Written Answers Nos. 334-346
334. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the provisions that are in place to provide public creches in the Adamstown, County Dublin to meet the growing demand due to population increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21844/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe availability of high-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority.
Since 2015, significant increases in State investment in early learning and childcare has given rise to a substantial growth in the numbers of children participating in these services. More than 100,000 children now participate on the universal pre-school programme on an annual basis and the National Childcare Scheme subsidises up to 80,000 children.
To ensure that the supply of early learning and childcare places meets demand, my Department has, since 2015, funded the creation of more than 27,000 new places through an Annual Capital Programme.
Before the onset of Covid-19, national data indicated that, on the whole, supply of early learning and childcare places was meeting demand, with evidence of undersupply for certain age groups including children under 3, and in certain areas.
Data gathered throughout the Covid-19 pandemic revealed lower demand for early learning and childcare, and reduced occupancy among early learning and childcare services. Indeed, data captured in June 2021 found significant vacancy rates across the country – with the national vacancy rate averaging at 21% and the vacancy rate in South Dublin - the Adamstown Local Authority Area - at 18%. There are 237 early learning and childcare services in South Dublin (of whom 38 are community, not for profit services and 199 are private services).
My Department is continuing to monitor early learning and childcare capacity, with a particular focus on monitoring Covid-19 impacts as public health restrictions have been lifted.
Pobal has, using the data captured in June 2021 and current registration data, recently projected vacancy rates in February 2022. While this analysis shows a fall in vacancy rates from June 2021 to February 2022 – with vacancy rates falling from 21% to 19%, this analysis suggests that there is unused capacity across the country.
Pobal has commenced the new data collection as of 4 April 2022, as part of the Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey. This will allow for updated information on capacity among early learning and childcare services to be established.
In addition to these efforts to monitor capacity issues across the country, my Department is planning a range of steps to address any issue of under supply. A new funding model, to roll out in September, will provide funding for services aligned to costs of delivery so, for example, greater funding will be available to services that cater for younger children where costs of delivery are higher than older children. Some €70m has been allocated to my Department through the revised National Development Plan (NDP) – with the majority of this funding earmarked for new places. Another important step being taken by my Department, in partnership with the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government (DHPLG), is to update the 2001 Planning Guidelines for Local Authorities on Early Learning and Childcare Settings. In addition, CCC are currently proactively engaging with early learning and childcare services to identify unused capacity and explore the potential for services in increase capacity where there is evidence of unmet early learning and childcare needs of families.
Parents experiencing difficulty in relation to their early learning and childcare needs should contact their local City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) for assistance. Contact details for CCCs may be found on www.myccc.ie.
335. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1068 of 26 April 2022, to the Minister for Social Protection, the current position regarding the necessary legislation which will give effect to the increase in parent's leave to seven weeks from July 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21992/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 (as amended), working parents are entitled to five weeks of paid parent's leave for each relevant parent, as defined in the legislation, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child.
Provision has been made in Budget 2022 to increase the number of weeks of Parent’s Leave and Benefit available to eligible parents from five weeks to seven weeks from July 2022. This will be introduced by way of Regulation as provided for under the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 (as amended).
It has been decided that the additional two weeks' leave and benefit will apply to parents of children who are under the age of two in July 2022 (or adoptive children who have been with their parents for less than two years at that point).
Practical arrangements for the payment of Parent’s Benefit are being made with the Department of Social Protection, and when finalised a date for the commencement of the extension will be announced.
336. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of ABC programme places that were offered in areas (details supplied) from 26 April 2021 to 26 April 2022; the uptake in each area; the year that these locations were selected; his plans to expand the programme to other locations; his plans to transition the programme to an online version; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22231/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTulsa’s National Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme is an area-based Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) initiative which is delivered in 12 areas of significant socioeconomic disadvantage across the country through the Prevention Partnership and Family Support Services within Tusla (see locations of ABC programmes below).
The ABC Programme was funded jointly by Atlantic Philanthropies and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs between 2013 and 2018. Since 2018, Tusla has funded the Area Based Childhood Programme. It operates as part of the wider Tusla Prevention, Partnership and Family Support Programme (PPFS).
Through Prevention and Early Intervention approaches, the Area Based Childhood Programme aims to work in partnership with families, practitioners, communities and national stakeholders to deliver better outcomes for children and families living in areas where poverty is most deeply entrenched.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is currently funding Tusla to scale proven models from the ABC programme under the What Works initiative. Work is underway identifying the locations for these in areas of deprivation across Ireland.
Over the last two years, the onset of Covid has impacted ABC services. All areas had to adapt their service delivery model to ensure continuity of support to the children and families they work with. Elements of the ABC programme, such as parenting programmes were delivered online and home visits, where possible did take place in outdoor settings ensuring Public Health Guidelines were adhered to. As society has opened the majority of the ABC work has returned to in-person delivery, but some programmes may maintain a hybrid model of delivery, where this is deemed to best meet the needs of parents and families.
