Written Answers Nos. 701-715
701. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding which has been made available in 2016, available for 2017 and proposed for 2018 in respect of a roads project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33098/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand the road being referred to by the Deputy is the Portlaoise Southern Circular route.
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in Laois is the statutory responsibility of Laois County Council, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the local authority's own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
The Portlaoise Southern Circular route is among the schemes included in the Capital Plan 2016-2021 subject to achieving the necessary project approvals (including approval from An Bord Pleanála for the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO). My Department’s Economic and Financial Evaluation Unit liaised with the Council in respect of the project appraisal submitted by the Council under the Capital Appraisal Framework. This appraisal process was concluded last month and the Council was advised of my Department’s approval to progress the project to the next stage. I understand that this will involve the submission by the Council of the Compulsory Purchase Order relating to the project to An Bord Pleanála for approval.
It is the responsibility of Laois County Council to progress this scheme through the approval process and the timescale for the progression of the scheme to construction depends on when that process is completed. Once the necessary project approvals are received funding support from my Department for construction of the project will be provided.
Details of payments to all local authorities in respect of regional and local roads in 2016 are outlined in the payments booklets available to the Dáil Library. Details of the 2017 allocations in respect of regional and local roads are also available in the Dáil library. Funding for regional and local road schemes next year will be announced in January 2018.
702. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to improve parking at a train station (details supplied) in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33099/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and for the overall funding of public transport. Issues relating to the provision of car parking spaces at train stations on the heavy rail network are an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann.
In view of Iarnród Éireann's responsibility in this matter I have referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply.
Please advise my Office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
703. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 656 of 23 May 2017, the estimated number of children for the targeted scheme between six months and three years of age for 2017 (details supplied). [32130/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Affordable Childcare Scheme (ACS), once introduced, will include both universal and targeted elements. It is currently estimated that when the scheme is initially introduced approximately 16,000 children aged between 6 months and 3 years of age will benefit from targeted subsidies within the ACS.
Of the total number of children who benefit from targeted subsidies within the ACS, it is estimated that approximately 21% will benefit from the maximum subsidy rates available within the scheme, which will be awarded to families with net incomes below €22,700 per annum. The maximum subsidy rates will vary by the age of the child, and will range from €5.11 per hour for children less than 1 year old to €3.76 per hour for school-age children. The maximum subsidy available for any child under the scheme will be €5.11 per hour. The minimum subsidy under the targeted portion of the scheme for children aged between 6 months and 3 years will be €0.50 per hour. This minimum subsidy-rate will apply to families with a net income of €47,500 or above per annum.
The minimum subsidy-rate under the targeted portion of the ACS is set to be the same as the universal subsidy-rate. If the universal subsidy-rate were raised, the minimum subsidy-rate under the targeted portion of the scheme would therefore rise by the same amount. For example, whereas it is currently proposed that the universal subsidy-rate for 2 year olds will be €0.50 per hour and the targeted subsidy-rate for 2 year olds will range from €0.50 per hour up to €4.18 per hour, if the universal subsidy-rate were raised to €3 per hour then the targeted subsidy-rate for 2 year olds would range from €3 per hour up to €4.18 per hour. Raising the level of the universal subsidy would therefore not create any incentive for a parent to switch from receiving a targeted subsidy to receiving a universal subsidy.
Increasing the universal subsidy-rate (as well as the resulting increase in targeted subsidy-rates described above) would, however, lead to a likely increase in the demand for childcare, because it would reduce the net fees paid by parents. Such an increase in subsidy-rates would therefore increase the expected number of beneficiaries of both the universal and targeted portions of the scheme.
704. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the first and full-year cost of restoring funding to the school completion programme to 2011 levels. [32198/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, responsibility for the National Educational Welfare Board which included the School Completion Programme was transferred to my Department on its establishment in 2011. Upon the establishment of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency on January 1 2014, operational responsibility for the School Completion Programme was transferred to the Agency.
The School Completion Programmes are funded in line with the academic year commencing in September each year. The funding available to the School Completion Programme for the school year 2017/2018 stands at €24.756m. An increase in funding of €3.5m per annum would be required to bring funding levels back to the 2011/2012 funding level which stood at €28.256m.
705. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the percentage of the €19 million budget that has been committed to the affordable childcare scheme. [32199/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs previously announced, the Affordable Childcare Scheme (ACS) will not commence this September. This is an extremely complex and ambitious project because of all that is involved – legislation, new business processes, data protection and building a new ICT system. It requires integration of data from the Department of Social Protection and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners so that the ICT system can calculate every family’s net income and ACS subsidy. We are all keen to see the new system introduced as soon as possible, but the sheer complexity of the project means that it will take some time. I do not want to introduce the new scheme before all elements – legislation, ICT and business systems – are fully in place and rigourously tested.
However, I do not want to delay the benefit of higher childcare subsidies for families. For that reason, major improvements in childcare subsidies will come into effect this September, within the framework of the existing childcare schemes and utilising the additional funding secured in Budget 2017 to honour the Government’s commitment to deliver more affordable childcare to families.
The improvements this September will include increases of up to 50% in targeted childcare subsidy rates, improving access for parents in lower income families by significantly reducing the co-payment required. In addition, the new universal childcare subsidy for children aged from six months up to entry to the ECCE Programme will be available from September, in line with the announcement I made following the Government’s Budget decision in October 2016. This non-means tested subsidy is available to tens of thousands of children and is worth as much as €1,040 per year towards the cost of childcare for the families of children of this age cohort.
The level of universal subsidy available this September is the same as that proposed for the ACS subsidy, i.e. a maximum subsidy of €20 per week for full-time childcare, with the subsidy for part-time childcare reduced pro rata. The levels of targeted subsidy available this September, while not identical to the subsidy-rates that are proposed for the ACS, will be broadly similar to those rates, with some families receiving slightly more and some slightly less than they will receive when the ACS is introduced. These differences are inevitable given the structure of the existing childcare schemes, which involve only a limited number of subsidy-bands, whereas the ACS will allow a smooth taper to be applied to subsidy-rates.
I am satisfied that the new measures commencing this September will honour the Government’s commitment to delivering more affordable childcare to families. The majority of the €19 million additional funding provided in Budget 2017 is being directed towards these changes and will deliver significant reductions in childcare bills for tens of thousands of families. A portion of this funding was allocated to the development of the ACS and continues to be used for this purpose.
706. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of families who are expected to avail of each band of subsidy under the affordable child care measures that are being introduced in September 2017. [32200/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraGiven the considerable increase in subsidies, particularly through the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme (CCS) taking effect from September 2017, it is difficult to provide accurate estimates around uptake of the schemes.
However, looking at 16/17 figures may provide a broad indication of likely levels of uptake for the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme. From these figures (to date):
- 13,108 children have been registered under Band A
- 4,197 children have been registered under Band AJ
- 7,248 children have been registered under Band B
It is an anticipated that an extra 6000 children will register for targeted bands in 2017/18.
With effect from September 2017 a number of adjustments to the bands will take place including the division of Band B into a newly constituted Band B and Band D.
With regard to the new universal element an estimated 33,000 children from the age of 6 months up until they are eligible for ECCE may avail of a new universal non means-tested childcare subsidy, reducing the cost of childcare for these children by up to €1,040 per year.
707. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the unallocated spend within her Department for 2017; the expenditure allocated to programmes in 2017 which are due to cease in 2017; the funds that will become available within her Department's expenditure profile in 2018 due to changes in demand for goods and services or changes to costs within her Department and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32218/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra712. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the unallocated spend within her Department for 2017; the expenditure allocated to programmes in 2017 which are due to cease in 2017; the funds that will become available within her Department's expenditure profile in 2018 due to changes in demand for services and goods or changes to costs within her Department and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32311/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 707 and 712 together.
The gross funding allocation to my Department in 2017 amounts to €1.311 billion. Full details of the resource provisions across the individual Subheads in the Vote are set out in the 2017 Revised Estimates for Public Services as published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The funds have been fully allocated and the financial provisions support a range of key services in respect of children and young people. The resource requirements for 2018 to support the continued implementation of the programmes and services administered by my Department will be considered in the context of the budget and estimates process.
708. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the progress of the LGBTI+ youth strategy; and when she expects the strategy to conclude. [32219/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government (2016) gives a commitment to develop a National LGBTI+ Youth Strategy. A specific focus on LGBTI+ Youth will aim to ensure that appropriate measures are taken so that young members of the LGBTI+ Community are not in any way prevented from achieving their full potential.
