Written Answers Nos. 347-368
347. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of various categories of crime reported in each Garda Síochána division in each of the past ten years to date; her plans to address any issues arising; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42914/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra348. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of various categories of crime reports in each Garda Síochána division in County Kildare in each of the past ten years to date; the extent to which she expects to be in a position to address any issues arising; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42915/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 347 and 348 together.
The Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose.
I have requested the CSO to provide the available statistical information directly to the Deputy.
The Deputy will appreciate that the policing response to crime trends is a matter in the first instance for the Garda authorities. The Deputy will also be aware that the Government is strongly supporting an Garda Síochána through the provision of enhanced resources which facilitate a range of operational initiatives, such as the recently launched Operation Thor, as well as through updated legislation including the Criminal Justice (Burglary of Dwellings) Bill 2015 which is currently before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
349. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which she expects to be in a position to identify and isolate the membership of criminal gangs, with a view to putting them out of business; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42916/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can assure the Deputy that the operation of organised crime groups is closely monitored on an ongoing basis by An Garda Síochána and that tackling these groups remains a key ongoing priority for both the Government and An Garda Síochána. This priority is clearly reflected in the Garda Policing Plan for 2015.
In tackling organised crime activity, An Garda Síochána continues to develop and implement operations and strategies aimed at targeting, dismantling and disrupting criminal networks, utilising advanced analytical and intelligence methodologies. Multi-disciplinary approaches are also utilised to ensure the activities of individuals and groups involved in criminal enterprise are effectively targeted, including the use of the proceeds of crimes legislation, money-laundering legislation, and the powers of the Criminal Assets Bureau.
In targeting such criminal groupings An Garda Síochána operate at local and community level, as well as national and international level in partnership with other policing agencies including Interpol and Europol.
While we should not underestimate the difficulties which the Garda authorities face in tackling organised crime activity, we continue to see the significant results of their efforts in the arrests made and persons being brought before the Courts, as well as the ongoing drugs and firearms seizures made.
I can also assure the Deputy that An Garda Síochána is committed to utilising all available resources in targeting such activity with significant recent investments being made through the recently launched Operation Thor. This Operation will entail a broad range of activities including; additional high-visibility patrols in identified burglary hot-spots; increased used of checkpoints to tackle the criminal gangs using the national road network; the use of new high powered vehicles by the armed Regional Response Units; efforts to disrupt the stolen goods market; programmes to help reduce re-offending by prolific offenders; a high-profile national crime prevention awareness campaign, and targeted crime prevention advice for local communities and enhanced supports for victims.
Finally with regard to the question of organised crime structures and membership, I am advised that membership of criminal groups tends to be fluid with groups merging and splitting on an ongoing basis. In addition many modern groupings are transnational in nature. With this in mind, the Deputy will appreciate that such structures do not allow for the easy identification of precise numbers of such groupings and their members at any particular point in time.
350. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which drug trafficking continues; if specific provisions can be made to make a serious impact on this life-destroying activity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42917/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraDrug trafficking has long been recognised as one of the most profitable of criminal activities. Targeting drug trafficking and supply has therefore remained a priority for law enforcement authorities worldwide.
The Policing Plan of An Garda Síochána sets out the continued commitment of An Garda Síochána to pro-actively target groups and individuals engaged in criminal activity. In this regard multi-disciplinary approaches are utilised to ensure that those involved are effectively targeted including through the use of the Proceeds of Crime legislation, money laundering legislation and the powers of the Criminal Assets Bureau.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that, in line with the Policing Plan, the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau continues to lead out the policing strategy for tackling drugs by demand reduction and supply reduction strategies. In this regard the Bureau continues its policy of working with Divisional Drug Units nationwide in tackling supply reduction at local level.
This integrated approach adopts best practice in implementing a co-ordinated use of Garda resources and in utilising available criminal law to its fullest extent in tackling all forms of organised crime, including drug trafficking.
An Garda Siochána also has in place a number of strategic partnerships both nationally and internationally including with the Irish Customs Service, the Health Products Regulatory Authority, the Irish Naval Service, Europol, Interpol and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre Narcotics based in Lisbon.
An Garda Síochána continues to record significant successes in intercepting substantial quantities of controlled drugs and in bringing those involved before the Courts.