In the six months from Jan to June 2021, the ABC programmes engaged 13,681 parents and 21,804 children in various interventions and 4,102 professionals in training and capacity building work. Tusla has advised that currently the level of data requested in respect of April 2021 to April 2022 is not yet available.
ABC Locations
|
NAME |
LEAD AGENT |
GEOGRAPHIC AREA |
WEBSITE |
|
Family Matters |
Ballyfermot Partnership |
Ballyfermot, Dublin |
www.bcpartnership.ie/ |
|
Youngballymun
|
Young Ballymun |
Ballymun, Dublin |
youngballymun.org/ |
|
Grangegorman ABC Programme |
Technological University, Dublin |
Grangegorman, Dublin |
www.dit.ie/ace/grangegormanabcprogramme/ |
|
Supporting Parents and Early Childhood Services (SPECS) |
Bray Area Partnership |
Bray, Wicklow |
www.specsbray.com/ |
|
Blue Skies Initiative
|
Archways |
Clondalkin, Dublin |
blueskiesinitiative.ie/ |
|
Early Learning initiative |
National College of Ireland |
Dublin Docklands and East Inner City |
www.ncirl.ie |
|
ABC Start Right |
Paul Partnership |
Limerick |
www.paulpartnership.ie/abc-start-right/ |
|
Childhood Development Initiative |
CDI Tallaght |
Tallaght, Dublin |
www.cdi.ie/ |
|
Let’s Grow Together! Infant and Childhood Partnership |
Let’s Grow Together! Infant & Childhood Partnership |
North West Cork City |
www.letsgrowtogether.ie |
|
Preparing for Life
|
Northside Partnership |
Dublin 5 and Dublin 17 |
www.preparingforlife.ie/ |
|
Better Finglas
|
Barnardo’s |
Finglas, Dublin |
betterfinglas.org/ |
|
The Genesis Programme |
Louth Leader Partnership |
Louth |
louthleaderpartnership.ie/service/genesis-programme/ |
337. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of secondments from his Department to the university third level sector over the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22245/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department operates the guidelines in relation to secondments which are set out by DPER and approved by the Civil Service Management Board and can be found at hr.per.gov.ie/en/corporate-pages/career/mobility/secondment/.
In the past two years, one staff member was seconded from my Department to the third level sector.
338. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1137 of 26 April 2022 if his proposals for the introduction of domestic violence leave include paid leave. [22285/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince its formation, this Government has made it clear that tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a key priority. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to investigate the provision of paid leave and social protection provision to victims of domestic violence.
The issue of domestic violence leave has been researched by officials in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. This research has included considering domestic violence leave at international level, identifying best practice and developing a suitable model for roll-out in Ireland.
The Department has engaged in a targeted consultation process with relevant stakeholders and social partners to examine how a scheme of leave should operate to address the needs of victims most effectively. This has included consulting with the monitoring committee of the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, employers' groups and trade unions. Stakeholders of the National Equality Strategy Committees have also been consulted.
I intend to bring to Government shortly a report on this work. The report contains a number of recommendations including how best to support employees experiencing domestic abuse and proposals for the introduction of domestic violence leave, including consideration of paid leave.
339. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1139 of 26 April 2022 in which he states that the list of issues prior to reporting did not include reference to the second Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography and therefore there is no reference to the issue in the State Report, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that he stated in Parliamentary Question No. 367 of 12 October 2021 that it had always been his intention to include an update on the ratification process of the second Optional Protocol in the final report to the UN Committee in February 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22293/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFurther to my replies of 26 April 2022 and 12 October 2021, I can confirm that my intention was to include an update on the ratification process of the second Optional Protocol in the final report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in February 2022.
Following the public consultation on the draft State Report in autumn 2021, my officials considered the submissions received during the consultation. My officials also consulted with counterparts within my Department and in other departments in late 2021 to ensure that the most current information was included in the final State Report.
Regrettably, an update on the ratification process of the second Optional Protocol was not possible in the submitted State Report. This was due to the State’s resolve to address comprehensively all the issues raised by the UN Committee in its List of Issues Prior to Reporting and to remain within the strict word limit of 21,200 words imposed by the UN Committee. These constraints did not allow, on this occasion, the opportunity to incorporate updates on important issues not directly raised in the UN Committee’s List of Issues such as the ratification process of the second Optional Protocol.
I remain available to provide such an update when I appear before the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva.
340. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a schedule of fines and totality of the amount paid in respect of fines issued by the EU on his Department for failing to transpose EU directives; if he will include the directive that was not transposed on time; and if he will indicate the directives that are still not fully transposed for the past 25 years to date in 2022. [22320/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, liaises with
the Commission on the transposition of EU Directives. I am advised that
my Department has not incurred fines or penalties for not transposing EU
Directives.
341. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the initiatives his Department is taking to help victims and survivors of childhood sexual abuse; the funding being provided for organisations that work in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22350/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of children and provides and/or funds a range of supports and services to victims of sexual abuse, including Domestic, Sexual & Gender Based Violence (DSGBV). In 2022, my Department has provided Tusla with an annual budget (current expenditure) of €881m, an effective increase of over €40m on its 2021 allocation, which will help the agency to continue to deliver these supports and meet growing demand for its services, including support services for those who have experienced sexual violence.
Tusla provides annual funding to 16 rape crisis centres nationwide. Services provided by these centres include specialist counselling for individuals seeking assistance in coming to terms with their experiences.
Tusla child protection social workers receive referrals of child sexual abuse and work with children, families and other professionals and agencies to make sure children are safe from harm. The “Child Abuse Substantiation Procedure” (CASP) is a revision of the 2014 Policy “Policy and Procedures for Responding to Allegations of Abuse and Neglect”. It is based on learnings that indicated the need to further enhance consistency of practice across Tusla. In addition, changes were also required to incorporate new legal judgements in this complex area of law and practice.
The CASP, which will be implemented on 27th June 2022, will assist social workers in achieving an optimum standard of child protection practice when carrying out substantiation assessments. Furthermore, this procedure will allow Tusla to function within the correct parameters of legal obligations, fair procedures and information management.
Furthermore, my Department is leading on the development and implementation of Barnahus Ireland which is a significant initiative to help victims and survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Barnahus is a child-friendly, interdisciplinary and multiagency model of service that brings child protection, policing, medical, therapeutic and forensic services together, under one roof, to provide services for children who experience sexual abuse and their families.
My Department has been awarded financial and technical support from the EU and the Council of Europe, to help expand the Barnahus model in Ireland. In addition to the Barnahus West in Galway, which is currently in operation, two further locations in the East and South will provide national coverage and access for victims and families to the service. At present, funding in the region of €1.38m is available to support the implementation of the Barnahus model of service delivery in Ireland.
342. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will be strengthening laws against childhood sexual abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22351/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFormulating laws against childhood sexual abuse is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice.
The Children First Act 2015, which was fully commenced in December 2017, provides for a number of key child protection measures, including raising awareness of child abuse and neglect, providing for reporting and management of child protection concerns and improving child protection arrangements in organisations providing services to children.
The Act operates side-by-side with the non-statutory obligations provided for in Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. The Children First Guidance, which was fully revised in October 2017 to include reference to the provisions of the Act, is intended to assist members of the public, professionals, employees or volunteers in identifying and reporting concerns about child abuse and neglect to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. It sets out definitions of abuse, and signs for its recognition. It explains how reports about reasonable concerns of child abuse or neglect should be made by the general public and professionals to Tusla. It sets out what organisations need to do to keep children safe. It also describes the obligations under the Children First Act 2015 and who they attach to.
Tusla has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. Tusla assesses all child welfare and protection concerns that are reported to it and takes appropriate actions, including referrals to appropriate services and agencies, dependant on assessment outcomes. If Tusla suspects that a crime has been committed and a child has been wilfully neglected or physically or sexually abused, it will formally notify An Garda Síochána without delay.
343. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the funding allocations in budget 2023 will be gender equality proofed and in accordance with wellbeing budget indicators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21692/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraEquality budgeting is an integral part of the current budgeting framework of the Department. It is currently applied to programmes with a particular focus on gender equality in further education, higher education leadership, apprenticeship and in research. Reporting on access provision to higher education includes the number of new entrants entering higher education with a disability and number of new entrants who are travellers. In keeping with public sector obligations under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Act 2014, policies and plans delivered by the Department promote equality and prevent discrimination both of service users and the wider public impacted by policy interventions.
Under the current approach:-
- The number of women registered as apprentices has grown from 665 at end 2019 to 1,482 in March 2022
- The number of women in Senior Academic Leadership (SALI) Posts in the higher education sector increased by 50%, from 20 in 2019 to 30 in 2021
- In the research sector, the Female Research Applicant Success Rate has grown from 26% in 2019 to 31% in 2020.
The further and higher education and training and research systems are key to the wellbeing indicators at a national level. Measures of lifelong learning participation and engagement in research are major contributors to the national wellbeing indicators, however the education and training system response at all levels is also integral to the national response effort in areas such as housing, climate and labour utilisation. By focusing on metrics that measure access to lifelong learning, as well as providing incentives to Research and Development that focus on promoting the subjective wellbeing of people in Ireland, my Department will ensure that spending will be proofed in accordance with existing wellbeing and gender equality indicators.