Better Outcomes Brighter Futures, The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014 – 2020 and The National Youth Strategy 2015 – 2020 will provide a framework within which the strategy can be structured with a focus on appropriate measures to ensure that young people identifying as LGBTI+ are supported in achieving their full potential.
The five outcomes we want for all our children and young people are that they:
(i) Are active and healthy, with positive physical and mental wellbeing;
(ii) Are achieving their full potential in all areas of learning and development;
(iii) Are safe and protected from harm;
(iv) Have economic security and opportunity; and
(v) Are connected, respected and contributing to their world.
An Oversight Committee was appointed to manage the development of the strategy and represents a broad cross sectoral grouping of relevant organisations, bodies and Government Department/Agencies who will have a role in the development and implementation of the strategy.
The Strategy will be youth centred and in this regard a youth advisory group has also been established. They have had significant input into the work done so far, particularly in relation to developing the branding for the Strategy and the consultations which were held for young people. The youth advisory group are also represented on the Oversight Committee, providing two nominees to the Committee.
Consultations with young people are vital to the development of the Strategy. An online survey on www.spunout.ie was carried out in April and May which attracted approximately 4,000 responses. In addition to this, officials from my Department held seven consultations with young people across the country, one aimed at all young people who wished to contribute to the development of the Strategy and six reserved for young members of the LGBTI+ Community.
Two of these consultations were held in Dublin with the others taking place in Cork, Dundalk, Galway, Sligo and Waterford. A report writer was appointed for these consultations and the report will be published in the coming weeks. Finally a stakeholder consultation was held on June 28th in Farmleigh House, which was attended by representatives from approximately seventy different organisations.
The data arising from these consultations will be used to shape the development of the Strategy and identify priorities for the Oversight Committee to examine in the coming months. The Strategy will be completed by the end of 2017.
709. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the areas of responsibility for the management of child mental health issues that fall under the remit of Tusla; the areas that remain under the remit of the Health Service Executive; if she has satisfied herself that the system of interaction between Tusla and the HSE relating to child mental health is the most appropriate one; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32293/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMental health services remain under the aegis of the Health Service Executive. Tusla provides a range of counselling and supports for children and families in the community, such as family support, social work services, and the identification of appropriate services through Meitheal. There is cooperation between Tusla and the Health Service Executive on the development and provision of appropriate services for children in care.
A Joint Protocol has been developed and agreed in 2017 to ensure that children in the care of the State have access to the services they require. Known as the ‘Joint Protocol for Interagency Collaboration between the Health Service Executive and the Child and Family Agency to Promote the Best Interests of the Child, March 2017’, the Protocol was developed to assist staff to source appropriate services for children.
When a child is received into care they are assessed and an individual care plan is developed. The care plan sets out the child's needs in the immediate, medium and long term and also the arrangements for the care of the child. The care plan also explicitly states the arrangements for the implementation of these goals, including access to specialist services such as medical or psychological services, where such a need has been identified. If Tusla has difficulty in accessing HSE services identified as necessary for a child in care, a private service will be considered. All other mental health services are provided through the HSE, including those provided through the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
My department officials and I have met with the HSE and Tusla regarding the provision of additional HSE psychologists into the system, to ensure that the needs of children and young people are being met. To strengthen this focus and improve coordination and collaboration on this issue, my department is in the process of establishing a working group comprising the Department of Health, HSE and Tusla.
It is crucially important that we can align and enhance services which support the psychological welfare of children, so that children are provided with optimum supports to realise positive outcomes.
710. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the details of the signs of safety strategy for child protection that Tusla has been preparing to implement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32294/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Child Protection and Welfare Strategy (CPWS) developed by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency is a 3-5 year strategic plan that lies at the heart of a significant transformation to improve organisational, cultural and operational matters. As part of the CPWS, Tusla has selected the Signs of Safety as its national approach to practice. The Signs of Safety is an innovative, strengths-based, safety-organised approach to child protection casework, grounded in partnership and collaboration with children, families and their wider networks of support.
The Signs of Safety reflects best practice which is underpinned by ‘Children First’. Children and families will be at the centre of assessment and decision-making and the approach will be strengths-based, evidence-based and outcome-focused.