More broadly, the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 seeks to address the harm caused to individuals and society by drug misuse by tackling the problem in a comprehensive and integrated way by implementing a pillar based approach which incorporates a wide range of drug supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research measures.
351. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which the activities of criminal gangs continues to be monitored throughout counties adjacent to County Dublin, such as County Kildare; if she is satisfied with the adequacy of resources available to An Garda Síochána to tackle this issue in line with demographic trends; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42918/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can assure the Deputy that the operation of organised crime groups is closely monitored on an ongoing basis by An Garda Síochána and that tackling these groups remains a key ongoing priority for both the Government and An Garda Síochána. This priority is clearly reflected in the Garda Síochána Policing Plan for 2015.
In targeting such activity An Garda Síochána continue to develop and implement strategies to dismantle and disrupt criminal networks, utilising advanced analytical and intelligence methods to facilitate targeted intelligence led operations.
On 2 November 2015 An Garda Síochána launched Operation Thor. This Operation will actively target burglars, organised crime gangs and prolific offenders through co-ordinated crime prevention and enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest crime trends and patterns. Operation Thor will entail a broad range of activities including; additional high-visibility patrols in identified burglary hot-spots; increased used of checkpoints to tackle the criminal gangs using the national road network; the use of new high powered vehicles by the armed Regional Response Units; efforts to disrupt the stolen goods market; programmes to help reduce re-offending by prolific offenders; a high-profile national crime prevention awareness campaign, and targeted crime prevention advice for local communities and enhanced supports for victims.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review taking into account crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that local Garda management in the area highlighted by the Deputy is satisfied that a full and comprehensive policing service is being delivered to the communities in the area.
I can also assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the capacity to provide effective, visible policing throughout the country. A crucial element of the Government's strategy is ongoing seamless recruitment to renew An Garda Síochána. With this in mind Budget 2016 made provision for the recruitment of 600 new Gardaí next year bringing to 1,150 the number of new Gardaí that will be recruited since the reopening of the Garda College in Templemore in September 2014. So far 295 of those new recruits are fully attested and are on the ground in communities nationwide. The Commissioner has informed that 15 of these newly attested Gardaí have been assigned to the Kildare Division.
352. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in respect of the number of Garda Síochána stations closed over the past number of years, the number of such stations that were open on a part-time basis, a full-time basis or a 24-hour basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42919/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe formulation of proposals in relation to the opening and closing of Garda stations is a matter, in the first instance, for the Garda Commissioner in the context of annual policing plans, as provided for in section 22 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005.
The Garda District and Station Rationalisation Programme was implemented in An Garda Síochána during 2012 and 2013. The objective of the review was to identify opportunities to introduce strategic reforms to enhance service delivery, increase efficiency and streamline practices within the organisation. The review concluded that a revised district and station network commensurate with the organisation's resource base would best meet public demand. This was reflected in An Garda Síochána’s Policing Plans 2012 and 2013 which set out the details of the closure of 39 Garda stations in 2012 and 100 Garda stations in 2013 that were approved by my predecessor. The status of these stations prior to the implementation of the Garda District and Station Rationalisation Programme was as follows:
- 8 stations were non-operational;
- 126 stations provided limited hours/part time service, which were dependent on the availability of resources or the condition of the premises; and
- stations were open on a full time basis.
The centralisation of services facilitates the introduction of enhanced patrolling systems that are operational and intelligence-led that deliver a high visibility and community-oriented policing service through:
- increased Garda visibility and patrol hours;
- increased mobility and flexibility within an area resulting in an improved policing service to the public;
- enhanced co-ordination of Garda activity resulting in a greater visibility and presence in the communities;
- more effective use of limited resources across a wider area; and
- continued Garda presence in communities.
The Garda Commissioner has advised that the current consolidation process is largely completed and there are no plans for any further station closures in 2016.
353. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which adequate prison accommodation is available, with particular reference to the needs of various categories of prisoners and the need for segregation of first-time offenders from recidivists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42920/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Prison Service that as of 27th November 2015 there were 3,785 prisoners in custody with a bed capacity of 4,116 which allows for the safe and secure custody for all categories of prisoner. This equates to an occupancy rate of 92%.
As the Deputy will be aware there is a standard operational procedure in place to ensure that upon committal, all offenders are assessed and accommodated appropriately according to their needs and specific security status. Dedicated committal units have been established in all committal prisons for this purpose.
The Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes that include education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and spiritual services. To segregate first time committals from the general prisoner population would greatly reduce their access to rehabilitative programmes and services.
354. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if provision is in place to grade applicants for rehabilitative training and education in order to ensure the maximum benefit to the prisoner, with the objective of encouraging the pursuit of a life outside crime; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42921/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the the Irish Prison Service that it provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes to those in custody that include education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and spiritual services. These programmes offer purposeful activity to those in custody while serving their sentences and encouraging them to lead law abiding lives on release. These programmes are available in all prisons and all prisoners are eligible to use the services.
On committal, all prisoners are interviewed by the Governor and are informed of the services available in the prison. Prisoners may be referred to services or they can self refer at a later date.
The development of prisoner programmes forms a central part of the Irish Prison Service Three Year Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015. There is a clear commitment to enhance sentence planning through Integrated Sentence Management and the delivery of prison based rehabilitative programmes.
The Department of Education and Skills provides an allocation of 220 whole time teacher equivalents in partnership with the Irish Prison Service through the Education and Training Boards (ETB). The focus is on providing education which is quality assured, student centred and facilitates lifelong learning through helping prisoners cope with their sentence, achieve personal development and prepare for life after release.
A top priority for the Irish Prison Service is ensuring help for those with reading and writing problems and peer mentoring programmes are currently active in all of our prisons.
The guiding principles which underpin the prisons' work and training service are to make available, work, work-training and other purposeful activities to all those in custody. Training activities are chosen to give as much variety as possible and also to give opportunities for those in prison to acquire practical skills which will help them secure employment on release.
The Irish Prison Service has also been expanding the number of accredited courses and opportunities available to prisoners in Work Training in recent years. Enhanced partnership arrangements with accrediting bodies such as City and Guilds, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), and the Guild of Launders and Cleaners and the centralising of coordination and quality assurance arrangements have enabled the Irish Prison Service to extend the number of available courses and activities with certification.
355. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she has any plans to review the regulations governing the provision of free legal aid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42922/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that there is no waiting period associated with the granting of criminal legal aid under the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act 1962; the Courts, through the judiciary, are responsible for the granting of legal aid upon the applicant's appearance in Court. A new Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Bill is currently being drafted which will update and strengthen the system of granting legal aid including transferring responsibility for the administration of the Scheme to the Legal Aid Board thus consolidating responsibility for legal aid schemes with the Board.
Civil legal aid is provided by the Legal Aid Board which is independent in the exercise of its functions, in accordance with Section 3 (3) of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1994.
However, in order to be helpful to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made of the Board and I have been advised that the Board has carried out a number of initiatives to improve the service it delivers:
- The Board continues to make effective use of private practitioners in District Court cases to help reduce the number of clients waiting for legal services. The use of private practitioners is designed to improve access to legal aid services in situations where a law centre is not in a position to provide a timely service. 5,194 cases were referred to the District Court Private Practitioner Scheme in 2014, a decrease of 8% on the 2013 figure of 5,640.
- The "triage" system of providing early advice to clients was implemented in 2012 as a means of responding to the increased demand. The objective of this approach is to ensure that every applicant gets an advice appointment with a solicitor on a timely basis. An evaluation of the triage approach took place in 2014 and determined that it was effective and it is now in place in all law centres.
- Since the Family Mediation Service came within the remit of the Legal Aid Board in November 2011 a very strong emphasis has been placed on reducing waiting lists nationally to ensure that the service complements that of the Board’s law centres and that people who wish to try and resolve matters through mediation are not waiting longer than three months for an appointment with a mediator. The total number of cases dealt with by the mediation service in 2014 was 2,262 which was 6% higher than the number of cases (2,131) dealt with in 2013. There were 888 agreements reached which is 15% higher than the 2013 figure of 769.
- The Dolphin House initiative which is a court related mediation initiative has achieved more that 1,200 agreements since its commencement and has been established on a permanent basis. The Board has also extended this service model to Naas and Cork and, more recently, Tipperary and Limerick in co-operation with the Courts Service.
- The piloting of mandatory information sessions about ADR/mediation as a pre-requisite to getting a legal aid certificate to go to court in family law disputes involving children commenced in Cork in July 2014, Athlone in October and Castlebar in January 2015.