The specific treatment of funding allocations for Budget 2023 will be in alignment with the developing work by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform around Well-being and the Evaluation and Budget Allocation Process.
344. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the review of Ireland’s skills strategy being undertaken by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development incorporates an examination of whether there is currently a sufficient number of places available in psychology at third-level institutions here to service annual HSE recruitment needs under the Progressing Disability Services model for both children and adults with a disability; if this review by the OECD has commenced; the timeframe for its publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21706/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra345. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the review of Ireland’s skills strategy being undertaken by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development incorporates an examination of whether there is currently a sufficient number of places available in clinical nutrition at third-level institutions here to service annual HSE recruitment needs under the Progressing Disability Services model for both children and adults with a disability; if this review by the OECD has commenced; the timeframe for its publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21707/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra346. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the review of Ireland’s skills strategy being undertaken by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development incorporates an examination of whether there is currently a sufficient number of places available in occupational therapy at third-level institutions here to service annual HSE recruitment needs under the Progressing Disability Services model for both children and adults with a disability; if this review by the OECD has commenced; the timeframe for its publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21708/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra347. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the review of Ireland’s skills strategy being undertaken by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development incorporates an examination of whether there is currently a sufficient number of places available in paediatrics at third-level institutions here to service annual HSE recruitment needs under the Progressing Disability Services model for children with a disability; if this review by the OECD has commenced; the timeframe for its publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21709/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra348. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the review of Ireland’s skills strategy being undertaken by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development incorporates an examination of whether there is currently a sufficient number of places available in psychiatry at third-level institutions here to service annual HSE recruitment needs under the Progressing Disability Services model for both children and adults with a disability; if this review by the OECD has commenced; the timeframe for its publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21710/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra349. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the review of Ireland’s skills strategy being undertaken by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development incorporates an examination of whether there is currently a sufficient number of places available in social work at third-level institutions here to service annual HSE recruitment needs under the Progressing Disability Services model for both children and adults with a disability; if this review by the OECD has commenced; the timeframe for its publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21711/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra350. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the review of Ireland’s skills strategy being undertaken by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development incorporates an examination of whether there is currently a sufficient number of places available in intellectual disability related nursing at third-level institutions here to service annual HSE recruitment needs under the Progressing Disability Services model for both children and adults with a disability; if this review by the OECD has commenced; the timeframe for its publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21712/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 344 to 350, inclusive, together.
Ireland’s overall approach to skills and training is outlined in the National Skills Strategy 2016 - 2025 (NSS) which is designed to benefit all people living in Ireland. It recognises that skills policy is an area of enormous importance - informing how people in Ireland live, work, learn and thrive. The development of skills and human capital is an integral part of the Government’s long-term plan for a sustainable and inclusive economy that serves the whole of its society including those with disabilities.
In order to ensure that the skills system continues to evolve and remains responsive and agile to the needs of all citizens, the National Economic Recovery Plan included a commitment to review Ireland’s skills strategies, architectures and approaches, including the NSS. In November 2021, I launched the review of the skills strategy and architecture in the shape of an OECD Skills Strategy Project, which will roll out through 2022. The review is rooted in stakeholder engagement and will examine four priority areas:
1. Securing balance in skills through a responsive and diversified supply of skills;
2. Fostering greater participation in lifelong learning in and outside of the workplace;
3. Strengthening the governance across a joined up skills ecosystem, and
4. Leveraging skills to drive innovation and strengthen the performance of firms.
The OECD Skills Strategy Project will support a holistic examination of our Skills Strategy and architecture to ensure that Ireland is best equipped to meet current and future skills needs with the imperative that Irish workforce meets the societal demands of all, inclusive of those with disabilities.
My Department is strongly committed to supporting the health of the population through the provision of graduates with the key competencies and skills to be effective in the health workforce, and support a range of clinical teams in our health services.
My Department has been engaging with the Department of Health on the number of places available in areas where the HSE has identified significant skills shortages. The areas identified include, but are not limited to, places in health disciplines such as medicine, nursing, health and social care professionals such as Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language therapists, Psychologists, Physiotherapists, Social Workers, Medical Scientists and Dieticians.
In the short term, my officials are actively engaging with the Higher Education Authority and representatives from the higher education sector on the provision of additional places for the coming academic year, with a focus on areas such as healthcare where there is a need for more skilled graduates. However there are real, material limits on the immediate increases that can be accommodated on highly practical courses such as healthcare courses which involve clinical placements.
In the longer term, the Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to working with the education sectors, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals and reform their training to support integrated care across the entire health service. I will ensure that there is continued engagement with all stakeholders to ensure that we deliver graduates with the skills necessary to support our healthcare system and support the strategic workforce planning by the health sector.
