Written Answers Nos. 292-303
292. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for farm assist received by month in 2021 and to date in 2022; the number declined; the reasons for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15757/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, Farm Assist is a form of Jobseekers Allowance. It is a means-tested payment for low-income farmers. To qualify, a customer must be a farmer in the State, be aged between 18 and 66, and satisfy a means test (as is the case for all Jobseeker’s Allowance claims).
To enable the accurate enumeration of recipients of Farm Assist, the Department uses a unique administrative code which is only applied to a claim that has already been awarded. Statistics are maintained on the total applications, awards, refusals, and withdrawals for Jobseeker’s Allowance but such detailed data is not separately collated in respect of Farm Assist. Accordingly, the data sought cannot be provided in the manner referred to by the Deputy.
Farm Assist recipients by month
|
Month |
Recipients |
|
Jan-21 |
5,448 |
|
Feb-21 |
5,403 |
|
Mar-21 |
5,303 |
|
Apr-21 |
5,291 |
|
May-21 |
5,238 |
|
Jun-21 |
5,184 |
|
Jul-21 |
5,140 |
|
Aug-21 |
5,089 |
|
Sep-21 |
5,029 |
|
Oct-21 |
5,000 |
|
Nov-21 |
4,962 |
|
Dec-21 |
4,945 |
|
Jan-22 |
4,908 |
|
Feb-22 |
4,864 |
293. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if any additional flexibility is being shown to applicants of farm assist with regard to the period for which income is calculated, due to likely future earnings having degraded in the past 12 months arising from dramatically increasing input costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15758/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFarm Assist is an important income support for farmers on low incomes, enabling them to continue to farm while also receiving a State income support. The means test for Farm Assist takes account of all income sources and operating costs, and is flexible to allow for significant fluctuations from one year to the next.
Income and expenditure figures for the preceding year are generally used as an indicator of the expected position in the following year. Details of any exceptional circumstances are also taken into account so as to ensure that the assessment accurately reflects the current situation.
294. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the considerations his Department is giving to providing for gender-specific accommodation for trafficked women; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15591/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department will shortly commence work on preparing a Request for Tender (RFT) for the purpose of providing gender-specific accommodation for trafficked women. This will look at the accommodation needs of trafficking women but also how the services that they need can be provided to them. It will take account of their vulnerability and the importance of safeguarding their safety.
It is expected that the RFT will be published later this year.
295. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide assistance in relation to a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15601/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraDeputy, I can confirm that accommodation is being made available by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of my Department to those Ukrainian nationals who seek international protection in Ireland, should they require it.
My officials are continuously working to source further accommodation and supports for Ukrainian arrivals to Ireland through hotel accommodation and various other accommodation solutions.The International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) of my Department has contracted over 2,500 hotel rooms, with additional capacity also being pursued.Local Authorities have completed a survey for the Department of Housing of buildings in their local areas that could be repurposed for this purpose. My Department is working actively with the Department of Housing and the City and County Management Association to extend the supply of buildings with the potential to accommodate refugees. The scale of the accommodation challenge is very significant. However, it is necessary that the owner of the facility offer it as accommodation In regard to the former Dingle hospital, you may be aware that in September 2020, Mórtas Pobail applied to Kerry County Council to change the use of the former hospital buildings to a mixed-use facility. Following this, in May 2021, Údarás na Gaeltachta announced it had secured €415,000 under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund to develop a master plan for the Old Dingle Hospital project. As such, this is a matter for those bodies.
296. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when provision will be made for resettlement workers within each local authority area; if it is proposed to establish a single point of contact for persons newly arrived in Ireland due to the war waged on Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15654/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity fora are being established in each local authority area as the means of coordinating support from public bodies, community groups and volunteers to support Ukrainian refugees in each county. Their role will be to coordinate the identification of refugee needs and to link them to key services in each local authority area.
297. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if persons that are recently Garda vetted could be offered the roles that are currently required to assist in the aid and reception of Ukrainian persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15734/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the Government has worked with the Red Cross on the logistics to put in place a national pledge. The website has been launched and is available online through registerofpledges.redcross.ie. There has already been a remarkable response by the public – already there have been over 20,000 pledges received.