- The approach to be adopted in the delivery of legal services in the Coroners Court was agreed by the Board and my Department in November 2014. The Board will grant legal aid certificates and has responsibility for the operation of the Private Practitioner Scheme whilst my Department will provide administrative assistance.
- The Refugee Documentation Centre provides an independent and confidential query and research service for Country of Origin Information to all agencies in the asylum process. It processed 1,394 queries in 2014. It also manages the Board’s library and information service.
- The Board continues in its efforts to reduce non-pay and non-legal costs in order to free up more resources for service delivery.
The table shows the numbers waiting for Civil Legal Aid for the last five years.
|
Year |
2014 |
2013 |
2012 |
2011 |
2010 |
|
Number waiting |
3,412 |
5,067 |
5,014 |
4,443 |
3,153 |
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the number of persons waiting for Civil Legal Aid at 1 October 2015 had dropped to 2,684 and I am assured that the Board keeps the delivery of its services under constant review with a view to getting legal services to those most in need of them as quickly as possible.
356. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the taking away of resources from the local Garda Síochána in Drogheda in County Louth, as stated by the local Garda superintendent (details supplied), and the urgent need to reverse this decision immediately in order to give An Garda Síochána the extra resources it requires, particularly the need to have more foot patrols in the town and in its environs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42931/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts.
I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of Gardai assigned to County Louth Garda Division on the 31 October 2015, the latest dates for which figures are readily available are 281 of which 104 are assigned to the Drogheda Garda District. There are also 42 Garda Reserves and 23 Civilians attached to the Louth Garda Division.
I have also been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the allocations of Gardaí is continually monitored to ensure optimal use of Garda human resources. This process is periodically reviewed in light of particular incidents of concern or challenges and it is in this context that the Commissioner has directed the allocation of additional Gardaí to the Louth Division. I am advised that an additional 2 sergeants and 25 Gardaí have been allocated to the Louth Garda Division as an interim measure. These Gardaí have been transferred on a temporary basis from adjoining Garda Divisions and the Dublin Metropolitan Region to support the work of the members of An Garda Síochána assigned to the Louth Division.
This Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the capacity to provide effective, visible policing throughout the country. A crucial element of the Government's strategy is ongoing seamless recruitment to renew An Garda Síochána. With this in mind Budget 2016 made provision for the recruitment of 600 new Gardaí next year bringing to 1,150 the number of new Gardaí that will be recruited since the reopening of the Garda College in Templemore in September 2014. So far 295 of those new recruits are fully attested and are on the ground in communities nationwide. On attestation, new probationer Gardaí are assigned to stations throughout the country by the Garda Commissioner, where they are assigned to mainstream uniform policing duties. I am assured by Garda management that the needs of all Garda Divisions are fully considered when determining the allocation of newly attested Gardaí and that 10 of these newly attested Gardaí have been assigned to Co Louth Garda Division, 5 each to Dundalk and Drogheda Garda Stations.
I was very pleased to announce the commencement of the recruitment campaign for 2016 last Friday, 27 November. It is being organised by the Public Appointments Service on behalf of the Garda Commissioner. Applications must be made through www.publicjobs.ie. The closing date for applications is Tuesday 5 January 2016. Successful candidates can expect to enter the Garda College from June 2016 onwards.
In relation to the crime of burglary, Operation Thor is a multi-strand, national operation which builds on previous and current Garda operations to tackle crime, particularly burglaries, the number of which, as we know, increase with the advent of the long winter nights, in both urban and rural communities nationwide. In excess of €5 million is being committed to support Operation Thor. This allocation, which includes funding for Garda overtime will support abroad range of activities to tackle burglars, organised crime gangs and prolific offenders as well as working with communities to prevent crime. These activities include: additional high-visibility patrols in identified burglary hot-spots; increased use of checkpoints to tackle the criminal gangs using the national road network; the use of new high powered vehicles by the armed Regional Response Units; efforts to disrupt the stolen goods market; programmes to help reduce re-offending by prolific offenders; a high-profile national crime prevention awareness campaign, and targeted crime prevention advice for local communities and enhanced supports for victims.
