Written Answers Nos. 144-156
144. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the procedure to be followed to regularise residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; the procedure to be followed to regularise, if eligible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25616/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to is the subject of a Deportation Order and therefore has no entitlement to residency in the State.
The effect of the Deportation Order is that the person concerned must leave the State and remain thereafter outside the State. The enforcement of the Deportation Order is an operational matter for the Garda National Immigration Bureau.
However, if new information or circumstances have come to light, which has a direct bearing on his case, and which have arisen since the original Deportation Order was made, there remains the option of a request that I use my discretion, pursuant to Section 3(11) of the Immigration Act, 1999 (as amended) to revoke the Deportation Order. However I wish to make clear that such a request would require substantial grounds to be successful. In the mean-time, the Deportation Order remains valid and in place.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department 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 the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
145. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason naturalisation was refused in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25619/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that the reasons for the refusal of the application for a certificate of naturalisation were provided to the person referred to by the Deputy through her legal representative by way of a letter issued on 19 August 2014.
I am also advised that a further application for a certificate of naturalisation has been received from the person concerned. Processing of this application is ongoing and the case will be submitted to me for decision in due course.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and I know the Deputy will appreciate that it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
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 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 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.
146. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of child care workers qualified in early childhood care and education to Further Education and Training Awards Council levels 5, 6 and 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25456/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraPrior to the introduction of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme in 2010, there was no minimum qualification requirement for staff working in the early years sector. Under the ECCE programme, all pre-school leaders were required to hold a Level 5 qualification. In addition, pre-school services could qualify for a higher capitation rate where all the pre-school leaders, in the ECCE room, held a Level 7 qualification, and all the pre-school assistants held a Level 5 qualification. This represented a major step forward in improving the quality of early years.
Nearly all of the pre-school services in the country are participating in the ECCE programme. In 2010, a total of 3,787 services were under contract to deliver the free pre-school year under the ECCE programme. Of these 82 per cent met the basic capitation criteria, and 11 per cent met the higher capitation criteria. In 2015, a total of 4,371 services are under contract to deliver the ECCE programme with 72 per cent meeting the basic capitation criteria, and 28 per cent meeting the higher capitation criteria.
According to the findings from the Annual Survey of Early Years Services (2014), which is undertaken by Pobal on the Department’s behalf, almost 87 per cent of staff in early years services hold a qualification equal to or higher than the Level 5 qualification on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) and almost 50 per cent of staff hold a Level 6 qualification or higher on the NFQ. The findings of the survey also show that almost 5 per cent of staff hold qualifications at Level 7 (ordinary degree) and over 9 per cent hold a Level 8 (honours degree) award.
147. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an assurance that there will be no cuts to the school completion programme, and that the success of the programme in economically disadvantaged areas is acknowledged and built upon. [25474/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra148. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an assurance that there will be no cuts to the school completion programme in County Donegal, and that the success of the programme in economically disadvantaged areas of the county is acknowledged and built upon. [25475/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 148 together.
The School Completion Programme aims to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and to improve the school attendance, participation and retention of its target cohort. It is a targeted intervention aimed at school communities identified under the Department of Education and Skills DEIS Action Plan. It involves 124 locally managed projects and provides targeted supports to approximately 36,000 children and young people.
Since 1st January 2014, the Child and Family Agency has had operational responsibility for the School Completion Programme, including the allocation of funds to local projects. In 2014, Tusla allocated €24.756 million to this programme. Tusla has confirmed that there will be no change to the overall budget in 2015. Local projects have been advised that consideration is being given to allocating increased funding towards strengthening governance in the Programme.
I am informed that School Completion Programmes in Donegal were allocated €1,011,476.41 for the 2014/15 school year. Tusla has asked Chairpersons of Local Management Committees to prepare their school retention plans for the 2015/2016 school year based on the expenditure allocated last year and to return them to the Agency by June 16th last. I am advised that the Agency is currently assessing these plans. Local Projects including those in Donegal will be informed of their 2015/16 budgets before the start of the new school year. The ESRI is currently reviewing the School Completion programme which will help in future decisions on its structure, governance and operations. The report is almost finalised and it is expected to be available in the coming weeks.
I have advised the Agency of my commitment to ensuring that there is no diminution in the school completion programme services. The School Completion Programme is an important service within the Agency's educational welfare services. It is highly regarded as a key response in securing improved educational outcomes for children and young people at risk of early school leaving.
149. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated cost of providing 15 hours per week special needs assistant support to 1,000 children with disabilities, to enable them to participate in the early childhood and care education scheme. [25496/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe ECCE Programme is a free and universal programme for all children, including children with special needs. Approximately 65,000 children are participating in this Programme in the current school year.