The Department is working closely with An Garda Síochána, the Department of Justice, Tusla and the Irish Red Cross on arrangements for vetting. Persons offering rooms in their houses to Ukrainian refugees will be vetted so as to ensure the safety of all, particularly as many of the refugees are children.
Those who have been vetted are free to offer support to Ukrainian refugees, either in the form of accommodation through the national pledge, or through community initiatives. Those wishing to provide such support to refugees should contact the Community Fora in their counties as these are the mechanisms which are coordinating community initiatives in each county.
299. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of commissions of investigation under the remit of his Department currently ongoing in the State; the cost of each commission to date; and the projected costs of each, in tabular form. [12559/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise that there are no ongoing Commissions of Investigation under the remit of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
300. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects that baby boxes will be rolled out to new parents across the country; if there will be a pilot; if so, if the location of same has been decided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15318/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraPiloting of a Baby Box initiative for newborns is an action in the First 5 A Whole-of -Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028. This pilot is one initiative as part of a wide ranging strategy addressing various aspects of the lives of children from birth to age five including supports for parents to balance working and caring, developments in early learning and care and health initiatives.
The gift of the Baby Box is intended as a welcome from the State for a new arrival to a family and an acknowledgement of this very significant moment for parents. The universal distribution of Baby Boxes also reflects an important equality principle that each child is given something of equal value at the start of their life. The concept of Baby Boxes has been implemented in a number of countries including Scotland, whereby parents receive a package of items to assist with the transition to parenthood. The pilot will undertake research and consultation to determine items for inclusion in the Baby Box, informed by the commitments in the First 5 strategy, and these may include safety items, toys to support early development and books.
Key objectives with the Baby Box and linked communications will include support for parent-infant bonding, information on baby development and early learning, advice and support for breastfeeding and promotion of infant health and safety.
This action was delayed by the reassignment of personnel to the Covid response. The preparation to advance the initiative is now proceeding with the first meeting of the project advisory group held on December 13. It is envisaged that the pilot rollout will get underway in quarter 2 of 2022. A key element of the pilot is the evaluation. It is hoped the pilot evaluation report will be finalised in Q3 of 2022. Discussions are underway in agreeing the location or locations of the pilot and a decision will be taken shortly.
301. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way that Tusla will help with the arrival of unaccompanied minor refugees from Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15319/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTusla, the Child and Family Agency, has a dedicated social work team for Separated Children Seeking International Protection (SCSIP). Over the past 20 years, the SCSIP Team has developed expertise through Ireland’s participation in International Refugee Protection Programmes and by caring for the greater number of separated children seeking international protection who arrive unannounced at Irish ports and airports.
Separated children seeking international protection who arrive at ports of entry to Ireland are referred to Tusla for a child protection needs assessment.
In the first instance, Tusla makes every attempt to contact relatives of the child and to reunite the child with family members or friends. If children cannot be reunified with family or friends, they are received into the care of Tusla .
Should large numbers of separated children arrive in a short time span from Ukraine, Tusla, along with other agencies, will undertake assessment of need interviews and will arrange or refer children to safe, emergency needs led accommodation.
The profile of care and accommodation that will be offered will depend on the numbers arriving and their circumstances; if they have family already here, their age, their language skills and their assessed needs. Accommodation that will be offered include Tusla foster care placements, commissioned placements and established residential settings. Should a large number of separated children arrive, options such as boarding school accommodation, pledged family accommodation and other resources will be considered, in line with safety requirements.
Guidance regarding safeguarding and the immediate needs of children who have encountered trauma will be provided by the Tusla dedicated SCSIP Team and the broader Tusla child protection and foster care services.
302. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress he has made in establishing a national youth assembly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8763/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to say that significant progress has been made in fulfilment of the commitment given in the Programme for Government 2020 to establish a youth assembly. The National Youth Assembly of Ireland is now in place to act as a consultative forum on issues such as climate, rural and other important issues, as required.
The main function of the National Youth Assembly is to provide a systematic means of capturing the voices of young people in Ireland and feed this directly into Government policy, such as the annual revision of the Climate Action Plan and the work programme for Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025.
By providing a forum in which young people can give their views, the National Youth Assembly of Ireland provides insight into some of the concerns facing young people, and assists Government in acting on the potential solutions that young people propose.
