Thursday, 18 Apr 2019

Written Answers Nos. 263-275

Driver Test Waiting Lists

Ceisteanna (263)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

263. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the average and longest waiting times for learner drivers to receive driver tests by county. [18324/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

This information is available on the Road Safety Authority website at

www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Learner-Drivers/The-Driving-Test/Test-Waiting-Times/. #

This information is updated weekly.

Public Transport

Ceisteanna (264)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

264. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated cost of converting the public rail network fully to electricity in terms of the cost of the trains and the infrastructure required, respectively; the estimated cost of converting the entire State owned bus fleet, that is, Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus to fully electric vehicles by the cost of the buses and the infrastructure cost, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18325/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.  The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for ensuring the development and delivery of public transport infrastructure, including the purchase of bus fleet nationally and rail fleet in the GDA .

In light of the NTA's responsibility on this matter, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the NTA for co-ordination as required with Iarnród Éireann and a detailed direct reply.  Please advise 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

Departmental Staff Data

Ceisteanna (265)

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

265. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons employed at each level of the civil service from secretary general to cleaner each year since 2016; the number of those at each level that are female in each year since 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18358/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following tables.

Grade	Total Number of Employees at 31/12/2016	Total Number of Female Employees at 31/12/2016
Secretary General	1	0
Assistant Secretary	5	2
Principal Officer	21	10
Assistant Principal Officer	46	28
Administrative Officer	15	7
Higher Executive Officer	75	43
Executive Officer	84	48
Staff Officers	10	7
Clerical Officer	116	92
Professional & Technical Staff	99	2
Ministerial Appointments	5	2
Service Officer	9	2
	486	243

Grade	Total Number of Employees at 31/12/2017	Total Number of Female Employees at 31/12/2017
Secretary General	1	0
Assistant Secretary	5	2
Principal Officer	22	9
Assistant Principal Officer	55	33
Administrative Officer	19	12
Higher Executive Officer	75	39
Executive Officer	95	56
Clerical Officer	122	91
Professional & Technical Staff	103	2
Ministerial Appointments	8	2
Service Officer	10	2
	515	248

Grade	Total Number of Employees at 31/12/2018	Total Number of Female Employees at 31/12/2018
Secretary General	1	0
Assistant Secretary	6	3
Principal Officer	22	9
Assistant Principal Officer	63	36
Administrative Officer	24	14
Higher Executive Officer	89	44
Executive Officer	99	57
Clerical Officer	124	85
Professional & Technical Staff	111	5
Ministerial Appointments	7	2
Service Officer	11	2
	557	257

Grade	Total Number of Employees at 31/3/2019	Total Number of Female Employees at 31/3/2019
Secretary General	1	0
Assistant Secretary	6	3
Principal Officer	21	8
Assistant Principal Officer	64	37
Administrative Officer	25	15
Higher Executive Officer	88	44
Executive Officer	108	65
Clerical Officer	124	88
Professional and Technical Staff	113	5
Ministerial Appointments	8	2
Service Officer	11	2
	569	269

Child Safety

Ceisteanna (266)

Seán Fleming

Ceist:

266. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the process in place in Tusla in assessing credible reports in respect of child safety issues; the protocols in place; the maximum timetable for action to be taken on these reports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18095/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I understand the Deputy to be referring to reports or referrals made to Tusla, Child and Family Agency, under Children First. 

Tusla child protection duty social work teams screen all referrals to determine whether a report meets the eligibility criteria. When notifications are screened and assessed they are prioritised and the most urgent referrals are given priority ensuring that the children most requiring protection receive this support and protection in the most timely manner. All urgent cases are assigned immediately to a social worker.

High priority is not solely determined by risk, but may refer also to a child in care for less than a year, or approaching 18 years, who is deemed to need a social worker.

Cases that are not yet allocated a social worker are overseen by duty social work teams, and about one fifth of cases may be dealt with as “active on duty” where specific actions by the social work team are taking place, including information gathering and visits to see the child.