The issue of access to the free pre-school year for children with special needs was considered when the ECCE Programme was launched and a number of measures were introduced by my Department to make the Programme more accessible for these children. These include an exemption from the upper age limit where a child would benefit from starting primary school at a later age. In addition, children with special needs can apply to have the pre-school year split over two years on a pro-rata basis, for example availing of the programme for 2 days a week in the first year and for 3 days a week in the second year.
In addition, while the Health Service Executive has no statutory obligation to provide assistant supports for children with special needs wishing to avail of the free pre-school year, it does work at local level and in partnership with the relevant disability service providers to address individual needs as they arise. This is done, for example, by funding special pre-schools that cater specifically for children with disabilities. In some limited cases at local level, disability services have also facilitated children with disabilities in some instances to attend mainstream pre-schools by providing assistant supports where possible and subject to resources.
This Government recognises however, that co-ordination and provision of appropriate supports for pre-school children with special needs could be improved. Accordingly, when I established the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and School Age Care and Education, I included in its terms of reference the need to examine how best to provide for children with special needs within the ECCE Programme.
To advance this, the Departments of Children and Youth Affairs, Education and Skills, and Health have agreed to work together to develop a new model of supports for pre-school children with special needs. My Department is leading the process, with full and active support from the other two Departments and their respective agencies.
A group comprising representatives from these three Departments, the HSE, Tusla, the National Council for Special Education, the National Disability Authority, Better Start and the Dublin City Childcare Committee has started its work. This Group aims to have an agreed model by early September, with a view to making a cross-departmentally supported proposal for the resources required in time for the Estimates process.
It is likely that the option and associated cost of providing children with 15 hours of special needs support to allow them to participate in the ECCE Programme will be one of a number of models that will be considered and costed by the Group as part of its work.
150. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 610 of 9 June 2015, when he expects Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to finalise the action plan on improving child welfare services in direct provision centres, referred to in the reply. [25552/15]
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.
151. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will give a complete breakdown of the total learner fund of €3 million; and the way it is allocated and provided. [25654/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is currently progressing the Early Years Quality Agenda with the objective of improving the quality of childcare services available to young children. As part of this process, all staff working directly with children in pre-school services will be required to hold a major award in early childhood care and education at Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), or the equivalent. This minimum qualification will be a requirement under the revised Childcare Regulations and, when commenced, staff who wish to continue in employment in the childcare sector must satisfy this new qualification requirement.
In relation to the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, it will be a contractual requirement that all pre-school leaders delivering the free pre-school year hold a major award in early childhood care and education at Level 6 on NFQ or the equivalent.
Specific funding of €3 million has been provided in 2014/15 under the Learner Fund to assist staff already working in the childcare sector to meet these new childcare qualification requirements. I understand that all eligible applicants were approved for funding with almost 3,000 childcare staff supported to meet the new qualification requirements.
Funding is provided to each City or County Childcare Committee (CCC) to provide for the number of childcare staff in their region that have been approved for support under the Learner Fund to undertake Level 5 and Level 6 courses with training providers from an approved panel. Participating staff avail of the courses by way of classroom attendance or by enrolling for online courses or by a mix of these two options. Some staff may undertake all 8 modules which make up the Major Award with others undertaking a smaller number which would be the balance required for them to achieve the major award. The maximum cost per module for those participating in classroom based courses is €200 per module with the Fund providing €150 of this amount. For those availing of blended/online courses, the cost per module is €150 with the Fund providing €120 of that amount.
There were two opportunities provided for staff to enrol for these courses and a breakdown of funding provided and the numbers of staff availing of the fund in each CCC area is shown below.
Pobal has indicated that 74 per cent of staff supported by the Learner Fund were seeking to achieve the Level 6 award with 26 per cent seeking to achieve the Level 5 award.
