Written Answers Nos. 2320-2339
2320. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated amount it would cost in a full year if the foster care allowance for a child aged under 12 years of age was increased from €325 to €335 per week and from €352 to €372 per week for a child that is over 12 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32872/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to thank the Deputy for his question, and can confirm that I have referred the matter to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for their direct reply.
2321. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of progress of the development of new governance structures for school completion programmes; the timescale she is working to in order to complete this work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32988/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department and Tusla Educational Welfare Services have been considering the optimum approach to the development of the School Completion Programme.
I am conscious that a comprehensive range of items need to be addressed and advanced to ensure that the SCP is supported in further developing its responses to the needs of children and young people.
The importance of the Educational Welfare Services (EWS) cannot be overstated, and the SCP is a core and continuing component of provision under the EWS. As Minister, I am eager to ensure that a coordinated and collaborative approach is taken to advance matters to directly support the SCP in its integration and functioning within the EWS. This includes ensuring that the SCP has the best possible structures in place to best respond to the needs of children and young people.
I want to put a renewed process in place to achieve this goal under the direct leadership of my Department, and I will indicate my plans in this regard shortly.
2322. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the consultation process of the ECCE (details supplied); if recommendations arising from it will be implemented; the nature of changes she has made to the overage exemptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33037/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware last December, I announced my decision to pause the proposed rule changes on overage exemptions to allow for a consultation process where the voice of parents of children with disabilities could be heard in relation to the proposed change.
This consultation process, which was commissioned jointly by my Department and the Department of Education and Skills and undertaken by the National Disability Authority, involved a number of steps referred to by the Deputy which are now complete.
I am very grateful to the National Disability Authority (NDA) for its assistance in managing this process on behalf of both Departments. The NDA are finalising a report of the evidence, the findings of the survey, and the findings of the Open Policy Debate, for consideration by both Departments.
The original timeframe was extended briefly given the complexity of the matter. Minister Bruton and I are now awaiting the formal submission of the final report and once received, the contents of the report will be considered and will inform future policy in this area. I am anxious that this process be undertaken and communicated as soon as possible following receipt of the final report.
2323. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if funding is available to an organisation (details supplied) in County Mayo to support the employment of a youth officer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33142/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides funding on an annual basis to thirty national and major regional voluntary youth organisations, including Foróige, under the youth service grant scheme. The continued funding of youth organisations under this scheme is to ensure the emergence, promotion, growth and development of youth organisations. €10.65m was allocated to the youth service grant scheme for 2018 and Foróige was allocated €2,746,307 in funding under this scheme.
Last year as part of the overall reform of youth services, I announced the establishment of ten new youth services as well as the augmentation of a further seven existing youth services throughout the country. This reform process included the establishment of a new youth project which is operated by Foróige in Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo. This new youth project has been allocated funding which will provide for the recruitment of two youth officers on a full time basis as well as the recruitment of a counsellor on a 2.5 days per week basis which benefit to the young people of Ballyhaunis and the surrounding areas.
Youth officers in Education and Training Boards provide an important role to my Department in the co-ordination and administration of youth services at a local level across the country. Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board was provided with funding of €154,389 in 2018 to carry out its responsibilities with regard to youth work function and support the provision, co -ordination, administration and assessment of youth work services in its functional area.
My Department is committed to working with Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB to identify need and to explore ways to address this need when it emerges.
2324. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she will make a decision on the future direction of the school completion programme and its future governance structure. [33152/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department and Tusla Educational Welfare Services have been considering the optimum approach to the development of the School Completion Programme.
I am conscious that a comprehensive range of items need to be addressed and advanced to ensure that the SCP is supported in further developing its responses to the needs of children and young people.
The importance of the Educational Welfare Services (EWS) cannot be overstated, and the SCP is a core and continuing component of provision under the EWS. As Minister, I am eager to ensure that a coordinated and collaborative approach is taken to advance matters to directly support the SCP in its integration and functioning within the EWS. This includes ensuring that the SCP has the best possible structures in place to best respond to the needs of children and young people.
I want to put a renewed process in place to achieve this goal under the direct leadership of my Department, and I will indicate my plans in this regard shortly.
2325. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there is discretion which can be exercised in a case of a person (details supplied); if not, if there is an appeals process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33221/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince the inception of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme in 2010, age limits have been used to determine eligibility for the scheme. These rules are a necessary component of any Government scheme and ensure that Exchequer funding is used for its intended purpose.