I have written to Tusla to request additional information in relation to the timeframes for completion of assessments, and will update the Deputy in due course.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

Ceisteanna (267)

Joan Burton

Ceist:

267. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if continued funding by the school completion programme under Tusla of the school counsellor bring provided to a school (details supplied) will be committed to; if the vital service for these DEIS schools will not be abolished; her views on whether such therapeutic services should be cancelled in view of the fact that they may be provided by the HSE and that HSE services are not available to schools in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18125/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The School Completion Programme (SCP) continues to deliver a valuable service for some of our most vulnerable young people at risk of early school leaving.

It was established in 2002 and became a programme operating under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme in 2005. Responsibility for the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) which included the SCP was transferred to my Department on its establishment in 2011. Operational responsibility for the SCP was transferred to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency on its establishment in 2014.

Currently, SCP receives annual funding of 24.7 million. My Department works with the Educational Welfare Service (EWS) of Tusla to ensure necessary resources are available to support this programme and to ensure staffing levels are sufficient to deliver a high quality service to those young people most at risk of early school leaving. 

From the Programme’s inception under the Department of Education and Skills up to €5,000 per annum was allowed for therapeutic supports for crisis or emergency needs as they arose for SCP participants. This recognised that many of the SCP participants experience adversity in their lives.

It should be noted that the SCP does not have a responsibility for funding school counsellors and therapeutic services. The SCP funding for school counsellors and therapeutic services were to be provided only in emergency or crisis cases for SCP participants.

Tusla (EWS) has advised me that they have  reviewed the SCP plans submitted by the SCP project which works in Ladyswell and Corduff National Schools and there is no record of the employment of a school counsellor in plans submitted to Tusla for 2018/19 or in previous years.

My Department continues to work with Tusla (EWS) to ensure necessary resources are available to support the SCP programme. In recognition of the need for a strong policy platform for educational welfare services, including the School Completion Programme, I have requested my officials to establish a Task Group to support the further development and integration of these services. The work of this group is near completion and I am eager to ensure that output will result in a clear blueprint for the development of the three strands of the EWS, including the SCP so that its reach, resources and impact are maximised in supporting young people at risk of early school leaving.

Children in Care

Ceisteanna (268)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

268. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children who have died in State care since 2010. [18160/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The following table outlines the numbers of children who have died while in the care of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, between 2010 and 2018. I am informed by Tusla that information on the causes of death is not currently available on the figures for 2018.

Year	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	Total 2010-2018
Number	2	2	3	3	3	3	1	5	2	24
Natural causes	1	2	2	2	0	2	0	2	NA	11
Homicide	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	NA	1
Suicide	0	0	1	0	3	0	0	1	NA	5
Drug overdoses	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	NA	2
Road traffic accidents	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	NA	1
Other accidents	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	NA1	1
Unknown	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	NA	1

The Deputy may wish to note that, prior to the establishment of Tusla in 2014, care services were provided to children by the Health Services Executive.

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (269)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

269. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the State agencies and bodies under the remit of her Department; the location of each such body by county; and the number of full and part-time persons employed in each such body. [18226/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

Four agencies are under the aegis of my Department. Details of each agency's location and the number of full and part-time persons employed are as follows:

Agency	Headquarters	Number of full and part-time persons employed	Additional information
Oberstown Children Detention Campus	Dublin	228 full-time staff and 39 part-time
The Adoption Authority of Ireland	Dublin	25 full-time staff and 3 part-time
Ombudsman for Children’s Office	Dublin	18 full-time staff and 1 part-time	These staff numbers are as reported by this Department to Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at the end of Q1 2019.  As the Office is independent in function it will respond to directly to the Deputy with the most up to date information.
Tusla - Child and Family Agency	Dublin.  The Agency also has staff based in 17 service areas across the country.	3893.1 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) staff   4341 Headcount	These staff numbers are as reported by my Department to Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at the end of Q4 2018. As Tusla was unable to provide the breakdown of full and part-time persons employed in time for this response it will respond directly to the Deputy.

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

Departmental Funding

Ceisteanna (270)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

270. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 603 of 4 December 2018, if she has considered conducting a historical review of funding issued to an organisation (details supplied) under the young people's facilities and services fund; the amount she plans to release to the organisation in 2019; the amount issued to date; if new conditions of funding will be attached in respect of the organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18311/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

As the Deputy is aware, my Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities.