The Rural Youth Assembly was convened in November 2021 as a precursor to the National Youth Assembly of Ireland. The Minister for Rural and Community Development heard from young Comhairle na nÓg (Youth Councils) representatives (aged 12 to 17 years) on their experiences and views on rural Ireland. The views of the young people will inform recommendations for future actions under the Our Rural Future work programme.
Building on the success of the Rural Assembly event, the National Youth Assembly of Ireland was established. On 2nd March 2022 I convened, with Minister Ryan, the inaugural National Youth Assembly on Climate. Young delegates at the Assembly made recommendations to Minister Ryan, and these will inform the Climate Action Plan 2022.
Youth Assembly delegates range in ages from 12 to 24 years and come from all across Ireland. Thirty young people are selected to sit on the National Youth Assembly for a term of 18 months. The sitting delegates are nominated by established youth organisations including Comhairle na nÓg (Local Youth Councils). When selecting delegates from the young people nominated, the selection panel, which includes officials from my Department , aim to select a broad representation of diverse young people from a range of youth organisations, taking into account geographical spread, urban/rural representation, age, gender and special interests.
The sitting delegates are joined at each Assembly by up to ten guest delegates who have a special interest in specific topics being addressed (such as climate issues, rural development etc.). Guest delegates are nominated by established organisations that have a particular interest in the issue being addressed by the Assembly and from organisations relevant to seldom heard children and young people. Where there are more nominations than places available, a lottery system is used to choose delegates within the criteria specified.
The Youth Assembly will convene up to four times a year, including once as the National Youth Assembly on Climate and once as the Rural Youth Assembly. The Youth Assembly may also convene at other times on related issues or on other issues as required, with a maximum of four Youth Assemblies being convened in any calendar year.
The establishment and function of the National Youth Assembly also meets the commitment in the interim Climate Actions 2021 to Establish a Youth Climate Council as part of the new National Dialogue on Climate Action engagement model and annual Climate Action Plan consultations, to help support future dialogue with young people.
Including the voice of children and young people in decisions that affect them also fulfils Government commitments under Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
303. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of subject access requests, SARs, received by his Department seeking personal information contained in the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation archive; the number of those that were successfully responded to; if he will update on the barrier with respect to access to health information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15302/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 28 February 2021, with the dissolution of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation, my Department became the data controller for all the personal data contained in the records and databases that transferred from the Commission.
My Department is responsible for fulfilling data subject rights, including the right of access to personal data. I am very mindful of the importance to people who were born in Mother and Baby Homes of access to their personal data.
My Department is committed to meeting its obligations as a data controller when dealing with Subject Access Requests (SARs) and is responding on a case by case basis to individuals in accordance with the requirements of GDPR.
As of 18 March 2022, my Department received 562 SARs relating to the Mother and Baby Homes archive and responded to 480 of these.
While the archive is largely a digital one, some physical records also transferred to the Department on the dissolution of the Commission. Individuals were previously advised that where physical records relating to them were retrieved following searches of the records, they would be provided with copies of the records. The physical records continue to be catalogued by the Department’s archivist. Searches of the physical records are being conducted as may be appropriate in the circumstances of each request. Records retrieved are provided to individuals as previously advised to them in correspondence relating to their SAR.
On 10 March 2022, the Minister for Health signed the new Data Protection Act 2018 (Access Modifications) (Health) Regulations 2022. These new Regulations replace the existing Data Protection (Access Modification) (Health) Regulations 1989. They remove the mandatory requirement to consult a health practitioner in every case and permit a data controller to exercise his/her discretion to consult in appropriate situations.
The Regulations will have a particularly positive impact for individuals seeking to access their health data in the Mother and Baby Homes archive as it will no longer be mandatory in all cases to consult the individual’s health practitioner before releasing their health data to them. The new Regulations will facilitate access to an individual’s health data in a more timely manner.
Following the making of the new Regulations, my Department is reviewing all SAR responses where health data was previously withheld and is working to provide health data to individuals as quickly as possible. Individuals who are awaiting the release of their health data do not need to take any action at this time and my Department will be in contact with them at an early date. My Department is also working to provide health data under GDPR to those individuals who previously opted to receive their health data under FOI as an interim measure pending the making of the new health Regulations.