In 2010, only one ECCE year, or 38 weeks, was available. I enhanced this in 2016 and, on average, children benefited from 61 weeks of ECCE. From this September, the additional investment I secured in Budget 2018 will enable all children from the age of 2 years and 8 months to be eligible for two programme years.
There are two factors that prevent absolute standardisation of how much time children will utilise from the two years available.
Firstly, as the Deputy is aware, school entry occurs at one point in the year, September, but children are born across the full year. Secondly, parents can opt to start their children in school at either four or five years of age.
I fully accept that the use of age limits in a scheme such as this creates a situation whereby a child can fall just outside the age range. In current rules, children born in January are most affected. However, in the interests of fairness and consistency there can be no discretion or appeals process in this regard.
The scheme as it exists provides eligibility for two years but enables parents to decide how much of ECCE is in the best interest of their child. While all children will be eligible for two years of ECCE, not all parents will choose to avail of it.
Finally, I am conscious that age-based rules can be somewhat confusing, but my Department will continue to promote good communication of the ECCE scheme, so that parents and providers are clear about the rules involved.
2326. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a fund or a capital grant is available to help in the construction of a childcare facility (details supplied) in County Meath that is in danger of closing due to the decision by a landlord to convert the centre to housing. [33290/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAppraisal and decisions for 2018's Early Years and School Age Capital programmes have now completed and the budget for these has been allocated in total. There will be no further Capital programmes in 2018.
Planning for 2019's Capital offering is currently underway and the details of this will be communicated to providers in due course.
Although both Community and Private services play a vital role in their communities, financial supports are currently targeted at the Community Sector. It is unfortunately not possible for my Department to provide direct financial assistance to Private childcare services at present. I would recommend that the service contact Pobal immediately. Pobal have a dedicated team that assess services facing crisis situations and are able to provide non-financial assistance or support.
2327. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the regional breakdown as per the Public Service Performance Report 2017 of children in care without a care plan in tabular form. [33301/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can inform the Deputy that of the 6,189 children in care at the end of 2017, 5,699 had a written Care Plan.
Tusla collates data on the number of children in care, and the number of children with a Care Plan. The table below outlines the figures as of the end December 2017, by region.
|
|
Dublin Mid-Leinster |
Dublin North East |
South |
West |
Total |
|
Children in Care Overall* |
1,545 |
1,452 |
1,741 |
1,451 |
6,189 |
|
Children in Care with a written Care Plan |
1,315 (85%) |
1,284 (90%) |
1,665 (96%) |
1,417 (98%) |
5,699 (92%) |
*Note: includes figures for Unaccompanied Minors - 80 UAMs, all with written care plans
Data on the total number of children in care with a written Care Plan is published monthly, in Tusla's National Performance and Activity Dashboard and is available on the Tusla website www.tusla.ie.
2328. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the regional breakdown as per the Public Service Performance Report 2017 of the cases awaiting allocation classed as high priority in tabular form. [33302/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can inform the Deputy that at the end of 2017, there were 818 cases awaiting allocation categorised as high priority.
A high priority case can include children needing further child protection assessment and intervention, children involved with child protection court proceedings, children in care for less than 6 months and children with mental health and anti-social difficulties.
The first consideration when receiving a referral is the immediate safety of the child. All referrals to the Social Work Service of Children and Family Services are screened on the day they are received. Cases where a child is at immediate risk of harm receive an immediate service. Cases awaiting a dedicated social worker can receive a service from the duty social work team, depending on the circumstance.
The table below outlines the number of High Priority unallocated cases by region, as at the end of December, 2017. A breakdown of unallocated cases by area and priority level is published monthly in Tusla's Performance and Activity Dashboard.
|
Dublin Mid-Leinster |
Dublin North-East |
South |
West |
TOTAL |
|
250 |
35 |
303 |
230 |
818 |
2329. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the regional breakdown as per the Public Service Performance Report 2017 of the foster carers on the panel of approved foster carers. [33303/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can inform the Deputy that at the end of 2017, there were 4,384 foster carers on the approved panel of foster carers.
Children, depending on their identified need, may be placed in foster care either with relatives or general foster carers, in residential care, special care or other placement types. The majority of children in care in Ireland are in foster care. Matching carers with children and young people is outlined in the National Standards for Foster Care (2003), and the National Standards for Children's Residential Centres (2001) outlines the need for suitable placements in residential care.
General foster carers, whether recruited by Tusla or private companies, must be approved by Tusla's foster care committee, and being placed on the panel of approved foster carers before a child may be placed with them. Relative carers may have a child placed with them in an emergency situation prior to being approved by the Tusla foster care committee but must be fully assessed and approved within a short time of the the placement taking place.