In 2019, an amount of €395,103 has been allocated to local FAI community and street leagues, contributions towards regional development officers as well as programme costs.  This funding is overseen by my Department's funding intermediaries, the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) which cover nine ETB regions in this particular situation and is for specific targeted purposes.

The Education and Training Boards have in place Service Level Agreements with all funded organisations.  Each ETB has responsibility for oversight of funding to gain assurance that the direct, targeted, regional funding is being utilised exactly as intended.  There is no direct funding from my Department to FAI Headquarters.

Departmental Staff Data

Ceisteanna (271)

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

271. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of persons employed at each level of the civil service from secretary general to cleaner each year since 2016; the number of those at each level that are female in each year since 2016, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18345/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The following table shows the number of staff employed in my Department by grade and the number of those staff who were female by grade, for each end of year since 2016 and at the end of March 2019.

YEAR	2016	2016	2017	2017	2018	2018	2019	2019
GRADE	TOTAL	FEMALE	TOTAL	FEMALE	TOTAL	FEMALE	TOTAL	FEMALE
Secretary General	1	0	1	0	1	0	1	0
Assistant Secretary	3	2	3	2	3	2	3	2
Director	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Principal Officer	23	14	22	13	27	14	27	14
Assistant Principal Officer	32	19	50	28	58	37	60	39
Higher Executive Officer	21	11	33	18	42	24	41	23
Administrative Officer	18	10	19	11	28	14	26	12
Executive Officer	36	28	55	36	65	42	69	46
Staff Officer	6	6	0	0	0	0	0	0
Clerical Officer	47	34	54	37	51	30	50	29
Services Officer	3	0	3	0	3	0	3	0
Grand Total	191	125	241	146	279	164	281	166

Notes:

Numbers shown are headcount.

The Staff Officer grade was phased out in 2017.

The Principal Officer figures above include two Special Advisors (1 Female).

The Clerical Officer figures include two Civilian Drivers (0 Female).

The Department does not directly employ cleaners. Cleaning services are provided by a contracted company.

Departmental Funding

Ceisteanna (272)

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

272. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding for her Department both current and capital for 2019; the expenditure profile at the end of March 2019; if EU funding is available to her Department; if so, the programmes that are assisted with such funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18370/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The Revised Estimate for Public Services 2019 makes provision for a gross funding allocation of €1.510 billion for my Department which represents an increase of just under €107 million, or 8%, over the 2018 provision. The allocation includes a current provision of €1.478 billion and a capital allocation of €32 million.

At the end of March, 2019, the sum of €430 million has been expended from my Department’s current provision and €1.7 million from the capital allocation, representing 29% of gross allocation.  

Just over half of my Department’s funding is targeted at services within Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to protect our children and to provide for their welfare. Tusla will receive additional funding of €31 million in 2019 bringing its overall allocation to €785 million.

An additional €59 million is being provided for early learning and care programmes in 2019 which will bring early learning and care funding to just under €575 million. Children, parents and providers are all set to benefit. The increased resource allows me to continue to meet the growing demand for universal and targeted supports. It also enables me to widen the thresholds of the new National Childcare Scheme that I will introduce later this year.

In addition to these areas, my Department’s Estimate for 2019 contains provision for almost €63.6 million for Youth Services. These resources will fund youth services throughout the country, including services for those at risk of disadvantage and help address some of the remaining challenges faced by LGBTI+ young people. 

Other key areas of expenditure include €26 million for the costs of Irish Youth Justice Service, including operational costs for the Oberstown Children Detention Centre; €19 million for the operational costs of my own Department; €9.5 million for Prevention and Early Intervention Programmes (which now includes the Area Based Childhood Programme and the PPFS Programme); €7 million for the Intervention Programme for Children and Young People; €5 million for the Adoption Authority of Ireland; €4 million for the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes; and just under €3 million for the Office of the Ombudsman for Children. 

An allocation of €2.098 million in 2019 is being made by my Department to support the development of youth projects under the Peace IV 2014 - 2020 Programme for Peace and Reconciliation.  This Programme is a cross border initiative funded by the EU, the Irish government and the North Ireland assembly, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). It is designed to support peace and reconciliation through youth work in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland. The Children & Young People programme under Peace IV targets those young people aged between 14-24 years who are disadvantaged, excluded or marginalised, have deep social and emotional needs, and are at risk of becoming involved in anti-social behaviour, violence or dissident activity.

