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Thursday, 14 Feb 2019

Written Answers Nos. 243-258

Capital Expenditure Programme

Ceisteanna (243)

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

243. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the capital projects completed by his Department since 2011; the initial contract value of same; the final cost of same; and the final cost of the capital projects that have had an ex post review in tabular form. [7855/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and funding in relation to public transport, the national roads programme and sports planning and development.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including procurement of same.

My Department allocates the national roads programme capital budget to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to deliver the programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the planning, design and operation of individual national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

Sport Ireland has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of the National Sports Campus.

Noting the responsibility of the NTA, TII and Sport Ireland in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the agencies for direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 42A

Detention Centres Staff

Ceisteanna (244, 245, 246, 248, 252, 253)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

244. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 189 and 190 of 6 February 2019, the reason there is a large gap between the number of assaults on staff recorded at Oberstown Children Detention Campus in 2018 and the number of injuries sustained by staff at the centre in the same year in view of 25 recorded assaults and 103 injuries. [7447/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Clare Daly

Ceist:

245. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 189 of 6 February 2019, the number of staff that were assaulted at Oberstown Children Detention Campus in 2018. [7448/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Clare Daly

Ceist:

246. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of assaults on staff at Oberstown Children Detention Campus in each of the years 2016 and 2017; and the number of staff assaulted in each of those years. [7449/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Clare Daly

Ceist:

248. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 557 of 6 February 2019, if assaults with improvised weapons, such as, for example, with a piece of glass or broken crockery, are counted by Oberstown Children Detention Campus as assaults with weapons; and the definition of weapon used by the campus for the purposes of record keeping. [7451/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Clare Daly

Ceist:

252. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 189 of 6 February 2019, the number of the 18 assaults recorded in 2018 at Oberstown Children Detention Campus after which the staff member involved did not take leave that were assaults on probationer staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7466/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Clare Daly

Ceist:

253. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 189 and 190 of 6 February 2019, the reason there is a large gap between the number of assaults on staff recorded at Oberstown Children Detention Campus in 2018 and the number of injuries sustained by staff at the centre in the same year in view of 25 recorded assaults and 103 injuries. [7652/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 to 246, inclusive, 248, 252 and 253 together.

I am advised by Oberstown Children Detention Campus that there were 103 incidents of injuries to staff in 2018, 25 of which related to assaults on staff. I am advised by Oberstown that the other 78 incidents of injuries to staff consisted of injuries sustained during a restraint, approved sporting activities and environmental injuries.

In relation to the number of staff assaulted in the years 2016-2018, please see below:

2016

2017

2018

40 assaults on 35 staff

41 assaults on 38 staff

25 assaults on 20 staff

In relation to PQ number 189 of February 6th, 2019, I am also advised that of the 18 incidents of assault that resulted in no lost days in 2018, 3 staff members involved in these incidents were on probation.

For the purpose of record keeping, a weapon is defined by Oberstown as any implement or item that potentially can be used to cause harm or injury to a staff member or young person and are recorded as assaults with weapons.

Detention Centres Staff

Ceisteanna (247)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

247. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of staff on sick leave at Oberstown Children Detention Campus for more than one, three and six months and more than a year in each of the years 2016 to 2018. [7450/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I am advised by Oberstown Children Detention Campus that the information on staff sick leave requested by the Deputy is as set out below:

 

2016

2017

2018

Between 1 and 3 months

24

20

24

Between 3 and 6 months

12

7

6

Between 6 and 12 months

2

7

5

12 months or more

4

9

9

Please note these figures are for periods of continuous absence.

Question No. 248 answered with Question No. 244.

Consultancy Contracts Expenditure

Ceisteanna (249)

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

249. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the expenditure details for all consultancy or audit services provided to her Department by a company (details supplied) from 2015 to 2018, inclusive, and to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7556/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My Department has no records of any expenditure being paid to this company from 2015 to date.