The table below outlines the number of approved foster carers at the end of 2017, including Tusla supported general and relative carers, and carers supported by a private foster care company, by Tusla region.
Tusla also publishes activity data with Area and Regional breakdowns on its website www.tusla.ie.
|
|
Dublin Mid-Leinster |
Dublin North-East |
South |
West |
National Total |
|
General Foster Carers |
600 |
569 |
836 |
751 |
2,756 |
|
Relative Foster Carers |
283 |
286 |
339 |
244 |
1,152 |
|
Private Foster Carers |
204 |
123 |
97 |
52 |
476 |
|
TOTAL |
1,087 |
978 |
1,272 |
1,047 |
4,384 |
2330. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of complaints received in respect of the operation of the ECCE scheme three entry points for enrolment categories of persons (details supplied). [33499/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra2331. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of complaints received in respect of the proposed changes in the ECCE scheme reduction of three entry points for enrolment to a single entry point from categories of persons (details supplied). [33500/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2330 and 2331 together.
The ECCE programme began in 2010 as a one-year (38 week) free pre-school programme for all children aged 3 years and 2 months on or before 31st August of the programme year as long as they would not turn 5 years and 6 months during that programme year.
In 2016, the programme was expanded by reducing the age of eligibility to 3 years, thus increasing the number of weeks of pre-school to an average of 61 weeks for eligible children. The number of entry points was also increased from one to three (September, January and April).
I announced further changes to ECCE eligibility in Budget 2018 where the lower age will be further reduced to 2 years and 8 months. The upper age limit has remained the same through all these changes and has been set at 5 years and 6 months in conjunction with the Early Years Policy Unit in the Department of Education and Skills to limit the age range of children commencing primary school education.
The number of entry points will revert from three to one at the beginning of the 2018 programme year (September). One enrolment period at the start of the pre-school year will help streamline the administration process and will make it easier for childcare providers to operate and budget for the programme year. This will also make it simpler for parents to secure places on the ECCE programme for their children.
The following is a breakdown of unique complaints/representations received by my office relating to the ECCE entry points.
Complaints regarding the three ECCE entry points.
|
Complainant |
No. |
|
Parents |
24 |
|
Providers |
8 |
|
TD on behalf of a parent |
3 |
|
TD on behalf of a provider |
2 |
|
Total |
37 |
Complaints regarding the reintroduction of one entry point.
|
Complainant |
No. |
|
Parents |
33 |
|
Social Workers |
1 |
|
TDs |
1 |
|
TD on behalf of a parent |
5 |
|
Total |
40 |
2332. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated full year cost of recruiting 500 new social workers and 1,000 new social workers, including aftercare workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33507/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraTusla has advised me that the estimated full year cost of recruiting 500 and 1,000 new professionally qualified social workers would be €33.870m and €67.740m respectively.
Also, I am informed that the estimated full year cost of recruiting 500 and 1,000 new social care leaders (previously aftercare workers) would be €34.049m and €68.098m respectively.
These costs are based on salary mid-point, PRSI (10.85% of mid-point) and overhead (25% of mid-point).
PQSW
|
Grade |
Pay |
ER PRSI |
Total Pay |
Non Pay |
Total Cost |
WTE |
|
PQSW |
€ 49,901 |
€ 5,364 |
€55,265 |
€12,475 |
€67,740 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
€ 33,870m |
500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
€67.740m |
1000 |
Social Care Leader (formerly known as Aftercare Worker)
|
Grade |
Pay |
ER PRSI |
Total Pay |
Non Pay |
Total Cost |
WTE |
|
Social Care Leader |
€ 50,127 |
€ 5,439 |
€55,566 |
€12,532 |
€68,098 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
€ 34.049m |
500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
€68.098m |
1000 |
2333. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the fact that crèches particularly in the Dublin 7 area that are advertising themselves as being registered facilities, but are in fact not; the action Tusla can take against unregistered facilities in order to provide transparency and peace of mind for parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33584/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra2335. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a crèche (details supplied) in Dublin 7 that is advertising as a registered facility but is not; if a facility is unregistered, the action Tusla can take against the facility to provide transparency and peace of mind for parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33856/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2333 and 2335 together.
I would like to thank the Deputy for bringing this matter to my attention and assure her that any potential breach of the Child Care Act 1991, as amended, is taken very seriously by my Department.
Section 58D (1) of this Act states:
'A person shall not provide a prescribed early years service unless his or her name is entered in the register as a provider of that service. '
I have instructed TUSLA, the agency responsible for ensuring that childcare providers are compliant regarding these matters, to investigate the matters mentioned by the Deputy.