Central to the Signs of Safety approach is a risk assessment and case planning format that is meaningful for professionals as well as the parents and children. The Signs of Safety risk assessment process is characterised by:
- The integration of professional knowledge with local family and cultural knowledge, and the balancing of a rigorous exploration of danger or harm alongside indicators of strengths and safety.
- A format that offers a simple yet rigorous assessment format that the practitioner can use to elicit, in common language, the professional’s and family members’ views regarding concerns or dangers, existing strengths, safety and envisioned safety.
- A framework that integrates risk assessment with case planning and risk management by incorporating a future focus within the assessment.
A comprehensive overview of Signs of Safety is available on the Tusla website.
711. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of emergency care orders under section 13(7) of the Child Care Act 1991 that have been granted in the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32295/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraEmergency care orders are made by the Courts under Section 13 of the Child Care Act 1991. Section 13 (7) stipulates the directions a judge making an emergency care order may give with respect to whether the address or location of the child is withheld from the parents of the child, the access, if any, that is to be permitted, and the medical or psychiatric examination, treatment or assessment of the child.
The record of emergency care orders made and any such directions given at the time they were made are a matter for the Courts Service, and Tusla would not collate this data.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, provides information on the number of children received into care for legal reasons, including under emergency care orders, in its annual Review of Adequacy reports. I have included the relevant available data, which refers to the years 2012-2015, in a Table, for the Deputy's information.
Table 1: Admissions to care by reason of emergency care order.
|
Year |
Number of admissions to care by reason of emergency care order* |
|
2015 |
270 |
|
2014 |
366 |
|
2013 |
414 |
|
2012 |
424 |
*Data taken from Tusla Review of Adequacy Reports, available at www.tusla.ie.
713. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the budget allocated to the domestic violence support service in 2017; the spend to date; and the expected final spend by the end of 2017. [32361/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence. In 2017, Tusla is allocating €22.1 million to these services, an increase of €1.5 million over 2016.
A network of 60 organisations provides services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence in Ireland, including 20 services providing emergency refuge accommodation to women and children and 24 community-based domestic violence services.
To date this year, Tusla has provided funding of approximately €10.13 million to domestic violence services. Allocation of funds for the remainder of 2017 will be confirmed in due course.
At all times, Tusla’s key priority is to ensure that the needs of victims of domestic violence are being met in the best way possible.
714. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of implementing a living wage of €11.70 for all employees directly employed or in agencies funded by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32557/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraA suggested living wage of €11.70 per hour would equate to an annual salary threshold of €22,879. This is based on a standard civil service net working week of 37 hours. There are no staff in my Department on a salary under this threshold.
As the information requested is not readily available in respect of the agencies under my Department's remit, I have asked the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Children Detention School Campus and Tusla to furnish this information directly to the Deputy.
The Office of the Ombudsman for Children is independent in its function and reports to the Oireachtas on matters within its remit, as required by the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002.
I have forwarded the question to the Office of the Ombudsman for Children and asked that they might correspond with you directly in this matter.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
715. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the level of expenditure by her Department or organisations under the aegis of her Department for each of the past five years on photography, advertising, communications advice, public relations, website development, media interview training and preparation; the events, campaigns or policies to which this expenditure related; the company or person to which such payments were made, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32646/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of the expenditure outlays on those matters relative to my Department are set out in the tables below. I am requesting the bodies under the aegis of my Department, namely, the Child and Family Agency, the Adoption Authority of Ireland, Oberstown Children Detention Campus and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children to provide the relevant information directly to the Deputy.