Early Childhood Care and Education

Ceisteanna (250)

Shane Cassells

Ceist:

250. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if an additional year will be granted under the early childhood care and education scheme to a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7650/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

It should be noted that the Early Childhood Care and Education programme (ECCE) is a two year pre-school programme. There is no routine provision for a third year which may not be in the best interests of a child and may lead to breaching the statutory school starting age.

Overage exemptions were introduced at the onset of the ECCE programme in 2010. At that time ECCE operated for a 38 week period, or one programme year. For some children with special/additional needs, attending preschool five days a week was not feasible so, therefore, an allowance was made. Their ECCE place was split over two years, e.g. a child may have availed of three days ECCE provision in year one and two days in year two. In order to facilitate this, in the cases where the child would have been overage for ECCE in the latter year, an overage exemption was granted.

It is important to note that this provision of an overage exemption by my Department for the ECCE programme was never intended as a mechanism to delay a child’s entry to primary education or to address any issue of non-availability of a school place. In the past, the operation of the system of overage exemption has caused confusion where some parents and providers have incorrectly believed that an overage exemption approval from the DCYA represented a derogation from age requirements attaching to the statutory requirement that a child attend primary school before the age of 6 years.

The overage exemption process has recently been the subject of a consultation process and a report was produced by the National Disability Authority (NDA). Officials from my Department are now considering policy options following on from this report. The new policy will consider the future of the system of exemptions and how best to support parents and children in the important transition from pre-school to primary school. A key finding of this report, which will be published in the near future, is that generally it is in children's best interest to enrol in primary school with their peers and to transition to becoming a teenager with their peers. It is worth stressing that the only rationale underpinning these considerations is what is in the best interests of the child.

The report also seeks to ensure that schools offer all the assistance necessary to meet the child's needs, with the assistance of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

As regards the specific case you have raised, I would stress that each application for an exemption is considered on its own merits and never in the context of the outcome of any other case. In this instance, the application was declined on the basis that the full two year ECCE entitlement had already been availed of and with regard to the fact that the child named would be over age 6 years starting school.

We will be happy to assist the family, if requested, to make contact with the NCSE to ensure that adequate preparations are in place for the child to start school in September 2019. The family should make immediate contact with their local school to make sure it has appropriate arrangements in place to support this child from September 2019.

Child Detention Centres

Ceisteanna (251)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

251. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if Oberstown Children Detention Campus has an assault leave policy; and if so, if a copy of same will be provided. [7464/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I am advised by Oberstown Children Detention Campus that it has an assault and injury leave scheme. I have requested Oberstown to forward a copy to the Deputy.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 42A
Questions Nos. 252 and 253 answered with Question No. 244.

Capital Expenditure Programme

Ceisteanna (254)

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

254. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the capital projects completed by her Department since 2011; the initial contract value of same; the final cost of same; and the final cost of the capital projects that have had an ex post review in tabular form. [7844/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The information requested by the Deputy is nor readily available in the format requested. Officials from my Department are currently compiling the information and a further response will issue as soon as possible.

A deferred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 42A

Consultancy Contracts Expenditure

Ceisteanna (255)

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

255. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the expenditure details for all consultancy or audit services provided to his Department by a company (details supplied) from 2015 to 2018, inclusive, and to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7568/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My Department was established on 19 July 2017. Since that time I can confirm that my Department has not contracted consultants or audit services from the firm in question, and therefore does not have expenditure to report in relation to such services.

Local Improvement Scheme Data

Ceisteanna (256)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

256. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount allocated to each local authority under the local improvement scheme in each year since 2016; the amount expended by each local authority at the end of each such year to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7625/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

As the Deputy will be aware, there was no dedicated funding for the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) for a number of years due to constraints on public expenditure. However, I was very conscious of the underlying demand for the scheme in rural areas throughout the country and therefore I reintroduced the scheme in September 2017. In 2017, I allocated a total of €17.5 million to Local Authorities for LIS roads, and in 2018, I allocated over €20 million for these projects.

I launched the 2019 LIS on 7th February and allocated an indicative sum of €10 million to Local Authorities under the scheme.