2334. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number and name of the groups she met each month to date in 2018 that fall under the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33704/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 provides that the Standards in Public Office Commission will be the regulator of lobbying and the web-based Register of Lobbying is available on the Commission's website to make information available to the public on the identity of those communicating with designated public officials on specific policy, legislative matters or prospective decisions.
Under the Act, it is the responsibility of the person who makes, manages or directs the lobbying activity to register and submit returns to the Register every four months.
2336. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of insurance under headings (details supplied) for her Department and each body under its aegis; the cost of the premium for 2018 or the premium paid in 2018 if the policy year straddles two calendar years; the comparable premium amount paid in 2017; the number of outstanding insurance claims against her Department or bodies under its aegis; the estimated cost of those claims; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33993/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraGovernment Departments and other State agencies, whose claims are delegated for management by the State Claims Agency (SCA), do not have conventional insurance cover. Instead, these State bodies operate under State indemnity, a self-insurance model whereby the State bears the financial risk associated with the costs of claims.
This approach to insurance is set out in the Public Financial Procedures (Department of Finance, 2008, C8, Section 11): ‘the general rule is that no insurance should be effected against the risk of any loss which, if it arose would fall wholly and directly on public funds. This is based on the understanding that the risks for which the Government is liable are innumerable and widely distributed, and that losses maturing in any one year are never so large as to materially disturb the financial position of the year, so that it is less expensive in the long term for the Exchequer to ‘carry its own insurance.’
State indemnity, as operated by the SCA, is provided to delegated State authorities, including Government Departments and delegated healthcare enterprises, in respect of personal injury, third-party property damage and clinical negligence liabilities. The Child and Family Agency, the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Office of the Ombudsman for Children and the Oberstown Children Detention Centre are all delegated State Authorities for this purpose.
With regard to outstanding claims and their estimated costs, my Department and all of the bodies under its aegis, the Child and Family Agency, the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Office of the Ombudsman for Children and Oberstown Children Detention Centre, will revert to the Deputy directly.
2337. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her Department's spending on travel and subsistence expenses in 2017 and to date in 2018. [34208/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of the expenditure outlays on travel and subsistence by my Department in 2017 and to date in 2018 are set out in the following table:
|
Travel and Subsistence |
2017 |
2018 (year to date) |
|
Home Travel |
€64,400.76 |
€29,222.63 |
|
EU Travel |
€39,631.77 |
€30,745.53 |
|
Non EU Travel |
€31,892.50 |
€15,796.61 |
The Deputy might note that the overall objective of my Department is to keep costs associated with travel to a minimum and to achieve value for money for expenditure necessarily incurred by staff in the performance of their official duties.
2338. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her Department's expenditure on photography and other promotional services including the creation of social media content in 2017 and to date in 2018. [34225/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra2339. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her Department's expenditure on public relations in 2017 and to date in 2018. [34242/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra2342. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her Department's expenditure on the purchase of newspapers and other media content, such as, print, digital and other forms in 2017 and to date in 2018. [34293/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2338, 2339 and 2342 together.
Details of the costs incurred on photography and other promotional services, public relations and media content by my Department since January 2017 are set out in the tables below. The overall objective is to keep costs of this nature to a minimum and these services are only used when deemed necessary in the course of Departmental activity. The 2017 figures for 'Other Promotional Services (Advertisements)' and 'Public Relations' relate to awareness raising of increased childcare supports, which are now benefiting over 70,000 children.
Photography
|
2017 |
2018 (to date) |
|
|
Cost (€) |
2,381.28 |
922.50 |
Other Promotional Services (Advertisements)
|
2017 |
2018 (to date) |
|
|
Cost (€) |
220,677.56 |
1,118.00 |
Other Promotional Services (Website Maintenance and Hosting)
|
2017 |
2018 (to date) |
|
|
Cost (€) |
10,004.82 |
8,046.18 |
Public Relations
|
2017 |
2018 (to date) |
|
|
Cost (€) |
48,041.15 |
Nil |
Media Content (Newspapers)
|
2017 |
2018 (to date) |
|
|
Cost (€) |
3,625.50 |
1,741.15 |
Media Content (Digital)
|
2017 |
2018 (to date) |
|
|
Cost (€) |
464.06 |
340.79 |
Media Content (Newspaper Cuttings and Broadcast Alerts)
|
2017 |
2018 (to date) |
|
|
Cost (€) |
6,363.99 |
3,583.55 |