I am satisfied that the significant additional resources secured for 2019 will enable my Department and its agencies build on the good work achieved to date. The extra funding continues this Government’s commitment to provide high quality services for children and young people.

Childcare Services Funding

Ceisteanna (273)

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

273. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the progress in introducing large scale capital grants to assist in the provision of childcare places; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the present level of grants is perceived to be not adequate to support some communities that wish to expand community childcare facilities or provide new ones in which there is a proven demand for such childcare provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18371/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

A key priority for the Department of Children and Youth Affairs is to support the Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare sector through the provision of capital funding where it is most needed.  

I have allocated significant funding in recent years for this purpose and for improving the quality of infrastructure nationwide.

In 2019, I secured a Capital budget of €9.6 million for the sector which will enable a focus on increasing the number of places available, and supporting the transition of services to the forthcoming National Childcare Scheme. Of this, €6.1 million has been allocated for the 2019 Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Capital programmes.

This funding will be delivered in three strands, as follows:

€4.23 million will be available under Strand A, which will offer grants of up to €50,000 to early learning and care providers for the creation of new places for 0-3 year-olds where demand for these is clearly evidenced.

€875,000 has been allocated to Strand B, which will offer individual grants of up to €15,000 to aid community/not-for-profit early learning and care services in addressing fire safety issues.

Finally there will be €1 million for Strand C, which will offer individual grants of up to €20,000 to school age childcare providers for the creation of new school age places where demand for these is clearly demonstrated.

The application window for the Early Learning and Care and School Age Capital programmes opened on 25 February and closed on 27 March 2019. Applications are now in the middle of the appraisal stage, which is undertaken by Pobal and overseen by my Department.

Applications are being appraised using a fair process, based on a number of criteria, including: Demonstration of need; Value For Money; Capacity of the organisation (including compliance with scheme rules); Project Achievability, and Socio-economic deprivation in the service's location.

Capital programmes are necessarily a budget limited exercise. The maximum grant size available under each of these strands has been determined to optimise what can be delivered by each individual grant, and to maximise the number of providers and children who will ultimately benefit from the funding.

Decisions on the award of capital grants are due to be delivered in June 2019 , once the appraisal process has concluded.

Furthermore, childcare was identified as a strategic priority in the National Development Plan (2018-2027) and €250 million in capital funding was secured for childcare under the plan. This represents the kind of large scale investment in the sector by the State that has not been undertaken since the earlier National Childcare Investment Programme that concluded in 2010.

This investment will be essential to respond to the increased capacity we expect as the new National Childcare Scheme is introduced. The NCS will radically change how this country supports the cost of early learning and care and school age childcare.

Research is on-going to determine areas of specific need that the NDP funding will address when it comes on stream in the coming years. The exact shape and priorities of this funding is currently being developed: more information will be made public on childcare plans under the NDP as it becomes available.

Library Services Data

Ceisteanna (274)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

274. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the average cost of a library card per child; if library cards are free for children; the cost of providing library cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18135/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Rural and Community Development

Library membership fees and library fines have been abolished under successive public library strategies with the aim of removing barriers to library membership and use. 

Membership fees, which included the cost of providing library cards for both child and adult members, were abolished in all local authorities since early 2017.  That said, some local authorities may charge for replacement library cards in certain circumstances with the approach taken varying across local authorities.  Library fines were abolished in January 2019 as an early action under the new public library strategy, Our Public Libraries 2022: Inspiring, Connecting and Empowering Communities.    

The provision of public library services, including membership and administration procedures, is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001.  Accordingly, my Department has no role in providing library membership cards, and does not collect information in relation to the cost of providing such cards or in respect of charges for replacement library cards.  This is solely a matter for individual local authorities.

Departmental Expenditure

Ceisteanna (275)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

275. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the current and capital expenditure, respectively for each local authority in each of the years 2016 to 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18136/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Rural and Community Development

In order to provide the data requested, I am arranging for the current and capital expenditure, for each local authority, since the establishment of my Department in 2017, and for 2018, to be forwarded to the Deputy separately.  2019 information is not available as yet.

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