This special, targeted operation has to be seen in the context of the major investment that this Government is making in An Garda Síochána including over €34 million in new Garda vehicles since 2012 with over 640 new vehicles coming on stream in 2015, ranging from more Garda patrol cars to high-powered vehicles for armed units. The Government's Capital Plan 2016-2021 provides for a further €46 million of investment in vehicles as well as an additional €200 million for Information and Communications Technology which will allow An Garda Síochána to deploy the latest cutting edge technologies in the fight against crime. We are also investing in airborne surveillance. Taken together, this step-change in investment in policing will ensure that the Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive, on the roads and in the community.
357. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will consider the use of security cameras for strategic locations in rural communities that are must-pass areas for criminals targeting isolated areas in locations (details supplied), meaning a handful of cameras could provide added security to thousands of persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43034/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 38 of the Garda Síochána Act, 2005 lays down the conditions governing the operation of CCTV schemes in public areas. This includes the need for all such CCTV schemes to be authorised in writing by the Garda Commissioner. CCTV systems installed for the purposes of crime prevention, and as aids to policing in areas to which the general public routinely have access such as town centres, fall into two categories: Garda CCTV systems and community-based CCTV systems.
Garda CCTV systems are planned and implemented on the basis of the identified operational needs and priorities of An Garda Síochána. Accordingly, decisions in relation to the introduction or extension of such systems are a matter for the Garda Commissioner. The Garda authorities inform me that they keep the current Garda CCTV arrangements under ongoing review in the context of changing operational requirements.
I am very conscious of the value that communities, especially rural communities, place on CCTV as a means of deterring crime and assisting in the detection of offenders. With this in mind, I have instigated a review of the effectiveness of the Community CCTV Scheme in conjunction with the Garda authorities. The outcome of that review will inform future decisions on the continuation of the Scheme. The Deputy may also be aware that my colleague, the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, has recently made an announcement in relation the provision of CCTV in rural areas, which is to be funded from the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.
The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources to deliver highly-mobile and responsive Garda patrols in both rural and urban communities. The 2016 Budget allocation of €1.5 billion for An Garda Síochána includes over €67 million in additional funding which will allow the recruitment of 600 new Gardaí next year on top of the 550 Gardaí recruited since this Government reopened the Garda College in September 2014. It will also provide additional funding for Garda Surveillance, special operations and targeted, intelligence-led policing. This additional recruitment and budget allocation builds on the current high level of investment in Garda vehicles. We have invested over €34 million in new Garda vehicles since 2012 with over 640 new vehicles coming on stream in 2015, ranging from more Garda patrol cars to high-powered vehicles for armed units. The Government's Capital Plan 2016-2021 provides for a further €46 million of investment in vehicles as well as an additional €200 million for Information and Communications Technology which will allow An Garda Síochána to deploy the latest cutting edge technologies in the fight against crime. We are also investing in airborne surveillance. Taken together, this step-change in investment in policing will ensure that the Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive, on the roads and in the community.
358. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of employees under her remit who are classified under a contract of indefinite duration; the number of these who are receiving incremental salary payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43283/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information sought by the Deputy in respect of staff of my Department is as follows. There are some 11 staff who are classified under contracts of indefinite duration. All of these staff members are receiving incremental salary payments.
359. Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of foreign adoptions that have taken place since legislation was introduced in November 2011 in relation to the Hague Convention. [42339/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland formally ratified the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption on 1 November 2010. The Adoption Act 2010 was commenced on the same date. The Adoption Authority of Ireland was also established on that day. The Authority has responsibility for maintaining the Register of Intercountry Adoptions.
The Adoption Authority of Ireland has advised me that the total number of entries in the Register of Intercountry Adoptions, pursuant to Section 57(2)(b)(ii) of the Adoption Act 2010 since 2010 up until the end of September 2015 is 675. This includes 200 adoptions registered in 2010 pre and post the introduction of the Adoption Act 2010 and the ratification of the Hague Convention. The breakdown per year is as follows:
|
Year |
Number of entries in the Register of Intercountry Adoptions |
|
2010 |
200 |
|
2011 |
188 |
|
2012 |
117 |
|
2013 |
72 |
|
2014 |
34 |
|
2015 |
64 (up to end of September) |
360. Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of staff members in place in the Adoption Authority of Ireland. [42340/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Adoption Authority of Ireland has advised me that as of the 25th November, 2015 the Authority has 22 staff which comprise of employees directly employed by the Authority and employees on secondment from their substantive employers.
361. Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the plans that have been put in place in relation to the winding down of Arc Adoption; and the number of foreign adoptions that took place over the five years prior to November 2011. [42341/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraArc Adoption was accredited by the Adoption Authority of Ireland to provide adoption mediation services on February 8th 2011. Since accreditation, Arc Adoption has facilitated 13 adoptions. The Adoption Authority of Ireland advised my Department in mid-September that Arc Adoption would not be seeking re-accreditation next year. The Department’s immediate concern was to ensure that there is a contingency plan in place, to ensure that any adoptions which are progressing are not adversely effected. With this in mind, I approved operational funding for Arc Adoption up to a maximum of €40,000 on 14 October 2015, for a limited period, towards staffing and overhead costs to facilitate the transfer of case files to the Adoption Authority.
The Adoption Authority of Ireland has been working with Arc Adoption regarding the transfer of client files to the Authority. The Adoption Authority of Ireland has advised my Department that all of Arc Adoption’s client files have now been transferred to the Authority.
Both the Adoption Authority and Arc Adoption have been in contact with clients to advise them of the current position. If clients have additional queries, a number of contact points within the Authority have been provided to them.
I am advised by the Adoption Authority of Ireland that the total number of entries in the Register of Intercountry Adoptions in the five years prior to November 2011 is 1,576 are broken down by year below:
|
Year |
Number of entries in the Register of Intercountry Adoptions |
|
2006 |
298 |
|
2007 |
394 |
|
2008 |
397 |
|
2009 |
307 |
|
2010 |
200 |
362. Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to review the Irish interpretation of the Hague Convention, given that other European signatories to it are still able to adopt from countries such as Vietnam and Ethiopia. [42342/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Adoption Act, 2010, provides for adoptions from countries that have ratified the Hague Convention on adoption and from countries where there is a bilateral agreement in place. During the drafting of the Act a considered and detailed transitional process to deal with the change from previous legislation to the new Act was put in place. Adoptions are ongoing from Vietnam, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Bulgaria and other countries that have ratified the Hague Convention.
Ethiopia is not a signatory to the Convention therefore a bilateral agreement between the Irish and Ethiopian authorities is required before inter country adoptions can take place.
363. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to facilitate the adoption of orphans from Syria as part of the Government's participation in the European Union's refugee resettlement programme. [42361/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Adoption Act, 2010, provides for adoptions from countries that have ratified the Hague Convention on adoption and from countries where there is a bilateral agreement in place. Syria has not ratified the Convention and adoptions cannot currently take place from Syria.
The issue of refugee resettlement is matter for my colleague Frances Fitzgerald Minister for Justice Equality and Defence.
364. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount paid to each individual service provider of private residential services; the subhead for each payment, for example, capital costs of works, staff employed etc; the number of locations involved and the number of residents supported at each such location, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42391/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information sought by the Deputy was requested from Tusla and is set out in the table.
The Deputy should note that residential care funding is based on the cost of placement. Placement costs are not broken down into sub-headings and no capital allocations are made available to private providers.