Learner Fund
|
City and County Childcare Committee |
Round 1 Budget € |
Round 2 Budget € |
Total € |
Round 1 No. of Learners |
Round 2 No. of Learners |
Total No. of Learners |
|
Carlow |
12,960 |
3,900 |
16,860 |
11 |
5 |
16 |
|
Cavan |
17,310 |
9,510 |
26,820 |
16 |
10 |
26 |
|
Clare |
94,327 |
35,820 |
130,147 |
84 |
36 |
120 |
|
Cork City |
52,080 |
14,130 |
66,210 |
45 |
13 |
58 |
|
Cork County |
159,360 |
72,056 |
231,416 |
143 |
64 |
207 |
|
Donegal |
16,530 |
9,300 |
25,830 |
16 |
9 |
25 |
|
Dublin City |
311,040 |
184,620 |
495,660 |
275 |
168 |
443 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown |
59,940 |
62,244 |
122,184 |
62 |
63 |
125 |
|
Fingal |
110,400 |
127,206 |
237,606 |
107 |
128 |
235 |
|
Galway |
57,960 |
58,467 |
116,427 |
58 |
62 |
120 |
|
Kerry |
47,520 |
4,080 |
51,600 |
43 |
4 |
47 |
|
Kildare |
96,450 |
95,197 |
191,647 |
96 |
94 |
190 |
|
Kilkenny |
22,229 |
4,563 |
26,792 |
22 |
7 |
29 |
|
Laois |
75,300 |
31,020 |
106,320 |
65 |
29 |
94 |
|
Leitrim |
11,674 |
8,800 |
20,474 |
11 |
7 |
18 |
|
Limerick |
54,600 |
51,600 |
106,200 |
52 |
48 |
100 |
|
Longford |
6,530 |
4,080 |
10,610 |
6 |
4 |
10 |
|
Louth |
46,576 |
48,090 |
94,666 |
43 |
47 |
90 |
|
Mayo |
27,420 |
12,900 |
40,320 |
25 |
13 |
38 |
|
Meath |
156,364 |
43,410 |
199,774 |
154 |
43 |
197 |
|
Monaghan |
14,520 |
7,650 |
22,170 |
10 |
13 |
23 |
|
Offaly |
25,440 |
10,550 |
35,990 |
22 |
13 |
35 |
|
Roscommon |
16,470 |
17,118 |
33,588 |
16 |
17 |
33 |
|
Sligo |
23,610 |
21,930 |
45,540 |
21 |
20 |
41 |
|
South Dublin |
100,390 |
82,650 |
183,040 |
104 |
83 |
187 |
|
Tipperary North |
18,572 |
3,390 |
21,962 |
19 |
6 |
25 |
|
Tipperary South |
37,785 |
38,712 |
76,497 |
37 |
38 |
75 |
|
Waterford |
15,538 |
19,620 |
35,158 |
17 |
19 |
36 |
|
Westmeath |
29,070 |
12,120 |
41,190 |
29 |
11 |
40 |
|
Wexford |
24,960 |
15,390 |
40,350 |
26 |
16 |
42 |
|
Wicklow |
88,000 |
40,200 |
128,200 |
81 |
40 |
121 |
|
1,830,924 |
1,150,323 |
2,981,247 |
1,716 |
1,130 |
2,846 |
152. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the role the child care committees carry out nationally; the number that exist; the number of persons employed; the amount of money that is allocated to cover wages and salaries. [25656/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are 31 City and County Childcare Committees (CCCs) presently established to advance the provision of childcare facilities in their local areas. The Committees comprise local representatives from the statutory, community and voluntary sectors, childcare providers and parents.
The CCCs offer a wide variety of services locally including: advice on setting up a childcare business; childcare information sessions; training courses for those considering a career in childcare; and advice and support on applying for childcare programmes. CCCs also offer services to parents, such as providing information on local childcare facilities and information on parent networks.
The role of the CCCs was expanded under the National Childcare Investment Programme to enable greater flexibility and responsiveness to local needs, and they had a key role in the development of local childcare infrastructure, quality standards and training and information. More recently, CCCs have been increasingly dedicated to locally managing administrative processes associated with the national childcare support programmes (the Community Childcare Subvention programme, the Early Childhood Care and Education programme and the Training and Employment Childcare programmes). They also provide advice and support regarding the performance and sustainability of childcare services in their respective areas.
The table following shows the number of staff employed in each City/County Childcare Committee area and total annual salary cost incurred.