The table below outlines allocations and payments made to date since the re-launch of the scheme in 2017, broken down by Local Authority. Final figures in respect of 2018 expenditure will not be available until all payment claims have been submitted to my Department by the Local Authorities.

LIS Allocations and Payments by Local Authority

County

Total Allocation 2017

Total Allocation 2018

Total Allocation 2019

Total Paid in 2017

Total Paid in 2018

Carlow

€440,460

€528,279

€250,000

€440,460.00

€410,597.40

Cavan

€335,080

€636,680

€269,254

€335,080.00

€500,008.00

Clare

€866,774

€1,038,844

€480,811

€866,744.00

€807,814.40

Cork

€1,151,985

€1,700,000

€900,000

€1,055,313.51

€1,174,636.00

Donegal

€3,384,000

€1,792,516

€677,456

€3,061,655.45

€1,360,232.15

Galway

€1,368,651

€1,942,000

€856,959

€1,368,651.00

€1,542,000.00

Kerry

€995,578

€1,209,990

€669,930

€980,225.97

€1,011,739.41

Kildare

€0

€329,590

€250,000

€0

€297,753.60

Kilkenny

€605,565

€679,683

€288,905

€598,079.00

€533,809.80

Laois

€812,270

€568,255

€250,000

€756,789.91

€440,352.05

Leitrim

€487,947

€550,120

€250,000

€487,947.00

€430,072.00

Limerick

€544,861

€684,349

€384,092

€544,861.00

€575,009.40

Longford

€302,443

€472,217

€250,000

€302,443.00

€382,349.86

Louth

€250,000

€250,000

€250,000

€249,999.75

€249,984.00

Mayo

€1,272,974

€1,843,235

€778,496

€1,272,974.00

€1,447,941.00

Meath

€474,290

€773,404

€326,394

€470,870.00

€607,642.40

Monaghan

€366,312

€540,841

€250,000

€349,040.00

€424,504.60

Offaly

€676,155

€644,654

€278,871

€676,155.00

€502,930.40

Roscommon

€421,258

€820,968

€355,104

€421,258.00

€639,661.80

Sligo

€496,158

€606,870

€256,154

€496,155.48

€476,922.40

Tipperary

€246,900

€794,400

€599,969

€244,329.00

€688,518.26

Waterford

€718,689

€607,047

€258,802

€660,825.00

€477,028.20

Westmeath

€516,324

€607,224

€256,433

€516,324.00

€477,134.40

Wexford

€494,493

€511,410

€329,878

€494,493.00

€417,211.00

Wicklow

€310,000

€668,135

€282,494

€310,000.00

€524,881.00

TOTAL

€17,593,167

€20,800,711

€10,000,002

€16,960,673.07

€16,400,733.53

Capital Expenditure Programme

Ceisteanna (257)

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

257. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the capital projects completed by his Department since 2011; the initial contract value of same; the final cost of same; and the final cost of the capital projects that have had an ex post review in tabular form. [7854/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Department of Rural and Community Development has not directly undertaken any capital projects since its establishment in July 2017.

The capital funding available to the Department is utilised at programme level to support local authorities and others in the delivery of individual capital projects. To date, such programmes include the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, CLÁR, Community Enhancement Programme, Libraries Capital Investment Programme, and the LEADER Programme. The projects involved are small in nature, and there are no capital projects funded under these schemes with a cost of €10 million or greater.

One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility

Ceisteanna (258)

Mick Barry

Ceist:

258. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) will be permitted to collect the one-parent family payment on behalf of that person's child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7419/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) is a payment for men and women under 66 who are bringing children up without the support of a partner. To get this payment it is necessary to meet certain conditions and to satisfy a means test.

An applicant for one-parent family payment must be the parent, step-parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian of at least one relevant child, who normally resides with him/her.

In this instance, the person concerned has applied for legal guardianship of the children but is not yet their legal guardian and whilst a decision on this application is pending, is receiving weekly Supplementary Welfare Allowance for themselves and the qualified children.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the deputy.

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