|
Private Provider |
Amount |
Number of Centres/Locations |
YP in Placements at 30/09/2015 |
|
THREE STEPS PRIVATE SERVICES |
5,467,626.12 |
9 |
23 |
|
DAFFODIL CARE SERVICES LTD |
4,988,435.47 |
9 |
26 |
|
MMC CHILDRENS SERVICES |
4,607,676.42 |
7 |
20 |
|
SOLIS T/A POSITIVE CARE IRELAND |
4,351,435.58 |
8 |
23 |
|
FRESH START EIRE LTD |
3,603,612.70 |
8 |
17 |
|
ASHDALE CARE LTD |
2,212,086.86 |
4 |
11 |
|
GATEWAY ORGANISATION LTD |
1,752,768.80 |
5 |
9 |
|
RAINBOW COMMUNITY SERVICES |
1,225,657.19 |
2 |
8 |
|
GALTEE CLINIC |
1,070,351.00 |
2 |
6 |
|
YERIA LTD |
1,041,790.74 |
2 |
5 |
|
GALRO |
827,085.51 |
3 |
4 |
|
KILDARE COMMUNITY KARE LTD (Pathways) |
793,815.04 |
2 |
6 |
|
THE HAVEN |
779,976.00 |
2 |
5 |
|
COMPASS CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES |
722,861.00 |
3 |
4 |
|
SORCHA HOMES LTD/HORIZON HOUSE |
702,002.77 |
1 |
4 |
|
TERRA GLEN RESPITE SERVICES LTD |
680,232.16 |
2 |
4 |
|
KEYS CHILDCARE (IRELAND) LTD |
585,364.43 |
1 |
3 |
|
KELLSGRANGE RESIDENTIAL SERVICES |
526,499.97 |
1 |
2 |
|
NATIONAL CHILDCARE RESIDENTIAL |
522,124.00 |
1 |
3 |
|
NEW BEGINNINGS CHILDCARE AND |
497,214.76 |
1 |
3 |
|
STEPPING STONES RESIDENTIAL CARE LT |
281,071.60 |
1 |
1 |
|
CURAM NUA |
271,150.65 |
1 |
1 |
|
Peter McVerry Trust - Maysal Lodge |
159,403.00 |
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ST BERNARDS GROUP HOMES |
190,000.03 |
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KEYS CHILDCARE LTD. |
159,749.34 |
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365. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the need to have a career path for those who take degrees in early childhood education and to have proper pay and conditions in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42478/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraEarly years services in this country are provided by private commercial and community/ not-for-profit services and the remuneration provided to staff and the conditions of employment are matters for the management of these services. However, in recognition of the link between staff qualifications and the quality of early years services, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, which is provided in nearly all of the early years services in this country provides a higher rate of capitation to services that employ staff who hold a higher level of qualification. There are in the region of 4,300 early years services participating in the ECCE programme and more than 1,400 of these services were in receipt of the higher capitation in the 2014/2015 programme year.
The Deputy will be aware that, in Budget 2016, the Government committed a further €85 million to the early years sector in 2016. This additional funding, which will support the expansion of a number of childcare programmes implemented by my Department, has also enabled me to restore the capitation payments provided under the ECCE programme to pre-2012 levels from September 2016. This means that the higher rate of capitation provided to services will be increased from €73 to €75 per child per week with standard rate of capitation increasing from €62.50 to €64.50 per child per week.
The expansion of the childcare programmes in 2016 and the increased capitation levels will help providers to address some of the cost issues that impact on their services including remuneration costs. It will also provide support to services employing staff with Level 7 or higher qualifications and will provide a further incentive to other services to employ more qualified staff.
New qualification requirements for staff working directly with children in early years services will be introduced in 2016 under the Early Years Quality Agenda. All staff will be required to have a minimum Level 5 qualification on the National Qualifications Framework in early years care and education, or an equivalent . In addition, pre-school leaders delivering the ECCE Programme, who are currently required to hold a Level 5 qualification, will be required to have a minimum Level 6 qualification, or equivalent. To support staff to meet these new qualification requirements, my Department established the Learner Fund which has already allocated €3.5 million to over 3,000 staff for the purpose of up-skilling.
Further funding to improve the qualifications of the early years sector was secured as part of Budget 2016. This includes:
- €1.5 million, which will be directed towards a Learner Fund in 2016. I will announce details of this Learner Fund shortly.
- €1.5 million, which will fund the delivery of a 'Higher Education Programme for Inclusion Co-ordinators in Early Years Settings' as part of the model of supports I recently announced to ensure children with a disability can access and meaningfully participate in the ECCE Programme. This funding will meet the costs for the first intake of participants (up to 900 early years practitioners) who are expected to commence in this Programme in April 2016. It is envisaged that, over the next four years, at least 80 per cent of ECCE services will avail of this training fund, which will cost €1.5 million per annum.
The Deputy may be interested to note new Government-funded posts for early years practitioners. These include posts for inspectors in the Early Years Inspectorate at the Department of Education and Skills and posts for Service Co-ordinators and Early Years Specialists in Better Start's Early Years Specialist Service.
366. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans for Christmas festivities for the 1,500-plus children living in hotel rooms and guesthouses; if he has directed officials to organise an event in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42586/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI and my Government colleagues are extremely concerned about the issue of homelessness. The Government continues to work hard to house families living in hotel rooms and guest houses.