Photography Costs for Children and Young People's Participation Events
|
Year |
Event |
Expenditure |
|
2012 |
How we see it: Report of a survey on Teenagers' Body Image |
€436.97 |
|
Life as a Child and Young Person in Ireland |
€493.72 |
|
|
Comhairle na nÓg National Showcase |
€828.55 |
|
|
2013 |
Dáil na nÓg Event |
€1,094.70 |
|
2014 |
Comhairle na nÓg National Showcase |
€522.75 |
|
2015 |
Dáil na nÓg Event |
€424.35 |
|
2016 |
Comhairle na nÓg National Showcase |
€528.90 |
Photography Costs for Other Events
|
Year |
Event |
Total Expenditure |
|
2012 |
Report of Task Force |
€493.72 |
|
Visiting Vietnamese Delegation with Vietnamese Minister for Justice, Adoption Authority and Irish Vietnamese Society |
€1409.22 |
|
|
Children's Referendum Information |
€1709.70 |
|
|
2013 |
Standards for Local Youth Groups |
€436.97 |
|
EU Presidency International Conference Event |
€120.00 |
|
|
Dublin Castle Networking of Four Youth Organisations |
€500.00 |
|
|
Launch of Board of Child & Family Agency |
€300.00 |
|
|
2014 |
Launch of Better Outcomes Brighter Futures |
€189.80 |
|
2015 |
Establishment of Mother and Baby Homes Commission |
€90.80 |
|
Supply of images for Mother and Baby Homes Commission |
€177.42 |
|
|
Photoshoot for Mother and Baby Homes Commission |
€120.37 |
|
|
2017 to date |
Affordable Childcare Scheme |
€430.50 |
Advertising
|
Year |
Payment to |
Expenditure |
|
2012 |
KD Nine Advertising and Marketing (Broadcast Media Advertising for Children's Referendum) |
€164,725.29 |
|
Brindley Advertising (Advertising related to the Children's Referendum) |
€247,515.95 |
|
|
2013 |
FCR Media (Placing of Department’s details in state Directory, Golden Pages (books & website) and Eircom phone directories) |
€6,279.15 |
|
Public Appointments Service (Staff Recruitment) |
€3,769.09 |
|
|
2014 |
FCR Media (Placing of Department’s details in state Directory, Golden Pages (books & website) and Eircom phone directories) |
€6,279.15 |
|
2015 |
MediaVest (Print media advertising campaign re Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) |
€29,907.61 |
|
FCR Media (Placing of Department’s details in state Directory, Golden Pages (books & website) and Eircom phone directories) |
€6,279.15 |
|
|
MediaVest (Public radio advertisement campaign re Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) |
€30,529.83 |
|
|
2016 |
MediaVest (National public consultation on the Affordable Childcare Scheme) |
€24,043.75 |
|
thejournal.ie (National public consultation on the Affordable Childcare Scheme) |
€3,690.00 |
|
|
FCR Media (Placing of Department’s details in state Directory, Golden Pages (books & website) and Eircom phone directories) |
€5,960.58 |
|
|
MediaVest (Print media advertising campaign re Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) |
€37,724.22 |
|
|
Phd Media (Public radio advertisement campaign re Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) |
€26,754.25 |
|
|
Penhouse Design (Design of leaflet for publicity campaign for the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme) |
€1,230.00 |
|
|
Watermans Ltd (Printing of leaflet for publicity campaign for the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme) |
€1,798.50 |
|
|
Publicis Engage Ltd (Advertising for Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) |
€27,515.10 |
|
|
2017 to date |
MediaVest (Print and radio advertising for Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) |
€58,204.06 |
Public Relations
|
Year |
Payment To |
Expenditure |
|
2012/2013 |
MKC Communications service to assist with information and communications initiatives for the Children's Referendum, Report of the Child Death Review Group and the Child & Family Agency. |
€39,595.00 |
|
2017 to date |
Mandy Johnston PR Advice regarding affordable childcare |
€4,950.00 |
Website Development
|
Year |
Payment to |
Expenditure |
|
2012 |
Fusio Ltd. (Website development for Children's Referendum) |
€8,755.38 |
|
Penhouse Design (Design of site for Children's Referendum) |
€799.50 |
|
|
Fusio Ltd. (Website development for Inventory of Data Sources on Children's Lives) |
€6,827.00 |
|
|
Penhouse Design (Design of site for Inventory of Data Sources on Children's Lives) |
€9,218.00 |
|
|
Fusio Ltd. (Update to the Children's Database) |
€492.00 |
|
|
2013 |
Fusio Ltd. (Website development for Comhairle na nÓg) |
€17,589.00 |
|
2014/2015 |
Centre for Effective Services (Development of website for Children and Young People's Services Committees) |
€7,000.00 |
|
Penhouse Design (Update of Inventory of Data Sources on Children's Lives site) |
€3,259.50 |
|
|
2016 |
Fusio Ltd. (Website development for Access and Inclusion Model) |
€3,321.00 |
|
2017 to date |
Persuarsion Republic Communications Ltd (parent and provider printed material and affordablechildcare.ie website) |
€40,292.00 |
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
