unit developments and to facilitate the fair, efficient and effective management of owners' management companies (OMCs) which are the bodies established for the management of such areas. These are companies registered under the Companies Act which are established for the management of such areas, the members of which are the owners of residential units within the development.
The general position is that the purchaser of a residential unit in a multi-unit development, including residential estates with an OMC structure, obtains a long lease on his or her residential unit and becomes a member of the OMC. The OMC in turn owns not only the common areas of the development or estate but also the reversion, whether freehold or leasehold, in all the residential units. These arrangements and the related legal obligations, including requirements to pay service charges and contributions to a sinking fund, are normally contained in the owner's title deeds. Any subsequent failure by the owner to comply with obligations set out in the title deeds could give rise to conveyancing difficulties in the event of an intended sale or transfer of the residential unit concerned.
Section 2(2) of the Act applies the sections set out in Schedule 2 to multi-unit developments containing houses, whether detached, semi-detached or terraced, and which have an OMC structure. It appears that a requirement to establish an OMC structure in many cases was a condition of the planning permission granted for the development. As regards the taking in charge of such developments by local authorities, I am aware that the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has issued a guidance document to the local authorities on this matter.
425. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to establish a longitudinal study over ten years which would follow young persons who leave care in order to map their transition into adulthood. [12925/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the recommendation that the Child and Family Agency would conduct a longitudinal study to follow young people who leave care for ten years to map their transition to adulthood, is contained at action 65 of the Ryan Report recommendations. At the last meeting of the Ryan Monitoring Implementation Group, held on 6th November 2014, the Child and Family Agency indicated that this action had not yet been implemented due to resource restrictions.
I therefore requested that a business case for additional resources be prepared, and I am advised that the Child and Family Agency subsequently made contact with a number of research institutions in the context of an initial scoping exercise for this research. Following preliminary discussions with officials from my Department, it has been agreed that the Agency will revert to my Department with a formal project proposal which will inform considerations on how best to progress the issue.
426. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will report on the work of the Ryan report monitoring group since its establishment, to date; and the date on which it will publish its fourth progress report. [12706/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (the Ryan Report) was published in May 2009. It detailed disturbing and significant levels of historic abuse of children, who were placed by the Irish State, in residential institutions run by religious orders. The Government accepted all of the recommendations of the Ryan Report, and in response developed a detailed Implementation Plan, published in July 2009. The Implementation Plan set out a series of 99 actions which addressed the recommendations to improve services to children in care, in detention and at risk.
A Monitoring Group was established to oversee the Implementation of the Plan. The Monitoring Group included representatives from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the HSE (now the Child and Family Agency), the Health Information and Quality Authority, the Irish Youth Justice Service, the Department of Education and Skills, An Garda Síochána and the Children’s Rights Alliance and was chaired by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. The group met twice a year and three Progress Reports were prepared, presented to Government and subsequently laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Monitoring Group has now concluded its work and been stood down.
The Government has recently approved the Fourth and Final Progress Report of the Ryan Implementation Monitoring Group, and it was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 13th March, 2015. The report of the Monitoring Group has illustrated that the vast majority of the recommendations (i.e. 94 out of a total of 99), have been implemented or are being implemented on an on-going basis. It should also be noted that the Monitoring Group, which authored the Report, welcomed the significant positive developments that have taken place over the lifetime of the Implementation Plan.
427. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding the shortage of social workers for children at serious risk; the measures he will take to remedy this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12824/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Child and Family Agency (TUSLA) have advised that there were 1,397.04 whole time equivalent social workers employed at the end of February 2015 and that they are currently recruiting an additional 218 social workers. The impact of vacancies on service provision is risk-assessed on an ongoing basis to ensure that social work team members are never allowed to fall below what is considered necessary to provide a safe service. Such risk-assessments take account of issues such as case loads and referral numbers. Where necessary, temporary staff are brought in immediately to cover vacancies until such vacancies are filled on a permanent basis.
Stability, experience and capacity of staff working in the area of child protection and child welfare are extremely important. The Agency is committed to producing a Workforce Development Strategy by end of Quarter Two in 2015. This is to ensure that strategic and operational workforce development plans and processes are established as key activities in the Agency. This development presents the Agency with a significant opportunity to improve resource deployment, skill and grade mix and staff motivation to the benefit of the children and families. The workforce development plan will consider issues around recruitment, retention and turnover of key staff. This will also include further developing supports through structured professional and career development.
While I would prefer to have a zero rate of vacancies in this specialised area of work, it is important to acknowledge that staffing vacancies arise for a variety of reasons, including retirements, career breaks, paid and unpaid leave (including maternity and other family related leave) and resignations. In that context there will always be gaps in timing around the filling of posts. The turnover rate of social workers at the Agency for 2014 was just under 8% which compares favourably with experience in other countries. Every effort is being made by the Agency to speed up recruitment and develop a comprehensive workforce development plan in 2015 which will assist in addressing staff turnover rates and lower them further.
428. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to introduce a national early years strategy. [12842/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe development of Ireland’s first Early Years Strategy is being progressed in my Department. The objective of this Strategy is to create an innovative and dynamic blueprint for the future development of Ireland’s early years sector and a coherent approach to seeking to improve the lives of children from birth to 6 years.
The Early Years Strategy will address a range of issues affecting children in their first years of life such as child health and well-being, parenting and family support, learning and development and play.
Considerable work has been done on the development of the Early Years Strategy. The work of the Expert Advisory Group, Right from the Start , has greatly informed the work to date. I have signalled my intention to conduct focused consultations with relevant parties across the early childhood care and education sector before concluding my own deliberations on the Strategy. I am also mindful of the importance of other work which is being undertaken in parallel in respect of the future investment priorities in respect of child care. Taking account of these developments, I expect to be in a position to bring the Strategy forward for consideration by Government before Summer.
429. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will conduct a quality audit across all early years services to provide baseline data for policy development and implementation. [12843/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraA recommendation to carry out a baseline audit of the quality of early care and education services was set out in Right from the Start, the Report of the Expert Advisory Group on the Early Years Strategy. This recommendation is currently being considered by my Department in the context of developing Ireland's first Early Years Strategy. I expect to be in a position to bring this Strategy forward for consideration by Government before Summer.
430. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to expand the learner fund to support child care workers in progressing to levels 7 and 8 of the Further Education and Training Awards Council. [12844/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is currently progressing the Early Years Quality Agenda with the objective of improving the quality of child care services available to young children. As part of this process, all staff working directly with children in pre-school services must hold a major award in early childhood care and education at Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications, or the equivalent. This minimum qualification, which will be a requirement under the Pre-School Regulations, will apply to all pre-school services from September 2015. Staff who wish to continue in employment in the child care sector must satisfy the new qualification requirements.
In relation to the Early Childhood Care and Education programme, it will be a contractual requirement from the above dates that all pre-school leaders delivering the free pre-school year hold a major award in early childhood care and education at Level 6 or the equivalent.
Specific funding of €3 million has been provided in 2014/15 under the Learner Fund initiative to support child care workers seeking to obtain the required qualifications. The first and most important objective of this funding is to ensure that all existing staff are in a position to meet the mandatory qualification requirements for the positions that they are currently occupying, otherwise it will not be possible for them to continue in these positions after September 2015.
The Learner Fund is linked to the introduction of the mandatory qualifications and, while other training priorities can be examined at a future date, the priority now is to use the funding available for staff who must achieve mandatory qualifications.
431. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to ensure equal access to early years care and education, including access to the free pre-school year for children with special needs, and from minority groups. [12845/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a free and universal programme to which all children who are within the age range for eligibility and who hold an Irish PPS number qualify. This includes children from ethnic minorities and children with special needs.
Approximately 65,000 children are availing of the programme in the current school year with children born between 2 February 2010 and 30 June 2011 qualifying for the free pre-school provision.
The issue of access to the free pre-school year for children with special needs was considered when the free pre-school year was launched, and measures were introduced to make the programme more accessible for these children. These measures include an exemption from the upper age limit and permission to have the pre-school year split over two years on a pro-rata basis, where it would be in the child's best interest.
Most children with special needs avail of the free pre-school year in mainstream child care services. The Health Service Executive does, where possible, assist children with special needs who may require additional support to enable them to avail of pre-school services in mainstream settings. My Department has been working with the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Skills to build better supports to facilitate children who have special needs. The aim is to develop an agreed framework for the provision of resources to support children with special needs in mainstream child care settings.
I have established a high level Inter-Departmental Group to examine the issue of future investment in early childhood care and education, and child care for school going children. As part of its work, the Group will consider how best to make appropriate provision for children with special needs who are accessing mainstream child care services. I have asked the Group to report to me by the Summer.
432. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when full funding will be restored to an organisation (details supplied) in Dublin 12; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12928/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. My Department, along with all government departments, was required to deliver substantial savings on all funding programmes in line with the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE) in the years 2012, 2013 and 2014. In determining the annual allocations for youth programmes, while having regard to the CRE, my Department sought to ensure that, as far as is possible, the focus was maintained on the front line youth services particularly those for the most vulnerable young people. In 2015, funding of €49.93m has been provided to my Department for these schemes and there has been no reduction in the overall allocation for youth services in 2015 which was a key priority for youth organisations.