A number of measures to strengthen supports for families with children have been included in the social welfare Budget package for 2016, which was announced by the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection. A Christmas Bonus payment (seventy five percent) to over 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients, such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers and long-term jobseekers, has been announced and will be paid at a cost of €197 million.
As regards areas under my remit, my officials and those of Tusla are working closely with colleagues on a cross-government basis regarding the issue of child protection in emergency accommodation. Tusla and the Dublin Region Homeless Executive are currently developing a joint protocol which includes guidance on working with families where child protection concerns arise within emergency homeless accommodation. Significant progress has been made to date and there is a commitment to finalising a draft of the protocol for consultation as soon as possible.
No plans have been made by my Department to organise a Christmas event for the children referred to in the Deputy's question.
367. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 243 of 22 October 2015, for details of the sources or the review of studies he undertook to make the claim (details supplied) that tax reliefs for child care have led to systematic inflation in child care costs in other jurisdictions, including in the Netherlands and in Australia. [42612/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe evidence supporting "demand-side" over "supply-side" subsidies referred to in my previous reply was drawn from several sources, including a report published by the OECD in 2006.
Following an in-depth study of 20 countries’ systems for early care and education, the OECD in this report - Starting Strong II - found that the most effective way to make early childhood care and education more affordable – while at the same time ensuring quality – is through "supply-side" subsidies. That means directly subsidising places in early years services so that fees are lower or fully covered (as is already the case for programmes funded by my Department). The OECD, in this report, concluded that tax credits – or other "consumer subsidies" – are less effective and that "direct public funding of services brings, in the majority of countries reviewed, more effective control, advantages of scale, better national quality, more effective training for educators and a higher degree of equity in access and participation than consumer subsidy models".
Start Strong, in their Submission to Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children in May 2015 also presented compelling evidence in relation to this issue referencing both the experience of the Netherlands and Australia. More specifically, this submission demonstrated how "the Netherlands and Australia shifted from supply-side funding to childcare tax credits during the 2000s, and both subsequently saw rise in childcare costs outstripping inflation, and negating the benefit of the tax credits for parents".
The references for the evidence presented by Start Strong are as follows:
- Prof. D. Brennan, ‘The Corporatization of Child Care in Australia’ (see http://www.cccabc.bc.ca/about/files/Brennan_Aust_Child_Care.ppt)
- D. Brennan and E. Adamson (2014) 'Financing the Future' (see https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/Financing_the_Future.pdf)
- Prof. H. Penn and Prof. E. Lloyd (2013) 'The Costs of Childcare, study for the UK Department of Education' (see http://www.cwrc.ac.uk/documents/CostsofchildcareJuly2013.pdf , pp.38-42).
368. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on correspondence regarding the early childhood care and education scheme and the revision to this scheme in budget 2016 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42624/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt present, children qualify for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme when they are within the qualifying age range which is 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months in the September of the relevant year. This means, for example, that children born between 2 February 2011 and 30 June 2012 qualified for free pre-school from September 2015. Children who turn 3 from 1 July 2012 are below the age range for eligibility for ECCE in the 2015/2016 programme year but will qualify for the 2016/17 programme year.
In Budget 2016 it was announced that, from September 2016, children will be eligible to start free pre-school when they turn age 3, and can continue in free pre-school until they start primary school (once the child is not older than 5½ years at the end of the relevant pre-school year i.e. end June).
This extension of free pre-school will increase the number of children benefiting from free pre-school from about 67,000 per annum, to 127,000 in a given programme year. Accommodating this increase requires a significant increase in capacity in the pre-school sector; pre-school services need time to consider and implement any needed infrastructural or service changes, and to put in place extra staff resources. The September 2016 implementation date was set to allow pre-school providers to put such measures in place.
It is appreciated that this does mean that a small cohort of children, including those mentioned by the Deputy, while continuing to avail of the 38 week entitlement to free pre-school currently provided under the ECCE programme, will not benefit from additional free pre-school provided under this new budgetary measure. However, should an earlier start date have been chosen, the likelihood is that there would not have been sufficient capacity in the sector to accommodate all children.
However, you will appreciate that this extended provision, when introduced, will ensure that, from the age of three, all children in Ireland will be able to access free education, either in pre-school or in primary school. This is a significant step forward for children and families.