|
City/County Childcare Committee |
No. of Staff |
Total Salary cost |
|
Carlow CCC |
4 |
187435 |
|
Cavan CCC |
4 |
177027 |
|
Clare CCC |
4 |
262640 |
|
Cork City |
4.5 |
192210 |
|
Cork County |
7.5 |
356600 |
|
Donegal |
6 |
252202 |
|
Dublin City Childcare |
5.5 |
311431 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown |
5.5 |
292255 |
|
Fingal CCC |
8.5 |
339717 |
|
Galway CCC |
5.5 |
352796 |
|
Kerry CCC |
5 |
285303 |
|
Kildare CCC |
6.5 |
302314 |
|
Kilkenny CCC |
4 |
196124 |
|
Laois CCC |
3 |
126099 |
|
Leitrim CCC |
4.5 |
174372 |
|
Limerick City & Co. |
6 |
318088 |
|
Longford CCC |
3 |
173961 |
|
Louth CCC |
3.5 |
222250 |
|
Mayo CCC |
5 |
254226 |
|
Meath CCC |
4 |
275043 |
|
Monaghan CCC |
3.5 |
194998 |
|
North Tipperary |
3 |
192360 |
|
Offaly CCC |
4 |
181669 |
|
Roscommon CCC |
3.5 |
189412 |
|
Sligo CCC |
3 |
197852 |
|
South Dublin |
7 |
379024 |
|
South Tipperary |
3 |
196304 |
|
Waterford City & Co. |
6 |
400851 |
|
Westmeath CCC |
4 |
193950 |
|
Wexford |
5.5 |
275066 |
|
Wicklow CCC |
5.5 |
234065 |
|
Total |
147.5 |
7687644 |
153. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide a breakdown of the current total spend on early childhood care and education. [25657/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMore than €260 million is invested annually by the Government in childcare sevices with the greater proportion of this funding going to support the childcare support programmes – the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, and the Training and Employment Childcare (TEC) programmes, which are implemented by my Department. These programmes support the provision of childhood care and education for more than 100,000 children each year.
The funding is provided as follows:
Approximately €172 million annually to support the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme that provides a free pre-school year to almost 67,000 children each year.
In the region of €45 million to support the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, which assists low income and disadvantaged families to access childcare services in community childcare facilities. More than 25,000 children each year benefit from the programme.
€17 million is made available each year to support the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme which provides childcare places to qualifying Solas or Education and Training Board (ETB) trainees or students for the duration of their courses.
The Community Employment Childcare programme has an annual budget of €6.5 million to provide for 2,000 childcare places for parents engaging in Community Employment programmes.
€1.6 million is made available each year to support the After-School Childcare (ASCC) programme that assists parents returning to employment with the cost of after-school childcare.
In the region of €13 million is provided each year to support the work of the City and County Childcare Committees and the National Voluntary Childcare Organisations who support the development of childcare services and offer a variety of support to childcare providers, parents and staff working in the childcare sector.
€7 million is being made available in 2015 under the Early Years Capital Programme 2015 with €5 million of this funding available for grants specifically for community/not-for-profit services. This funding will provide grants for significant upgrades of community childcare facilities and also for essential refurbishment and relocation to new premises.
154. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the next phase of the ABC project will commence and be rolled out. [25658/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme (2013-2016) is an innovative prevention and early intervention initiative consisting of committed funding for an area-based approach to helping to improve outcomes for children and thereby impacting on child poverty. The programme builds on and continues the work of the Prevention and Early Intervention Programme (PEIP) 2007-2013 which was co-funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) and The Atlantic Philanthropies (AP).
The ABC Programme targets joint investment of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and The Atlantic Philanthropies of €29.7m in evidence-informed interventions to improve the long-term outcomes for children and families living in disadvantaged areas. It aims to break “the cycle of child poverty within areas where it is most deeply entrenched and where children are most disadvantaged, through integrated and effective services and interventions” in the areas of child development, child well-being, parenting and educational disadvantage.
The ABC programme is currently being evaluated under the guidance of an Expert Advisory Group. The evaluation adopts a shared measurement framework across all ABC programme sites. The evaluation will consider the implementation and cost of programmes, and crucially how the outcomes for children and families in ABC areas have changed during the course of the programme.
In parallel with the evaluation of the ABC programme my Department has established a task-focused group to examine how best to mainstream the learning from the ABC programme in the domains of policy and provision to improve outcomes for children and young people. This Task Group comprises representatives of the ABC sites and will explore how the mainstreaming of the learning from effective evidence-informed approaches can best be progressed. It is anticipated that the group will provide a succinct discussion paper outlining feasible options relating to the mainstreaming of learning for the consideration of the ABC Interdepartmental Project Team in the last quarter of 2015.
Outputs from both of these processes will be key to informing considerations regarding the mainstreaming of learning emerging from the ABC programme.
155. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the total 2014 spend for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. [25659/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been informed by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, that its total expenditure for 2014 was €627m. In accordance with the establishing legislation for the Agency I will be laying the full 2014 accounts of the Agency before both Houses of the Oireachtas over the coming weeks.
156. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of proposals by Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9 to close the taxi rank in the hospital which has been in existence for 20 years; the implications of this for the livelihoods of taxi drivers, who have operated at this rank; and the action which he will take to address these concerns. [25661/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