Funding of €242,216 has been allocated to this project in 2015, no change from last year. I am also pleased to inform the Deputy that the project was awarded €3,393 under my Department’s 2014 Youth Capital Funding Scheme for some equipment for the project.
I am aware of the challenges that the budgetary constraints raise for the youth services throughout the country. I, and officials of my Department have met and will continue to meet with many youth organisations and groups to try and see how we can work together to ensure the most effective and efficient use of the resources available in order to continue to support the provision of quality and responsive youth services for young people.
433. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide details of the resource constraints preventing full implementation of the Ryan report recommendations; and the estimated cost of implementing the recommendations. [12935/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (The Ryan Report) was published in 2009 and detailed disturbing and significant levels of historic abuse of Irish children who were placed, by the State, in residential institutions run by religious orders. The Government accepted all of the recommendations of the Ryan Report, and in response developed an Implementation Plan. The Implementation Plan set out a series of 99 actions which addressed the recommendations to improve services to children in care, in detention and at risk.
The Government has approved the Fourth and Final Monitoring Report of the Ryan Implementation Group which illustrated that the vast majority of the recommendations (i.e. 94 out of a total of 99), have been implemented or are being implemented on an ongoing basis. It should also be noted that the Monitoring Group, which authored the Report, welcomed the significant positive developments that have taken place over the lifetime of the Implementation Plan.
As regards the cost of implementation, additional funding of €24m has been provided to implement the Plan. €15m was provided in 2010, the majority of which was allocated to the Health Service Executive to progress various actions, in particular the recruitment of additional social work staff. Funding was also provided to the Health Information and Quality Authority to allow for the commencement of work on standards and inspections of child protection services. This allocation of €15m remains in the allocations of the relevant agencies in the current year. A further allocation of €9m was also made on a once off basis in 2011 to provide for implementation of actions.
I share the concern of the monitoring group that five of the actions are incomplete. These incomplete actions are in relation to the erection of a memorial to the survivors of institutional abuse; a longitudinal study of children in care; the maintenance of records of children in care and the development of an archive for same, and research into best practice in family law court processes. As the Government has committed to the full implementation of all 99 of the Implementation Plan actions, I will continue to liaise with relevant Government colleagues and the Child and Family Agency as regards implementation and I have also undertaken to keep the Government informed of progress until full implementation is achieved.
434. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding an application for funding by Attic Youth Café in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13327/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2013, €1.5m in capital funding was made available to my Department for a Youth Café scheme. Pobal assisted my Department to administer this scheme. In all 95 applications with proposals were received and some 30 proposals for new youth cafés facilities around the country were approved for funding. These projects are now working with Pobal to develop their projects to the next stage of development. An application for funding was received in respect of the Attic Youth Café, however, the application was deemed ineligible for the scheme.
Representations on behalf of the project have been received in my Department. There have been meetings with the then Ministers for Children and Youth Affairs and officials last year, while officials from my Department and from Pobal met with the project representatives last September. Officials have engaged with the relevant stake-holders and have examined all aspects of the Attic's application for funding under the 2013 Capital Scheme. The outcome of this examination will be communicated to the project shortly.
My Department does not have available to it, a new capital fund for the development of youth cafés in 2015. Youth cafés offer young people a safe, alcohol and drug free space, for recreation, non formal learning and youth activities. Over the period 2011 to 2013 capital funding made available to my Department has supported the development of some 100 youth café facilities throughout the country. The development of youth café facilities will continue to be a priority should further capital funding become available to my Department in future years.
Longford Youth Service receives funding on an annual basis from my Department under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme. In 2015, funding of €74,651 has been allocated to Longford Youth Services to support the provision of services to young people in the locality.
435. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health his plans to allocate responsibility for the national drugs strategy to an existing Minister of State in view of the seriousness of the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12664/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 is a cross cutting area of public policy and service delivery which requires a coordinated response to tackling the drugs problem. As Minister for Health, I have overall responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy at Government level. The Oversight Forum on Drugs, which I chair, is responsible for the high-level monitoring of the implementation of the Strategy across Government Departments and agencies, and solid progress is being made in delivering on its actions.
I am fully committed to the drugs brief, and am eager to tackle the issues in the area in as comprehensive a way as possible. My Department is beginning work on the development of a new National Drugs Strategy for the period after 2016 and as Minister with lead responsibility for drugs policy, I will play an active role in the development of the new Strategy. I look forward to engaging with all interested parties in this work.
It is a matter for the Taoiseach in the first instance to determine the approach to the allocation of portfolios to Ministers of State.
436. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Health in the interest of child protection, if his Department has sought to ensure the publication of the Health Information and Quality Authority report into the death of infants at Portlaoise hospital in County Laois; his views, from a child protection perspective, on the recent reports that the Health Service Executive is attempting to block such publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12758/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra443. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Health his views on the independent status of the Health Information and Quality Authority; his further views on the importance of maintaining the independence of the authority in terms of maintaining public credibility in its effectiveness in reporting and in terms of the legal necessity to allow it sufficient autonomy to carry out its important oversight, auditing and reporting role without political interference or the existence or perception of institutional or other bias; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12757/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra469. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the rights of the Health Service Executive with regard to the Health Information and Quality Authority inspections and reports; if the executive has the right and ability to block authority reports; if the executive has blocked or changed any reports in the years 2012 to 2014 and to date in 2015; if so, which reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12981/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra470. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the terms of reference for Health Information and Quality Authority inspections; if they are required to present draft reports to the Health Service Executive before dissemination; if this has occurred in the past; and if so, the number of instances, and on which matters. [12982/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra471. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the cost to the Exchequer of running the Health Information and Quality Authority in each of the years 2012 to 2014 and to date in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12983/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 436, 443 and 469 to 471, inclusive, together.
At the outset I might point out that the HIQA investigation into the infant deaths in Portlaoise Hospital is not a child protection issue.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) was established by the Health Act 2007 with responsibility for driving quality, safety and accountability in residential services for children, older people and people with disabilities in Ireland. Since its establishment in 2007 HIQA has carried out its monitoring and inspection functions in a manner that has earned public confidence and trust for its independence and impartiality.
This independence and impartiality is essential to ensuring that its findings and conclusions are complete, and to ensure that its findings are robust and provide the greatest possible learning from any investigation. It is essential that there is confidence in the reliability and accuracy of HIQA findings on the part of the patients and families concerned in particular investigations but also on the part of the healthcare providers and staff who participate in the investigation and at whom findings and recommendations are directed.
In undertaking an investigation under the Health Act 2007 HIQA, at its own instigation or at the request of the Minister for Health, sets the terms of reference for the investigation based on the purpose and circumstances of the investigation. There is no legislative requirement on HIQA to submit draft investigation reports to the HSE in advance of publication. However, it is completely accepted as best practice and due process that relevant parts of drafts of investigation reports and findings are circulated to relevant individuals who participate in investigations before reports are finalised for publication. Any investigation report requires a robust factual accuracy checking process and natural justice and due process procedure.
As Minister for Health I fully respect the statutory independence of HIQA to carry out its functions in an independent and impartial manner. I intend building on that independence and public confidence by seeking to extend and strengthen the regulatory remit of the Authority in the area of healthcare services in the future. I intend bringing proposals to Cabinet in this regard shortly.
The exchequer funding provided to HIQA in the years 2012 to 2015 is as follows:
2012 - €9.000m (Out-turn);
2013 - €10.000m (Out-turn);
2014 - €9.400m (Out-turn); and
2015 - €12.358m (Allocation).
437. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in the health sector who continue to be paid at rates above the agreed public pay scales; the amount of additional payment in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12876/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
438. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Health the reason only patients with certain long term-illnesses are eligible for free medication that is not means tested, while patients with other chronic long-term illnesses such Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis receive no assistance with the cost of their medication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13563/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra517. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the inclusion of Crohn's disease on the long-term illness list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13293/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 438 and 517 together.
The Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act, 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 specifying the conditions covered by the LTI Scheme, which are as follows: Acute Leukaemia; Mental handicap; Cerebral Palsy; Mental Illness (in a person under 16); Cystic Fibrosis; Multiple Sclerosis; Diabetes Insipidus; Muscular Dystrophies; Diabetes Mellitus; Parkinsonism; Epilepsy; Phenylketonuria; Haemophilia; Spina Bifida; Hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide.
Under the LTI scheme, persons suffering from only these prescribed conditions are provided free of charge with the drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances required for the treatment of those conditions. As Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are not one of those prescribed illnesses it is not possible to provide medication free of charge under the LTI scheme. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the LTI scheme.
Assistance with the cost of medication is provided under the Drug Payment Scheme whereby no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.
Furthermore, under the provisions of the Health Acts, medical cards are provided to persons who are, in the opinion of the HSE, unable without undue hardship to arrange GP services for themselves and their dependants. In the assessment process, the HSE can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family.
439. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health his plans to have a Jigsaw hub in County Limerick, in view of the fact there are now ten Jigsaw hubs in other communities, and young persons in County Limerick would benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12688/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
440. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Health if a medical appointment will be expedited in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12694/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him. It is important to note that I am precluded under Section 6 of the Health Service Executive Governance Act 2013 from directing the HSE to provide any treatment or service to an individual.
If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
441. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the renewal of a medical card for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12735/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
442. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health if an application to the Health Service Executive for the payment of a gratuity for a non-pensionable person will be reviewed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12756/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
